My Christmas Miracle
Last night our Bible Study group went out to dinner to celebrate Christmas with yummy food that we did not have to cook. A few weeks before, we’d picked “Secret Sisters”, so we could buy a specific, meaningful present for one person (instead of little presents for 10 people), and we exchanged our gifts at dinner last night.
My friend Jessica is notorious for being an awesome gift giver. Everyone hopes she picks their name! And it’s true. Last night, she not only brought her secret sister gift, but also a little gift for everyone else. (Technically this is cheating, but we all love our gifts so much we don’t even care.) 😉
So literally seconds after I told my friend Mary, who is new-ish to our group, that Jessica is the best and everyone wants her gift, Jess pulled out this big fluffy bag, and gave it to ME!!! MIRACLE OF ALL MIRACLES!!!
I was so excited, and opened it to find a cozy blanket, new book, and a beautiful necklace. And then, at the bottom of the bag, I pulled out one more gift. A set of stainless steel measuring spoons in the shape of hearts.
I almost cried right then and there.
Let’s back up about 10 years or so. The summer I graduated college, two of my closest friends got married. And being my close friends, my mom and I were both invited to their weddings. Like my friend Jessica, my mom was also notoriously good at giving gifts. So when my friends started getting married, she found the perfect, beautiful keepsake gift for each of them.
A set of silver measuring spoons in the shape of hearts. Each one had a cute little “measurement” on it. “A pinch of patience.” “A heaping of love.” Things like that.
At the time, I thought they were so special and beautiful, and I couldn’t wait until I got married when my mom would give me my own set.
Except that my mom died before I ever met Jon. She didn’t get to come to my wedding shower, or my wedding. There were no special gifts from mother to daughter on my wedding day, no words of wisdom or tears of joy. And while I would have traded a thousand spoons just to have her there, the spoons have always been, to me, a symbol of what I lost, when I lost her.
I have never told anyone about the spoons. I never wanted to buy them for myself, because that felt like trying to fill a hole that couldn’t be filled. So, I just held that memory close to my heart and figured it would be one of those things that was always missing.
Except that yesterday, I pulled that set of silver measuring spoons out of a colorful Christmas bag, from a sweet friend who had no idea. (Believe me. I may have yelled across the table, “Did you KNOW?! How did you know?!” And she totally didn’t.)
It’s a little thing, a set of measuring spoons, but it meant so very much to me. The only one who ever could have known how I felt about those spoons was the Lord. And though the present was from Jessica (who still reigns as the best gift giver, amen?), pulling that little set of measuring spoons out of the bag felt a lot like God reminding me that He never forgets. That He knows the sorrows and the desires of our hearts, and He is the Father of every good and perfect gift.
I have been missing my mom so much this week, clinging to old recipes and traditions and grasping for some sense of her here. She has been gone for almost nine years and the ache doesn’t go away. Especially at this time of year, when the joy and the pain are all intertwined. But still, our God is GOOD, and He sent the most amazing gift of all – His only Son, to redeem us and make us His. Even in the midst of pain, my friends, we have been given a beautiful, undeniable gift.
So, Merry Christmas. May we all be grateful for Jesus and family and measuring spoons. 🙂
(And for those of you wondering, these are the measuring spoons I’m talking about!)
What’s the most meaningful Christmas gift you’ve ever gotten?
Share this post today with a friend who needs to remember that God is GOOD, even when life is hard.
A simple way to get into the Word each day.
Sign up to receive our Simple Scripture Study Plans - monthly plans (already done for you!) for reading, writing, and memorizing Scripture in just 10 minutes a day!
You'll also receive our weekly newsletter, providing you with encouragement and resources to help you make time for what matters most.
*By subscribing, you're agreeing to our privacy policy.
Kayse Pratt serves Christian women as a writer + designer, creating home + life management resources that help those women plan their days around what matters most. She’s created the most unique planner on the market, helped over 400 women create custom home management plans, and works with hundreds of women each month inside her membership, teaching them how to plan their days around what matters most. When she’s not designing printables or writing essays, you’ll find Kayse homeschooling her kids, reading a cheesy novel with a giant cup of tea in hand, or watching an old show from the 90’s with her husband, who is her very best friend.
Beautiful memory and gift from your friend. Thank you for sharing and reminding me of God’s presence.
What a beautiful story – a lovely God-hug! I care about your heart and pray HE will give you extra peace….and maybe some new verses that you have not read recently to encourage your heart in the Lord. Blessings to you is my prayer.
I’d definitely call that a miracle. I hope you were able to share this beautiful story with her, if not everyone there.
I got tears-eyed when you mentioned the spoons for your friends, almost as if I knew what was coming next. My Dad passed away almost 5 years ago of cancer. When he was diagnosed, I of course had the normal devastation, fear, non-stop questions (that have no answers) like “Why do these things happen to such good people?”. At the same time, I distinctly remember constantly thinking about how he would be there to walk me down the aisle on my wedding day (and how unfair it was because he did so for both my sisters).
I haven’t received any “physical” signs like that, however definitely know my dad is looking down on my, my guardian angel. I am a true believe in GodWinks, as some people call them. Sometimes it takes me until later to realize that’s what it was, but others have been so clear I can’t miss. I love reading your story and how you are so comfortable sharing, because it reminds me I’m not “crazy”, as I’ve been told. I have very few people to talk to right now, 98% of which would call the measuring spoons coincidence…seeing a butterfly as I’m sitting outside thinking about my dad is nothing, talk about seeing an angel in the clouds (part of the story)… that’s just insane(in their words).
I’m sorry you lost your mom, but so happy you have these spoons as I know they mean more than anyone knows.
Wow that was beautiful! So special!
I lost my grandma on November 1st. My husband took me to dinner and Christmas shopping last week because I had been feeling a little down. While shopping, I hear this little voice somewhere near me singing: fuzzy wuzzy was a bear, fuzzy wuzzy had no hair….
My grandma used to sing this rhyme to us all of the time when we were little. I had never heard it anywhere else. It was God’s little reminder that my Grandma is near and it made me smile.
My mom has been gone for almost 31 years & I still miss her. More often, it seems, as I myself get older……
What a beautiful story! I also loved your email about letting go of your dream of home ownership. I do own a home (we live in a much less expensive part of the country than you do!), and I love it, but I have always dreamed of a larger home with things like a mudroom, attached garage, closet space and a windowseat. Your email was a good reminder to be thankful for the aspects of my house that I truly love instead of longing for other things.
It’s August, mere days until the 8th anniversary of my mom’s passing. I am crying. I completely get it. You’re right, God never forgets! Thank you for sharing.
What a beautiful story, Kayse. I needed that today.
I totally cried. Love it when that kind of thing happens!
God is so good to encourage and uplift us just when we need it.
I am crying. I lost both parents in 2011, less than 5 months apart. Certain times of the year, like the holidays, are more difficult than others. Grief doesn’t go away, it just fades a little, then roars back. How good to be reminded that our God knows and cares about our heartaches. HE is faithful! Blessings to you, dearling.
I am not normally much of a crier, but this post brought the tears to my eyes. This is my first Christmas without my dad. He passed away on Sept. 6 after a 4 year battle with cancer. His birthday was on Christmas Eve. When my dad passed away, life was very busy. After the brief lull of his funeral, life picked back up at warp speed, and my main concern has been taking care of my mom and helping her through all this. I’m sitting my classroom at lunch, all weepy, because reading this, it just hit me how much I will miss my dad this Christmas. It also reminded me to look for the ways God will be saying I love you and I care during these weeks too. Thank you! 🙂
What a great story. I feel your pain about your Mom. My Mom has been gone 5 1/2 years and the holidays always seem extra hard. Praying for extra special “gifts” for you this year.
This is so beautiful — I have my own stories like this, ways that the Lord reached out to me through others that were so obviously Him. Thank you so much for sharing.
What a great story! God is so awesome!
Kayse, I so love your realness and honesty about who you are and your life. Thank you for sharing something so personal and powerful that reveals your humanness and God’s compassion and mercy in the midst of your pain. I love who you are and how God is revealing Himself to you and through you.
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate you!
So, so beautiful. I pray that God continues to comfort you.
How completely awesome! It’s just like God’s love for us.
How special and awesome thank you for sharing it brought tears to my eyes in happiness for you! Many more blessings to you and your family Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Kayse,
What a wonderful story.
I am so sorry you loss your mom so early. I lost mine last year and it has been a long hard road. (I am 57).
I love this story.
Every Year for Christmas she would sent me a box of candy canes (yes I can always them from the store) 2 pairs of booties (one was always Red) and home made kitchen towels and dishcloths. Danny always got a pair of booties..
Last year I cried at Christmas when I didn’t get my gifts I missed her so much.
Sending love and hugs.
Sarah
My Daddy died February of 09 so our last Christmas together was in 08. I’d gotten him a belt with Daddy stamped into the back and a card with a pic of a man and a child about 3 years old on the front. They were walking along together in the snow, holding hands dragging a Christmas tree behind them.
I didn’t know when I got him that card and belt that he had cancer and would die so very very soon. God called him home because he had reached whatever place God needed him to reach in order to glorify Jesus, though, because he took him nit even 60 days later.
I was absolutely furious! I mean black rage mad! How could God take my Daddy after the gigantic losses I had already suffered?!! I absolutely refused to pray, to read my Bible or to say one word to the people who kept telling me it was “God’s will” . I did not CARE that it was God’s will! That was my Daddy going in the ground on a cold rainy day and he was claustrophobic!!
Once that rage and anger wore off several weeks later, my heart finally broke in a million pieces. I had to read my Bible because that is the one thing Daddy had faith in, The Word of God.
Guess what I found? That card! On one side I had written ‘I love you, Daddy’ when I gave it to him and on the other side he’d written, ‘I remember when you were that small. I love you too, Little Girl.’
That? Was the present ever, hands down. He knew he was going home and he was fine with it. He waited until he knew I would be okay and he left. I firmly believe that his purpose was to be the person who understood me best when I was going through the worst time in my life and he did. When God knew I was safe and put Daddy’s heart at ease, he went peacefully to his true home.
Kayse – weeping tears of joy and sorrow for you this AM! God is so good and I’m so happy for you that you git the spoons! My mom is hear visiting this week and you remind me to hug her and cherish her with all I’ve got. I’d share her with you if we lived closer. We’re both good huggers and we’d give you lots of hugs.
God Bless you my friend.
Monica
I literally teared up. That was so beautiful. God is amazing.. and is our Ultimate Source of Comfort.
May you feel the love and warmth of this year’s Christmas. But most of all..may you feel the love of Christ throughout the entire year.
Oh Kayse, this is so beautiful and so like our God!
What a beautiful story Kayse! Thanks for sharing this. It’s such a wonderful reminder of how much more God cares about us than we could ever realize! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and that you use those spoons to make a special treat. Merry Christmas!
Oh my goodness, Kayse, what a GREAT story and gift!! I’m tearing up. That is so kind of the Lord to send you this reminder! He is so good. Really beautiful. Merry Christmas, friend!
I lost my mom when I was 17. I loved her charm bracelet and would give just about anything to have it. Unfortunately, no one knows where it is so I can totally appreciate your miracle.
This made me so happy to read. The Lord is so good.
Ok, I’ll try to type through the tears. First of all, this is such a beautiful testimony of God’s perfect timing and His care for each and every one of us. He is God of the big things, and God of the little things…yes, even measuring spoons. God bless your sweet friend for such an incredible gift.
Kayse, I can totally relate to the mixed bag of emotion this time of year. My dad passed away when I was 19, and not only was his birthday in December, but Christmas was something he looked forward to each and every year with wild anticipation. I have such fond memories of my dad sitting on our hearth, wearing the same red sweater he donned every Christmas, eyes closed, singing along so beautifully to Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song”.
It’s been 18 years and I can still hear his voice every time that song comes on. I miss him so much it hurts. Sure, some days are better than others, but the absence never goes away.
God bless you Kayse, at Christmas and always. I look forward to the day when both of us can wrap our arms around our parents again. Merry Christmas!