Jocelyn was eight years old the Christmas her wish came true. Jocelyn was an only child who dreamed of playing with a sister or brother someday.
One summer afternoon, she decided to send a letter addressed to Santa Clause, Box 1, North Pole USA without her parents knowing it. By sending the request so early, Jocelyn convinced herself that Santa would have no other option than to honor it.
She carefully crafted an envelope out of pink construction paper just like she had learned at Sunday school. She then found a sheet of notebook paper, sat down at her ‘tea time’ table and began to write.
Dear Santa,
I know I’m not always good, but I try. I love my parents. I love my fish. I love Christmas, and I love Jesus. He loves you too. I would like to have an Easy-Bake Oven and a brother or sister.
Jocelyn
Little did she know, the mailman was able to get her letter delivered to her parents. When they read the request, their hearts melted. They had been looking into adopting, and after reading the letter, they knew it was time.
Over the next several months, Jocelyn’s parents went through the process of adoption. It was not an easy process, but they both knew that it would be worth it.
School started back, then the Thanksgiving break, and now it was the Christmas break. Jocelyn was counting the days, and she was down to three. Her parents had been redoing their master bathroom upstairs for the last month. There would be no more distractions since they finished and their annual hot cocoa and Christmas movies every night would commence for the next two weeks!
Then it happened, the Christmas of all Christmases. Jocelyn made her way into the living room on Christmas Eve morning. It was around 9 o’clock a.m., and her mother was making breakfast and asked her to make sure she could get dressed and be ready to go by 10 o’clock. She smiled through her sleepy eyes and nodded yes, wondering where they were going.
At 9:55 there was a knock on the door. Jocelyn’s mom was upstairs, so she went to answer the door. When she opened it she could hardly believe her eyes. There stood her dad, dressed as Santa, with a stroller. Her mother came up behind her and hugged her and revealed to her that Katelyn was her new sister. Jocelyn screamed, “Oh, Daddy!” and hugged his leg.
That Christmas fulfilled a need for Jocelyn to have a sister, her parents to expand their capacity for love, and for grafting Katelyn into the family.
God knows our needs, even if we don’t. His plan for our lives requires us to listen, recognize, and obey. So in the end, all who believe in Him will be welcomed into the family of God.
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