Unusual Christmas photos... Yes, I know ~ but right here is the heart of my Christmas this year ~ the time that I spent in the Adoration Chapel honoring the Birthday of my Lord.

Let me tell you a story...

This year, when the Angel Tree was put up at our church, a description of who the tree would be serving was listed in the bulletin ~ we were given a choice of which agencies we wanted to help out and were told what gifts were needed by people who went to each of them seeking help. It wasn't toys so much that were being asked for this year... Sad to see how great are the needs of so many right here in town...

I decided to just give money that could be used wherever it was needed ~ I couldn't pick and choose who I wanted to help the most ~ my heart went out to them all.

That got me to thinking about God, Who is the Father of all ~ and the many gifts that He gives... Jesus even called Him Daddy. The literal translation of Abba isn't Father, as most seem to think ~ it's Daddy.

And knowing Him to be the indulgent Father that He is ~ I couldn't help saying to Him, "I wonder what You're going to give me for Christmas this year, Jesus!" I even went so far as to say, "and my birthday's coming up soon, Jesus ~ I can't wait to see what You'll give me for my birthday this year too!"

And I laughed, thinking, "Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself, it's not even Christmas yet ~ and you're wondering what you'll get for your birthday!" And like any father would do with his child, in my mind and heart, He seemed to scoop me up into His arms with joy, showering me with hugs and kisses, saying, "Just wait, little one, it's a surprise!"

A few days later I was talking with my friend Judy, who was telling me about the hours she spends alone in the Adoration Chapel with Jesus ~ how great it is being there alone with Him ~ she can do whatever she wants without fear of disturbing anyone ~ how she sometimes sings to Him and goes right up to the altar steps and sits with Him talking... I sighed and said, "I'll never have that opportunity to be alone with Him ~ those women who come during my hour will always be there ~ they'll never not show up..."

One morning at Mass, Father Monzillo asked the young school children, "What are you giving Jesus for His birthday? Christmas is His birthday, you know." And I thought to myself, "...oooohhh... I didn't think of that..." I was a little bit embarrassed that I only thought to ask what He was going to give me... And so, I went home thinking of what gift I could give to Jesus this year...

After much thought, I decided upon the gift of spending an hour in Adoration on each of the four days I had off for Christmas this year, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Christmas Eve, and Thursday, Christmas. I had a different prayer intention for each day ~ Monday was for family and friends, Tuesday's intention was to be for our country... Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are special, and so I reserved those days for intentions dear to my heart... I chose Christmas Eve to pray for Priests, all Priests... but when I was there praying, I did tell Jesus that I know I shouldn't play favorites, but that I couldn't help it... I asked Him to bless Father Kevin in a very special way because he's such a wonderful Priest, so very much like Himself... (the window that's lit up over on the right of the photo above ~ that's the window of his office, next to the Adoration Chapel ~ he works so hard, coming back in the middle of the night to finish up stuff that he didn't have time for during the day) And Christmas Day was to be for Prince ~ and for me.

I went to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve ~ and oh! what a beautiful Mass! My sister and her family were at Mass, and I ran over to them for the 'Kiss of Peace.' And the Mass itself ~ was filled with a superabundance of light and joy ~ a spiritual gift that can only come from God. I popped into the Adoration Chapel afterwards to tell Him thanks ~ yes, those were my first two Christmas presents from Jesus. There were two other little presents from Jesus tucked into that night for me that I haven't figured out a way to say them here on this page ~ when we're sitting down alone one day I'll tell you about those presents too. So, that makes four Christmas Gifts from Jesus so far...

The fifth gift came the next morning, Christmas Day, when I went over to my sister's, and mother's, house. I arrived in perfect timing for us all to be together for my mother to open up her gifts. My sister and the kids walked into my mother's home moments after I arrived... I wasn't expecting any presents at all, and yet I was given a beautiful Christmas card with $100 tucked inside from my mother ~ for you see, that card was not only from my mother, for she can no longer see well enough to pick out a card ~ that card came from my sister's heart ~ she's the one who picked it out... Jesus knows how much this gift meant to me.

I left my sister's house intending to go to the Chapel before I went home, but when I got to the church, Mass was just getting out and it was nearly impossible to pull into the parking lot, so I decided to go home first, and come back later on in the afternoon after all the Masses for the day were finished. But I was so tired ~ all day long ~ every time I intended to go out the door to the Chapel a flood of exhaustion would wash over me and I'd think, "Ok, I'll go after a little nap." That kept happening until I finally woke up for real at around 11:00 at night ~ had a snack of cheese, chocolate and coffee, fed the cats and bounced out the door in just enough time to make it to the Chapel before midnight... I couldn't understand it ~ this fourth day of prayer in the Adoration Chapel meant so much to me! And I was having such a hard time getting there...

When I arrived there were two people sitting there ~ I thought that was unusual ~ because Jesus was to be reposed in the Tabernacle ~ Eucharistic Adoration was to resume Friday morning after the 8:00 a.m. Mass ~ I wished them a very hearty Merry Christmas ~ and turned around ~ and there was Jesus! The Monstrance was up on the Altar! I gasped and said to Him, "What are You doing here!" He's probably still laughing over that one... The couple who were there told me they had been there for a few hours ~ because we're never supposed to leave Him alone. I told them they could go home now ~ that I would be there with Him...

Now I finally understood why I was so tired all Christmas Day ~ He wanted me to come to the Chapel late Christmas night so that we could spend some time alone together. Jesus had heard my sigh when I was talking with Judy and turned the night into yet another Christmas Gift... and He put a great big beautiful bow on this one ~ He knew why I was coming there this night ~ He was letting me know how important my fourth day intentions are to Him... important enough for us to be alone together ~ I could pour my heart out to Him, cry all I wanted ~ and none but He would know my secret.

Later on in the night others came to the Chapel too ~ even Father Kevin came, which was a good thing, because I had just found a woman's pocketbook under one of the chairs ~ it was left there from Mass earlier in the day. We stepped outside so that our talking wouldn't disturb anyone and I gave him the purse so that it could be held in the church safe.

While we were out there talking, I can imagine Jesus holding His breath ~ waiting ~ for the Seventh Gift to be revealed. Smiling as He heard me begin, "Father Kevin..." I told him how much I would love to see Mercy Sunday celebrated right this year, that this was something that I've wanted to see for so very, very long ~ he asked what I propose we do ~ and after listening to my ideas, he said, "Yes!" What a gift, this last Christmas Present, my Seventh Gift from Jesus, saved for Christmas night...

Jesus had one final gift hidden away that night that I was to discover later... Remember when I told you at the beginning of this story that I not only asked Jesus what He was giving me for Christmas ~ I had also asked Him what He was going to give me for my birthday too...

Since I'm off work on Wednesday and Thursday each week, I knew that I would have to submit a flex day request to have off for Mercy Sunday. When I sat down to fill out the form, and looked up the date on the calendar, tears of gratitude and joy flowed down my face ~ Mercy Sunday falls on my birthday this year ~ April 19th, 2009. Yes, given a bit early, but He wanted to tie His birthday and mine more surely together than they already are ~ this was the first of His birthday presents to me ~ and I can't wait to see what the others will be!