She was deeply intent on her coloring

as I walked by her desk.

Small fist guiding a purple crayon back and forth

across the white drawing paper.

“What are you drawing?” I asked this first grader

and I’ll never forget her answer.

“It’s a pink dress

for my Mama.”

She looked up at me and her brown eyes danced as she spoke.

I smiled and nodded.

“Oh, she’s really going to like it.”

“Well, she doesn’t have no pretty dresses.” Her bottom lip trembled as she softly spoke.

“She has nuffin’ pretty so I’m making her a dress.”

My thoughts wandered to her mother

the young woman who stood by my classroom door

every afternoon to pick up her daughter.

Practically a child herself

Hair pulled back and usually with a little one on her hip.

“You’re Mommy is going to be very happy,” I said

bending low so that only she would hear me.

I can still see that crayon smudged picture

colored by her precious, little daughter.

If she could

she would have given her Mommy the moon.

But she couldn’t

so she did what she could.

Sometimes we all need the wisdom of children.

Single parents struggling to make ends meet.

Families already up their ears in debt.

Christmas need not be a reason

to spend what we do not have.

No, it is a time to express the love within our hearts.

Hearts have a language that is beyond words.

More often than not

just spending time together

means more than the most expensive gift.

So let’s consider ways

to love

and give

and share.

Last week I took my youngest to the diner.

“One hot fudge sundae

with nuts

and whipped cream

and a cherry on top,” we ordered,

“and please

two spoons.”

A simple gift of time that will not be soon be forgotten.

How about you?

Look beyond the expected

and observe the simplicity of love.

Yes, come to Bethlehem, my friends,

and see.