Disconnected

Article published on Dec. 16, 2009

Meade County Messenger

Disconnected

By Kevin Hatfield

The room was dimly light as he stood as the foot of her bed.  Just a few short years ago she was a baby laying in his arms, and now his little girl of ten lay sleeping.  So many nights he tucked her in with bedtime stories and saying prayers side by side on their knees.  A great relationship these two have, she’s daddy’s little girl.  But tonight all that happiness seems to have faded off in the distance.  Tonight is another night by her hospital bed.

He wonders “why? She’s just a child?”  But sometimes life doesn’t give us these answers.  So the loving hugs and smiles they shared were replaced with just lifeless sleep.  No story time, no butterfly kisses, only the memories of how it used to be, how it was supposed to be.  Now it’s just him watching her, instead of them, together.  He felt as if he had a hole in his life, an absence that he couldn’t fill.  He would do anything to make it like it was, before this.

Wise men from east of Jerusalem had heard the old prophetic stories their whole lives, of how God would send a savior to the world to save all of his people.  The story passed down from family to family, generation to generation.  Much like grandma sitting in her rocking chair sharing wisdom to the grandchildren at her feet… “I remember when I was young…” But when a bright star in the east appeared the wise men knew they had to see for themselves.  They journeyed far, day and night, to find this small child.  They came with the hopes of offering three small gifts and to worship him.  When they found him with Mary they did just that.  They knew, and saw with there very eyes, this king told in the old stories.

God sat at the edge of heaven looking down at the people on the earth, much like the father overlooking his daughter’s bed.  He couldn’t stand to see them suffer.  So he sent a special gift to the earth, a child to born to Mary that would change everything.  Funny thing is a gift that is never opened isn’t much of a gift.  A present must be received to be something special.  This Christmas find your present and open it. It’s filled with a relationship founded in Love.  Like the wise men found out for themselves, it’s worth it.

He was sitting in the chair by her bed when she squeezed his hand, “Daddy?”  “Yes honey!!!”  “I love you.”  “I love you too.  Doctor says we get to go home tomorrow.”  “Okay.  Will you read to me?” “You bet I will.”

Never forget what you have.