Dec
7
2021
Waiting
Posted in Faith 4 Comments
It always happened the first weekend of December.
We would hear the sirens in the distance.
The first time I heard them, I thought there was an emergency.
I was assured by a neighbor that the sirens were for a good reason.
We were living in our first house.
We had two daughters; one was a toddler and the other was an infant.
The older one was just the age to appreciate what was happening.
Santa was coming to visit on the back of a firetruck.
The fire company knew enough to silence the siren as they entered the neighborhood.
However, before coming down the street, Santa’s announcement was quite clear.
We would go down our driveway and wait by the curb.
Santa would get off the back of the firetruck to greet the little children waving to him.
I can still see my little daughter in her pink jacket and hat with the pom-pom on top.
She would wait by the curb, waving even when Santa was down at the end of the street.
When he finally arrived in front of our house, she was so excited.
Santa got off the truck and handed her an orange.
No candy canes for this Santa.
An orange was his gift.
She thought it was the best thing in the world.
No candy cane or sweet treat could have been any better.
Our second house did not have a visiting Santa on the back of a firetruck.
We did have luminaries on the curb that illuminated the entire neighborhood.
Each bag held a candle that was to be lit before midnight.
It was so beautiful to drive around and see all the white bags glowing with candlelight.
It was such a special tradition.
The sand was delivered in the cul-de-sac.
We paid a small fee and white bags and candles were brought to each home.
I remember the families walking up to the cul-de-sac with their wagons to get their sand.
The house we currently live in has a visiting Santa on the back of a firetruck.
This Santa gives out candy canes.
My children enjoyed it when they were young.
Santa still comes around, but my children are all grown now.
It was cousin sleepover weekend at our house.
I had my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter for the entire weekend.
My 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 year old granddaughters stayed overnight for one of those nights.
I had three little girls under the age of 3 1/2 sleeping over Grandma’s house.
We just bought bunk beds for the grandchild room.
My oldest granddaughter sleeps on the top bunk.
I separated the younger two, so each granddaughter would get good sleep.
Three little girls slept in three different rooms.
The neighborhood text came in the morning.
Santa was going to be visiting that day.
Windows of time were listed so each neighborhood would know when to expect him.
Our window was about three hours from when I received the text.
We didn’t tell the girls Santa would be visiting.
Each set of parents knew and thought it would be such a treat for them.
We ate lunch and listened for the sound of sirens in the distance.
I checked the firehouse’s website for any updates.
There was mention of Santa’s itinerary and where he was last seen.
My husband even drove in the car to see if he could see Santa’s firetruck nearby.
There was no sign of him.
Three little girls, who had been playing hard since 7:00am, needed naps.
Nap time was announced.
My oldest daughter was here to lend a hand.
She put the littlest one to bed.
I put the other two to bed and sang our song together.
I no sooner closed the bedroom door, I heard it.
Sirens!
They were coming closer and closer.
When I got downstairs, Santa was coming down our street on the back of a firetruck.
My granddaughters missed it.
What we had been waiting for, all through lunch, did not happen as planned.
Santa came, but they were not outside to see him.
Santa gave out candy canes, but they were asleep in their beds.
Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13)
Missing Santa on a firetruck is disappointing to a child.
Missing Jesus when He comes again is catastrophic.
We do not know the day or the hour of Jesus’ return.
His Second Advent will come when we least expect it.
We are to be alert and ready when Jesus returns.
We are to be looking with anticipation for the first sign of His arrival.
We are to be listening for the trumpet call that will be heard all around the world.
Those who are ready will go with Him; those who are not will be left.
No earthly thing is an accurate comparison to the Second Coming of Jesus.
However, we get glimpses of what it means to wait.
We wait for a baby to be born.
We wait for a loved one to return home.
Do we know what it means to be ready as we wait?
Do we know what it means to be alert?
Do we know what it means to listen for the trumpet sound that announces His coming?
Do we know what it means to finally see the face of the One we have longed to see?
Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus.
Thank you. The questions at the end especially deserve at least a few moments reflection
Oh, Paula, I hope so!
Pondering and reflection is so important.
I need to ponder and reflect on those questions as well.
Blessings,
Gina
Reminds me of 2 Timothy 4:8!
Amen, Mike!
I love when these Whispers point to other passages in God’s Word.
Thanks for always pointing towards Him.
Blessings,
Gina