Rescuing Teddy (12/25/2023)

Teddy has been a big part of my grandson’s life for a long time now. He’s our version of the “skin horse” from The Velveteen Rabbit; he’s pretty worn, but he’s “real.” There are a number of things about Teddy that make him special beginning with the fact that he's not a teddy bear but a huge stuffed dog. Anyway, Teddy had developed a leak; a small hole on his back seam had grown and stuffing was escaping. So, my son and grandson loaded him in the family car yesterday and brought him to grandma’s on Christmas eve because he needed to be rescued.

It wasn’t in my plans; it was the family Christmas gathering which meant it was just a smidgeon shy of chaos. But when my grandson entered the home carrying the wounded Teddy, I could see the concern on his face. I reminded myself of a lesson I learned early in life: there are plans and then there is real life. And so, in real life and real time, I dug out my stash of stuffing and plumped poor Teddy back up to his original girth, fetched my sewing box, and sat down in the den to rescue Teddy. The family did Christmas activities around me as I repaired Teddy’s wound.

And as I sat and sewed, I pondered as I often do, and of course because of the season, my thoughts turned to that first Christmas. Nothing about it was convenient. The world around Mary and Joseph kept on going, not noticing the real event happening out of the sight of most. We, humankind, needed saving.  The LORD so loved us that losing us simply was not an option. And so, the LORD tackled the situation in real time, coming to us – coming among us. And the thread that ran throughout the events and within the characters was love.

This day, as we celebrate Christmas around the world, let us remember the first Christmas, the LORD’s rescue of humankind flowing from love – not the mushy, fairy tale kind, but the often messy and very real kind, the kind that can transform us, that can repair our wounds, that can rescue us from the brink. May we take time this day especially to thank the LORD for our lives and for the LORD’s love for us. Let us reflect upon the fact that when we were wounded, the LORD came among us to make us whole so that we might be holy by giving Himself.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.