As far back as I can remember I have always loved this time of year. But before we go too far into this, let me tell you something that’s quite personal. I believe in Santa Clause. Now with that being said, I will tell you about a wonderful Christmas.

Growing up I lived with parents that were God centered, church goers. I lived with a mother that stayed home for me and my sister, and a hard working father that provided well for us. Throughout the year things were just as normal as any other family on our street. We had all we needed but we were far from being spoiled. On an occasional trip to the grocery store I might talk my mom into some sort of toy, but it was not until Christmas day when our world changed.

My mom and dad would give and give…Oops. What I meant to say was, Christmas morning me and my sister would wake up and yell to my parents, “did he come yet”, and they would say, “Hang on, let us go and check”. Inevitably Santa had been there. But let’s talk about the most memorable Christmas.

It was the year I first started to drive, and yes, Santa had come. For it was verified by the yell “Mom, Did he come yet” and the traditional glimpse into the family room by the parents,   "Yes, he has come". It was at that time me and my sister would rush into the room and as she would look to the left of the room I always knew to look to the right. This is where I would find the most awesome, cool, far out, stuff a sixteen year old boy would ever find under a Christmas tree. If you could only imagine the shine and the thrill that I had as I walked into this room. For this is where it started. This room was filled with the ingredients of the makings of the nicest 65 mustang. It was a few years before this when my dad had given me a wrecked mustang, which each summer I would work towards fixing it up. So this Christmas I walk into our large family room with the smell of a fire coming from the large red brick fireplace at the end of this room, I see my first glimpse of heaven. This room was filled with chrome rims with wide tires for the back and narrow tires for the front. Along with this there was a chrome package for the engine of this soon to be beautiful midnight blue 65 mustang. But wait there was more, there was an interior package that even came with a chrome foot print for the gas pedal, gear shift, new door locks, and a set of window rollers. All which match the chrome and wooden steering wheel. Look there’s more, there were gas shocks for my wide tires, headers, a large four barrel carburetor, a high rise manifold, a low profile chrome air cleaner, and chrome head covers.  In an instant “Santa” had given me the parts to make my freshly painted midnight blue mustang a near show car. This Christmas was the best, and to beat all, the girls loved my car. In fact it was right after that when I met Lisa (now my wife soon to be for 26 years). Don’t say anything, but, she was jealous of my car.

This was my most memorable Christmas, however, as I got older I realize that it is only because of my Father in heaven that I was so blessed, and it wasn’t the gifts. You see, God blessed me with a loving family.  A father that taught me the importance of being a provider and a leader, he taught me how to love as I saw him care for and love my mother. And my mother, she was a blessing, for she was always there when you needed her, she was a stay home mom. And she was good at it. When I got home from school she was always there. She played football with me, she taught me to respect the girls, and she taught me what a Godly person was all about.  My parents taught me how to love God. You see my father loved my mother and my mother respected my father. And because of this I too have this kind of love in my home. There is nothing more important than family if God comes first.

So I say, this is my favorite time of the year. Christ was born this day. God gave us only one gift that we can take with us and that is love. God is love.

Merry Christmas

Mark Grisham