Grinches at Christmas and the Real St. Nicholas.

I know a 16 year old young man that works very hard. He comes from a large family and he is the older brother. I have watched this young man grow over the last 10 years. He has the most amazing work ethic I have ever seen in a kid his age. He is very responsible and very driven. And he also still has his 16 year old goofy side thank goodness. This week he got the wind knocked out of his sails. Someone stole his wallet at school. The wallet contained his truck payment. He doesn't know when it happened. His wallet was pretty big and could have fallen out of his pocket. No one has owned up to finding it. It contained his license and over 200 dollars. Somebody is going to have a nice little Christmas at this kid's expense. I hate it for him. He is the saddest little guy knowing that someone has taken his money. He is one of those kids that isn't the most popular at school. He doesn't 'fit' into the 'in' crowd. Yet he would do anything in the world for you.

Every year my daddy used to do something for someone that really needed a Christmas boost. He didn't do it for a pat on the back. He did it because he saw someone in need. I don't have the money to give to this kid but I'm going to let ST. Nicholas know about it. I'm sure that St. Nicholas will come thru.

Did you know that there really was a St. Nicholas? He was a little man, just topping 5 feet in height. The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships. Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day. St. Nicholas is the patron and protector of children. St. Nicholas is also the patron of sailors and voyagers. One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver.

for more information go to this site to learn about St. Nicholas.
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38


PS: I did tell St. Nicholas and this morning I ran into the young man at work. He hugged me and told me that he had received a package from St. Nicholas. I feel very thankful that I was able to pass on the need to someone who could make a difference in this kid's life. He didn't know how to accept the gift and I told him that he was a good person and that the gift was a reward for being kind and caring. ANd that one day he could pass on the kindness by helping someone else in need.