Last Christmas Sam and Lizzie’s belief in Santa changed drastically. Sam had been defending Santa’s existence almost daily at school and Lizzie was quietly skeptical. Sam was looking for proof that Santa existed, Lizzie looking for proof that he did not. Lizzie finally found her proof when she discovered the Santa wrapping paper hidden a day before Christmas and then noticed the gifts from Santa were wrapped in the paper she had seen in my room. That was all the proof she needed. Lizzie confronted me and I had to confirm her suspicions. We decided to tell Sam too. Poor Sam acted like we had just told him the sun would not rise the next day.
Yesterday Lizzie and I were doing some last minute shopping and she sadly said, “I wish I didn’t know about Santa. Christmas is about two things to me, celebrating Christ’s birth and the magic of Santa and presents. Now part of that magic is gone. I guess that means I am supposed to focus more on Christ’s birth now.”
I was grateful for her wisdom in focusing her attentions on the real meaning of Christmas. I was also struck by the idea that we really do find what we are looking for. The promise at the end of the Book of Mormon always seemed miraculous to me as a missionary. (It still does.) I especially love Moroni 10:4 which says, “if ye shall ask with a sincere heart with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
If we really are seekers of truth we will find it. If we seek scandal, negativity, wrongdoing or hurt we will find it. This applies to our testimonies, the church, our relationships…Santa! If I seek truth and good the magic will be there all around me. I recognize this when I am seeking the spirit. I see God’s hand in everything and everyone. I see his love, wisdom and perfection in everything and everyone. When I am lax in my spiritual enrichment I see things through the eyes of a natural man and even attribute natural man-like qualities to Heavenly Father and everyone around me.
My children teach me so much! How could I have ever known when I started out my journey as a mother that my life would be touched and blessed in so many ways by the choice children that call me mother?
For the record…I still believe in Santa Claus.
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