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My parents usually shopped at the last minute for Christmas gifts. This Christmas Eve was no different to those in prior years.
My Mom always told of a beautiful little "Tiny Tears" doll that caught her eye but the popular little doll with rooted hair and a pink dress was out of their price range. Mom looked through the picked over toys but could not get away from the doll with a bottle, a change of diaper and a pink carrying case. With three brothers I had very few opportunities to "play dolls" but she knew I would love this little baby doll anyway.
As they shopped, looking frantically for a gift for each of us four kids, they could not get away from the peering eyes of the anxious store owner. I am sure he was looking forward to getting home to his own family celebration after a long day. Mom again picked up the pink clad doll fingering her dainty fingers, knowing they could not afford her. Whether out of frustration or kindness the keeper of this little store gave my mom an offer she could not refuse. Since this doll was the last one and "Tiny Tear's" eyes would not open and close as they were supposed to, he would sell it for a fraction of the original cost. The price "happened" to be right, so they packed up the "defective doll" with the rest of their treasures and came merrily home to wrap and put each gift under the tree.
I can still remember feeling the course hair of "Tiny Tears" against my cheek as I hugged this little rubber doll, now an antique. She drank from a small bottle and even cried real tears. But my mom always thought of her fondly as the "miracle" doll. You see, amazingly, her, life-like, blue eyes miraculously began to open and close as I rocked her back and forth on my lap!
Miracles! Everyone has their idea of what a miracle looks like. They can come in diverse ways. The bible, of course, has a multitude of examples especially as we think of celebrating the birth of Jesus at Christmas time. We read in Luke about the miracles that surrounded the birth of baby Jesus. The miracle birth of John the Baptist, whose parents were past childbearing age was certainly a miracle. As with Zechariah and Elizabeth, Gabriel an angel sent by God, also miraculously visited the young girl, Mary to announce another birth. The birth of the Son of God, the Messiah, our Redeemer.
"And you shall call his name Jesus. He will be called great and will be called the Son of the most high." (Luke 1:31b-32a ESV)
Miracles of all miracles happened in the precious story of the baby Jesus born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.
"For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37 ESV)
The story of my Tiny Tears doll could not compare with what is recorded in the beautiful story about the promised Messiah. But sometimes the same God who delivered the good news of the coming baby Jesus, knows when we need our own miracle as I am sure my dear mother did.
Jeanie Nihiser
Volunteer and Prayer Warrior with Answers2Prayer Ministries
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31 NIV)
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