The Doll and a White Rose

I hurried into the local department store to grab
some last minute Christmas gifts.
I looked at all the people and grumbled to myself,
I will be in here forever....and I have so much to do.
Christmas was beginning to become such a drag.
I kinda wished that I could just sleep through Christmas.
But I hurried the best I could, through all the people to the toy department.
Once again I kinda mumbled to myself at the prices of all these toys,
and wondered if the grandkids would even play with them.
I found myself in the doll aisle.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll.
He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently.
I could not seem to help myself.
I just kept looking over at the little boy wondering who the doll was for.
I watched him turn to a woman whom he called by name and said,
"Auntie, are you sure I don't have enough money?"
She replied a bit impatiently, "You know that you don't
have enough money for it."
The Aunt told the little boy not to go anywhere that she had to
go get some other things and would be back in a few minutes.
And then she left the aisle.
The boy continued to hold the doll.
After a bit I ask the boy who the doll was for.
He said, "It's the doll my sister wanted so badly for Christmas.
She just knew that Santa would bring it."
I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it.
He said "No, Santa can't go where my sister is.
I have to give the doll to my Momma to take to her.
I asked him where his sister was.
He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said
"She has gone to be with Jesus.
My Daddy says that Momma is going to have to go
to be with her."
My heart nearly stopped beating.
Then the boy looked at me again and said,
"I told my Daddy to tell Momma not to go yet.
I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store."
Then he asked me if I wanted to see his picture.
I told him I would love to.
He pulled out some pictures he'd had taken at the front of the store.
He said "I want my Momma to take this with her
so she won't ever forget me.
I love my Momma so very much and I wish she did not have to leave me.
But Daddy says she needs to be with my sister."
I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown so very quiet.
While he was not looking I reached into my purse
and pulled out a hand full of bills.
I asked the little boy, "Shall we count that money one more time?"
He grew excited and said, "Yes, I just know it has to be enough."
So I slipped my money in with his and we began to count it.
And of course it was plenty for the doll.
He softly said, "Thank you Jesus, for giving me enough money."
Then the boy said "I just asked Jesus to give me enough money to buy
this doll so Momma can take it with her to give to my sister.
And he heard my prayer.
I wanted to ask him for enough to buy my Momma a white rose,
but I didn't, but he gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Momma.
She loves white roses so very much"
In a few minutes the Aunt came back and I wheeled my cart away.
I could not keep from thinking about the little boy as I finished my
shopping in a totally different spirit than when I had started.
I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several
days earlier about a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little girl
and the Mother was in serious condition.
The family was deciding on if they should remove the life support.
Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story.
Two days later I read in the paper where the family had
disconnected the life support and the young woman had died.
I could not forget the little boy and just kept wondering if the two were
somehow connected. Later that day, I could not help myself.
I went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home where the young woman was. And there she was holding a lovely
white rose, the beautiful doll, and the picture of the little boy in the store.
I left there in tears, my life changed forever.
The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was overwhelming.
And in a split second a drunk driver had ripped the life of that little boy to pieces.
(Written by V.A.Bailey)

This holiday season and throughout the coming year,
PLEASE...
Don't Drink and Drive!

Gingerbread Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 Tbsp. vinegar
5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 to 3 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves

Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg, molasses, and vinegar. Sift together dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture. Chill 3 hours. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut in shapes. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 5 to 6 minutes. Cool slightly on cookie sheet and then remove to rack. DECORATE
Makes about 5 dozen

Sing with me ........
Smile, Be Happy ........
Thank You my Special Friends
for sharing this past year with me.
When I stop and count my blessings this
holiday season I thank God for all of You!
Your love and letters have truly touched my Heart!
I have met so many new friends through Smiles from Kathy.
When I began Smiles from Kathy I had 325 on my Mailing List.
As of today, I have almost 18,000 special friends on my list.
My wish for You this Holiday Season is that
Your Heart will be touched with
LOVE & HAPPINESS!
God Bless each of You!
MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!
Kathy

A CHILD'S ANGEL

Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born.
One day he asked God:

They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am
I going to live there being so small and helpless?

God replied, "Among the many angels, I chose one for you.
She will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

But tell me, said the child, "Here in Heaven, I don't do anything
but sing and smile, that's enough for me to be happy."

Your angel will sing for you, God replied, and she will also
smile for you every day.
And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy.

And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me,
if I don't know the language that men talk?

Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will
ever hear, and with much patience and care,
your angel will teach you how to speak.

And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?

Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.

I've heard that on earth there are bad men. Who will protect me?

Your angel will defend you even if it means risking her life.

But I will be sad because I will not see You anymore.

Your angel will always talk to you about Me and she will teach you the way
for you to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you.

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could
already be heard, and the child in a hurry asked softly:

Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my Angel's name.

And, God replied, "Your Angel's name is of no importance,
you will call your Angel ..... Mommy!"

CANDY-CANE COOKIES

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sweetened, shredded coconut, finely pulverized in blender or food processor
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red liquid food color

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer until blended.
Beat in egg until pale and fluffy.
With mixer on low speed, beat in flour just until blended.
Divide dough in half.
Mix coconut and vanilla into half the dough.
Mix peppermint extract and a few drops of red food color into remaining dough.
Chill dough 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Working with a small amount of each flavor at a time,
roll dough into a 1/4 inch thick rope.
Cut into 3-inch lengths and twist a red piece and a white piece
together to make each cookie.
Put them about 1-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets
and shape into candy canes.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until bottoms are just barely golden.
Remove to a wire rack to cool.

The links to all past issues of
((~.~)) sMiLeS from KaThY
can be found here....along with
the links to all my web pages!
Welcome to My World

Wishing You and Your Family a wonderful
Holiday Season!
May it be filled with Peace, Love & Happiness.

Love, Kathy