Our Hands Can Become His Hands: A Little Christmas Miracle

Two year old Lucy was excited for Christmas to come soon.  Her family was busy making Christmas treats, wrapping interesting looking packages, decorating the Christmas tree and getting ready for company to come spend the holiday with them.  Lucy loved the tree with its shining lights and beautiful ornaments.  As the children made their Christmas lists, Lucy could only think of one thing.  “This Christmas, I want a little Christmas tree of my very own!” she said.

A few days before Christmas, Lucy wasn’t feeling very well.  Her mother took her to the doctor who sent them off to the ER where Lucy was admitted to the hospital.  It was scary at the hospital and she didn’t like the things they did to her there to help her feel better.  They hoped she would only have to stay one night so she could go home to her family by Christmas Eve, but Lucy was still too sick to go home, so she and her mother prepared to spend another night in the hospital.  Maybe, just maybe, she’d be able to go home on Christmas Day.

Lucy’s dad was left to entertain their company and make the final preparations for Christmas morning.  Lucy’s brother and sisters were not even allowed to come to the hospital to visit her.

On Christmas Eve as Lucy and her mother cuddled together in her hospital room, an elderly lady from a nearby assisted living home came to the door.  She had brought toys for the children in the hospital and had even remembered the mothers there with their children.  She brought Lucy a little stuffed animal, but Lucy’s eyes opened wide when she saw what was in her other hand. The lady had intended the gift for Lucy’s mother, but Lucy just knew immediately that it was for her!  It was a beautiful glass Christmas tree that lighted up and changed colors.  Just what she wanted! Lucy didn’t let that tree go all night.  She slept with it cradled in her arms.

As her mother said, “Christmas in the hospital is not ideal, of course. Mary and Joseph may have preferred it to a stable. So I won't fuss too much about it. Lucy only put one thing on her Christmas list this year- her own little Christmas tree. Last night a little old lady from a nearby assisted living center brought by some gifts. Lucy got her own little light up Christmas tree. I'm sure this lady had no idea, but did what she could and that was exactly what was needed.”

While Lucy slept that Christmas Eve, Santa even found all the sick children in the hospital and remembered them with gifts, but one of the best gifts of all was when her family was given permission to come see her on Christmas Day for a little while.

Happily, Lucy passed the test of being without extra oxygen the day after Christmas and was able to go home at last!

So many people made her Christmas better…her doctors, nurses and other care givers, her family, the elderly lady, and those who prayed for her recovery.  As Pres. Uchtdorf said, “As we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart.”  It is not unusual for Heavenly Father to use us to bless the lives of our families and friends.