Article December 11, 2000 Issue

Christmas with God

By Cheryl Petersen

Funny, out of the many Christmases I remember, one not only stands out but becomes more and more vivid—even though it happened over a decade ago.

Our extended family was expecting my husband and me and our two daughters for Christmas dinner. They lived nearby, but I wasn't well enough to go. I told my husband it was OK for him to take our daughters without me. He was quite hesitant—I was weak from a contagious form of strep throat and had an infected ear that affected my hearing. But I insisted that they go. I felt that the quietness in the house would actually be helpful to me as I prayed for healing.

Being alone in a quiet house on that Christmas Day did not produce one ounce of loneliness. I may not have been up dancing around, but I could still think, and find a way to celebrate Christmas by myself. I didn't spend one second believing that this illness was from God, or that it was His way of teaching me some lesson.

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