I actually forgot I asked for it until the gift arrived, but once I saw it I knew just who it was from.
As Christmas was approaching, I thought often about my mom. It was a few years ago that she died, after a prolonged illness. The condition had slowly affected her muscles to the point that she couldn't walk, speak, focus her eyes, or finally even swallow. However she could still smile and squeeze my hand, to show she loved me.
As I grew up, she was the one who decorated our house, bought us lovely presents, and made delicious Christmas dinners. Not in a pretentious way either, that wasn't Mom. More in a loving, faithful way. But as her illness took those abilities from her, our family each did what they could to continue the gatherings.
But this year, my memory of Mom in earlier times seemed less clear. So privately, I asked God to make her memory more vivid. I had no idea how this could happen - through a dream perhaps? And as I got busier preparing for Christmas, I soon forgot my request.
Christmas Day arrived, and we were visiting my family when my brother invited me to watch a video on his computer. "Here is something I'm giving you", he said. The short clip was originally filmed to send our Christmas wishes to my niece in 2007, when she couldn't come home. As the camera panned across the room, each of us gave a little wave and our greeting. The end of the video focused on Mom, seated in her wheelchair. Dad said "C'mon Grandma, ..." and she turned, looked right into the camera, smiled, waved, and said Merry Christmas!
We were all moved watching it, and my heart was touched even more when I recalled my prayer, and recognized this beautiful gift was the answer.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11 NIV