The Secret of Christmas

I recall a Christmas about half a century ago (mid-1960's) when my father Jay C. Hess was serving as Branch President while we were stationed at the United States Air Force base (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitburg_Airport) near Bitburg, Germany(1964-1967). He was concerned that one of the new families in the Branch with young children had been unable to afford any Christmas, so on Christmas night my siblings and I were "strongly encouraged" to give up one of our nicer new toys we had received earlier that same day to give to this family we did not know. I did so very grudgingly with many tears...until we had driven far out into the country to a small house at the end of a dark, frozen dirt road where the family lived. 

Living in off-base housing was known as "living on the economy".  When we first arrived in Germany, our family had lived on the economy in the town of Bitburg for several months while awaiting a vacancy in on-base apartment housing. Although there were other children at the park near our rented row house, they were German, spoke only German, and did not treat us kindly, so we had only our siblings to play with, not unlike the situation this family was in, except they had no nearby park in which to play.

While my father went to assess the situation, my sister Heather and I stayed in the car. This time by ourselves, and the bleak, uninviting surroundings finally got me thinking about someone besides myself and empathizing what it would be like to live so far outside town away from other children and to receive NOTHING for Christmas. Something magical (spiritual) happened to me. I realized, for perhaps the first time, that following the example of Jesus in sacrificing of oneself to give selfless service to others not only is the right thing to do, but it really DOES feel better to give than to receive. 

When my father returned, he reported that by peeking in their window, he was able to determine that they had somehow enjoyed a Christmas after all. As we returned home with the gifts and food we had been prepared to gift to needy strangers, the bitter cold winter night did not feel quite so chilly to me as I pondered why I felt so good inside even though we retained the gifts we had been willing to part with. Was I relieved that I didn't have to give up my cherished new toy? Yes, but as I recall, my attachment to the toy was less than before I had been willing to give it to a "needy" child I thought may have little or nothing.  In the years to come, I would grow to recognize the special spirit we felt that night as a feeling of love and inner peace that passeth understanding which always attends those who strive to minister to the needs of others, while simultaneously giving the gift of self to Him whose birth we commemorate and celebrate during the Christmas season.

That Christmas night grew up a little bit, having discovered the secret of Christmas, and received my first of many lessons on living a service centered life. I am grateful that my father taught me this lesson on that Christmas long ago, because soon thereafter the tables were turned and he would be absent from our home for 6 consecutive Christmases that he spent in North Vietnamese prisons, while extended family, friends, and neighbors often performed kind and thoughtful acts of service for our "needy" family. 

I am trying to follow my father's example of thoughtful and compassionate service.

I love you, Dad.