Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

It was early in the morning of December 30. I was sitting in the den looking through the woods at the Christmas lights twinkling on the next street. I was waiting for my husband to drive me to the hospital to have my first knee replacement. I had never had such an invasive procedure.  

The previous day I had started to worry that maybe this was not a great plan for me. I called my friend to walk with me, and we made plans for an early dinner (which helped me), but anxiety remained. It had been a lovely Christmas with a sweet children’s service, a beautiful candlelight service and parties with family and friends, but now the holiday was over. The surgery I had planned so confidently was about to occur. As I dressed for dinner, I tried to think about anything except the following morning. The phone rang.  It was my daughter who insisted that she stop by to deliver some food that she had purchased for me. I asked that she come right away because we were about to leave for the restaurant. As my friends arrived, so did my daughter and her husband. She asked that I follow her into the bathroom, and her husband followed us. I began to worry that something was horribly wrong. As soon as the door closed, she announced that I would be a grandmother again, another sweet child to love along with my son’s precious daughters.   

My anxiety was replaced by a sweet sense of anticipation. The surgery went very well. So well that I decided to have my second knee replaced two months later. Just a few weeks before the second surgery, my daughter came over to show me her first ultrasound images. It was not the one child that I expected. The image showed two beautiful babies!  

The best gifts of Christmas are those given to us by our Heavenly Father just when we need them most.

Prayer: Generous and loving Father, thank you for the gifts that you give to us when we most need them. Help us to see the miracles you place in front of us each precious day.  

Debbie Kocisko

About the Contributor

Debbie Kocisko has been a member of FPC for 25 years. She is active in the Chancel Choir and Chamber Singers and is a member of the Health, Music and MorningSong committees.