Dear Santa, Do you Deliver to Heaven?
Dear Santa, Do You Deliver to Heaven?
The lights, trees, gifts, movies, and the songs cheerfully singing, "It's the most wonderful time of the year..." Maybe for most, but for some, it's a little more difficult.
As the toys begin to line the aisles all around us, Trent and I are immediately hit with what do we do for Sadie’s “Santa” gifts? Michael and Cole will surely ask, and we have to have an answer.
But what is the “right” thing to say? Or do?
When I seek out answers from others, I’ve heard:
“There is no right way to do this.”
“Whatever you feel is best, is best.”
“You’re new normal is going to be okay.”
But… is it?
What is the right way to tell your young sons that there is no need to lay out Christmas gifts on the fire place for their sister? What is the right way to say Sadie’s stocking doesn’t need to be filled? In our adult minds, we know this. In a five and seven year old’s mind, they don’t. So, what do we do?
A millions things run through my mind:
Do we write a letter to the boys from Santa saying that he delivered her goodies to Heaven?
Do we prompt the boys to write a letter to Santa asking him to deliver to Heaven?
Do we tell them the truth?
God, guide me in this. You know what we need before we do. Please, speak and guide us in the right thing to do for Michael and Cole.
I’m going to be honest, I have NO idea!!
Over the last few weeks, Trent and I have talked and about how our boys know she is celebrating Jesus’s birthday. Even though they still can’t grasp that she doesn’t need the excitement of Christmas now, we will make sure their little human hearts know that she will get everything she wants. It’s more important (to us) that their hearts be filled with as much joy as possible while missing their sister and not understanding the “whys.” Because let’s be honest, we don’t understand most of those either.
However, Trent and I have come to rest on this…
In the Miller house, Santa does deliver to Heaven.
And when he’s done delivering to Heaven, he will bring down a gift for each of the boys from Sadie. This year, they will each get a bible with their name engraved on them, and those bibles will be placed in Sadie's stocking. And in the upcoming years, Santa will fill her stocking with what fills our hearts... whatever that is at the time.
This is our right way to do this.
This is what we feel is best.
This is our new normal Christmas.
We will be okay because our boys know that Sadie truly has the best gift...
She is at Jesus's birthday party!
