The Poinsettia

This year, I am looking for that someone who "needs a poinsettia!"

The Poinsettia

For years growing up and into my adulthood, I have loved poinsettias. I remember Mom always had the most beautiful poinsettia. I would look closely at the plant and marvel at the brilliant color and the straightness and sharp point of the leaves. It seemed to be the perfect Christmas flower and a symbol of a worthy gift to the Christ child. I knew someday a poinsettia would be part of my Christmas décor.

It was the Christmas of 1988. It was a Saturday before Christmas, my husband was working, and all the kids were home with me on this particular day. It was going to be a very simple Christmas this year, but we had all of our Christmas decorations out and the excitement of the holiday was in the air. A knock came at the door. We didn't received many visitors so the kids ran to see who was there. I opened the door and there stood and man with a beautiful pink poinsettia and a bag with a summer sausage and a block of Swiss cheese. He asked if this was the “Pitcher“ residence and I assured him it was. He said he was asked to deliver these goods to us, wished us a Merry Christmas and quickly left. As I closed the door, the kids squealed with excitement. I thought, 'who would have done this for us?' We rearranged the top of the piano to set the poinsettia in the center. To my surprise, the kids were very interested in the beautiful flower. After a few moments, a feeling came over me and I told the kids that these things were not for us and I believed this delivery was meant for someone else. I told them we would keep the sausage and cheese in the fridge until their Dad came home to get his scope on things. As I went about my day, I found myself walking past and into the living room, just to look at the beautiful poinsettia. A few hours later another knock came at the door. “Two visitors in one day?” Once again all the kids came running. When I opened the door this time, there stood the same man who had brought us the gifts earlier. He apologized and told me that he had made a mistake, the delivery was to go to another "Pitcher" family on the other side of town. With both of us feeling very awkward, I held out the gifts and assured him that they were in tack. I told him that I had had a feeling that they were not meant for us. He took the gifts and disappeared. As I turned and looked at the expressions on my four little ones faces, you would have thought that the Grinch had truly stolen Christmas. So, what’s a mother to do? I took this opportunity to try to teach them the importance of giving. To be excited for the other family that was going to receive those gifts, which included the beautiful poinsettia. I have reflected many times on that day and the life lessons it taught me and hopefully my little family.

It has been 22 years since that Christmas, the spirit of giving has taken on a new and stronger meaning. Share some love and find that someone who "needs a poinsettia!

Of all the gifts our Heavenly Father has given us, His son, Jesus Christ is the greatest. I pray we can all keep the Savior the center of our Christmas season and throughout the New Year.
_Merry Christmas
♥ Connie