Jean Coleman's Blog - Posts Tagged "bicycle"
THE PROMISED CHRISTMAS GIFT
This is a true Christmas story that actually began the summer when I was seven years old. I recall the Oklahoma summer as being hot and muggy with long lazy days when the laughter of children could be heard through the open windows.
But I wasn't laughing that summer. Most of my time was spent sitting on the front steps watching all the neighborhood children riding their bicycles up and down the street. Some days their bikes would be pretend ponies and other times racing cars.
More than anything in the world, I wanted to have a bicycle and join my friends in their play. But small bicycles complete with training wheels hadn't yet been invented and I was at that awkward age. I was too big to ride my old red three-wheeled tricycle and not quite tall enough for a full-sized bicycle.
Children can be cruel and the boys and girls would make fun of me as they rode by, calling me a baby because I didn't have a bike yet. Finally I decided to take the problem directly to my father. So one evening when he came home from work, I came right out and boldly asked him for a bicycle. I explained that with a bike I could run errands for my mother and even ride the bicycle to school.
Dad pondered the situation for a few moments and then smiled down at me. "I expect that by December your legs will be long enough to reach the pedals. The bike will be your Christmas gift. What color do you want it to be?"
I could hardly believe my ears. I was going to get a bike for Christmas! I was so excited, but somehow I managed to answer, "I want it to be blue."
"Well, blue it will be," my father replied. And then he added, "And I'll tell you what, your new bike will even have a bell and a light."
The next day I could hardly contain myself as I told my friends about the beautiful new bicycle I was going to get. But again they taunted me. "We don't see any new bicycle. What makes you think that you're going to get a new bike?"
I don't have it yet," I informed them, "but I'm going to get it for Christmas. You just wait and see. It's going to be a beautiful blue bicycle. My father's going to give it to me for a Christmas present."
I didn't mind sitting on the steps watching the others ride anymore because I knew that it wouldn't be long until I would be riding with them. Through the eyes of faith I could see myself pedaling down the street on my brand new blue bike. My father had promised and he always kept his word. Let the others laugh. I knew my new bicycle was on the way! All I had to do was patiently wait.
Christmas morning, just as promised, there was my new bicycle standing beside the tree. It was even more wonderful than I had anticipated, painted a rich royal blue with a white stripe. The shiny chrome trim on the bike reflected the colored lights from the Christmas tree. I can still remember throwing my arms around my daddy. "Oh, thank you! It's exactly what I wanted! It's perfect!" And guess what? My legs were just long enough to reach the pedals.
And our Heavenly Father also keeps His promises. Sometimes when we ask, the answer doesn't come immediately, but we can always hold fast to His word with confidence. Sometimes our friends may even mock us as we wait in faith, but we have this confidence, God is faithful and His promises are true to those who will believe His word.
But I wasn't laughing that summer. Most of my time was spent sitting on the front steps watching all the neighborhood children riding their bicycles up and down the street. Some days their bikes would be pretend ponies and other times racing cars.
More than anything in the world, I wanted to have a bicycle and join my friends in their play. But small bicycles complete with training wheels hadn't yet been invented and I was at that awkward age. I was too big to ride my old red three-wheeled tricycle and not quite tall enough for a full-sized bicycle.
Children can be cruel and the boys and girls would make fun of me as they rode by, calling me a baby because I didn't have a bike yet. Finally I decided to take the problem directly to my father. So one evening when he came home from work, I came right out and boldly asked him for a bicycle. I explained that with a bike I could run errands for my mother and even ride the bicycle to school.
Dad pondered the situation for a few moments and then smiled down at me. "I expect that by December your legs will be long enough to reach the pedals. The bike will be your Christmas gift. What color do you want it to be?"
I could hardly believe my ears. I was going to get a bike for Christmas! I was so excited, but somehow I managed to answer, "I want it to be blue."
"Well, blue it will be," my father replied. And then he added, "And I'll tell you what, your new bike will even have a bell and a light."
The next day I could hardly contain myself as I told my friends about the beautiful new bicycle I was going to get. But again they taunted me. "We don't see any new bicycle. What makes you think that you're going to get a new bike?"
I don't have it yet," I informed them, "but I'm going to get it for Christmas. You just wait and see. It's going to be a beautiful blue bicycle. My father's going to give it to me for a Christmas present."
I didn't mind sitting on the steps watching the others ride anymore because I knew that it wouldn't be long until I would be riding with them. Through the eyes of faith I could see myself pedaling down the street on my brand new blue bike. My father had promised and he always kept his word. Let the others laugh. I knew my new bicycle was on the way! All I had to do was patiently wait.
Christmas morning, just as promised, there was my new bicycle standing beside the tree. It was even more wonderful than I had anticipated, painted a rich royal blue with a white stripe. The shiny chrome trim on the bike reflected the colored lights from the Christmas tree. I can still remember throwing my arms around my daddy. "Oh, thank you! It's exactly what I wanted! It's perfect!" And guess what? My legs were just long enough to reach the pedals.
And our Heavenly Father also keeps His promises. Sometimes when we ask, the answer doesn't come immediately, but we can always hold fast to His word with confidence. Sometimes our friends may even mock us as we wait in faith, but we have this confidence, God is faithful and His promises are true to those who will believe His word.
