Merry Christmas, Darling

Hello, all!

I thought I’d try my hand at writing a short Christmas story in a style a little different for me. I hope you enjoy it and are blessed!

Have a Beautiful Christmastide!
Sarah

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Merry Christmas, Darling
by
Sarah Earlene Shere

December 1st:

Candice clicked off the car radio with a sigh. If someone sang her one more Christmas song she just might deck their halls. She shook her head. Who was she kidding? Christmas had always been her favorite time of year. Why, when she was a child…ah, that was the key: when she was a child! The warmth of childhood memories weren’t quite enough to warm her on a cold winter night, now. The long distance phone calls from family weren’t the same as looking into the face of a loved one sitting across from you at the dinner table.

The ringing of Candice’s phone interrupted her thoughts. She accepted the call with a smirk. “Hello, Jessica.”

An eager voice responded, “So, how’d it go?”

“It didn’t. It sat there. No, it just laid there, waiting for someone to read it its last rights.”

“Oh, Honey, I’m so sorry.”

“Hey, I know you meant well. But the next time you get the urge to set me up on a blind coffee date, please don’t.”

December 4th (early evening):

Candice felt out of place. She should never have accepted the invitation to the local church Christmas party. Looking around at the women wearing casual dress skirts and slacks, she wished she hadn’t chosen her little, black cocktail dress.

She was just about to slip out the door and make a mad dash for her car when she heard someone speak her name, “Candice? Candice Applegate?”

She spun around and stared at the familiar face. “Clark Nelson?! What are you doing here?”

His embarrassed laugh made her feel badly for her shocked tone. “This is my church. My father’s the pastor here. And, believe it or not, they actually let me give a message every now and then. But what about you? I haven’t seen you since college graduation!”

“Yeah! You know, I’ve been…around…I’m sorry, I just can’t get over seeing ‘Pretty-party-boy-Clark’ at a church social!”

He smiled, with a clouded expression. “I know. It sounds cliche, but that really is in the past…and not something I’m proud of. I’m sorry that I wasn’t the friend I should have been to you and so many others at that time in our lives.”

Candice was taken aback by such sincere candor. She didn’t know how to respond. Smiling, she shook her head. “No worries.”

December 4th (late evening):

Candice was oblivious to the freshly falling snow and the colorful lights adorning the houses she passed on her way home. What had come over her? She couldn’t stop replaying the night’s events in her head. Seeing an old friend like Clark Nelson at a church party! She wouldn’t have even gone except for the fact that she had seen the flyer on a telephone pole and was feeling a bit desperate for social mingling and Christmas cheer. She hadn’t dreamed she’d see anyone she knew.

Or did she know him? No, this was definitely a different Clark Nelson than the party-hard rebel she once knew. She couldn’t get over the change she saw in his life; it was so real! He had a peace and a joy that had been lacking before. She hadn’t been able to take her eyes off of him tonight. His outward attractiveness wasn’t the only reason for this, nor the only thing that drew the young women who seemed to flock around him. There was something more, like a beautiful light shining from his blue eyes from somewhere down deep in his soul!

There was something almost hypnotic about this light. Perhaps that’s why she listened so intently to the message he gave to the people gathered; perhaps that’s why she made her way down the aisle at the invitation to come forward and accept the free gift of God’s Son given at Christmastime. Clark had said Jesus was sent to take away the sins of every man, woman and child. Salvation! A free gift offered; we need only receive it! Candice received it; now, she pondered the miraculous change it had wrought in Clark Nelson!

December 13th:

Candice snuck a peak at Clark standing next to her as they sang with the congregation, “O Come, All Ye Faithful”. His face was lifted toward Heaven. His eyes were closed. His right hand was raised high. His strong, baritone voice belted out melodiously. The church scene was still new to her. She was thankful to already have a friend who was a part of it. Clark had wasted no time in getting her connected with some of the women in the church. He had even made a point to personally make her feel welcomed and comfortable by inviting her to sit with him and his family during services.

As Candice studied Clark’s face, she couldn’t help but compare him to the men she had previously known. Every would-be suitor in her past seemed preoccupied with himself: whether it was his looks, his job, his ambitions, his hobbies or what he could get out of a relationship. Clark was definitely an exception to the typical man of the world. He would speak about his job and how he hoped to grow in it; but it was always for the benefit of others, and for God’s glory. He had hobbies and things that gave him pleasure, but he never let them be a distraction to his calling. He never talked about wanting a relationship; she never witnessed him making eyes nor advances toward any woman, herself, included. While he always took care of himself and his appearance, it wasn’t his priority. She had known many men who had worked hard to make themselves appealing. She never dreamed that a man could be the most attractive when he wasn’t even trying, when he was completely vulnerable, surrendered and abandoned.

Candice smiled. She was lucky to have a man like Clark Nelson in her life, even if he was nothing more than a friend. She corrected herself quickly; rather, she was blessed! She was still getting used to the idea that there was a loving God Who was the Giver of every good gift in her life. Suddenly, she turned her face toward the platform and the worship band gathered there. As Clark let nothing and no one distract him from his relationship with God, she purposed to strive to do the same…after just one more glance at this Godly man and a silent prayer of thanks for such a friend.

December 18th:

Candice laughed breathlessly as she tried to sit up from her fall. Clark’s laugh was heard from one end of the skating rink to the other as he attempted to help her raise up off of his chest. He tried to speak between gasps for air. “Some instructor I am! I can’t even stay on my own feet, let alone help you up to yours!”

Soon, they sobered themselves and made another effort to rise. They had almost succeeded when one suddenly slipped, bringing down the other with them. Again, their laughter erupted. Candice soon became aware of Clark’s arm having naturally fallen around her waist in their tumble. She was surprised at the gentle thrill she felt with his arm encircling her and her face close to his. Just as startling was the quick rebuke she felt in her soul and the urgent desire to remove herself from the compromising position; both for the sake of her conscience and for his reputation among his church friends. She scrambled to her feet, braced herself, and helped Clark up to his.

Later, with cups of hot cocoa, they sat on a bench and watched the more professional skaters take to the frozen pond. Candice felt the weight of a question that had been plaguing her thoughts. Before she could stop herself, the words tumbled out. “Can a friend ask an awkward question?”

Clark looked over at her with surprise. His eyes twinkled. “Shoot, Friend!”

“Why are you still single?”

Clark lowered his head and blushed a bit. “God hasn’t sent me ‘the one’, yet.”

“‘Sent’ you ‘the one’? Aren’t there plenty of choices? What about websites like Christian Single and E-melody, or whatever they’re called?”

He chuckled. “I know the sites you mean. I’ve had Christian friends that have used those and found their spouses through them. I have no doubt that God can and does bless such unions. But, I don’t know. I like the idea of leaving it completely in God’s hands. God brought Eve to Adam while he was resting. He brought Rebecca to Isaac when he was doing his daily devotions. He brought Ruth to Boaz when he was going about his own business, literally. These men weren’t ‘looking’ for a wife. They were resting in God, keeping in communion with Him, and doing their job as unto Him.”

“So, you don’t date?”

“No. I’ve tried that. My experience with dating is that people just end up getting hurt. Time ends up just being wasted and lost. Pieces of your heart and body end up being passed around till there’s little to nothing left to give to your intended that hasn’t already been used or broken.”

Candice stared at Clark in wonder as he looked up at her. His expression turned to concern. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be offensive. It’s just that, even in Christian dating situations, you’re still in danger of giving pieces of yourself that are only meant for the one God has designed just for you. There’s nothing you need to know about a person before you marry them that you can’t learn in a friendly relationship, in a public setting. It’s so important to marry your best friend, anyway!”

Candice smiled. “You have some very interesting convictions, Mr. Nelson.”

He smiled with a shrug. “I just don’t want to go into marriage with more regrets than I already have.”

December 25th:

Candice eagerly drank in the Christmas evening scene all around her. Clark and his family had graciously welcomed her into their home to join in with their family celebration, her own family not being able to get together, this year. Everyone had greeted her like one of their own. The spread of food was beautiful and tantalizing. The prayer given by the patriarch brought a tear to her eye. The Christmas story read, by Clark, before the opening of the presents filled her baby-Christian heart with awe and wonder.

After all the presents had been opened, Candice laughed as the youngest member of the family, five year old Tracy, jumped into her lap and excitedly shoved her new doll in their guest’s face. Clark’s mother gasped. “Tracy! You know better than to jump on people. If you want to show Miss Candice your doll, do it nicely.”

Candice wrapped her arms around the child. “Oh, please, don’t scold her. She’s all right. I’m loving it!”

Clark, sitting next to her, reached over and tickled Tracy. “You see, little monkey, we’re all given grace at Christmastime.”

Grace! Candice thought, it truly is amazing!

When it was time to go back to her own home, after many hugs and good-byes, Candice reluctantly headed out to her car, escorted by Clark. Her joy was so full that she didn’t even notice the way he kept his head lowered and his responses to her comments short. It wasn’t till she was buckled in the driver’s seat and rolling down the window that she noticed an angst expression in Clark’s eyes.

Clark placed his hands on the window frame and looked deeply into her eyes. “Candice. I don’t know if this is the time… Remember when I was telling you about trusting God with…’the one’…for me?”

Candice’s heartbeat quickened. Did he think she was “the one”? Was she? Her next impulse surprised herself. She longed to not be a hindrance in his life, to not get between him and his relationship with God. She suddenly longed to build him up and strengthen him in the Lord. She silently prayed that she would not be a distraction to him in his walk and calling.

Clark continued, “……I’ve never had to test out my theory…”

Candice determined to make him know he need say no more. She smiled. “We’ll learn together,” then extending her hand, “Friends?”

Clark beamed a smile. He warmly grasped her hand. “Forever! Merry Christmas, Darling!”

Pulling his hand away, he blushed at his impulsiveness. She laughed. “Happy New Year, too!”