"The Angel Doll"
Amanda was three years old when she first saw Maggie, "The Angel Doll". Maggie was sitting under a Christmas tree in a store window that was near the old apartment building where the little girl lived. Amanda just knew inside her heart that Maggie was the name of the doll and she really wanted to hold her. She peered into the cold window, cupping her tiny little hands around her face so that she could see the little doll. Her mother pulled on her coat and told her to get moving so that they could get home before dark because the neighborhood was less than desirable. Linda was young, about 20 and already looked worn from life. Amanda's father was no where in sight, he had left as soon as he found out she was on the way. Life was hard on the young mother and most nights she would drink herself into a stupor so that she did not have to worry about tomorrow.
The store, where the angel doll was displayed, sponsored a Christmas party at the nearby Church and offered the children of the neighborhood an opportunity to have a little fun and still learn the true meaning of Christmas. Each child that attended the party would be given a wrapped gift. Linda had heard about the party through the babysitter and decided that she would ask Marie to take the little girl because it was the only gift that she would be receiving that year, there was no money for anything else.
The day of the party arrived and Amanda was very excited. Amanda asked Marie if she could dress up in her "best" clothes, the sitter agreed and helped her to put on the old lace dress she had in her closet. The dress was about 2 sizes too big but that didn't bother Amanda, it made her feel like a princess. The outfit was completed with the blue tennis shoes and her coat. When they arrived at the church, there were about 100 children already there and all were looking excited. The church was decorated, a sparkling tree sat in the center of the room where the party was being held. Amanda liked the shining tree but was drawn to the alter in the sanctuary where a manger scene had been set up to show baby Jesus to the world. Her tiny hands reached for the doll in the manger but stopped when one of the older ladies,chaperoning, told her she could not touch the baby because it would not be proper. Amanda wandered back to the party and waited patiently to be told what to do next.
All of the children heard the Christmas story of Jesus, were given treats, played games, sang Christmas songs, and finally received their gifts. The paper and ribbon began to fly everywhere as the children tore into the wrappings to see what gift they had received. Amanda just held hers tightly to her chest and told Marie that she was going to wait for Christmas to open her gift. The sitter was amazed at the will power of the small girl and gladly agreed that it was a wonderful idea. Later that night at home, Amanda sat her gift on the table and wished for a tree to put it under. Mommy said there was no money for a tree so she wrapped tinsel around the table and pretended that a tree would be there soon.
The day had been a long one for Linda and she arrived home to find the little Amanda asleep on the sofa. The gift sat wrapped and shiny on the table. Oh, how her heart hurt at the thought that there was no tree for the child to put the gift under, but life was life and she could not fix it. She got the bottle out, poured herself a drink and began to cry. Inside that box on the table, the little doll Maggie listened to the cries of the young woman and she knew that her father, Jesus, had heard the cries too! You see, the little doll Maggie was not a doll at all but an angel sent by the Lord to watch over Amanda. She was an answer to the little girls' prayers for something to hold and love. The father always hears our prayers and sends to us what he knows we need at that time in our lives. The little girl needed a companion and although Jesus was always with her, she could understand the idea of an "angel" doll much easier than something that was "there" but she could not see all the time. Jesus could use the angel doll to teach the little girl that he was with her always and forever.
Christmas came and Amanda opened her gift. Oh, the light that shone from her eyes as they lit up at the sight of the dolly from the "window". "Thank you Jesus", she said, "cause you was born"! They told me at church that you loved me and now I know that you can "hear" me too! She hugged the angel doll close to her heart and the little doll Maggie wept with joy. She could now fulfill her duties of loving the little girl just as the father desired.
The little girl Amanda grew up and through the years of suffering, joy and life's' many changes, the little doll was always close by her. She knew she always had someone to talk to because she would pray to Jesus, talk to Maggie and suddenly whatever the situation was, it seemed to get better.
Now, life was different, she had children of her own but she never forgot Jesus and how he had given her the little doll on her first real Christmas. She tells her children the stories of Jesus and her own little Christmas gift. The doll is old now, the clothes seem fragile but if you look very close, you can see the little angel doll Maggie smile at you and you realize that the "angel" inside will never grow old. One day, Jesus will be send her to help with the heart of another "little girl" in need of love.