The real gift

I looked out the window and could not believe what I saw

It was Christmas eve and I was exhausted from shoveling snow the past four hours

Was the sun playing games with my mind?

It looked like my porch, the beloved sanctuary, was leaning over

The weight of 20 plus inches of snow three days before had literally pulled the porch off the bolts that had connected it to the house

Panic mode set in

I grabbed my shovel and jumped out our second floor bathroom window and carefully began to push snow off the roof

While I worked harder, my wife worked smarter

She called my friends

As I pushed off snow by the pound, one by one my buddies showed up

On Christmas Eve

While one started the snow blower, another strategized about getting the porch re-bolted
While one ran to Home Depot, another found two by fours and built a brace
While one shoveled, another moved furniture

Tools and machinery arrived by the truck load

Four hours passed before I could blink

The porch was fixed and reattached the house

There was a feeling of exhausted satisfaction
There were nods and knowing we got it done...together

There were few words

but I thought...

something needed to be said more than just thanks

I asked the guys to gather round

I was sure a blessing would come out of my mouth

I bowed my head to pray

Emotion overtook me

I thanked God through the tears for real friends who loved me and my family this day

Christmas Eve

My hallowed ground-the porch

My real gift was real friends

Loving me in more than words can describe

They were the real gift

Merry Christmas to me