ANTICIPATION~

The Box
I stare out the front picture window and see really big snowflakes coming down from the sky. I want to make a snowman. My hands and chin are propped on the windowsill. I look at the clock on the wall, and the hand isn’t moving at all. I know it’s not because I’ve been staring at it, and if the hand is moving, it isn’t moving fast enough. I felt like this on my last birthday when I turned eight years old.

My eyes look at the street in front of my house. Where are they? This isn’t good. Not good at all. Suddenly, I see a car coming down the road. This must be the one. No, no, no! Not the neighbor’s big old truck. I think it’s ugly.

I press my face up against the cold window and try to look down the road further when finally, I see glaring car lights approaching through the falling snow. Please, please, please…be the right one. Yea they’re here, I say to myself as I jump up and down. “They’re here,” I yell.

I race to the door as fast as my legs can carry me and run right into my two brothers who must have heard me. I glare at them, and then continue running to the door.

My tummy starts to rumble and tumble, like it does when I have to say something in front of the whole class at school. I fling open the door just in time to see it. The box. It’s the biggest box I’ve ever seen. It must be 100 feet tall. It’s even bigger than last year! I don’t think my Grandpa can carry it, but he does. He is strong. He grins when he drops this box down at my feet. My face feels warm. I know what’s in that box. Can you guess what’s in there? Extra water fills my mouth as I think about it.

Okay, I’ll tell ya. There are millions and millions of goodies. Gooey cookies like chocolate chip, oatmeal and raisin, peanut butter and chocolate fudge with nuts in it, and every kind of sugar snack you can think of. My brothers and I scoot down in front of the box after it has been placed on a nearby chair.

My mouth hits the floor, and I quickly close it because spit starts to fall out from smelling Grandma’s cookies. I just want one. I yank on my Mom’s apron. She says no. Each little goodie has its on box, whether it’s a shoebox or a Tupperware. I lift one of the lids as I look over my shoulder for Mom or Dad, but no one is watching.

Daddy and Grandpa are still bringing presents in from Grandpa’s truck, and Mommy sighs. My brothers are putting the presents under the tree. They hold and shake presents as they laugh and try to guess what they are.

Smiling, I open the lid of one of the little boxes, and inside are the best looking cookies in the whole, wide world. I grab one of the frosted sugar cookies, and take a big bite. Crumbs fall to the floor. Oh sorry. Do you want one?

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Written by Lisa Braendle

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I wrote this a while back. It brought back powerful, happy memories, and hope it makes you smile. As I revised it (again), I wondered how happy God would be if we were in this much anticipation for our Lord's return. Just something to think about.