Grace- The Twelve Days of Christmas

A couple of years ago, my family was going through a rough time. We were trying to build a house in the country, like, WE were building it, seriously, I put together some of the walls myself. Daddy was gone a lot, and mama was tired. We also got sick a lot then. It was just a rough time.

One particularly difficult night, we got a knock on the door. Going to open it, we saw some people that used to go to our church. They gave us a can of pears, a pine tree, and a note. The note said something like this,

"Hello. This is the first day of the twelve days of Christmas. Each day you will be getting a new item. The first day is a partridge in a pear tree. Here you go!" But there was no signature. The delivery people just said that someone told them to deliver it, but they wouldn't say who.

On the second day of Christmas our true love gave to us 2 bags of turtle dove chocolate, or, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree, with another note. We were getting interested, and very curious to know who it was that was doing this.

On the third day of Christmas our true love gave to us 3 frozen chickens, or, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree, along with another note and clever rhyme that fit in with the song.

On the fourth day of Christmas our true love gave to us, 4 long distance calling cards and 4 rubber ducks, or 4 calling birds, 3 French Hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas we were given, 5 golden THINGS, rings are hard to come by ;) 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas our true love gave to us 6 bags of Lays chips, or 6 geese a laying, 5 golden things, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas our true love gave to us, 7 Swan's pot pies, or, 7 swans a swimming, 6 geese a laying, 5 golden things, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas our true love gave to us milking maid ice cream or, 8 maids a milking, 7 swans a swimming, 6 geese a laying, 5 golden things, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas our true love gave to us, a beep it and bop it toy, or, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a milking, 7 swans a swimming, 6 geese a laying, 5 golden things, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas our true love gave to us, the Lord of the Beans(the new Veggie Tales) or, 10 lords a leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a milking, 7 swans a swimming, 6 geese a laying, 5 golden things, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas our true love gave to us, 11 piping hot loaves of bread, or, 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a milking, 7 swans a swimming, 6 geese a laying, 5 golden things, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas our true love gave each of us a giftcard from Wal-Mart and something that had to do with a drum, or, 12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a milking, 7 swans a swimming, 6 geese a laying, 5 golden things, 4 calling birds, 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

We also found out who had been doing it. My mom had made a guess before, and she was right(she usually is). It was our good friends the S's. They had put together this elaborate and expensive gift, also coordinating with other friends for deliveries. And all they asked in return was that we do it someone else someday.

You may be wondering why I keep saying, "Our true love". Well, the gifts, though given through the S's, were actually given to us from Jesus. He saw that we were struggling, sad, and needed encouragement. So He put it on the heart of our dear friends to give us this fun and exciting gift to show that He cared, and that He was there.

That changed the entire Christmas for me. It had started out as a rather sad and empty Christmas, but Jesus turned it into one of the most happy and memorable Christmases I ever had.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eight day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Nine ladies dancing, eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Ten lords a leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Eleven pipers piping, ten lords a leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a milking, seven swans swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

Twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping, ten lords a leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.