A Different View of Christmas

Christmas at the jail and juvenile center are Susan's favorite holiday events. Decorating her home isn't nearly as exciting as transforming the sterile gray jail classroom into a holiday party place. Sending and receiving cards isn't as much fun as starting up a ladies' choir for the annual Christmas affair. Running to shop for those last minute gifts and standing in long lines at the cash registers is so ho-hum when she gets to watch, pod by pod, as the inmates come a bit hesitantly down the long corridor to “do Christmas” with the Jarvis family and leave with a spring in their step.

Getting gifts from family and friends pales in comparison to watching a new inmate peeking gratefully into their present bag and finding warm white socks and envelopes for writing home. Christmas Eve Service with the church family doesn't pour pure joy into her heart the way listening to Karen Parker sing “Just Her Little Child” and “We Are the Reason” does -- five times in a row so that all the men and women can hear the same program. Each time is fresh and Spirit-filled.

Christmas is a time when Susan catches a glimpse of all that God is doing...through someone else's eyes:

Singing “Joy to the World” with a group of men from North Pod gives the song a whole new meaning. The men feel a bit foolish and a bit proud of themselves as many of them sang a Christian carole for the first time ever.

Watching a teenager ask an officer if she can save the wrapping paper her gift came in puts some perspective on the all the glitz and glamour we call Christmas. This little fifteen year old just wanted something pretty in her possessions.

Watching another hold her three little gifts (a paperback, a pad of paper, and a puzzle book) to her chest in happiness is enough to touch even the hardest heart. Christmas at her house involves a vacation from school and lots of drunken brawls with mom and her latest boyfriend.

Susan and her 12 year old son, Davy, sit for hours in the jail classroom, sorting and bagging cookies for the inmates. As they pick through the chocolate chip, the sugar cookies, the snickerdoodles, and the frosted shape cookies, Christmas caroles ring in their hearts. Davy is filled with the Christmas spirit as he gets to prepare someone else's gifts. Someone who has nothing.

A tear in the eye of a grizzled old alcoholic brings a tear to Susan's. He thinks perhaps there is still a little love left in the world after all.

A boy's embarrassed hug tugs at her heartstrings. He hasn't felt like hugging anyone over 20 in such a long time. He thinks maybe there are some nice adults in the world after all.

The laughter generated by Susan's special “Christmas at the Jail” poem, brought a smile to her lips that goes heart deep. There is a moment where everyone can laugh at their situation, instead of cry.

The muscular young twenty-something throws a cookie in his mouth and closes his eyes in bliss...and brings a motherly sense of satisfaction to Susan. His mom never made homemade anything, yet there are unknown ladies out there who cared enough to bake...for him.

There are hearty handshakes from our well-know “frequent flyers.” They know there is no condemnation from Larry and Susan and they feel like they are with family for the holidays.

There are shy “Feliz Navidad” greetings from our Mexican inmates. This certainly wasn't the typical American beer-guzzling party they have witnessed around town. Perhaps it is this Christian thing?

The women have to have toilet paper rolls passed around the room in order to mop up the tears from missing their children and babies. (No Kleenex at the jail.) “Oh,” they think, “How could I be in jail at the holidays when I'm supposed to be home taking care of my kids! Oh, the guilt and oh, the regret.” The music, the gifts, the gentle spirit in the room all prove to be overwhelming...yet somehow cleansing to moms who have forsaken their children and yet still love them.

And then there is the wonder of the party at the juvenile center, where children ages 11-18, find out that they can actually have FUN with a bunch of church people...all in the name of Jesus. One juvenile shook his head and said, “I never thought I'd ever clap my hands and sing along, but I did.” Another said, “Yep, we had a good time.” Another told Susan that she was pretty sure that she asked Jesus into her heart and just wanted to make sure in a follow-up visit.

At the jail, a woman who was grieving over her young son's recent death, said with tears streaming down her cheeks, “I never thought I would be able to get through this first Christmas, but with your help, I did.” She was able to get past the pain for just a moment...and glimpse the love of Jesus.

Can you see Christmas with Susan, just for a moment, through the inmates' eyes?

It's being at the annual Christmas service at the jail where gifts and hope are shared and it's creating the party with the kids at the juvenile center so they can just be kids, that makes Susan “feel” Christmas.

It's the best time, because it's a giving time.

It's a beautiful time to give Jesus and His love.

And it's a special time because she gets to see Christmas

...through someone else's eyes!