"Once upon a time there was a little girl who was different from other children. She was made fun of for her clothes, made fun of for her weight, made fun of because her family didn't have much money. All the kids laughed at her and made fun of her behind her back. When she was a little older, they teased her to her face. What the children didn't know was that she had a terrible life at home, and school was where she could go to get away from that; but things away from home were just as bad.
When she was in high school, she had only a few friends, and they were just as much of an outcast as she was. They didn't really like each other, but they knew they had to stick together. The girl was depressed because she was still different, and didn't know how to break away from that. She was bright, and really, she could have been pretty, but no one showed her how to do her hair or make up, or how to dress nice.
One day, right before Christmas, she was so depressed she thought of taking her own life. And something magical happened. She heard God's voice. She heard His voice in her heart, and it said to not be discouraged; she had a purpose on this earth. That He would not have put her there if it wasn't for a reason. He told her to be strong, have faith, and that everything would work out. He made her in His image, and to Him, she was perfect.
That day, that girl's life was turned around. She waited until after Christmas, and she left. She left that mean old home, and she got a job at a little restaurant, and the owners let her live with them. The woman was nice, and she taught the girl how to put on make up, how to dress to make herself look nice, and took her to get her first real hair cut. The little 'family' attended church each Sunday, and each day, under the loving care of the couple, the girl grew brighter. She was even pretty. She came out of her shell, and she blossomed, like the ugly duckling turning into the beautiful swan.
You know the story of Rudolph, right? He got made fun of because of his red nose. He was a miserable little reindeer, wasn't he? That little girl always loved that song, because she felt like she had something in common with the little deer. Santa didn't make fun of him. Oh no. Santa needed him, didn't he? He saw Rudolph the way that God sees us, through the eyes of love. And really, that's what Christmas is about. Love."
"Is that story about you, Miss Eve?" A voice asked.
"Yes it is." Eve smiled.
"Wow. I didn't know you had such a hard time. You're so pretty!" Another voice said.
"Thank you. True beauty is on the inside, and so many times people don't take the time to get to know someone's insides. It's very important to practice love and tolerance. You can't be mean and hateful to someone because they are different. That's a very important lesson that everyone needs to learn." Eve stood, and her high heels clacked on the wood floor as she went to the chalkboard.
"What's our homework?" Another voice asked.
"You are to do a good deed a day until next week. I would like for everyone to keep a journal of sorts, where you outline the situation and what it was you did for the person. It can be the same person, or different people. Then I want you to write how it made you feel to do something nice."
The buzzer went off, signaling the end of Sunday school and study group.
"You guys have a great week, and I'll see you all same time, same place next Sunday!"
A chorus of 'You too's drifted from the study group as the children exited the room. Eve breathed a sigh of relief. She loved helping out at the church, she truly did, but Christmas was always a bittersweet time for her. Only one week left. Next Sunday was the day after Christmas, then they could move on with the rest of the year.
Eve smoothed her blouse and fluffed her dark hair away from her face as she straightened up the room, putting her supplies back in the storage tote. She usually stayed for the service, but she needed to get shopping done since she wouldn't have much time through the week.
She flipped off the lights and hefted the tote and made her way up the stairs. The pastor's voice traveled easily, and she listened for a moment at the top of the steps. She really did hate to miss it. With a sigh, she shouldered the door open and crunched her way across the gravel parking lot.
The rest of the day passed slowly. Eve pretty much finished off her shopping, and she had grabbed a bite to eat at a fast food drive thru. For some reason, her heart just wasn't in it much this year. She was in a funk. She needed to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas for herself, not just teach it on Sundays. But how? Short of a visit from the spirits of Christmas past, she was out of ideas.
Her phone started ringing in her purse, and she reached over and dug it out. It was Joel, her boyfriend of a little less than a year.
"Hello."
"Hi beautiful. How was your day?"
"Got my shopping done for the most part. Heading home now. How was yours?"
Joel was active in the church also- he held a men's group meeting two nights a week. So he had spent most of his day at the church since the men's group met an hour before evening service on Sundays.
Joel began rattling on about the wonder of Christmas time and how it brings out the best in people. The aura of giving that surrounds most people; the breath of good cheer, the words of kindness on everyone's lips. Then he said something Eve thought to be pretty profound.
"I think a man is, at Christmastime, what God meant for man to be all year long."
"Joel, I think you're absolutely right. It sounds like you had a good day. I'm sorry to have had to miss it." Eve thought that maybe she should have spent some time with God today. Maybe He would give her some answers. But it seemed Joel was speaking what she needed to hear... so maybe God was using him as a messenger.
"We missed you. But I'm happy to report that your kids ran around trying to do good deeds for people. One in particular that isn't even in your class," Joel chuckled. "You're doing something right in that basement."
That did bring a smile to Eve's face.
"Oh, I'm so glad. I just want them to have a.. well, a sort of respect for the season. I hope I'm being effective."
"Honey, I think what you're teaching them will far surpass just doing good at Christmastime."
"I hope so. Joel, do you want to come over for dinner?"
"I'd love to. When will you be home?"
"I'm about five minutes away right now. If you want, you can come now and help me carry stuff in. But no peeking!" Eve laughed.
"I can't promise that, but I will come help. See you soon, sweetheart."
They hung up, and Eve felt much lighter in her soul. Joel was good for her- she knew that. He could brighten her day without lifting a finger. They were pretty serious, but true to their religious outlook, they hadn't slept together yet. He'd never even spent the night at her house. Eve was struggling with that a little. They were true to each other, they loved each other, but they weren't married so that made sex wrong. Eve couldn't wrap her mind around that. She had been getting the feeling lately that Joel was thinking along that same lines as she was, but she couldn't be sure. It wasn't really something they talked about.
Maybe that was part of her funk. She craved closeness and intimacy with another person, but she had been taught for years it was 'wrong'. She wasn't a virgin, but she didn't have much experience either. But before she hadn't been in love; it was literally just sex, and it hadn't lasted long. And on the flipside of craving intimacy, she was waging a battle in her head with God and right and wrong.
She gave her head a shake to clear it as she turned into her driveway. Joel was already there, leaning against the side of his car. Immediately her cares were washed away, and a smile graced her lips. Everything would work itself out. She knew it.
Joel carried everything in, promising he didn't peek as Eve got started on dinner. She threw steaks in to broil, tossed a salad together and made dressing, then popped a couple potatoes in the microwave. Joel had stashed her purchases in her bedroom, and was carrying in her tote as she walked to the bedroom to change.
Joel started talking as Eve gathered her pajama pants and tank top. She stood there, wanting out of her church clothes that she'd been wearing for eleven hours, but she didn't want to interrupt him. Her mind wandered. What would he do if she started undressing? Would he take her into his arms and ravish her? Or would he leave the room?
Eve looked him over as he talked. His blue eyes sparkled with happiness from his tale, and he shoved his hair off his face as he explained a situation about one of the members from the church. He really was attractive. Well built, muscled but lean, those blue eyes, and his light brown hair that turned slightly blonde in the summer. Good jaw, good nose, and lips that were almost too pretty for a man.
"Joel?"
"And Mark told- what?"
"I'd like to change. Would you like to watch?" Eve bit her lip after she asked, not sure what prompted her to say such a thing.
"Er.. Um. Eve.. I don't know.." Joel stuttered. He wanted to, more than anything, but it wasn't right... was it?
"I've been thinking, and I want you to think too." Eve took a deep breath. Might as well get his mind on the same dirty track hers was on. "I know sex is supposed to be between a man and his wife, but we've been together for almost a year. Surely it can't be bad, can it? I've been struggling with this for a while. I love you, Joel. And I want to make love to you. But I need you on board. So you don't have to say yes or no today, but I want you to start thinking about it, all right?"
Joel's eyes had gone wide as she spoke, and in that moment she thought he looked more like a little boy than a man of twenty-eight. She felt more like a teenager than a woman of twenty-six at that rate.
"I'll think about it." Joel's breathing had become ragged.
Eve's eyes narrowed. Was he nervous? Or was he excited?
"So. Do you want to watch me change?" Eve felt a blush stain her cheeks.
"I do." Joel's throat convulsed as he swallowed. Hard.
Eve was more than a little hesitant at her brilliant idea. She was still a little on the heavy side, she didn't have the body of a supermodel, and she was pretty self-conscious. Obviously her size didn't matter to Joel, or he wouldn't be dating her, but still... Eve took a deep breath and unbuttoned and unzipped her dress pants.
Joel's mind was reeling. He had no idea that Eve had been feeling the exact same way he had. He had longed to take her in his arms and take her to bed, but he thought he was sinning, same as if he was actually doing it. But her words had merit. Could it be wrong, if they loved each other? If they were faithful to each other? He took a deep breath to try and calm himself down as he watched her peel her slacks down her legs. She kicked them to the side, and then grabbed the hem of her shirt and slowly pulled it over her head.
She wasn't stick thin by any means, but his mouth watered as her curves were revealed to him. Her ample hips led into the dip of her waist, and her breasts stood out in front of her as she reached behind her back to unfasten her bra. Her nipples were hard, poking through the satiny material, and he could make out the outline of the color difference. He didn't know if he was in heaven or hell.
Eve let her bra drop to the floor, and stood there for a moment, feeling goose bumps raise on her skin. The room was chilly, and she was all but naked. Joel's eyes traveled from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. He saw the uncertainty there, she knew, for she could feel in on her like a mask. The blush that had been on her cheeks had made its way down her neck, and she had the urge to cover herself.
Joel saw that she was scared- no, more like terrified. He was pretty sure she was afraid of his rejection, and maybe it was more than that. Maybe she was scared that she was doing something wrong. He had been aroused since her mouth opened and she offered to let him watch. He couldn't let her think he didn't like it, but he didn't want things to go too far.. But he couldn't hold back any more.
