Three French Hens

Three French Hens 

From January to December was nothing more than one heartache after another. I began to lose all hope for the New Year. All I could hear from within myself was, “Don’t lose your joy, don’t lose your spirit. Easier said than done. 

On December 17th 2020 imagine you’ve received the date for your final divorce hearing in the mail! you feel all the loving feelings are vanished and the flicker of hope has been blown out! You tried with every ounce of you to stay calm and not to allow those feelings to arise within yourself, but unfortunately, that is not the case. You’re broken and empty. No tears can be fought back, they pour down your cheeks, the heat of the pain and anxiety travels down your spine and your knees just want to buckle. Your hands are trembling and the thoughts are overwhelming! You begin questioning yourself, “What could I have done to make things right? your answer, I tried already. Why did we argue so much? Your answer, because we just couldn’t see eye to eye. You can try as you may, but no matter the problems in your marriage or relationships it brought you to this point of no return because you have tried so many other times for it to work. Whether you love them still, there is a point that letting go is a must. Your conclusion will always be: We’re doing the right thing for one another; You can’t stay and keep making each other miserable. Letting go is the only answer and with that is always pain and confusion. It’s okay! You’re not alone! Others have experienced the same as you and I. Life does go on. You just have to decide that the next Chapter is going to bring you Joy, Love, Happiness and all the kindness you were lacking in your last Chapter of your life. I, for one, do not enjoy re-reading the last Chapter of my life. I am encouraged and excited to write my next Chapter and every chapter thereafter. 

That night as I was fighting sleep and feeling sad that Christmas was just a round the corner and I had absolutely nothing to give to others and my tree wasn’t up, I began to drift off to sleep. I was awakened by the noise from the other room. Startled at first, I slipped my slippers on to go see what was the matter. As I came into my living room there he was! A true sight for me to see! Santa was on his knees! He looked up at me in dismay and he asked me, “Where is your tree?” I spoke softly as if I still had children and said to Santa, “Not this year Santa for my heart has no need. Child, he said with a frown, “How can this be?” You always have a tree and the best tree for all to see. Covered in Love and Lights, ordainments of Joy and Peace. What has you so sad this year my beautiful Child he asked? I couldn’t bring myself to put one up this year because my heart is broken and all my Joy has been ripped from me can’t you see that Santa, I asked him. “Oh, my Child!” he said, you are not alone in this world tonight, but all I promise there is a tree for me to see. Explain to me if you can, how it is that you’ve lost your magic for your Christmas plans? Santa, I said feeling so foolish, my husband and I are getting a divorce. He has broken me and left me empty and I feel the Christmas spirit stayed with him. He has his tree and children three and their hearts are full without me. I have my own I am not jealous you see, but when you have no money you can’t put up a tree. As Santa rose from his knees, he took my hand and showed me three. Three French Hens and asked if I understood the meaning of the three, I replied no Santa obviously. With the turn of his head, he walked away and said out loud you will know in the next three days. I was just sitting there in my living room on my knees and looked around and there was nothing more to see.  

The next day when I awaken, I looked around and I started thinking. Surely, I believed that it was only a dream, for I woke in my bed and not on my knees. I thanked the Lord for another day and rouse to the occasion of another work day. I sat at my Desk and thought to myself, surely that must be a message from God himself. I shook it off for an hour or two then the thought reemerged with a flicker of light and warmth that I knew. Someone was giving me a shove and that is true. I began remembering what Santa had said, Three French Hens in the next three days and I’ll no longer be sad. Could he want me to find out if they relate to me? Oh, this was just a dream. When I left work that day, I had a thought, what does the French Hens have to do with it. I got home and to my surprise I sat down at my computer and opened my eyes to find the matter. The meaning of Three French Hens I typed in the search bar and up came a song and then I recalled. But really what did that song really mean other than the gifts of each day, twelve I mean. I always believed that each were gifts and had no meaning and to my surprise I was wrong and I became weary. My task was set and I knew I had to see, just what the meaning was behind the fig tree. But most importantly the Three French Hens that Santa said to Me. 

The Fig tree is said to be the cross where Jesus was hung, for our sins he died and then there was none. We ask for forgiveness day after day and the Lord forgives us because Jesus wanted it that way. So, each present was a gift from God with great meaning to pave our way from the beginning. The Three French Hens was so hard for me to read for they were that of Faith, Hope and Love. Why would Santa give that in my dreams to me, and say I’d no longer be sad? I sat in my chair and thought and thought but nothing was coming and again I was blocked. No! I yelled as I got so angry, Faith went out the door when my husband nagged me. Hope was nothing for it left me when a walked out his door, and Love, well that I haven’t had in the years behind his door, and what possibly could it do for me now! I jumped from my chair and ran for my bed the only safe place and that was in my head. I laid there thinking and as I cried a tear so warm that clouded my eye. I see colors of misty blue and felt I was sinking further to doom.  

Day two wasn’t much better. I awoke the same thanked the Lord for another day he gave. Off to work on auto-pilot as I did every day what does it matter, I would always say. As I sat at the Desk my first guest arrived came in and I greeted them with a smile and out of nowhere the gentleman replied; what a wonderful smile you have my Child something that beautiful you should never hide. He walked away and my mind began thinking My smile’s not hidden just gone for a while. I tried to make sense of what he was saying and for some reason Santa came into my thinking. My next guest arrived and asked how I was and oh how I wanted to just break down and bust! I kept my composure, smiled, and said, I’m doing alright with God in my head. I know my eyes became big as a snowball what did I just say and was he left also in a such a way. The customer replied that Faith is all we have that every day God wakes us up and shows us the way. Without a second to pass I had to ask, Sir, can you explain Faith to me, he replied, of course I can happily. Faith my Child is that smile you wear; I must believe God put that there. He put that there on a face so kind that when each new guest arrives, they are in your warmth of pure love and joy and no one need worry because you have the glow so warm and bright. You’re their light when theirs goes out and you comfort them without a doubt. Faith is believing that what we see is through him and you my Dear he’s definitely coming through you just let it be. I fought back the tears as I was beginning to see Santa does have a reason and he wants me to be. A few hours later a Lady arrived, in the pouring down sleet she slipped. I ran to the door and took hold of her arm lead her to the counter and kept her warm, I gave her a towel and cup of hot Joe and we smile at one another as she began telling me how wild she’d drove. In the night so cold and rain to sleet how precious I was to keep her on her feet. You show much Love for a stranger indeed, my Child of God you’re so very sweet. Without asking she continue to boost on and on how lovely a person I was to love the way I do. God must have sent you to me today, to take away my anxiety of the nasty weather as I came your way. My Child I thank you for your kindness and don’t ever let anyone take away that Love. I was blessed to meet you and I have Faith that God put you here for sure to keep me believing there is such Love still in the World. I bet your Loving Light guides the way for many whom comes to stay. Surely, if they knew about you, they’d never want to go away! Much Love my Child she said as she walked to her room, see you tomorrow and if not, see you soon. I was puzzled as I sat there thinking to myself, how absent I’d been since my heart I’d sat on the shelf. I began thinking of all the kind words that all the people had said, from long before Santa came into my head. How does one get so dark when God is always there and never does he part he’s guided me through my life from the start, how could I allow my heart to be so dark? 

The third day was here and I woke with such Joy that I felt the smile stretch a sure mile. I again thank the Lord for another day, but today was different I must stop to say! My life is great and Christmas is not far, I must get my Tree up and where do I start? The lights must be hung to show the guiding of Love. The ordainments are next to spread the Joy of hope everlasting and peace to all. Presents they’re not a must, but I must say sharing the Love with my family as they open their gifts is my present without the wish. Christmas is coming and I am overjoyed for I found my way this Holiday for sure. As the day went on by, I didn’t want to cry but where is Santa surely, he must come to see all the Love and Happiness and that I’ve finally overcome. I put out the plate of cookies and milk in the hope that Saint Nick would surely reveal. I sat in my chair and smile away before I realized it, I drifted the day away, but as I was drifting, I heard a voice say, “My Child, My Child you’ve found your way! I opened my eyes and to my surprise there sat Santa with a gleam in his eyes. So full of Joy I smiled and said Santa your here! My Child did you learn of your gift? I did dear Santa and what did you learn? he asked, That I am the gift of the Three French Hens. I believe, so I have Faith. Faith that shows through my smile to warm the hearts of others, I allow those who find it hard to believe to have hope that God still works through us and shelters us and keeps us safe and warm. And lastly, I am Love! God gave me the Love to share without any recognition. It was as if I was visited by three wise men to allow me to see that through God all things are possible and when we don’t see it for ourselves, we shut down because of the hurt and pain. I thought I had lost all hope of ever being able to feel again, but because of the gift you gave me Santa, I found that it was there the whole time and that God never left me to feel the pain alone. I just had to be reminded that what we feel isn’t what others see in us. I do believe and therefore Santa I have my Faith, my Hope and plenty of Love. I have my Three French Hens. Without a doubt my Child, Santa said. You stay true to you and keep believing and nothing but good will come to you. I told you by the third day you wouldn’t be sad no longer and here you are with all the Joy of Christmas and God in your soul now that truly matters. Before I go My Child, Santa said, you must not tell others that I visited you this is our secret. Yes, Santa I said, I would never tell anyone of your visit, but I will share my Three French Hens with those who want to hear. Very well Santa replied. I must be off to tend to the toys for the little ones. Christmas comes just once a year, but keep your Spirit going all the years ahead. And off he was into the night with nothing else said. 

I woke from my chair still aware that it was so true, Santa was here and he could be talking with you. Keep an open mind and heart full of joy. Never let trouble in your life hold you back for everything is what you will lack. We all experience pain in some way, but if you continue to have Faith, Hope and Love, you’ll always know your way. Merry Christmas from Me to You. Hold Santa and Jesus to be true. That is the Faith we all have inside, use it to guide you and you’ll never be denied that of hope we have every day for things to be right. Love those around you and pray for them today with love and kindness Faith goes a long way. 

Written by:

Debbie Faught