Here we go again...

Last night after watching a family movie together we were sitting in the living room discussing Christmas. Dad was asking the kids what they wanted. My son was naming things like a four-wheeler and a motorcycle, but my daughter was thinking really hard. She was sitting so quietly, I leaned over and told her that she must be a really lucky little girl because she must have everything she needs and wants if she can't think of anything. "Except a real baby and a real car like the van or the blazer." She pointed out. Later while we were getting ready for bed she told me she would like a new pair of shoes and a toy, too. I was just thinking of how lucky she is and how blessed we are when she whispered..."Do you think Santa heard me?"
No matter how hard I try to avoid the topic of that guy he keeps coming up in conversation. I am not a Scrooge or anything I just don't want to encourage any outright fantasy only to have her crushed when she finds out I lied to her. I reread my post last year about Santa and I still feel the same way. Only now I realize that when she goes to school she will be learning a whole lot of new words and traditions and I have no control over what her little brain decides to keep or trash.
I subbed yesterday and there was a high school assembly. It was this man who had a "story" to tell about his choices. He started making the wrong decisions when he was 12 and according to him his bad choices affected his life, his son's life and the life of his tiny grandson, too. He used feats of strength to get the kids attention; like ripping a phone book in half and bending a frying pan and an iron rod. It was pretty amazing. He really emphasized that we need to make good choices now, because our bad ones follow us for a long time. He also talked about forgiveness and how anyone can start over at any time. I hope that the students in the bleachers heard him. I know I did, loud and clear. My job is to get my daughter to understand the differences between good and bad choices and then let her make them and learn from them. Surely we will need a lot of prayers and forgiveness along the way.