My tree of life turned out better this year than it ever was in the past. It’s been seven years since it adorned our home, and it took several years to build the ornaments, collect the birds, butterflies, and flowers. I even found some stuff that I bought eight years ago, but never used before.. The tree is new too. I used a green tree once, and decided that the flowers and birds need a bright background to shown them off. Otherwise, they blend into the background like they do in nature. I chose white.
The first Navaho rug that caught my eye was in Sedona, Arizona. It was a five by seven Tree of Life pattern with a fifteen thousand dollar price tag. Looking back on it, that was a very good price. Much smaller rugs of that pattern go for the same price today. That is hindsight and Monday morning quarter backing. I couldn’t afford it then, and I still can’t afford it now. The alternative was to make my own. Frankly, I like mine better. I can change its appearance every year, yet hold the same theme and philosophical concept.
Barbara and I loved this design, and worked together to assemble the various components. We shopped everywhere we went. Often bringing home a new bird from vacation trips. The tree has great sentimental value, but unleashes melancholy from deep within that requires conversations with God to brighten up the darkness of my grief.
Santa is Missing is a children’s book. It is short, and easy to read. I am presenting it to you as my gift. The story is very adult like in composition since the view-point changes every chapter. Children twelve and older will have no trouble reading it by themselves. Kids younger than twelve may need it be read to them.
There are a few characters I should identify:
1. Morty Angel is Guardian Angel assigned to Ben
2. Ben is a boy of ten who is watched over by Morty Angel
3. Jasper is a Lead Elf who works for Santa
4. Gabriel is the Archangel working in Heaven as God’s assistant
5. Sentra-vision, a special belt worn by Morty. It is a communication device used to call heaven.
6. Sky-scooter, a special flying scooter given to Morty by friends. Since he cannot fly like other angels he needs the Sky-scooter to travel. It has amazing properties.
7. Polly is a polar bear, a friend of Morty’s
8. Major Joe ‘Do-Do’ Taylor is an Air Force pilot at Elmendorf Air Base.
There are ten chapters and I will present one chapter every day or two until the story is complete. There are cartoon pictures scattered throughout the story. The cartoons are originals done by Grumpa Joe. Please let me know if you enjoyed a chapter by clicking on one of the five stars below each chapter.
Morty sat invisible on Ben’s shoulder. He watched the snow falling gently. Ben listened to Miss Brown. The temperature dropped since they got to school this morning. Ben looked out the window and wished he could be playing in it. Miss Brown went over math sets. There were two more days before school let out for the Christmas holiday.
Morty’s head bobbed with sleep when his wings fluttered. He jumped to attention as his wings fluttered again. “God is paging me,” he said to himself. Morty raised the end of his Sentra-vision belt to his eye. He saw Gabriel sitting at the desk outside God’s office. He squeezed the belt to signal that he was ready to receive. Gabriel pushed a button on his console and God appeared. Morty watched and listened carefully.
“Santa is in trouble. I want you to help him. It is only a few days until my Son’s birthday celebration. I don’t want Christmas to be spoiled because Santa can’t make it on time. Leave immediately.”
The bell rang just as God finished the message. School was over for the day.
Ben rushed to get his boots and coat. He ran out of school with his Guardian Angel hanging onto his sleeve.
“I want to be first in the new snow, he whispered to Morty.”
Ben jumped into the deep new snow, and fell backwards. He swept his arms above his head and spread his legs apart.
“Look, Morty, I’m making an angel.”
That’s when Morty became visible and told Ben to get ready. “We have to go rescue Santa.”
“What?”
“We have to go rescue Santa, God just told me to go help him. Come on, get onto the sky scooter.”
“But, but, but . . . my parents will wonder where I am.”
“Don’t worry. God will send an angel to let them know that you are okay. Now, let’s go, Santa needs us.”
Ben climbed on and wrapped his arms around his guardian angel. Morty set the navigator for the North Pole, then pushed the thrust button. They were out of sight in an instant.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including those yet to be invented or discovered, without permission in writing from the publisher and author.
