Have you followed Macy’s story from last week on Jennifer Slattery’s page on InspyRomance.com? That’s where this romantic short story by Marcia Gunnett Woodard started. I posted Pt. 2 here on Monday. And I’m sure you’re anxious to find out how it turns out for Macy and Lance. 
So let’s get to it!
On Christmas Day in the Morning, Pt. 3
Macy turned to Sarah. “Hey, Sare, where can I plug in my phone?”
The message she left on Lance’s voicemail was friendly, but short. “Hey, Lance, it’s Macy. I’m in town for the weekend, and if it works in your schedule, it would be great to see you. Maybe we could do breakfast or something.”
Macy didn’t sleep that night, so there was no risk of her missing the call that came at seven that morning. It was Lance.
“Hey, Mace! Sorry I missed you last night. Breakfast this morning works for me, if you’re up for it. How about that little tearoom just off campus? They’re having a special breakfast buffet.”
Macy couldn’t help it, her heart leaped with joy at the sound of his voice. “Sounds great, Lance! I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
She tossed on a pair of bright red leggings, topped it with an atrocious sweater tunic covered with little Christmas trees, and pulled on her boots and jacket.
“Bye, Sarah! Meeting Lance for breakfast. I’ll be back later to open gifts.”
As she slammed the door behind her, she heard Sarah’s husband mumble something about “unearthly hour.”
When she got to the tearoom, Lance already had their table. After he seated her and settled across from her, she smiled as brightly as she could, braced herself for his reply, and asked, “Well, Lance, how are things going?”
Surprisingly, he looked dejected. “Terrible.” Then he proceeded to tell Macy the same story she’d heard from Sarah. The flowers. The necklace. Blah, blah, blah. Macy was wondering how many more times she’d have to hear this, when the narrative took a twist that caught her attention.
“Then, last night, when I dropped her off, she gave me some crazy, half-baked line about how ‘God told her she had to break up with me, and she had to do it tonight.’ Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous?”
Macy couldn’t help it. She started to smile. The smile grew into a grin, which shattered into giggles and bubbled over into laughter. Catching her breath, Macy told Lance about her Christmas prayer, and the amazing way God had answered. He started to laugh, too, overwhelmed by the wonder of this Christmas gift from God.
Their laughter rang through the tearoom, and the other guests turned to look and whispered to each other, “They must have heard some really good news.”
And while the two still laughed, the church bells ringing from the steeple down the street joined in, singing the Good News: “God is with us! God is for us! God is faithful!”
*****
One year later.
Mr. and Mrs. Lance Kursonis sat in the little tearoom enjoying the annual Christmas breakfast buffet. As if they had rehearsed it, both held out a small gift—an ornament—to the other.
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart, and happy two month anniversary.” Macy handed Lance a little bell inscribed with the words, Delight yourself in the Lord – Our First Christmas.
“Merry Christmas and happy anniversary to you, too, darling.” Lance smiled handed Macy her ornament; a small car with the hood up. Written on its side was the phrase Commit your way to the Lord – Our First Christmas.
Down the street, just as before, the church bells began to ring and the two began to laugh again, but more softly this time as if they shared a secret. And the other guests in the tearoom looked and smiled and whispered to themselves, “That must be what it’s like to get your heart’s desire for Christmas.”
Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. Psalm 37:4-5
God truly does give us the desires of our heart, but only when our hearts are focused on Him and His ways. And His love for us has written the greatest love story ever told! Thank you, Marcia for sharing your short story with my readers.
Marcia Gunnett Woodard studied English and writing at Indiana Wesleyan University, and has been a published writer for over 30 years. She has written devotional and inspirational articles, newspaper stories, theatre scripts, short fiction, and children’s books. She is also a freelance editor and writing consultant. Her “day jobs”—newspaper carrier, Avon lady, barista—have fed her incurable fascination with people, and she enjoys writing to explore the commonalities and diversities of the human race. She sees her mission as using the parabolic arc of story to launch projectiles of truth and grace past barricaded minds and into walled-off hearts. Visit her online at: It’s All About Marcia, stop by her website, connect with her on Twitter @MarGunWoo, and pop by her Facebook page.
