[Get your tissues ready for this one.
This song, by NewSong (and covered by FM Static, which is the version I prefer), is called The Christmas Shoes. It's also a movie featuring Rob Lowe and contains the NewSong version of this song. NewSong's version will be above and FM Static's will be below.
Please be respectful as this song has a religious message.]
On a brisk afternoon on the 24th of December, Leah Rogers coughed and closed her eyes. Steve sat by her bedside and stroked her damp hair back.
Christian ran into the bedroom with his piggy bank and said, "Mama, remember those shoes you really liked? The silver ones?"
Leah opened her eyes and nodded. "Of course I do."
"I'm gonna buy them for you for if you meet Jesus tonight. I want you to look pretty."
"I'm already pretty in Jesus' eyes."
"But you'll be even prettier."
Steve chuckled softly. "Do you want me to come with you?"
Christian shook his head. "No. Keep Mama awake. I know the way to the store and home."
Leah smiled weakly. "Be careful. Come straight home when you buy those shoes."
"Daddy, how much time does Mama have?"
Steve smiled sadly as he took Leah's hand. "There's not much time, so you should hurry."
Christian nodded and ran from the room, piggy bank in hand. He put it in the basket of his bike and rode to the store.
When he got there, he locked up his bike and grabbed his piggy bank.
He entered the store and looked around for the shoes, smiling when he found them.
Christian stood in line and tapped his foot before starting to sway slowly.
A man, Eric, stood behind him with a couple gifts in hand. He had no time to be in the Christmas mood due to the stress he felt.
Christian began pacing anxiously and glanced back at the man behind him and smiled.
Eric stared at the boy. His clothes were dirty and his clothes looked a couple years old at least.
When Christian's turn came to pay, he smiled as he set the shoes down on the counter and dumped out his piggy bank as he said, "Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, please. It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size. Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time. You see she's been sick for quite a while. And I know these shoes would make her smile. And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight."
Eric waited impatiently as the cashier began counting the pile of coins. When he reached the end, he said, "Son, there's not enough here."
Christian frantically searched his pockets. He had to have more. He couldn't let his mother down. But he didn't find any loose change.
The boy turned to Eric who stood behind him and said, "Mama made Christmas good at our house, though most years she just did without. Tell me sir, what am I going to do, somehow I've got to buy her these Christmas shoes."
Eric, moved by Christian's plea, laid the rest of the money the boy needed down.
Christian's eyes brightened when he realized he had enough to buy the shoes and said, "Mama's gonna look so great!"
Christian turned back to the cashier and in a confident tone, repeated his request. "Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, please. It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size. Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time. You see she's been sick for quite a while. And I know these shoes would make her smile. And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight."
Eric smiled, realizing that while he'd been silently complaining about finding the perfect gift for his kids, this little boy spent everything he had to buy a pair of shoes for his dying mother.
The shoes were bagged and Christian looked up at Eric with a wide smile. "Thank you! Merry Christmas!"
Eric nodded. "You're welcome. Merry Christmas to you as well. I hope your mom gets better."
"Me too. But if she goes to be with Jesus, that's okay too." He ran outside to get his bike.
As Eric stared at the door, he came to the realization that God had sent him that little boy to give him a reminder as to the true meaning of Christmas.
The little boy's words echoed in Eric's mind. "Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, please. It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size. Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time. You see she's been sick for quite a while. And I know these shoes would make her smile. And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight. I want 'er to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight."
Christian, who'd unlocked his bike, rode home and ran inside. "Mama! Daddy! I got the shoes! A nice man helped me pay for them."
Steve walked towards his son and smiled shakily. "That's great. Shall we put them on Mama?"
"Am I too late?"
"No, you're right on time. Call it a miracle, but she's hanging on."
The two entered the room where Leah was laying and put the shoes on her.
Leah smiled and said weakly, "Thank you, Christian. I love them."
Christian hugged her. "Now you'll be even more beautiful for Jesus."
Steve kissed her forehead. "I love you, Leah."
"I love you, too," she rasped. "I love you as well, Christian. I'll always be in your heart, and your father's."
"I love you, too, Mama," Christian replied.
Several hours later, Leah breathed her last.
With tear-stained eyes, Christian asked, "Do you think Jesus thought she was beautiful?"
Steve nodded. "Yeah, I do. Even more beautiful than she was to us."
Christian moved closer to his father who placed an arm around his shoulders and the two stood in a melancholy silence.
