The Silver Snowflake

Once every winter, and only once, God sends down a silver snowflake…

…and wherever it lands many wonderful things happen. This year God sent the snowflake down in a swirling snowstorm over Chicago on a February night. The snowflake spiraled its way down into the city, down into a neighborhood, and then down into a yard. It landed on the heart of a newly built snowman. In a flash of light, the snowman’s snowy, icy heart became a warm, generous heart.

He was a very well-dressed because Leigh, the girl you built him, took great care to dress him well. He had a long warm coat, a brightly-colored scarf, and a stocking cap. He was also a very well named snowman because Leigh had named him Easter, which was three weeks away.

“I don’t need these warm clothes,” the now alive snowman named Easter said. “I’m made of snow. But, there are people in the city who could use these warm clothes.” And with that Easter was off.

It was after midnight and the streets were empty as Easter weaved his way toward the tall buildings downtown. Coming around one corner, the snowman, partially hidden in the shadows, approached a person dressed in a ragged coat sitting on a heating grate. Without saying a word, Easter took off his coat and handed it to the man. Easter also unwrapped his scarf, removed his stocking cap, and gave them both to the man.

The cold man gladly put on the cap and scarf. He dropped his old coat and slipped on the long warm coat. Easter slipped on the worn, raggedy coat, then turned and moved away. “Thank you,” cried the man.

The next morning Leigh hurried out of her house with her heavy school bag and her lunch in her hand. Before she reached the gate, she stopped and turned toward her snowman.

“What happened to your clothes?” Leigh exclaimed. “I bet that new kid next door did this.”

She hurried off to school because she was almost late. But after school, she went home and found another coat, scarf, and hat to put on Easter. And that night, she stayed dressed and stayed awake watching Easter from her second floor window.

Leigh dozed off several times and once bumped her head on the window sill. Just at midnight it happened. A flash of light and the snowman was off toward downtown with Leigh following behind from a distance.

Easter wove its way downtown with Leigh staying within eyesight. She saw the exchange as Easter gave his warm clothes to a homeless woman and put on her ragged outer garments, complete with a hat with a plastic flower sticking high above the hat.

Easter looked silly wearing the flower hat. Leigh hurried home and went to sleep with a plan for the weekend in her mind.

On Saturday morning, Leigh went from house to house on her street gathering winter coats from her neighbors. On both Saturday and Sunday, Leigh put two winter coats on Easter.

On Monday, Leigh, with the permission of her principal and teacher, started a coat drive at school. They thought it was a great idea.

By Tuesday, Leigh had received two donated coats to put on Easter. On Wednesday, Leigh had five coats to bring home. Too many to put on Easter, so Leigh stacked the coats on her sled and parked it right next to Easter. It worked! That night, Easter pulled the sled downtown to deliver five coats.

This continued every night, but as Easter Sunday approached, the weather started to warm. Easter the Snowman started getting skinnier and skinnier as the temperature rose. Easter delivered every coat that Leigh gave him, but he was moving more slowly.

On Easter morning, Leigh came out of the house in a nice dress, all ready to go church. She looked in the snowman’s direction, but there was nothing there but a little pile of snow left. Easter had melted. But sticking out of the little snow pile was a long stick that had kept Easter standing tall. Attached near the top of that stick was another stick that went sideways and kept Easter’s shoulders straight and strong.

Yes, there was a cross sticking out of that little snow pile.

“Easter!” Leigh cried. Her tears added to the water on the ground. “You were so good,” Leigh continued. “You made me so much better because I followed you. But, I promise I will continue to spread the love that you taught me. I will give warm clothes to people in need. Thank you, Easter, for everything!”

Leigh was true to her word. She continued giving away warm clothes. She volunteered at the Salvation Army and worked with all the donated clothes. Leigh had found how she loved to help people.