Vic Winter retired as Principal of United Mennonite Educational Institute in Leamington, Ontario in June, 2010.  Last spring, his booming voice greeted the weary Westgate Music Tour travelers as he efficiently matched the students up with their billets.  Vic is a story teller, a wonderful trait that serves him and his congregation well in his post-retirement expanded pastor role at Leamington Mennonite Church.  He shared a good story with me over dinner one evening, one that he had weaved into a sermon he delivered one Christmas morning. 

Many years ago, in 1978 to be more precise, Marilyn and I came to a Friday evening at the beginning of December; we'd had a busy week and decided we would eat out.  We were poor students in Teacher's College and so fast-food was really our only option.  So we went out on that dreary evening to the Burger King of Wharncliffe Rd. in London.  We'd just ordered our Whopper meal deals and sat down when in came three mothers, and whole raft of children.  Oh, oh...this was a birthday party, and we watched with great interest as 3 mothers, about 15 children - 7 or 8 years old, and a bunch of Burger King attendants were making a lot of noise, blowing up balloons, trying to figure out who ordered the Junior Whopper without pickles and onions, and singing Happy Birthday.  You know, from our vantage point at the other side of the restaurant, and also in being childless at the time, it looked like a lot of hard work, especially for the adults.  Finally, the party was over, and there was great hubbub as 15 children got on their boots and winter coats, and gathered all of their Burger King crowns and paraphernalia, and headed out to the cars.  Ah, peace and quiet again, we thought.  We were also just about to leave when suddenly, a little girl emerged from the washroom.  She looked around quickly in desperation, and seeing that everyone else was gone, quickly burst into tears.  She'd been accidentally left behind.  The Burger King attendant who was cleaning up the mess went to her to try and give comfort.  But what I'll never forget is the plaintive cry of the sobbing little girl:  "But it's my birthday, but it's my birthday!"  Three mothers in three cars with 15 children had somehow forgotten the birthday girl...

The "moral of the story" in this time of Christmas preparation and celebration is perhaps self-evident.  In his sermon, Vic himself focused on the mother; she planned and prepared to honour her daughter on her birthday, and in the details and the excitement, the mother unfortunately may have missed the mark.  In the next few weeks, I will remember Vic's story as Advent unfolds. 

I wish God's blessings be with you and your family as you celebrate Christ's birthday.