Author believed to be:Lawrence Holtzberry,deceased

~Late one night, a young man was driving home along a dark country road. It was a Saturday night and it was raining. As he rounded a long curve, his headlights lit up a young woman standing at the side of the road. She was wearing a white dress and was all wet from the rain. He thought he knew what had happened: The girl had quarreled with her date and had chosen to walk home rather than stay with the guy. The young man skidded to a stop before the young woman could even raised her hand to thumb a ride.~

~He leaned over and opened the door for her to get in. She slid into the seat and shut the door. With a smile she said, "Would you take me home? I just live a mile down the road." That was when he noticed how pretty she was. He almost couldn't think of anything to say, she was so pretty. He said, "Sure." He took off his letter jacket and offered it to her. She leaned forward and draped it around her shoulders. It was too crowded in the front seat for her to put her arms into the sleeves. The boy dropped the car into gear, and he still hadn't thought of anything to say when they passes the church and the graveyard and came to a two story house. "This is my house," she said.~

~They stopped, and he got out and walked her to the door. They stood looking at each other for a moment and before he could think of a way to ask her for a kiss, she leaned over and kissed him. He was so surprised that she had opened the screen door, opened the front door, and gone inside the house before he could speak. He realized that she was still wearing his letter jacket and for a moment he thought about knocking on the door. But the house was dark, her parents were probably asleep, and she might get into trouble for getting in so late if he woke them. Besides, the jacket gave him the perfect excuse to come see her again.~

~Sunday morning, about time for church, he came back to the house and knocked on the door. A tired, sad-looking woman answered. He asked if he could talk to the ladies daughter. "My daughter is dead," said the woman. "She died one year ago last night in a car wreck one mile down the road or so at the long curve." "That's not possible!" said the man. "I gave her a ride home last night!" "If you don't believe me," said the woman, "go look for yourself. She's buried in the graveyard there in the third row." The young man walked into the cemetery. In the third row of headstones, he found what he was looking for.~

~A pink marble headstone was inscribed with the name Laurie, and over the rounded corners of the stone was his letter jacket.~

~I see the countless Christmas Trees around the world below, with tiny lights, like heaven's stars, reflecting on the snow. The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear, for I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.~

~I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear, but the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here. I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring, for it is beyond description, to hear the angels sing.~

~ I know how much you miss me. I see the pain inside your heart, but I am not so far away. We really aren't apart. So be happy for me dear ones. You know I hold you dear, and be glad I'm spending Christmas, with Jesus Christ this year.~

~ I send you each a special gift, from my heavenly home above. I send you each a memory of, of my undying love. After all "Love" is the gift, more precious than pure gold. It was always most import in the stories Jesus told.~

~Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do, for I can't count the blessing or love he has for each of you. So, have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear. Remember, I'm spending Christmas, with Jesus Christ this year.~

~I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute Christmas gifts. I looked at all the people and grumbled to myself. I would be in here forever and I just had so much to do.Christmas was beginning to become such a drag. I kinda wished that I could just sleep through Christmas. But I hurried the best I could, through all the people to the toy department. Once again I kind of mumbled to myself at the prices of all these toys. And wondered if the grandkids would even play with them.~

~I found myself in the doll aisle. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll. He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently. I could not seem to help myself. I just kept looking over at the little boy and wondered who the doll was for. I watched him turn to a woman and he called his aunt by name and said, "Are you sure I don't have enough money?" She replied a bit impatiently, "You know that you don't have enough money for it." The aunt told the little boy not to go anywhere that she had to go get some other things and would be back in a few minutes. And then she left the aisle. The boy continued to hold the doll.~

~ After a bit I ask the boy who the doll was for. He said, "It's the doll my sister wanted so badly for Christmas. She just knew that Santa would bring it." I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it. He said "No, Santa can't go where my sister is, I have to give the doll to my Momma to take to her. I asked him where his sister was. He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said "She has gone to be with Jesus. My Daddy says that Momma is going to have to go to be with her." My heart nearly stopped beating. Then the boy looked at me again and said, "I told my Daddy to tell Momma not to go yet. I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store." Then he ask me if I wanted to see his picture. I told him I would love to. He pulled out some pictures he'd had taken at the front of the store. He said "I want my Momma to take this with her so she don't ever forget me. I love my Momma so very much and I wish she did not have to leave me. But Daddy says she needs to be with my sister." I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown so very quiet.~

~ While he was not looking I reached into my purse and pulled out a hand full of bills. I ask the little boy, "Shall we count that money one more time?" He grew excited and said , "Yes, I just know it has to be enough" So I slipped my money in with his and we began to count it. And of course it was plenty for the doll. He softly said, "Thank you Jesus, for giving me enough money." Then the boy said "I just asked Jesus to give me enough money to buy this doll so Momma can take it with her to give to my sister. And he heard my prayer. I wanted to ask him for enough to buy my Momma a white rose, but I didn't, but he gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Momma. She loves white roses so very, very much"~

~In a few minutes the aunt came back and I wheeled my cart away. I could not keep from thinking about the little boy as I finished my shopping in a totally different spirit than when I had started. And I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several days earlier about a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little girl and the Mother was in serious condition. The family was deciding on rather to remove the life support. Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story.~

~Two days later I read in the paper where the family had disconnected the life support and the young woman had died. I could not forget the little boy and just kept wondering if the two were somehow connected. Later that day, I could not help myself. I went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home where the young woman was. And there she was holding a lovely white rose, the beautiful doll, and the picture of the little boy in the store. I left there in tears, my life changed forever. The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was overwhelming. And in a split second a drunk driver had ripped the life of that little boy to pieces.~

~Mommy went to Heaven, but I need her here today My tummy hurts and I fell down, I need her right away. Operator can you tell me how to find her in this book? Is heaven in the yellow part, I don't know where to look.~

~I think my daddy needs her too, at night I hear him cry. I hear him call her name sometimes, but I really don't know why. Maybe if I call her, she will hurry home to me. Is Heaven very far away, is it across the sea?~

~She's been gone a long, long time she needs to come home now! I really need to reach her, but I simply don't know how. Help me find the number please, is it listed under "Heaven"? I can't read these big big words, I am only seven.~

~I'm sorry operator, I didn't mean to make you cry, Is your tummy hurting too, or is there something in your eye? If I call my church maybe they will know. Mommy said when we need help that's where we should go. I found the number to my church tacked up on the wall. Thank you operator, I'll give them a call.~

~I went to a party, Mom, I remembered what you said. You told me not to drink, Mom, so I drank soda instead. I really felt proud inside, Mom, the way you said I would. I didn't drink and drive, Mom, even though the others said I should. I know I did the right thing, Mom, I know you are always right. Now the party is finally ending, Mom, as everyone is driving out of sight. As I got into my car, Mom, I knew I'd get home in one piece. Because of the way you raised me, so responsible and sweet.~

~I started to drive away, Mom, but as I pulled out into the road, the other car didn't see me, Mom, and hit me like a load. As I lay there on the pavement, Mom, I hear the policeman say, the other guy is drunk, Mom, and now I'm the one who will pay. I'm lying here dying, Mom. I wish you'd get here soon. How could this happen to me, Mom? My life just burst like a balloon.~

~There is blood all around me, Mom, and most of it is mine. I hear the medic say, Mom, I'll die in a short time. I just wanted to tell you, Mom, I swear I didn't drink. It was the others, Mom. The others didn't think. He was probably at the same party as I. The only difference is, he drank and I will die.~

~Why do people drink, Mom? It can ruin your whole life. I'm feeling sharp pains now. Pains like a knife. The guy who hit me is walking, Mom, and I don't think it's fair. I'm lying here dying and all he can do is stare.~

~Tell my brother not to cry, Mom. Tell Daddy to be brave. And when I go to heaven, Mom, put "Daddy's Girl" on my grave. Someone should have told him, Mom, not to drink and drive. If only they had told him Mom, I would still be alive. My breath is getting shorter, Mom. I'm becoming very scared. Please don't cry for me, Mom. When I needed you, you were always there.~

~I have one last questiom, Mom, before I say good bye. I didn't drink and drive, so why am I the one to die?~

~How wonderful it was to have her own room. School would be starting, she'd have friends over soon. There'd be sleep overs, and parties; she was so happy it's just the way she wanted her life to be.~

~On the first day of school, everything went great. She made new friends and even got a date! She thought, "I want to be popular and I'm going to be, because I just got a date with the star of the team.~

~To be known in this school you had to have clout, and dating this guy would sure help her out. There was only one problem stopping her fate. Her parents had said she was too young to date.~

~"Well I just won't tell them the entire truth. They won't know the difference; what's there to lose?" Jenny asked to stay with her friends that night. Her parents frowned but said, "All right."~

~Excited, she got ready for the big event. But as she rushed around like she had no sense, she began to feel guilty about all the lies. But what's a pizza, a party, and a moonlight ride?~

~Well the pizza was good, and the party was great, but the moonlight ride would have to wait. For Jeff was half drunk by this time. But he kissed her and said that he was just fine. Then the room filled with smoke and Jeff took a puff, Jenny couldn't believe he was smoking that stuff. Now Jeff was ready to ride to the point, but only after he'd smoked another joint.~

~They jumped in the car for the moonlight ride, not thinking that he was too drunk to drive. They finally made it to the point at last, and Jeff started trying to make a pass.~

~A pass is not what Jenny wanted at all (and by a pass, I don't mean playing football). "Perhaps my parents were right, maybe I am too young. Boy, how could I ever, ever be so dumb."~

~With all her might, she pushed Jeff away; "Please take me home, I don't want to stay." Jeff cranked up the engine and floored the gas. In a matter of seconds they were going too fast.~

~As Jeff drove on in a fit of wild anger, Jenny knew that her life was in danger. She begged and pleaded for him to slow down, but he just got faster as they neared the town.~

~"Just let me get home! I'll confess that I lied. I really went out for a moonlight ride." Then all of a sudden she saw a big flash. "Oh God. Please help us! We're going to crash! She doesn't remember the force of the impact. Just that everything all of a sudden went black. She felt someone remove her from the twisted rubble, and heard, "Call an ambulance! These kids are in trouble!"~

~Voices she heard, a few words at best. But she knew there were two cars involved in the wreck. Then wondered to herself if Jeff was all right, and if the people in the other car were alive.~

~She awoke in the hospital to faces so sad. "You've been in a wreck and it looks pretty bad." These voices echoed inside her head, as they gently told her that Jeff was dead.~

~They said, "Jenny, we've done all we can do. But it looks as if we'll lose you too." "But the people in the other car!?" Jenny cried. "We're sorry, Jenny, they also died."~

~Jenny prayed, "God, forgive me for what I've done, I only wanted to have just one night of fun." "Tell those people's family, I've made their lives dim, and wish I could return their families to them."~

~"Tell Mom and Dad I,m sorry I lied, and that it's my fault so many have died. Oh, nurse, won't you please tell them for me?" The nurse just stood there she never agreed.~

~But took Jenny's hand with tears in her eyes, and a few moments later Jenny died. A man asked the nurse, "Why didn't you do your best to bid that girl her one last request?"~

~She looked at the man with eyes oh so sad. "Because the people in the other car were her mom and dad." This story is sad and unpleasant but true, so young people take heed, it could have been you.~