On the 2nd Day of Christmas Past, Patty Steadman (MHA President & Tour Guide) shares a treasured Christmas:
Question: What special Christmas miracles happened in today’s story or have happened in your life?
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Christmas 1979
By Patty Steadman, MHA President & Tour Guide
It was Christmas time, December 19, 1979, actually. I was a senior at Murray High School in Murray, Utah, and was at home getting ready to head out the door to Cottonwood Mall to join with the A Cappella choir to share Christmas music in the “Singing Christmas Tree.” Then, the phone rang. Long distance from Wisconsin—the nurse broke the shocking news that my grandpa had just passed away! He had been in a care center for a while, but we weren’t expecting this, just yet. My mom and I were the only ones home at the time, and the sudden news of her dad’s passing was, of course, devastating. I didn’t go sing. My time was better spent comforting my mom.
Backtracking a bit to 15 years earlier when her mother passed away, my poor mom had to fly, by herself, to Wisconsin—and she vowed that when it was her dad’s time to go, that she would NOT go alone to his funeral! She needed her family with her. However, my dad worked in the wholesale toy business, and it was Christmas. The most-busiest time of the year for him. Others in our family had small babies, jobs they couldn’t leave, or were out of the country. So, that’s how it happened that I was elected to go with my mom. And it was my honor to do so.
We flew from SLC to Chicago, then Chicago to Madison. All went well. Mom’s brother picked us up in Madison and drove us 30 minutes to Grandpa’s home in Mt Horeb. We spent a few days making funeral arrangements, settling banking issues, holding the funeral (with very tender hearts), writing thank-you cards, and tying up loose ends. Then we were ready to fly home on Christmas Eve, December 24.
Midwest winters are damp and cold. Very cold. The kind of cold that cuts right through a body that is used to the “dry” kind of cold in Utah. It’s also the kind of cold that lends itself to creating massive banks of fog. In fact, Grandpa’s brother experienced a flight cancellation in Chicago because of fog there, so he buddied up with a stranger to rent a car to drive the 150-mile distance to Mt Horeb for the funeral.
As we settled in to bed on the 23rd, we looked out the window of grandpa’s two-story house only to see fog so thick that the streetlight on his corner was hardly visible! We wondered how our plane could possibly get off the ground the next day. As we shivered in bed in Grandpa’s old, drafty home, we decided to offer an extra, heart-felt prayer for the fog to lift just long enough for us to fly home in the morning.
Morning came. Christmas Eve. We almost didn’t dare peek out the window. But we did it. And to our elation, the fog had lifted! A miracle! Shortly afterward, Mom’s dear friends who had volunteered to drive us the 30 minutes to the airport called to say how shocked they were that the sky had cleared—the fog normally stays around for multiple days at a time! We were even more thrilled and felt truly blessed as this was a wonderful answer to our prayer.
We made it to the airport and our friends reported that by the time they got back home, the fog was back. However, we safely flew to Madison for the plane change in Chicago. The ticketing agent in Madison had the Divine foresight to book us TWO different flights from Chicago to Salt Lake City with the second flight scheduled a bit later as a “just in case” scenario—taking sympathy on us and trying to get us home on Christmas Eve. We were sure glad that he did, because there was a slight delay. Another miracle.
We ran through Chicago airport to our earliest flight and arrived at the gate only to see the plane backing away. “Not to worry!” said we! We simply ran in the opposite direction toward our back-up flight. By this time, Mom’s sore ankle was really bothering her and she signaled to me to run on ahead & hold the flight! Okay, then! (What could a 17-year-old girl do to hold a flight!?)
As I was nearing the gate, I could hear our names being called over the loudspeaker that we were to immediately report to the gate. As I ran up to the gate, the agents tried to rush me straight onboard—but what about Mom!? I told them that my mom was running and was almost there. One agent asked if I could see her coming—I looked down the concourse and couldn’t really see her, but told the agent that she was almost there! They were just about to give up on us when I looked down the concourse again and finally saw Mom—struggling to hurry. I must have really looked disheveled and distraught because they took another look at me and decided to hold the plane! Yet another miracle!
They quickly sat us down on the flight, told us to breathe slowly, and gave us some water (they probably thought we were going to pass out!); the plane immediately backed away and we were soon on our way to Salt Lake City. Home! In time for Christmas! A blessed miracle.
Our tender hearts were deeply touched that our prayers were answered. We received several miracles. While they may seem rather small, they were important to us and to our family. And they reminded us of our loving Heavenly Father who watches out for His children.
It was a very Merry Christmas Eve!
There were lots of miracles in this story. The fog was lifted so the plane could depart. The ticketing agent booked a separate flight just in case they didn’t make the first one which they didn’t. The plane was about to depart from Chicago but they held it so Patty’s mom could make it. They made it home just in time for Christmas. God does answer prayers and is aware of each of us.
It is an absolute blessing and miracle that we have the modern technology that we do today. When I first moved to the U.S. 40 years ago to serve a mission (from Australia) the web was not available to communicate with my family. It took 2 weeks for a letter to reach home and 2 weeks for a return letter to come back to me. After serving my mission I returned home to Australia for 6 months but since I had fallen in love with America and with a young man I had written to that was from the U.S. I moved back to the U.S. to begin a life here. At such a young age I didn’t think much about how much I would miss my family as the years went by. Now that I am in my 60,s I so miss my family and have wished throught the years that I Could have spent time with my parents and siblings gs. As it turns out my siblings also moved to other countries for various reasons. I have a brother in New Zealand, a sister in England, another brother in Australia. Now that we have the web, face book messenger, ect we are All able to be in the same room at the same time and join in on each other’s get together. It os not the same as in person but it is a wonderful thing to draw our family closer and help us be together. My sister and I have messaged each other every night for years now and I love that we can have a relationship through this avenue. So at Christmas while people are gathering with lived ones we can too through this blessing and miracle, we have come a long way from the young girl that had to wait a month for a return letter to answer a question in a letter.
God does answer prayers, sometimes in his own timeline. The fog lifting and having a second flight scheduled, shows those miracles. However, even if the Lord hadn’t performed those miracles, there would have been a reason. We just might not be aware of it at the time. The Lord has us always in His thoughts, we just need to pray and ask Him for His guidance and love.
Years ago, a similar thing happened to us. My mom’s dad passed away and we spent a few weeks in California with a return date to Connecticut of December 23rd. My parents weren’t sure what they were going to do, since they hadn’t had a chance to go Christmas shopping, and none of the decorations were up. My mom figured she would go out the next day and quickly grab things, but when we walked into the house, we found that everything was already taken care of. Our amazing neighbors had put up a tree, complete with lights that were turned on when we walked through the door, handmade ornaments, and gifts they had taken care to pick out for each of us individually. That same Christmas, a different family we had only just met recently and who didn’t know about my mom’s dad passing away had chosen our families name at random for their twelve days of Christmas tradition they did each year.
As a kid, all I saw was the magic of Christmas before my eyes. As I have grown older, though, I have come to see the Savior’s hand like my parents did that Christmas through others around us.
It’s a Christmas memory that to do this day means the world to us.
Christmas is a special time for miracles, especially if we look for them!
The lifting of the fog probably didn’t seem a miracle to most people that day, but certainly was for you and your mother. And then a second miracle of an inspired agent!
Tender mercies abound. Love of friends, family and our savior fill this story. The holiday season is a time of both joy and sorrow. Joy with those we share the season with and sorrow that our loved one who have gone before are not with us. My thoughts go to my younger sister who is not with us, but my heart bursts with joy that my father was there to greet her. They are in our hearts and I know of the tender mercies of our Savior who wraps his arms around us all.
Miracles happen every day, we just need to look for them and realize from whom they come. The various miracles that took place in Patty’s story could have been deemed “coincidences” but those looking for and seeking miracles see God’s hand in their lives and give Him credit and thanks.
When my father was slowly dying under hospice care in Chicago, my sister and I, then living in Utah, were able to be with him the day before he peacefully slipped away during the early morning hours the next day. My miracle was that we were able to see him before his passing, having been able to book flights within a limited time frame.
The many miracles and tender mercies in this story are a sweet reminder that our Father in Heaven knows and cares about our needs and righteous desires. He is all-powerful and all-loving. A great combination.
The first miracle and blessing was the opportunity for the granddaughter to accompany her mother, to be the support her mother needed during this difficult time. Yes their faith in Heavenly Father answering their prayers. To be served at this time by so may others to make sure they got home for Christmas. Always having that love in our hearts for family and the Christmas spirit of giving.
I love this this story, Patty–so many tender mercy miracles. My own sister was in a fatal car crash the week before Thanksgiving. Like you, my 5 children that live out of state wanted desperately to fly home to Utah for their aunt’s funeral and to be a support to their uncle and cousins. Miracle after miracle happened–flights that were initially full had seats open up; an agent held the door open for a son streaking down the corridor to make a connection caused by a delay in the first leg of his flight; A son in-law found a last minute flight for a daughter who had given up on being able to come. Even in tragedy the Lord is in the details of our lives blessing us with the miracles that we seek.
Great story! I love tender mercies such as fog lifting, folks at the airport that show mercy, etc. We had that luck this summer with a connection in Amsterdam, after lots of tears.
Patty, I love your story! I love the first miracle that Patty hadn’t left for the choir performance yet, it would have been devastating if Patty’s mom had been alone to receive the sad news. I think it was miraculous for everything thing seemed to go smoothly in Wisconsin. The fog clearing was definitely a miracle straight from Heavenly Father. I think the miracles of having reservations for two flights, and the fact that the airline employees were willing to hold the plane at Patty’s request, are examples to me of good people, who very well may have been prompted to make choices that would allow them to answer the prayers of Patty, her mother, and other family members. I know miracles happen every day, sometimes huge ones like Patty’s, and sometimes so small they can be easily overlooked.
Lesson to self: always be on the look out for the Lord’s miraculous blessings!
Sometimes it takes many small miracles to bring about the big ones. This was the case for you. Help from the weather as well as caring and thoughtful airlines employees at just the perfect time facilitated the (blessing) big miracle of making it home for Christmas Eve.
Fog lifting, multiple flight options if delayed, holding a plane! God is in the details of our lives.
Back in December of 2006 I was a recently-divorced single mom, living in the Idaho Falls area with my youngest son. I had gone back to school at ISU that May, and money was very tight. My three daughters were all students at BYU -Provo and they decided to come home for Christmas with their spouses, which was a joy, but I literally had nothing to give them and not enough money for our traditional dinner and treats. But of course we all knew that being together and celebrating Christ’s infinite Gift to us was more important than any tangible gift that we could give each other. We were gathered together in the evening a couple of days ahead, and the doorbell rang; we weren’t expecting anyone that night, so I answered the door with some curiosity. There on the doorstep was a huge gift basket plied high with special foods and in the center was an envelope containing several hundred dollars! Now I could make Christmas a merrier time for my children, but the biggest miracle of all was knowing that the Lord was mindful of us. We were overwhelmed with gratitude at the love and kindness from our unknown neighbors. I will always remember this as the best Christmas we’ve ever had!
Prayer is a very special thing. Little kids have great faith in Prayer. Praying while you travel is the only way to go.
Patti what a beautiful story. Christmas time is full of wonderful miracles.
So many miracles in your story! You were able to be there for your mom, you were able to reserve flights at Christmas time last minute, you were able to wrap up details in time for Christmas, the fog lifted to start on your trip home, the agent booked two flights just in case, you were able to run fast enough to stop the flight, and the airline workers held the flight for your mom.
A story of many miracles that took place for Patty and her mother. Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers, and is aware of each of us. Patty and her mother were able to arrive home for Christmas, after her grandfather’s funeral. What a great blessing for them.
The power of prayer is a miracle it self. God provides us with little miracles daily if we only stop to look. This story showed us quite afew
Christmas Eve my husbands grandmother was away with family and we were keeping an eye on her house. We had secretly stored our children’s gifts there to keep them from finding them. On Christmas Eve he ent to get the gifts to do the late night wrapping ritual. When he entered the basement to gather the gifts he discovered that a pipe had frozen and burst and the basement was flooded. He spent the bulk of the night and wee hours of the morning cleaning up the water and then exhausted lay wrapped all the gifts and placed them under the tree just before the kids woke up.
I think these 3 are miracles. 1. Even though the story does not list them as miracles. The phone call came just as she was heading out the door for a school concert. So she could be there to comfort her mom. 2. They found 2 seats to Wisconsin and back to Utah so close to Christmas. 3. Her Grandpa’s brother found a car to rent and someone to travel the rest of the journey with after his flight was delayed from Chicago due to fog.
The fog lifted and came back down with enough time for the plane to take off for them to travel home. The ticketing agent in Madison booked 2 different flights from Chicago to Salt Lake City in case of something happened. Something did happen they missed the 1st flight. With running to the 1st missed flight and running in the opposite direction to the 2nd flight. Her mom had a sore ankle. They barely made it to the 2nd flight. It was a miracle that they made it home.
So many miracles in this story. The mom did not have to go alone to mourn. All of the funeral arrangements and estate issues were completed smoothly so they could go home for Christmas. The fog lifted so the plane could take off and the second plane was held at the gate for them. They made it home in time to celebrate Christmas. The Lord looks after each of us. He knows our needs and sends angels to help.
My Christmas miracle came many years ago. We had gone to my sister in law’s house on Christmas Eve day and the snow the night before dropped about 12”. On the way home, our car broke down 3 or 4 blocks from home. It was daylight and we had a baby 5 months old. He was fussy, so I talked with my husband and he stayed working on the car and I started to walk home with the baby. It was only a few blocks but the snow was deep and difficult to trudge though. I hadn’t gone far when a family stopped and offered me a ride. I gladly accepted and they took me the short distance home. Meanwhile someone else stopped and helped my husband get the car going. We were grateful for the Christmas angels that helped us and blessed us that Christmas Eve.
Miracles happen all the time and all around us. We need eyes to see and then show gratitude to the Lord for all that He does for us.
You indeed had miracles to get you home on Christmas Eve; the fog lifting, the double booking of the flight, holding the plane until your mom made it through the concourse, and the kind flight attendants.
I am so grateful that the Lord is in the details of our lives.
There were many miracles in this story. I think it starts with Patti being in a position where she was available to join her mom on the trip when her mom really needed someone. Then the way everything worked out with the fog lifting, the backup flight and the fact that the backup flight hadn’t left yet. My favorite miracle stories are the ones that are tender mercies. The little ones that many people ignore or call coincidences. We don’t need to move mountains or part seas to see the miracles in our lives.
This is such a tender story. I have lived in the area and know only to well the weather issues that can and do arise. It shows that the Lord knows each of us and that he will listen to heartfelt prayers. To be able to go to the funeral in December was so important and then to see the miracle of the fog lifted and the plane held were both tender mercies. I know that as they look back over this there were even more mercies or miracles that were even more quietly in the background.