每年11月开始美国就是满街满巷的喜庆圣诞音乐，有些人很烦这个。以前一个无神论的朋友就说宗教就是用美妙的音乐骗人入伙，我倒是觉得每周教堂唱歌和唱卡拉OK异曲同工，都让人尽情发泄，音乐真是治疗心灵创伤和引领精神升华的最好工具。大多数圣诞歌曲都被一遍又一遍的翻唱，旧版本再经典总难免让人生厌，歌手唱这些早已脍炙人口的歌曲最是讨巧，还保证每年都有播放，因此电影《About A Boy》里休格兰特演的就是靠老爸写的圣诞歌曲的版税过日子的花花公子。

前几日。我们正在高速路上，电台里播放了首新世纪的圣诞歌曲《圣诞鞋子》，用的是典型的民谣式的叙事体。一把沙哑的男声缓缓诉说了这样一个故事：男人在店里排长队买圣诞礼物，心情很烦躁。他之前是个衣服又旧又破的脏兮兮小男孩，小男孩举着一对鞋，对收款员说：“先生，我想给妈咪买双鞋，这双正是她的尺寸。拜托您快点，爹地说妈咪已经没有多少时间。您看，她已经病了许久，这双新鞋会让她开心起来。如果今晚她见到基督，我想她穿戴得漂漂亮亮。”…………

听到这里，车里两个年纪一大把的人，眼泪马上断线珠子一般。

也许，上帝在提醒我们，圣诞节不是圣诞老人，不是大餐，不是黑色星期五的疯狂购物，而是纪念耶稣的大爱，是行善，是grace，是心怀一颗感恩的心。今年我有太多需要感谢上帝的地方了，谢谢亲人，朋友，网友，陌生人，你们是我生命中的奇迹。

The Christmas Shoes – Bob Carlisle

It was almost Christmas time,
There I stood in another line
Trying to buy that last gift or two,
Not really in the Christmas mood.
Standing right in front of me
Was a little boy waiting anxiously,
Pacing round like little boys do,
And in his hands, he held a pair of shoes.
And his clothes were worn and old.
He was dirty from head to toe,
And when it came his time to pay,
I couldnt believe what I heard him say.

Chorus:

Sir, I wanna buy these shoes for my momma 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;
Know these shoes will make her smile.
Want her to look beautiful if Momma meets Jesus tonight.


He counted pennies for what seemed like years
Then the cashier said Theres not enough here.
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me.
He said Momma made Christmas good at our house
Though most years she just did without.
Tell me, Sir, what am I gonna do?
Somehow Ive got to buy these Christmas shoes!
So I laid the money down;
I just had to help him out.
And Ill never forget the look on his face
When he said Mommas gonna look so great!

Chorus

I knew that I got a glimpse of heavens love
As he thanked me and ran out.
I knew that God had sent that little boy to remind me
What Christmas is all about.
Chorus in childrens voices

Young boy:
I want her to look beautiful
If Momma meets Jesus tonight.