Karla's Kolumn: Do you believe?

Warning, the following column might not be appropriate for young children - young children who still believe in Santa Claus - so continue reading at your own peril.

It's Christmas time. Some believe in the magic of Christmas, others believe there is no Santa Claus, that there is no Jolly Old Elf bringing toys to good girls and boys.

There's been discussion in our office this year about whether you should teach your children about Santa or not, because for some families, Santa can't afford to stop by the house. In the movie "Christmas Vacation," yes, it's a movie but the scenario is real, Eddie's children aren't sure they believe in Santa because "we were good last year and Santa didn't bring us squat."

So what does that teach our children? You can be good but Santa still might not come? So, why be good?

We have a lot of Santa letters in our special section in today's paper with children asking for different toys and things. Will they be disappointed in Santa if they don't get exactly what they want? Some may and some will be grateful for whatever they find under the tree and in their stocking.

So, for each parent, it's a choice on what you want your child to believe in. I'm not here to say yes you should or no you shouldn't. I'm here to say you can believe ...

In the famous New York Sun editorial "Is There is A Santa Claus," from Sept. 21, 1897, the author writes, "He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist." He also writes, "Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus."

So perhaps Santa does exist? And perhaps, it is OK for children to believe in a generous, giving person who gives with no expectations in return except that we live our lives right and treat one another with respect?

Perhaps, it is OK to believe in Christmas magic, that miracles can happen at times in our lives, sometimes small miracles?

Perhaps those miracles aren't from Santa Claus but from the true meaning of Christmas, celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Perhaps they don't come just at Christmas time?

Perhaps, the words from the Sun's editorial could be said the same for God, "God exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist" and just because you can't see a physical manifestation of God, does not mean he does not exist?

You see I don't believe in Santa anymore but I do believe in God. I believe He is in control of all things, even the little things that sometimes we don't necessarily attribute to Him.

I was discussing this with my best friend last weekend during our annual get together to exchange gifts. I asked her if she remembered last year, last year when I was driving home from Powell, in the dark, on snow-packed, slick roads and I tried to avoid something in the road, only to drive over a bungee cord and get the hook embedded in my tire. There I sat on the side of the road with a flat tire. Ne'er a star or moon in the sky to give me some light, me having not changed the batteries in my flashlight in the car. There I sat wondering if I was talented enough to change the tire in the dark.

I called my husband, he would make his way toward me to fix my tire, not wanting me to drive very long on the small little "donut" spare tire. I didn't want my friend getting out with the road conditions as they were either so I waited, I didn't wait long. Along came a stranger. I told him I was waiting for my husband because I couldn't see to change the tire.

He turned his pickup around, as he was headed toward Powell along the Willwood Road, his headlights giving plenty of light to change my tire and I was shortly on my way again. I met my husband in Basin and he fixed the good tire and we put it on taking the donut tire off.

Yes, you could say the man who stopped was in the right place at the right time, or you could say God sent me someone to let me know He was watching and taking care of me so I didn't have to wait for hours alone and my husband didn't have to be on the icy roads any longer than he had to.

A Hallmark Christmas movie, yes, I'm guilty of binging, called "A Godwink Christmas," describes those times as God winking at us, I call them God moments. In the movie, the mother tells her grown daughter, "Sometimes God does not speak to us in a voice that we can hear, sometimes God winks."

I believe God winked that night last year.

I believe we can find miracles in the small things and big things. We can find that Christmas magic all year round if we look for it.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is written by Kenny Rogers and sung by him and Dolly Parton called, "I Believe in Santa Claus." Part of the lyrics include, "I believe love should prevail at any cost; And I believe in Santa Claus ... I believe a better attitude can make a better way; And I believe in viewing life as a journey that we're on; And lookin' at our troubles as another stepping stone ... I believe I am so therefore I should do all that I can; To be a better piece in the puzzle of God's plan."

So this Christmas I ask that you give yourself a chance and just believe.

Merry Christmas.