On that wondrous night long ago a ragged little boy watched the three wise men bring their costly gifts for the Christ Child. His eyes filled with tears as he thought, "If only a pearl would fall from the hand of a king, then I could go too. But I am ashamed to go. I have no gift for the Saviour."

The little lad was about to turn and run for the hills. Suddenly an angel appeared before him and said, "Give a gift that is closest to your heart." So he did. They say that the Bethlehem star gave an extra twinkle in the heavens as a ragged boy placed a faded blue sack beside the expensive gifts of the three kings of the Orient. The sack contained the things closest to his heart: a sea shell that whispered in his ears, a piece of rope used to climb high trees, a jagged slingshot made from a for…