"One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all.
And sixty cents of it was in pennies...."

Thus begins O. Henry's classic short story, The Gift of the Magi.  O. Henry presented it as a retelling of the Christmas Story, but if you listen carefully, you can hear faint echoes of another Bible story, The Widow's Mite.

Now comes a modern ballad that weaves together threads of these and other stories.  You can thank country music star, Kenny Chesney, for this treasure.  I know some folks think they are too sophisticated for country music.  I used to think that way until the night I heard "I've Got Tears In My Ears From Lyin' On My Back In My Bed While I Cry Over You."  

In the true spirit of Christmas, let me share the lyrics of Kenny Chesney's song, The Christmas Shoes (For Mama).  It is not every day that listening to a song can heal you, but this one is a cure for what ails us.