BEGIN FROM ABOVE

By Lars Rustbøle

It was Christmas Eve. The little five-year old Jens had been with his grandfather and came back with a large package that he had sneaked into the bedroom, so that no one noticed it. There he hid it well under his bed. - No one must see it before it hangs on the boy, grandpa had said, and Jens wanted to keep that wish. He wanted do just as grandfather had instructed him. When it was late and the Christmas lights were switched on, he would do an errand into the bedroom and put on the new gift that he had got and he would come strolling in and amaze them with grandfather's Christmas present. Oh, how that would be fun! But what was in the package? A new piece of clothing, he was sure. Grandfather had said that it was something he should wear. Maybe it was socks or mittens? No, once he got going on, he realized that it had to be something else. The package was too large to contain such small things.

Jens couldn't help it, he had to crawl under the bed and look. He remained for a moment on all fours and listened. If only he could be sure no came in! Helga, his sister used to be bad to look up things that he wanted for himself. It was probably best to put a chair in front of the door, so that he heard the the noise, if she came noiseless. Once the chair was located, he crawled under the bed and pulled lut the box.

Ååå ! A pretty boys suit with shiny buttons in the jacket and breeches with a zipper over the pockets. Great! Grandpa must have gripped deep into the scrotum this time. Jens raised his clothes and immediately there came another outbreak from him.

A cap too! Silver Cord and gold buttons down the front! This was more than he had dreamed. He was like a prince now. But it didn't work to wear a hat when he danced around the Christmas tree. He had to go with it in his hand. He wanted to take it along with the rest. Mother and father and Helga had to see everything at once. Hehe ! Jens put it all down again and pushed the box even further under the bed than it was the first time.

The small boy was proud when he appeared at the kitchen door. However, he said nothing, but it was not hard to see that he kept a deep secret undet the smiling boy 's face. He revealed all too clearly that it had to be something big.

- You have got something from grandpa. I see it on your face? Helga fixed her sharp girl eyes directly at his face.

- No, no, not in the least. It will probably come later in the mail, if I get something at all. He danced around on the floor and whistled of delight. Helga tried to pump the secret out of him, but it did not work. This time Jens' mouth was closed like a book. He beamed with joy, but the clothes and the cap he did not mention with a single word.

As the Christmas tree lights were switched on Jens slipped into the bedroom. It had been an awful long wait, but now it was over at last. In a moment he would come into the room and surprise them in the pretty outfit. It was not long before he got clothes on, and he went over to the mirror to see how he looked.

He stared and kept staring while there slid a dark shadow over the once radiant face. The jacket was both warped and ugly. The left collar was at least 2 handbreath of the other. Something this ugly the boy had never seen on any clothes before.
He could not possibly wear such an ugly jacket. The comrades would guffaw if they saw this.
Patch Boy ! Patch Boy ! Hay hay - ha! Jens threw himself sobbingly into the arms of his father and mother.

- Hay hay hay ! Patch Boy, patch boy patch boy ! Hay hay ...

Helga clapped her hands together and laughed loudly, but dad took the crying boy and put him in front of him, as he also began to smile.

- You are a oafish. It is not the tailor's error. It is you who have made the jacket skew. Don't you see that you have put the top button through the bottom buttonhole. The fault was fixed and it was not long before Jens was like a prince in the fine suit and smiled through his ​​tears.

- Now you can see yourself in the mirror, said the danger. This distinguished you have probably never been before. The suit fits you as if it was tailormade for you.
- No, so nice. Unbelievable that the buttons count for that much. He was ashamed of this.

- Remember that you always start from the top, continuing danger. Hook along the top button and the top button hole, then the other buttons also come to the right place.

There was a slight pause, then his father continued with a serious voice:
- Today you have learned an important lesson. It is worth more than any other lesson in life. It is important to always start from the top, begin with God. Whether it is a large or small task, always put the case before the Almighty, and be obedient to His word. Let God's will be the top buttonhole, and your heart the top button. When these two are linked together then you will see how well all thing turn out.

Now Jens is a grown up man, but he has never forgotten the clothes that he got from his grandfather. He learned something this Christmas Eve, that he has used every day. He starts from the top and therefore all things have gone well for him.