Christmas has sure changed hasn't it? As you grow up...it seems to take on all sorts of new identities. Remember when you were little and the most important thing was waking up as early as you possibly could to open up all your presents? This morning, my mom had to call and wake me up so I could drag myself out of bed and get over to her house. I get over to her house around 9...and she asks me if I'm ready to open presents. I ask her if breakfast is ready. Her boyfriend looks at me and says "You know you're not a kid anymore when you'd rather eat breakfast before opening presents." So true.
Reese (where I work) sponsored a family this year. Since I'm the "social director," this was part of my job. Reese paid for a Christmas dinner for them, and then all the employees donated money for presents. After actually dealing with the grandma of this family of seven kids, I wasn't very happy about helping them anymore. She seemed demanding. I didn't like it. You can ask a few of my friends. I had a short little rant about it. I hadn't dealt with a family like that before. Anyway, a verse in the Bible kept popping in my head. It was a verse about true religion being helping the poor and widows. It doesn't say that true religion is helping the poor only when the poor are really really nice and really really grateful. I trudged on. There was one boy that I hadn't been able to get anything for. He wanted speed skates, and I couldn't find any. I asked a friend of mine that I work with to help me get his present. This boy also wanted a paint gun. I told my friend. When I went to go pick up the stuff off his front porch, he had bought the boy a paint gun, extra paint balls, and extra air or whatever to shoot the paint gun. It brought a tear to my eye that people could be that generous. That's an awesome Christmas present. I talked to the grandma later that day. She seemed way more grateful, and I again was happy to help her. I think before she may have been a little panicky because the kids weren't going to be getting anything for Christmas. She told me the kids didn't have any stockings. My cousin and I went to the dollar store, and I got them stockings and stuff to fill the stockings up with.
So, Christmas Eve morning my cousin and I go to Boston Market and pick up the dinner that Reese had bought for the family. We go over to this lady's house. It's a small house...and there's ten people living there. There's not one single present under the tree. We bring the meal to the refrigerator. There's no food in the refrigerator, except for some chicken breasts. The grandma had sent all the kids away. The kids think that they are getting nothing for Christmas, because their parents have prepared them for the fact that there's no money this year. You see, the dad crushed his leg, and hasn't been able to work. I'm sure it's not very easy for a mom to support seven kids. The mom and grandma had gone to Goodwill and bought each child one shirt. They washed them and ironed them, and that was going to be their Christmas present.
As the grandma was talking to me, the gratefulness in her eyes nearly brought tears to my eyes. I am so happy that the people at Reese were willing to help out with this family! There's now way I could do much at all...I'm poor poor poor...but with everybody pulling together, these kids were able to get a decent Christmas. Thank you to anybody that's reading this blog and helped out!
And thanks if you did something else for somebody on Christmas. If you didn't...maybe next year you can. There are so many opportunities! So many people are in need. It's the best Christmas present you can give yourself...I promise... Actually...that's what I'm asking for next year...for you to help at least one person out next Christmas.
Like I said earlier...they had no food in their refrigerator. I would love to buy them some groceries...but I have no money. So, if you think you could do something like that for this family...just let me know. I would love it if we could get them some groceries. They would probably be much appreciative too.
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Tomorrow is this here blog's birthday. Why don't you leave it some love...huh? It's always here. I'll probably right some more tomorrow...
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I saw We Are Marshall the other day. It was very good.
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A simple thing in life...a telephone...a telephone call...being able to call someone. Something I haven't been able to do in a quite a while with my sister. She's back in the states now. She has a telephone. I told my dad that he should call her and leave a message (because she's finishing up with a cruise with her husband). He used to sing "I'll have a blue Christmas without you..." all the time when we were little. I told him he should sing that to her. He calls, and her husband answers. He talks to my sister. He tells her that's a call he's been waiting to make for two years. I'm glad he got to make it.
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Merry Christmas to everyone!!!
2 comments:
I was going to go with my aunt and cousins to feed the homeless this past Sat. but I didn't get around to it. I kinda wish I had.
I'm glad you got to help them, and that they were grateful.
And, I'm glad that your sister is safe in sound back in the U.S!
that was a very touching blog. i would love to buy that family groceries, but as u know im kinda far away. i hope that next year i can help a family out like u got to. well i gotta go. call me sometime.
becca
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