Sometimes we find ourselves thinking and worrying about all that is wrong in the world. Yet, there’s much that is right and good.
Diane Robertson
To my children tonight, I read the words, “Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, Was singing! Without any presents at all! He HADN’T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same!”
These words mean a whole lot more to me this Christmas—more than they ever have. My husband lost his job 9 months ago. Despite trying and applying for job after job, as the holidays approached, he still hadn’t found employment. We did not know how to approach the holidays with our 10 children. The week before Thanksgiving, we sat our children down and told them to not expect too much for Christmas. We explained that Christmas means a lot more than just presents, and it would be okay. We would still have Christmas.
That very week, the miracles started happening.
Several of my friends had gotten together and donated money for me to buy presents for our kids. They gave me this the day before Thanksgiving.
The day after Thanksgiving, some people I did not know came to my door. They purchased a new washing machine, new pots and pans, a new Kitchen Aid mixer, new cups, and new towels. Not expecting anything and certainly not asking for anything, two days earlier, I had posted a list on my blog of all the items that had either broken or were just wearing out since my husband lost his job. These gifts came from complete strangers.
After that, we had several people offer to help with Christmas. We had money either come in the mail or dropped off on our doorstep—some anonymously and some not.
On Christmas morning, Santa will have made it to our home. Our kids will wake up to filled stockings, gifts wrapped and under the tree, and plenty of good food.
We are grateful and humbled by the love that has been shown to our family.
Sometimes we find ourselves thinking and worrying about all that is wrong in the world. Yet, there’s much that is right and good. One of the good things we have is religion. Our religion teaches us to do good, to love, and to share. Our religion helps us get through the hard times in life. Our religion motivates us to help others get through their hard times.
Presents may not have come to our family this year, and if they hadn’t, we would have sang and we would have celebrated Christmas without them. But, presents did come. They came because of Christmas. They came because, “Christmas… doesn’t come from a store.” They came because “Christmas…means a little bit more!”
Merry Christmas!