Yesterday felt like Christmas to me. The snow fell. I went to visit a friend. Twice! My youngest son needed snow pants so I went to Walmart and got him a whole new set, and some new socks and a warm outfit. (It’s his birthday tomorrow, too.) We ordered pizza and ate in the living room in front of the fire place watching a movie.
Earlier this week it felt like Christmas to me too, because I got groceries in abundance (2 cart loads!) for the week and prepared a delicious meal for my family.
Most days could “feel like Christmas” to me because I can always go get exactly what I need or want in a day. We have to do without some big things, but mostly from day to day, we want for nothing.
Mid-week this week I went to a local food and clothing pantry and sat among people who have very little. They were able to “take what they need” from the clothing racks but the racks don’t have much. Donations are needed. They were given a formula for how many the food items they could have, based on family size and all left with plenty of food but a volunteer shared that they need paper goods and feminine hygiene supplies…….
Out of my daily abundance, I can help meet these needs. Today is Saturday. I hope to take some time today to clean out some closets. I will donate things to the local food and clothing pantry today. My closets are so full my vacuum doesn’t fit. That is ridiculous.
November is set as the month we raise awareness for Adoption and Foster Care and the Orphan worldwide. Yesterday alone I was able to sit with a young college girl and talk about my favorite children’s care center in India because she gets to travel there, to Sarah’s Covenant Homes, in December! I also loaned her a few skirts for the trip and gave her my leftover ruppees from my trip 5 years ago so she could tip the first cab she rides in. Last night I participated in an online auction to support a local family’s adoption costs and was able to bid up the other guy just far enough that he won……but is paying more. (he he he). I had an important conversation with a friend about getting licensed in foster care and opening hearts and homes to children in need of family. Yesterday alone felt like Christmas to me!
We who have so much, should not take lightly such abundant blessing. We do though, don’t we. So quickly and so easily we fall into wishing and wanting for more and forgetting about all who have less.
Dear Father God, you know. You are the ultimate giver of all gifts and you do give such good gifts to your children. I ask this morning, that you will stir the hearts of your people to give and to share and to bless others this Christmas season, and that you will move families every single day to receive the call to adoption and foster care and orphan sponsorship so that all of your children can know the love of a family. It is my prayer that every child will experience what it feels like to have Christmas come on an ordinary day of the week, in the mundane things of life, to feel blessed and provided for without a moment of waiting…..especially for food and clothing and most importantly for love. Amen.
