Tuesday, December 23, 2014

December 23, 2014

Countdown to Christmas
December 23, 2014



When our children were growing up, we tried to remind them of the true meaning of Christmas and they could tell the story as well as we could, of the baby Jesus, born in a stable and placed in a manger because there was no room in the inn.  They still eagerly awaited Christmas morning and the gifts under the tree. 

We tried to teach them about giving to others and as I would bake things mostly for people who would be alone, they would often go with me to deliver the goodies.  They loved to buy for each other and for their parents, but they still made long "wish lists".  Sometimes we wondered if the message was getting through about it being more blessed to give than to receive.  Then they became adults, and we can see that it did get through to them.  We see how much they love to help others.  Recently one of my granddaughters was telling me about a homeless man who had died and that he was a friend of her parents.  Why did she think that?  Every time she went with her dad to his office, she saw him stop and talk to the man.  They met his needs when they could.  She is seeing awesome examples in her dad (our son) and her mom, that outshine anything we ever did.  It is humbling when your children surpass you, but it is such a blessing to be able to witness it through the eyes of their children. 

All of our sons know how to love and give to those who need so much.  Sometimes my mom will feel she isn't doing all she could for others.  I remind her of the many times and assorted ways she set examples for us growing up and until her recent injury, she was visiting shut-ins, and meeting the needs of many others.  I remember how I used to see my dad's mom feed drifters (as they were called at the time) on her back porch.  When children see these things through the generations, it seems to grow to new proportions with each successive generation. 

We think of Christmas often in terms of "giving and getting", but we should be giving all year in ways that we can.  It may not be money handed to a beggar.  It could be a post card sent to a special needs child anytime you are out of town.  It could be a listening ear.  It could be transportation for medical treatments.  It could be a card to someone in a nursing home or to someone hurting.  There are so many ways to give all year long.  I need to look for more of those ways to touch lives.

In the ways that we usually think of "giving" at Christmas time, I spent a little time today on my gift shopping list.  This evening I took Mom with me to do a little shopping.  We had supper and a good time looking and I picked up a few things.  Mom got some exercise walking through the store.

It was slow at the office today and I worked on Christmas cards.  I now have about 75% of them done and in the mail.  I went to the post office on my way to work to mail a stack I had done early this morning.  I woke up at 5:00 and decided to get up and work on the cards.  Then there were some gifts to mail, so I was able to do all that on one trip.

I left the office a little early, went to the bank and then went to pick up Mom for our supper, errands, and shopping.  She rode with me to pay a bill and then we went to the new Chick-fil-A near my house for supper.  I drove her past a new Wal-mart under construction and then we did the shopping.  Once I took her home, I spent a little time there helping her with a couple of things and getting her grocery list.  It was 8:30 when I got home and one major accomplishment I did this evening was to clean out my purse.  It was filled with receipts and change and other things that did not have to be in there.

Later in the evening I had a long talk with our daughter-in-law in New Mexico.  The box of gifts I sent to them had arrived today as predicted by the post office when I mailed it last Saturday.  Then our son in Dallas said that theirs arrived as well as two boxes with things that I had ordered and had sent to them.  Yea for the post office!  Thanks, guys! 

Tonight I went through the things waiting to be wrapped and checked to see what is still needed.  I should be able to take care of the other things tomorrow.  I better!  Christmas is coming!  FAST!  It is almost here.

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