It's been too long...

"And so this is Christmas..."

I admit I was dreading this season. I was terrified on how we would take care of the children, the teacher gifts, etc. I know it isn't about the commercialization of the day, but rather a reflection on what the day truly means. After all, isn't the reason we give gifts to each other to symbolize the gift God gave us all?

We put a lay a way in at K-Mart and began to discuss in great detail what we were going to do for our five kids. One needs a laptop for college, others need clothing, and then there is the WANTED list for each. All of which can be terribly daunting for a family holding it together on one income and unemployment benefits.

Until this past week, I wasn't touched by anything remotely resembling Christmas Spirit. I am thrilled to say that's changed... not by a sudden onslaught of money or the ability to buy thousands of dollars of items for my kids, but rather by helping others.

First off my girl scout troop working with area churches presented gifts to two families who are homeless. (A third family was working at the time of our presentation.) The churches house the families for a week at a time and work with them to get them back into a home of their own.

One family was interviewed by our local TV station. When you hear their story, you can't help but feel empowered by where they are going. They are a young couple with their first child. A blonde haired blue eyed cherub who is 9 months old. The young man had a job and they were renting a mobile home from a family member. The family member sold the mobile home to help pay off some of his expenses. In this day and age when a $10.00 per hour job is what's available, it lends very little money to putting back a down payment or deposit on the next place. As such, two young parents found themselves in a precarious situation right before their child's first Christmas. The gentleman was able to obtain a higher paying job and they are moving into their own place this week.

The families gave a list to Amy, our leader (I am the co-leader) and an extraordinary woman, through the program's coordinator. She was able to spend $100.00 on each family and complete their lists. On Wednesday night a portion of our girls (we have 22 in our troop) gathered with us and their parents and a few younger siblings to watch as "our" families were given a little reprieve from their lives. I can't even begin to tell you how many times we were thanked. The second family had just entered into the program and it was a man and his two daughters. The little girls were a flurry of activity bouncing around opening one gift and dashing on to the next. They had requested winter boots and judging by how the youngest girl placed her new pink boots on her feet before opening up her toys, I am guessing she really adored them! Before we left that evening the little girls were all playing with their new toys. It sounds simple, doesn't it? Give a child a toy and sit back and watch in amazement as they play.

On my own I became associated with a group on Facebook dedicated to assisting families in our area who just can't push the boundaries of their budgets any further to accommodate for things like Christmas. I decided to adopt two families- buying for two little boys, a little girl and an infant. I won't go into any more detail than that, for most of us have been THERE, doing the best we can not to sink but faced with the heartbreak of just not having anything extra. Statistics show that a lot of families are one to two paychecks away from being homeless; if what "they" say is true there are a lot of us who could be walking in the shoes of families who need help with one unfortunate experience like a sudden illness or a cut back on hours at work.

I bought a small amount of presents for these children, as well as some groceries and sundries for their families. If you get free meals at school for your children and they are suddenly home for breakfast and lunch, it can be a serious strain on that already stretched budget. Two of the children wear clothing in sizes some of my children have outgrown and so I am donating it to them. My prayer is that these mothers and fathers can rise above the blame game they may be playing in their heads and just enjoy the day with their families. Of course, I will sit back and wish I could have done more. I plan on continuing to help because once Christmas is over children still out grow clothing and help is still necessary.

My husband shared a link on my facebook page about secret Santas who were paying off lay-a-ways at K-Mart for people. Some were close to having them closed out for non-payment. One woman was at her son's bedside in a children's hospital and when K-Mart called her to inform her she began yelling out "WE WILL HAVE A CHRISTMAS!" Many other recipients simply cried right in the middle of the store. This phenomenon occurred in several states with no seeming rhyme or reason- just a few folks with the intention to help others.

I firmly believe that we have to help God on this planet. As a Catholic I was taught the corporal and spiritual works of Mercy. Most of them are common sense things we should be doing to each other as riders on this merry-go-round we call Earth; visiting the sick, burying the dead, giving food and drink to the hungry and thirsty, clothing the naked. Last month my children's school asked students to bring in quarters to buy a well for a village without clean drinking water. This month they are in the process of collecting 114 coats for those who can use them. "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (Matthew 25:40)

I believe that God works through us to be the answer to so many prayers. He has a lot of big problems facing Him- wars, famine, genocide, and natural disasters to name a few. I refrain from labeling anyone's problems as "small" as they are not to those burdened with them. However I think that God needs those of us who can to extend our hands to our brothers and sisters and pull them up from despair, from sadness, from loneliness, from trepidation. You just never know when you will be the answer to someone's prayers. God knows what He is doing, He put us where we need to be for reasons that are sometimes crystal clear to us and at other times as clear as mud. All He asks is that we believe.

John Mellencamp sang that "Everyone needs a hand to hold on to. Don't need to be no rich hand, don't need to be no strong hand. Everyone just needs a hand to hold on to." It works both ways- it's not only those who are holding their hand out for anyone to grab who are those in need. The folks who grab those hands are just as needy- sometimes unbeknownst to them and not necessarily in the tangible senses of needing food or clothing.

I have thought a lot about this week and its events. If for nothing else, my Father in Heaven gave me a swift kick in the back side to wake up and recognize just what He has blessed me with. I have thought about how helping your fellow man isn't a sentiment reserved for a date in December. I have found myself crying wishing I could do more. Giving to others on what I thought would be one of the hardest holidays I've ever had has enriched me beyond belief. I may be hearing Thank You, but I need to say it as well. I'm 37 years old and I am still a rookie at life- I am still learning from the situations which present themselves to me. I simply have to be still and take in the lesson.