The holidays are here and it's such a busy time. I have a so many projects and to-do-lists that I feel my head is spinning. In my quiet time, when I'm writing this, I stop and reflect upon life's craziness. The good and the bad of it all seems to intertwine together. There is so much beauty, and yet, so much pain as well.
Christmas brings out the "giving attitude" in us all, and also the realization of how many others in the world that need to be given too. I am overwhelmed this time of year with charity after charity needing donations; each one with its own story and crisis; each one touching and pulling at my heartstrings. However, as much as I would love to, I can't give to each one. My heart feels burdened for all the lost and suffering souls that are on this earth. Just this morning, while I was eating my bowl of Frosted Flakes, I opened an envelope that said "EMERGENCY!". It was from World Vision, a Christian Organization that is dedicated primarily to children in Third World Countries. We sponsor a little girl in Indonesia named Butet who has lost her parents to AIDS. Anyway, this particular emergency is about the cyclone that just hit Bangladesh and the thousands of people left homeless and without anything. As I was reading about the devastation, I felt guilty sitting at my kitchen table, in my warm p.j.'s, in my warm home, filling my belly with food. When I feel myself feeling overwhelmed by life's issues, I can only turn to God. I can only lay my burdens (and the rest of the world's atrocities) at Jesus' feet. If I don't, I get depressed.
How does one teach children, who grow up in an affluent neighborhood and school, about the realization of another world? Already materialism is shoved down their throats at such an early age. My son, who's in the first grade, has already made a comment about his 7-year old friend who has a flat screen t.v. in his bedroom. I told him not to worry because he was never going to have a t.v. in his bedroom...flat, round or triangular! He didn't think it was as funny as I did.
We talk to our boys, especially at the dinner table, about other children around the world that don't have any food tonight to fill their bellies, or parents to tuck them in to sleep, or warm clothes or shoes to protect their bodies. It is starting to sink in. My five year-old always includes in his prayers..."Please give the people that don't have food something to eat." It makes a mother proud to know that they are listening to something I am saying.
My prayer for all of us living such blessed lives is to remember to be thankful this holiday season. Remember the true meaning of Christmas. Remember, as my husband always says, "It could be worse." And, of course, remember to tell those people in your lives how grateful you are to have them share this journey with you. Happy Holidays!
1 comment:
This reminds me of the time I told a four year old Tyler that we should go through his toys and give the ones he no longer played with to poor children. When he was resistant to the idea, I gave him the lecture on how some kids don't get anything for Christmas. After thinking about it, he asked why Santa doesn't visit poor kids.
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