Christmas Quiet Comfort

-
Black Friday is our big day to change the decorations in the house over from the Orange and Browns that have decked the halls from Oktoberfest to Thanksgiving to the Red and Greens of the Christmas holiday season.  This year we were in the thick of this transformation when I had to run an errand and pick up a few supplies for dinner. On my excursion I saw a neighbor of ours and said in my very cheerful voice "Hi Neighbor! How was your Thanksgiving". As soon as the words slipped out of my mouth her eyes reminded me in that split second that perhaps I shouldn't have been quite as cheery in my greetings. It had been such a long time (for me) that I had almost forgotten that it was much earlier this year that she had lost her grown son in a terrible accident. My heart sunk and I wondered how I could have let that slip my mind so easily. 

 She was super nice and just politely said "It was quiet". She went on to tell me how she had celebrated the day with other friends of her son's. She said she wasn't going to go but they had called her and said that they needed her to be there. I said how sorry I was (I felt terrible and wasn't sure what else to say) but somehow I think she needed to talk about it and she went on to talk about their Christmas plans which would focus on her grandkids but that, as far as she was concerned, there really wasn't going to be a Christmas this year. It was her son's favorite time of year and she just didn't even know how she was going to be able to decorate or fix any of the traditional treats that he used to love.

 Today being the first day of Advent is really the first day of preparing for Christmas Day and this conversation with my neighbor was a powerful reminder to me about what we are really preparing for. It is not all the presents, the wrapping, the cards, or the lights. It is the time of year to focus on those who need us most. 

 When you are zipping down the road in a hurry trying to get everything on your list done in a day just take a second to look at the other houses along the way and remember your neighbors. Think about that neighbor who may have had surgery earlier in the summer. Are they doing ok this holiday season? Think about the neighbor whose son is deployed on some military mission this holiday season. Are they being able to celebrate the season while worrying so much about their child? And think about those neighbors who have lost a loved one this last year. How are they filling that hole in their heart and making way for the Joy of the season.

 It is easy for us to think about our charitable giving with St. Judes, or Toys for Tots, or other outlet for giving to our community because they are asking us for our help. 

 This holiday take a moment and say a prayer for all of those near us who may be hurting but who won't ever ask us for help.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Holiday Season

-
 We're back. But more on that later! This year's holiday season is upon us and with everything going on in the world we have to get a little more creative to bring the sparkle for our little ones. This year is a great year to get back to making holiday chains out of recycled paper and a little scotch tape and spending more time snuggling and less time stressing. With holiday budgets having to be watched a little more closely every penny counts when making your holiday purchasing decisions. One of my favorite holiday traditions is the advent calendar . The only reason I am bringing this one up so early - it's not even Thanksgiving yet! - is it's important to start your Advent calendar on the first day of December. That means a little planning ahead. The advent calendar gives our family a chance to all come together and at least once a day talk about the real meaning of the season and at the same time getting a little surprise each and every day. One of our family's f
Read more

5 Tips for Creating a Healthy Environment for Kids

-
Image
Guest Post by:  Jana Free Moms want the best for their kids. They want their children to feel good and to be  happy. They want them with smiles on their faces and joy in their heart. As a mom, do you often wonder if there is some kind of magic object that you  can pull out of a hat, or a magic spell you could cast, to create this perfect  scenario? I’m pretty sure there’s no object or spell, but I do know that a healthy  environment is like a magic wand that can keep kids’ eyes bright and their bodies  full of good energy. How do we moms create a healthy environment for our kids? We focus on  keeping physical spaces clean and we do more. We make sure that each aspect  of our kids’ lives is as free from toxins as we can get it. Which means we look at  the food we eat as well as the attitude we keep. The following are 5 tips for creating a healthy environment for kids. 1. Model Good Food Choices Children usually eat what they’re served and what they see others eating. As 
Read more

Summer Book Club for all ages

-
Image
It almost seems incredible but I have heard people say to me "I just don't have time to read". That is the precise reason a person must read! And for those of you who have caught yourself saying that then make your first book one on time management. YES! We do have time to read. When our kids are very little we must read to them. The more we read to them the more they will grow up loving books. Kids love books that they can grab ahold of and turn the pages and look at the silly pictures even before they have a sense that there are words on those pages. But the more we read to them the more they figure it out. And when you have little kids like this in your house it might seem like you don't have time to read but you don't always have to read baby books to them. There was a great scene in the movie Three Men and a Baby where Tom Selleck's character was reading Sports Illustrated or some other grownup magazine to the baby. It didn't matter what th
Read more