Christmas

This is what Christmas means to me and moves me to happy tears; the sparkle in a little girls eyes.....

Yesterday, on the Eve of Christmas Eve, I had the honor and privilege of giving some food gifts and toys out to children and families who live where I work.

I sent up some prayers,  that I would buy the right things for everyone as I went shopping.  I visited with the store manager about our mission and he graciously donated a case of summer sausages.  (We happened to be standing in front of them and he spontaneously grabbed a case, marked it "donation" and threw it in my cart).....See, it doesn't have to take much time to give, just heart :) !

Then (tired and busy though I was- you know being a woman, or just a person at Christmas time)-  I say this so you know that I did not jump to go shopping with a spring in my step! -  I began to fill my cart.  My excitement (and fear {the bill}) mounted as I piled bags of oranges, apples, bananas and other assorted items into my cart.  It began to groan when I pushed it.  I literally have NEVER purchased this much at one time in my life! 
And soon it was all over (Thank goodness)!  and I was checking out.  The checkers were very kind and sorted everything into 4 boxes for me.  I was relieved and surprised.  It was actually quite fun! And the bill was less than I thought!

Then came the really fun part! 
This, will stay in my heart forever stamped onto my heart and mind.
We gave to families who had lost a mom and the Aunt's house burgeoned to thirteen children! We gave to other families that didn't have much.  Children know how to celebrate goodness and gifts!  That's why they are so fun to give to.  I know it means much to the quiet parent who says, "Right on!, Thank you so much, This will help.",  but the children....who run and skip and whose eyes light up!...  There's just no compare....
But
One expressive child, we'll call her 'Hope'.....looked into the box in my trunk full of toys she could pick and her eyes moved to the blanket in a bag next to the box....I told her she could have it.  She grabbed it, with joy in her eyes and hope in her heart and said to her brother standing by her,  "Feel it.  It's sooo soft."  I had her pick some toys as well (ignoring my own instruction to "only pick one, we have other children to give to.") . I know this girl from school and she does not speak, nary a word, but she didn't need to, I could see her heart was as full as could be.  The light on Hope's face shone brighter that night than the full moon in the sky and the Christmas lights next door.  Hope skipped back into the house and landed simultaneously upon my heart!

Merry Christmas Everyone