Gifts to the poor....

Do you consider yourself wealthy, poor or perhaps comfortable? What do you use as a tool to judge that upon? Do you give a little or a lot of your Christmas back to the community you live in?
I, in years past thought of myself as poor, you know poor me, that kind of poor. This year I have to say I am wealthy beyond my wildest dreams, No, I don't mean rich with money to burn. I think of myself wealthy because of my friendships, my family and my ability to give to people less fortunate than me. This year I took 2 families names from the Angel tree at my place of worship and decided that I could give them a little food, some clothes and some toys for the Children, mostly I wanted to give them the Christmas Spirit that I have been blessed this year with. I donated around ---.-- to this cause.... It isn't the dollar figure that counts to me, although my sweet Husband did count the $ leaving his pocket, LOL, God Bless Georg and his frugal nature..... I bought each family a ham, I bought all the stuff to go with it to make a dinner that they could also have left overs with. I made home made cookies and candies so that they felt that homemade love. I took toys and diapers and even some blankets I found on sale at the store I was, when the first miracle happened.I also found clothes for each of the kids there, I decided that the Families needed a reason to remember the Christ in Christmas and so I bought each family a small Nativity set. This did cost money, but I am really not worried about that. I like Joy, I like giving and I like knowing that for at least the few I could help, are going to have it a bit easier. I hope that my actions will help them find a reason to keep the Christmas spirit in their hearts, always.....
The local salvation army likes the giver to remain anonymous when giving and that works for most, but I like to check up on how the family is after Christmas, so I go through a different method when selecting my families..... So after Christmas this year I will be following the Families I helped, I would like to make sure the kids don't miss out on books, paper, pencils, you know the things they need for School, I would like to know if they face crisis like, lack of clean clothes and loosing their electric , or even having the food every day, that I can either help or even point them in the right direction for help. I'm not rich by any means, BUT I know I can help in ways that maybe others wont.
What I'm asking YOU though, Is can YOU help.... Can you find a family to help through the year?
Can you give of your time, your wealth, your heart?
Please do, I promise you that you will find the most amazing joy from it, It may keep Christmas in your heart through the year not just in December........
Join Christy Z and spread the epidemic of " a random act of kindness" one act at a time.....
Yes she is running a contest, But I do this every year, not just because of a prize,which in truth I would give back to my community if I won......
I would like to wish each of you the joyful feeling of giving......
Peace and.....
Merry Christmas.......

This is my random act of kindness.....

Footprints in the Sand

By Mary Stevenson

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was
walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the
sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he
noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one
belonging to him, and the other to the Lord. When
the last scene of his life flashed before him, he
looked back at the footprints in the sand. He
noticed that many times along the path of his life
there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed
that it happened at the very lowest and saddest
times in his life. This really bothered him and he
questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, You said that
once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all
the way. But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life, there is only one set
of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed
you most you would leave me." The Lord replied,
"My son, My precious child, I love you and I would
never leave you. During your times of trial and
suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it
was then that I Carried You."

I know this may come off as silly, but this is a true story. this happened to me just a few days ago....
Christy Z at Christy's Coffee break is having a Random acts of kindness contest. You can read all about it here, I actually think its more for Christy, about getting people to do nice things than the fame or fortune, thats just what kind of gal she is!
I don't expect to win any prizes, or be told I'm great, the fact of the matter is, I'm no better than anyone else, but I do donate lots of money and time to charity, among some of the causes I serve are homelessness coalition, children home society, humane society, salvation army and united way and the SIDS foundation.... I just can't stand to see a person, NOT anyone for that matter, look that sad and lonely, homeless or hungry....
I saw her standing there, at the back of her truck, she looked like life had finally beaten her. her face sad and twisted with pain. I thought to myself, as I was counting money and preparing to go shopping for a couple things for my kids and my Georg, I have been that sad , real sad with a look like the woman had on her face, it wasn't hard to see pain. The tears streamed down her face.... When I lost my Bryan a few years back I took off one day and stood at my truck thinking about what had been the one thing that had changed the path that would lead my Son to his death many years later, I kept thinking that if I had of never married Georg maybe he would never have been on that road and crashed his truck, If we had never moved to Northern Florida maybe our paths would have been changed. The mind works many angles while grieving, years later I realize that death, like life, has a path it follows and as in any path, it must end. It matters not the pathway or its conclusion. Every living thing has a beginning and an end, Thats life.......
Anyway, I asked the woman if she was OK as I went into the store and she just looked at me as if I was intruding in her misery.... she shook her head.
I went in and shopped , I grabbed this and that and as I was at check out I saw the "footprints" poem on a little glass stand, it was priced at 9.99, I thought about the woman and her sad face,I thought back at how God and my Friends had carried me when I was down, Something told me this woman needed carrying right now. I don't know why I felt this, I just did, so, I bought it on impulse, I then went back to the gift wrap department and asked them to wrap it, all the while I was thinking that, I was silly, the woman would be gone when I got out of there, I had been in the store for 2 and 1/2 hours. Maybe if she were there, She would be pissed at me for poking into her personal business..... I didn't think much more about it, I just kept up with the process. I hurried out of the store, I saw the truck, I saw the lady, she was sitting this time, weeping quietly , I walked up to her and I asked: Ma'am are you OK? She said yes, I am, I just need to cry, I asked her what was the matter, She explained to me that she had lost her Mother 3 years ago at Christmas time and her only Son last year at Christmas time, She said the holidays were hard for her.... I looked at her with tears in my eyes this time and said I know what you mean Ma'am....... I lost my Son just after the holidays in 2004 and It just didn't feel right for a few years but that I was now back to feeling the Christmas spirit and that I wanted everyone to feel it. She said well, I wont feel that for a long time, maybe never.... I was a little embarrassed because I had bought a gift for someone I didn't even know! I am mushy like that, I do things without thinking.....
I went to my truck and thought about it, I mean, I understand her feelings, I felt them too, But, I also know that at some point we just have to deal with it.......
I looked at the pretty box, I thought about it and I got back out of my truck, I walked back over to the lady who still had tears in her eyes, I reached out my hands, They were shaky as I handed the gift to her, I said "Merry Christmas" and turned to walk away, She just sat there the whole time with a shocked look on her face..... I got back in my truck and drove down through the plaza to the grocery store, I parked. I thought about the lady and life, I wondered how we as humans really are able to handle death and loss, I for one know that there is a God and he carries us when we can't do it ourselves...... I went to buy the things I needed.
I came out of the store and I went to my truck, as I got in I noticed a paper stuck to my windshield wipers, I got back out and took the paper off, I opened it and inside was a note, the note said, Thank you kind woman, at the very moment you came to me as an angel of God, I was thinking of committing suicide, I felt life had done nothing for me but give me pain. You showed me that there are still kind people in this world and that love is still around. I love the gift you gave to me, I will keep this as long as I live to remind me of how Special life and strangers are. I am also aware now that Christmas Spirit must be allowed back into my heart, for if a stranger can show me such unselfish love, then I am able to love myself again also. Thank you sweet lady, I will not forget what you have done for me.... June
I have never saw this lady before or since. I don't know her. I just hope that when she is down, she allows God to carry her burdens.....
OK people help your fellow man, woman, child or even four legged friends... Do a random act of kindness, I promise it will give you the best feeling and it will give the other person an even better feeling.....PEACE!
Merry Christmas.......