A post on giving
Christmas is a season of gifts and blessing. Many respond with a service of giving. This is my favorite part of Christmas. Jesus came to earth and the wise men gave Him gifts....and so the tradition says that we give gifts , too. One story says that there was a saint who went around and blessed children who were orphans and who were poor, etc. with gifts and that his name was St. Nicholas....when my own children ask me if Santa is real I usually talk about things like this.....that the spirit of giving is a part of Christmas and that Jesus himself inspires us to give generously.
This week, I learned of a young family that had no food. I sent out a request on social media to help and 2 friends gave GENEROUSLY....to someone that they, nor I know. Bags of groceries and diapers and wipes were in my garage and all I had to do was load them up and make a delivery.
My Christmas elves, meaning people in my community, have been asking "is there a family we can bless for Christmas?" and I have been finding good matches. This makes my holiday so special....and hopefully my kids see the blessing in it too. I cannot give abundantly to all the sweet families I know who are doing without....but others do. I have the honor of making the deliveries. Thank you, Christmas elves. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus every Christmas.
Today I had a new Christmas need. It was a big one. Way bigger than I could handle. I left a home visit and I could not put my car in reverse and back out of the driveway or drive away without dealing with it. Have you ever been faced with a need that you could not ignore, for even the minutes it took to move forward? I am facing several of those needs right now. This one was a financial need for a family who was suffering and I could not afford to pay for what they needed. I made a connection....which gave me a referral....and I made a call. This is the essence of Community Health. This is why I am good at my job and why I have not burned out after almost 16 years of walking through life with people who have very hard stories. I have not burned out because.....when I reach out.....people don't say no. That is the jist of it. When I ask for help, I get a "yes" because I live in an amazing community of people. I nurture relationships with generous givers. I am not a part of the satire and sarcasm.....I believe in the best in people....both the givers and the receivers of need. Period. Others can throw out accusations of "Sioux County Syndrome" and I get that..I have owned that part, too....but I can respond with something new. This community has givers. Generous givers. Humble Givers. Givers who do not need to puff themselves up in order to make their sacrifice.
Hats off tonight for the generous givers. The elves, the confidential gifters, the lovers and those willing to step and do what ever it takes day by day. May God richly bless you and make His face to shine upon you and give you Peace....without you I would be paralysed. With the help of generous givers, I can sit in a room and hear of something devastating and think, "wait....maybe.....we can help with this." What an amazing thing.
May we all be called and equipped to give and to give and to give....in Jesus name.
This week, I learned of a young family that had no food. I sent out a request on social media to help and 2 friends gave GENEROUSLY....to someone that they, nor I know. Bags of groceries and diapers and wipes were in my garage and all I had to do was load them up and make a delivery.
My Christmas elves, meaning people in my community, have been asking "is there a family we can bless for Christmas?" and I have been finding good matches. This makes my holiday so special....and hopefully my kids see the blessing in it too. I cannot give abundantly to all the sweet families I know who are doing without....but others do. I have the honor of making the deliveries. Thank you, Christmas elves. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus every Christmas.
Today I had a new Christmas need. It was a big one. Way bigger than I could handle. I left a home visit and I could not put my car in reverse and back out of the driveway or drive away without dealing with it. Have you ever been faced with a need that you could not ignore, for even the minutes it took to move forward? I am facing several of those needs right now. This one was a financial need for a family who was suffering and I could not afford to pay for what they needed. I made a connection....which gave me a referral....and I made a call. This is the essence of Community Health. This is why I am good at my job and why I have not burned out after almost 16 years of walking through life with people who have very hard stories. I have not burned out because.....when I reach out.....people don't say no. That is the jist of it. When I ask for help, I get a "yes" because I live in an amazing community of people. I nurture relationships with generous givers. I am not a part of the satire and sarcasm.....I believe in the best in people....both the givers and the receivers of need. Period. Others can throw out accusations of "Sioux County Syndrome" and I get that..I have owned that part, too....but I can respond with something new. This community has givers. Generous givers. Humble Givers. Givers who do not need to puff themselves up in order to make their sacrifice.
Hats off tonight for the generous givers. The elves, the confidential gifters, the lovers and those willing to step and do what ever it takes day by day. May God richly bless you and make His face to shine upon you and give you Peace....without you I would be paralysed. With the help of generous givers, I can sit in a room and hear of something devastating and think, "wait....maybe.....we can help with this." What an amazing thing.
May we all be called and equipped to give and to give and to give....in Jesus name.
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