Thankful to Give...

I LOVE this time of the year! It seems as though everyone is busy baking, hustling up last minute gifts and preparing to celebrate the birth of our Lord! For me, this time of the year also always serves as a reminder to be thankful for what I have!

A couple of weeks ago on my way to Walmart to return a duplicate gift Sophia had received for her birthday, I stopped by the local Walgreens. I had quickly stopped at the store in search of a gift I had been unable to find anywhere else. I stood at the toy aisle frustrated because I realized they did not have it and my search would continue.

And then something quickly changed my frustration....

A little girl (about 3 years) was asking her mother if she could have this little $25doll that was on the shelf. Her mother softly told the little girl she was not sure because her daddy had just lost his job and "Santa" did not have much money this year. At this point I looked up just in time to realize the little doll was the exact same doll I was going to return! I looked at the mother and told her that I had something in the car I would love for her to have for her little girl. Initially, she kindly refused the gift, but then after some persistance she said okay and followed me to my car. I gave her the doll, along with another little toy I had in the back and they went on their way after the teary eyed mother thanked me.

At this point, my eyes were tearing up and as I started the car, I realized the same song (One Friend) that we had played at my granny's funeral was playing on the
radio. Something special happened that day....and it made me more thankful this Christmas than ever before.

We may not have all the money in the world. We may not have the perfect life. We may not even have the perfect attitudes all the time. What we do have, however, is a chance to live and a chance to give! There is something really special about truly giving to those in more need than ourselves. In fact, I think this type of act is the greatest gift we can give ourselves!

Merry Christmas!