My life's an open book, what can I say...
Anyway.. you know, as bad as we have it sometime you lose sight that there are a lot of other people who have it worse.
And I recently found that out first hand.
The other night I put an ad up on Craigslist looking for a piece of property to move to. We have already exhausted all the ad and listings ourselves and figured, why not just put an ad up outlining what we want, what we need it for and how much we wanted to spend. This way, we wouldn't be wasting our time and resources driving all over the damn state and other's wouldn't be wasting their time if they really didn't want chickens running around their property.
So I posted the ad and when I went back onto the site to see the actual post, I came across an ad from a women who was looking to have some kind Christmas for her kids.
Her husband's unemployment has recently run out, she had to leave her position because of a very serious health issue and her three kids are all afflicted with some type of special need. She explained that her kids were well aware that there was a chance they wouldn't get what they wanted for Christmas but that, together, they would write the ad and see what happens. Maybe there were still good people in the world.
There are a lot of ads on Craigslist from desperate parents who want their kids to remain kids as long as possible. This is going to be a hard, hard holiday for a lot of families and for some reason, this particular ad struck a cord in me.
Out of the things each of her kids requested, I had two out of the three sitting collecting dust in my closet. Forgotten about until now. So without thinking, I sent her an email saying that y'know, I had these things and even though they were used, they still worked. I would have to find some cords or paddle or the what not but I was more then happy to give them to her.
She replied to my email and you know, people say that you cannot feel the tone of an email but believe me, I could feel the appreciation and the relief in her voice. She wanted to send me money. She said she didn't have much but would send as close to what I wanted that she could afford. I told her no. I didn't want her money.. I told her that I didn't know if she was a Christian or not, but I was.. and by helping her I was practicing the true meaning of Christams. I wanted to give.. I didn't want to get paid.
Turns out, she is a Christian also who's faith is as deeper.. or maybe deeper.. then mine and what happened between our email exchanges was the budding of a new friendship. Our talk became less about the physical gifts but the gift of grace. She is younger then I am, with three kids that she and her husband are trying to raise with morals and values and the knowledge that the material doesn't really matter. She told me that responding to her email and giving her things that are sitting no-used in my house will reinforce in her kids the power of prayer and faith.
Could I ever get a better present then that?
So I tell you.. if you have the opportunity.. give something from your heart. Help someone who needs it without wanting anything in return.
It's the purest emotion you will ever feel.
