Wednesday, December 06, 2006

christmas giving

when i was 15 i met of family of 32 kids on christmas eve. there were no singles, only twins & triplets. at night the older kids all gatherered at the family home to go to church at midnight. the younger kids that slept 3 in a bed stacked on triple high bunkbeds got up at midnight to open their one present. their eyes were huge with joy to receive their one gift. i will never forget that awesome sight. then years later as my own young grandchildren said after opening 20 to 25 presents - is that all? are there any more? i will never forget that either.

we can give our kids too much and when we do they don't appreciate what they get.

as you sit in front of your cozy, warm fire consider giving to someone who is sleeping under an overpass. there but by the grace of God go you or i. as you think about gorging yourself on turkey and christmas baking consider giving to the hungry. as you are shopping for friends and family why not pick up something for someone that otherwise won't get anything this christmas.

God has blessed you with enough food to eat, clean water to drink & warm shelter. we can all do more, we can all give more, we can all share.

please - find it in your heart to share this christmas. you too can make a difference.

and as you consider this, consider sponsoring a child. not only do you support a child, you support their whole family, their whole village. make it a gift that will last a lifetime.

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I really needed to hear that just now. Thank you so much!