The Spirit of Christmas Present

It's Christmas day and for the first day in awhile, the sun is bright and warm on my face. I could say that it matches the warmth in my heart. It's quiet, my young adult kids are outside playing ( I can't spell it correctly) but you know, they're throwing that disc around and catching it. That's funny--just as the sun is warming my face and my heart is warmed, people have caught the joy of Christmas as sure as my kids are catching that disc. Oh boy, that's a round about way of saying something, but sometimes that's just Alice's way. Let me tell you why I can say people have caught the joy of giving:

A young woman came to the True Light Family Resource Center about two months ago. She had two to three gallons of chilli left from an event. We were more than glad to receive it inasmuch as we feed six days a week. The meal was carefully poured in manageable containers and frozen and used once a week. The young lady, Kelly is her name, then phoned and said she and her family wanted to do something for Christmas. We were delighted because we had the desire to do something for the homeless and near homeless women who come to our doors. You might say we had more desire than means. My mother used to say where there is a will there is a way and we were determined to make something happen for these women. Then, along comes Kelly and Linda her mother with a gourmet menu and a plan to gather hygiene items. God bless them! And He did. Kelly was inspired to share their plans with family and friends and the Christmas dinner plans got bigger and bigger. On that day there were gifts from a beauty school and gloves, scarves, backpacks filled for children with Christmas goodies and a warm throw. Kelly's father Bob carried delicious smelling food to tables while the glow of Christmas settled on True Light's Emancipation Station like a warm blanket with Geneva and Cheryl singing and the women joining in with laughter because we are first verse people. Anything else is ad lib. Oh what great joy! More than we could ever imagine. Sisters and in-laws and other family celebrating and serving the least of them with love. And when we thought it could not get any better Melissa and her fiance and family with more gifts and well wishes. Now, you can see why my heart is so warmed. Now you can be reminded what this season is all about. The greatest gift ever was given to humankind. Like those homeless women, He had no place--was laid in a manger borrowed from the beast of the field. His birth announcement was to poor shepherds out in the fields watching over sheep by night. It could have been given to the rich and powerful but instead came to the lowly--the least of these. And the announcement--a savior is born brought them exceedingly great joy.

The Wrights could have done anything on that blustery day where sheer ice threatened the safty of drivers and pedestrians alike but they came to 31st Street bearing food and gifts and the greatest gift of all--sharing themselves and their great love. Thank you Wright family. Thank you friends and family of Kelly, Linda, Bob and many others. Thank you little Caleb with the beautiful red hair for helping me say a little prayer with the women from 31st Street. And may the spirit of Christmas premeate and warm our lives each and every day of the year. Happy 2009!