Perspectives

The other day on the radio there was a give-away to a single mom in KC. Thousands had written letters in nominating either a friend or themselves. All the letters were read and this mom was chosen - They called her, read her letter over the air, and announced her prizes. The thought of this in itself tugs at the heart strings with the reminder of how many kids are in broken homes and how many parents are trying to do Christmas by themselves. The details of this woman's story, however, is really what got me. She has 5 kids, no father but biologically, she was working 2 jobs but lost one of them. She and her family had been hopeless for a year and she'd finally saved up enough to get a small trailer for them. Her mini-van was on its very very last leg and she was afraid she wouldn't be able to get to a second job. She'd gotten each of her children one Christmas present, $10 or less, and when she tried explaining to her daughters that it wouldn't be like other Christmases, one told her 'It's ok Mommy' - She thought for sure Santa Claus would come through for them. This mom won a new mini-van filled with toys, a $100 gift card to a local grocery store and a weekend stay at this great resort we have for kids-It's like 80 degrees in there all year round with a water-park inside haha It seems 'Santa Claus' came through.

I was on my way to work when I heard this story and got to thinking... We all know factually that there are so many families less fortunate than we are but do we really know? We live comfortably in our safe zone of 'knowledge' without really handling the issue at all. There are military families who have been separated for nearly every major holiday in the past 5 years. There are families who are literally living pay check to pay check with near bare shelves in-between. There are little kids who are asking Santa for food and a job for daddy. We're preoccupied with paying for our taxes and other bills but bottom line we don't have to be afraid we're going to lose our house, we don't have to decide to not eat so our kids can, and we have a warm dry place to sleep, to live. It is far too easy to forget the blessings we have each day and how much we have to be thankful for - This may sound like more of a Thanksgiving post but I think the Christmas season may bring the thankful spirit out more, maybe that's just me. I think it's really just another reminder of how we forget what this season is supposed to focus on-Jesus came from the highest place, becoming one of us, just another lowly human being, raised in a meager home, spending his days serving others, eating and staying with those viewed as the lowest on the totem pole. I think we often view those less fortunate as being below us somehow, whether a conscious thought or not, all the while celebrating the birth of our Savior who lived his life among those less fortunate. A bit of irony in my opinion.

I think many of us have these little 'revelations' at holiday time - If only we'd have these revelations on a consistent basis throughout the year. How much of a difference would the right perspective make on a year-round-basis?