To set the stage a bit: I'm coming off of a terribly busy week. We've had even less of our usual time with Shawn this week due to a class he's taking. I'm of course working my full time job. The kids are having extra rehearsals and winter performances. And in the mix of all of that I somehow signed up to cook food for three different events (one of which was a wedding for 70). There's been little rest for me....and that's not a complaint, but rather, a statement of fact. I can carry on that way for several days now when needed....but can no longer rival the all-nighter stints I used to pull in college.
The kids and I did squeeze in time on Friday evening to shop for white gifts to take to church this morning. White gift Sunday is one I look forward to all year long. This morning, my pastor spoke a bit regarding the history of this tradition. I found information on a website, that seemed to match what he shared this morning:
"White Gift Sunday began in 1903 in Painesville, Ohio when a minister’s wife, upset over her two daughter’s arguing over gifts they had received in a Sunday School Gift exchange, came up with the idea. She remembered a story about the wise king Kubla Khan who received gifts from his people that were wrapped in white so that all the gifts looked the same. By doing this, the love and devotion of the giver became more important than the gift. The following year, it was suggested that the Sunday School bring gifts, wrapped in white, that would be given to people in need in the community. The idea caught on and is still practiced in many churches today." (http://www.millwoodsunited.org/what-is-white-gift-sunday/)
Whatever the origin....it's a beautiful tradition, and it places the focus where it needs to be for the holiday season....and that is to think of others, especially those in need. It is a huge life goal of mine to raise thoughtful, caring, generous children, and White Gift Sunday is a perfect way to highlight those things, and provide us a way to take action. It's fun to purchase a gift for someone in need. But it's more fun to stand with hundreds of other people from your church and make a ginormous pile of gifts on the altar to bless many people in need! There are very few sights I consider as magnificent as this (thank you Marlana for the photo):
And there, tucked away in that pile were the two gifts that my two littles picked out for two special kids. They agonized over the decision at the store. They brought their gifts home. They hugged the gifts. They prayed over them. They carefully wrapped them (and momentarily got upset when tissue paper ripped...but realized we had plenty more where that came from....so crisis averted).
And...they placed them under that tree, and the topic of the gifts came up through the rest of that evening, and all of Saturday, before we took them this morning. Even tonight, as I kissed them and tucked them in...and we said prayers and our "thankful fors"...these gifts for these unknown children were mentioned again. Prayers were uttered again. And my heart soared, and some of that love again spilled down my cheeks. I want this to stick with them. I want the amazing feelings that accompany kindness and hardwork and selfless acts to become emblazoned on their souls. There is no drug that can provide this kind of high. No temporary pleasure that feels this good. And again, as I have so many other times.... I sat here in the peaceful moments of "after bedtime", I find myself praying that humanity will some day "GET" this.
I think people get bogged down in life. I think we think "oh but I'm just one person-what can I do?" I know that I, myself even find myself feeling like it may not be worth it, if I can't do something grand and huge, and spectacular. But the truth is....what we need is to each step up and find the small ways that we can make a difference every day. The truth is....it's the sum total of a billion small things, and smiles, and simple gestures...from right where we are every day...that are going to make a difference.
I tried to present this idea to my Cub Scout Den this afternoon. We had scheduled a Christmas Party / Service Project today. The service project was to complete our Team Tiger Adventure...which is about being individuals, but working together to be part of a team. We talked about sports teams...but expanded the idea to ALL of the teams we are members of: church, family, school....and community. We gathered for Christmas fun - I made them each a little ornament gift.
We ate snacks. And, my mom and I prepared cut outs of crafting paper for them to use to decorate Christmas placemats. We then delivered the placemats to Midland Care - an organization in Topeka that houses some permanent/nursing home residents and also those in hospice care, and facing end of life situations. Before we headed to Midland, I talked to the boys, and just tried to reiterate to them that to make a difference in your community, you don't have to do something grandiose or amazing....that you can touch individual lives right where you are....being who you are...even being as young as they are. We talked about using even small opportunities (like delivering room-cheering placemats with a few sung carols) to spread joy and kindness to those around you. And, how they can continue to look for small ways to continually make things better for their corner of the world.
With placemats in hand, we caravaned to Midland. We greeted residents. We sang for people. (We sang for people in the way that only a group of twelve 6 and 7 year old boys can.) It was not perfect....but they were present. And sometimes they couldn't remember if they were supposed to be on the verse or the chorus....but they were adorable and funny....and spreading little snippets of joy at every turn. They gave hugs, and shook hands, and wished people a Merry Christmas. They had grown men joyfully singing about a reindeer with a red nose....even from the beds they are confined to. And there were smiles....and that dang love just bubbled up inside me SO greatly that I spent a great deal of the time too choked up to sing....and the tears again spilled over my cheeks.
Perhaps....even more than the lives of these patients.....my boys brightened mine today.
"Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day." ~Sally Koch
May we all etch those words on our hearts, and seek each small opportunity.
Man........today was good.
~Mel <3
