To everything there is a season under heaven, and now the season for us is to receive. During Rex's college years, I learned somewhat to swallow my pride and accept help and even ask for it when I really needed it. Then as we were coming out of poverty, we got hit and fell back into the hole. Now I have been humbled enough to accept even more help than we have in the past.
Heavenly Father has watched over us through other people, and this Christmas season is the time those efforts are even more evident than before. Not only has family given us money, but an anonymous angel dropped off a box of chocolates with $100. I went upstairs and cried, realizing how wrong I was about not having any friends here. I don't know who they are and I still can't say I feel I fit in, but someone really does care about us here. Furthermore, the spec ed department at school learned of our situation and has chosen our family to "sponser" for Christmas, promising gifts for our children. (Rex said it was ironic that the entity that caused our dilemma has now decided to show us a little charity. He's right. But the people who do the hurting are different from the people who do the helping within the same organization. I suppose I can't judge NISD on the people with power because there are some really good people there -- like the teachers....) I have yet to hear back from the Blue Santa program, but our ward has added us to the Angel Tree at church. (Our lives are full of irony. The school has partnered with the SAPD Blue Santa program and is collecting gifts for them to distribute. Megan came home with the flyer and asked if we could donate some toys. Little did she know that we were supposed to be on the receiving end of those toys!) With the money that has been given to us, I have loosened my grip on the cash we'd been hording and decided we can spend some in order to enjoy the holiday like normal people. Rex and I went Christmas shopping yesterday. Our budget is as small as it was during the college years, but it was nice to be able to get each other presents. And I am looking into how we might celebrate our anniversary and birthdays as well.
2 comments:
I'm SO glad you all are going to have a Merry Christmas. I can't think of any family more deserving to receive this season.
I never think I have friends at church either. Until I get sick, have a baby, or really start thinking a little harder about kindnesses shown to me and my children each Sunday and at blessings and baptisms.
Not that this will stop me from whining on my blog about things that irritate me. ;)
Wow, Julie. I wish I'd been keeping up with my blogs better. I hope the season truly was merry for you all, and I'm so glad that you are loved and blessed. Keep hanging in there. Despite my reading habits, I think of you often, and hope all is well for you. {{Hugs}}
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