Look Around and Pass the Spirit

My sweet friend, Karen Stanbridge sent this to me last year. It really resonated the meaning of Christmas for me. I hope it will for you too.

As I sit here at 12:30 a.m. on Christmas morning... my home is quiet. My children are in bed and my husband is snoring in our bed, and dog Libby is snugly wrapped in her cozy blanket in her crate. Cocoa is snoozing on the deck on her plush cushion (for an outside mutt). The wind has been whipping around tonight... enough to knock out our power for a minute or two, and blow over my snowman on the front porch. We had my parents over earlier and celebrated Christmas with too much food, gifts for everyone, beyond what any of us need. And as I sit in my warm house, in this peaceful silence... I think of Jesus' gifts to us and the blessings we have been given. I think of the shelter Julie, Jim and I visited the other night where there were holes in walls, a hap-hazardly decorated Christmas tree and a few gifts underneath that were to be given to the 29 residents that currently live in this home. (I'm quite sure there were not 29 gifts under there.) There was uncomfortable, stained, wood furniture to lounge around on, a couple of baby toys in the corner for the little ones to play with and a pungent aroma of old. Children that live there were from 1-14 years old and I couldn't help but think of how my children have NO IDEA what kind of life they have to live. In a very undesirable location and environment, I wonder if these kids stand a chance. Then I am quick to re-think.... what if we are that chance?
What if something we say gives a child in this situation hope? It would not be me... it would be God ... the only one that can truly save anyone.
I pray that we all have more opportunities to be a little light in a dark corner of this world.
May God be with all of you and yours on this wonderful Christmas day!
And may we all be wise enough to seek Him.
Merry Christmas!
Karen

May the spirit of Christmas be with you and yours this season. May he speak through you and may you take a moment to speak kindly to others. You never know what kind of day someone else has had. They might just find the Lord in your own acts. Live wisely, fully and quietly. Peace to all.