Christmas: part 2

So Christmas has come and gone so quick. Honestly, it didn't even feel like Christmas. Gone were the days of extreme excitement of counting down to open gifts, of looking forward to giving gifts to each other.

Nowadays, it's blah.

I'm not sure what happened in between or whether it's just part of growing up. That we grow out of that kid phase of becoming so excited for Christmas. And now we pass on the excitement to the next generation, and watch them become immersed in happiness and excitement to see what they got for Christmas.

Friends and I used to buy gifts for each other, but as we got older and responsibilities (eg. mortgage) became number one, we all agreed that it wasn't necessary to buy gifts for each other. And we made it really clear that no one was allowed to buy anything for anyone.

So that left family. The little ones of course I had to get something. I think it's still important to have the little ones receive a gift at the end of the year. In a way I see it as:

1) Teaches them patience. You tell them they have to wait until the 25th to open gifts. Make them wait. Do whatever you can to make them wait. Eventually they start to learn this pattern and can apply it to life as well. Patience.

2) Appreciation. No matter what they get as a gift, they learn to start appreciating the little things they have.

Those are the two main ones I can think of that is of importance, that they can apply to everyday life.

I still remember (and even kids these days), we all want the latest gadget or the latest "in" item. If you didn't get it, then you were a "loser" or didn't have cool enough parents. I remember one year in elementary school, it was the era of Nintendo 64, Playstation consoles. One of my friends knew he was getting a console for Christmas and was super excited. That year, I saw a dog plushie and asked for it, and got it. I used it as a pillow. So when he asked what I got, I said a pillow. And he busted out laughing, "a pillow?!" Of course I had to explain it was a big stuffed dog, but I used it as a pillow. He thought I was crazy for getting excited over a pillow.

Kids are evil. They have to be taught what is good and what is bad, what is appropriate behaviour, what is a proper response etc. If they were all innocent and good from the day they were born, we wouldn't have to teach them good and bad. They would already know the good. But that's not reality. We know kids can be very cruel to one another. And that's how the bullying starts. When people say kids are innocent, they really aren't.

Going back to that example, it taught me to be humble of what I have, to be thankful, to be patient, and to appreciate what I had in life. My mom always says, give thanks to the Lord for He is good. He has provided the basics for us (food and shelter), and we need to be thankful each and every day, for having food on the table. Not everyone is lucky enough to have one or another, so we do our best and our part to help.

This Christmas, I didn't buy anything for anyone, except those closest to me. The rest went to donations, whether that be the food bank, or Toys for Tots.

Ever since M passed, I try to keep a practice of donating to various organizations. Christmas is the hardest because he was a gift into my life. If I could donate items to various organizations or money to ministries, I would do it and rotate in between.

I received gifts here and there, and I didn't really feel much. I appreciated the gesture, but something is just missing and I can't figure out what it is. I still feel empty even with these little things.

Money can buy lots of things, but money can't buy happiness. Money can't buy sanity. Money can't buy faith.

As we continue the last few days before 2017, I asked that you pray. Pray for those who were not as fortunate, pray for those who have lost loved ones, pray for those escaping war-torn areas, pray for the sick, pray for each other. Pray for the ones whose minds have become so dark that they are looking for an escape out, back to the light. Just pray.