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(Mary Mary)
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My then pre-teen daughter and I along with my father decided to help with the annual Christmas dinners for the homeless that our church parish sponsors. We fed hundreds of homeless people in the church hall, which we decorated to look like a posh restaurant.  We all dressed up in white tops and black pants or skirts to look like waiters/waitresses. We even had local companies donate white linen table clothes and napkins as well as fine china and silverware for our guests. Beautiful flower arrangements decorated all the tables.

Our guests felt so special.  We all looked and treated then like real human beings even though most wore tattered and torn clothes and shoes that barely covered their feet. We addressed them with the utmost respect and most just smiled at us hesitantly as if in disbelief of how they were being treated like they were special.

As they ate a hearty traditional Christmas meal, we also had what we called volunteer socializers who were parishioners (church members) that went to the tables and sat with the homeless and ensued them in conversation, telling them about themselves and asking the homeless if they had stories to share as well. It was a great evening for all to learn and feel and know the love of God was so alive. I watched from across the room. 

My daughter discovered that even though we may look different from others and have more than they do, we really aren't so different inside. She was no longer afraid when she saw a homeless person on the street and instead embraced the notion to pray for them as she thanked God for our blessings. Our love grew to a new level of understanding and appreciation for the grace and blessings of our Lord. It was so gratifying to be the servant of the Lord in such a special way to those less fortunate at such a precious time of year - the celebration of the birth of our Lord. That following Sunday while singing in the choir, my soul rejoiced in praise to God and the tears just flowed as I sang out to my God.

It was Christmas of 2001.  Like any other Christmas, I worried about getting gifts for my daughters, having a tree, lights and the works, and as usual, money was tight.  This particular Christmas was the first Christmas that I would be spending it without my grandmother (a strong warrior of God) who had raised me since I was 5 months old.  Then at the age of 33, I felt helpless and lost.  With no money for gifts or Christmas dinner I was at a cross road in my life where I really doubted God.

The day before Christmas, I borrowed money from my cousin, gassed up my car and headed down South.  Depressed and heavy hearted, I arrived at my sister’s house who is two years older then me.  Surprised to see me, we both cried and just hugged each other.  You see, out of the 33 years of my life, I never had the chance to spend Christmas with my real family.  My mother, two sisters and two brothers (I'm the second born.) 

Christmas day (my really mother still doesn't know that I'm in town), my brothers and sisters and I arrived at my mother’s house, they all went in before me.  Then about 10 minutes later my daughters and I walked in.  My mother just stood there looking, looking at her baby girl whom she had given up for adoption, 33 years ago. There was no need to say anything to each other.  We both hugged each other for hours and cried, for I had truly arrived home. 

That was the best Christmas experience I have ever had in my life.  I got to know my real mother and she got to know me.  From that point on, I was alive again.

One Christmas season, a few years back, a close family member of mine got into some trouble. This family member didn’t do anything but because of who he was hanging with, he ended up getting in trouble. Early one morning, we got a phone call that this family member was arrested and taken to jail. This happened, that happened… there was bail money needed.

I went to my room, got all the rest of my little shopping money that I had and gave it towards getting him out of jail with no questions asked. Because this particular family member was over the age of 18 and the rest were still minors, and because of what they did, this loved one was looking at some jail time.  He would still be in jail today. But, because the store owner said he wasn’t involved, he was let go, and charges were dropped.

Out of the 12 months in a year, this had to happen around Christmas… pretty much all my family’s money went towards bailing this person out. We really didn’t have much gift exchanging that year, but I didn’t trip.  I was just glad this person was home for Christmas. Just as long as I’m with my family around Christmas, even if I don’t get any gifts, I’m pretty much straight!  I thank God for how He worked that situation out!

Every year at Christmas time, my family and I take part in what we call the “Angel Tree”.  We buy gifts for underprivileged children whose Black mothers or fathers are incarcerated and have them delivered to the children the day before Christmas.  Our own children take part by selecting the gifts to be presented to the children.  It has become a family affair.  And over the years, our children have learned what it means to be a blessing to others.

This is not exactly about me but it ultimately affected my life and others involved.  It happened this past Christmas 2005.  My 21 year old daughter, 16 year old son and two cousins, age 21 and 19, were all at Walmart hoping to get laptop computers that they had advertised for a very reasonable price.  They decided to go the night before and spend the night at the superstore.  After caroling for the store employees and just having a good time to remember, they (Walmart) starting passing out the laptops at approx. 5:00 a.m.  After their all night experience, they were basically the first four individuals to get their laptops.  But one of my cousins, Ashley, noticed that a lady who had also been there for a significant amount of time and should have been one of the recipients of a laptop was overlooked.  The lady began to cry.  She was there to get one for her son who was also a college student. 

Ashley, a college student also, in the spirit of Christmas and exemplifying the spirit of God, went to the lady and gave her the laptop that she had received for staying all night.  Ashley’s mom and I were there to experience that event and needless to say, everyone’s eyes were full of tears.  It just magnified the reason for the season.  The lady was so overwhelmed with joy and I feel disbelief that she hugged a perfect stranger - Ashley.  Let me stress that normally the world portrays our young people as selfish and it’s an all-about-me kind of culture, but Ashley proved that theory wrong!  I thank God for Ashley.  She is a very beautiful and caring young lady!  Her special deed touched my life and quite a few others around us.  Hope this blesses you also.

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