{the richest family}

{photo credit}

i had two encounters yesterday with two different people.

1. a family asked me where they could find a food bank because they needed to eat.
2. a woman shared that her boys weren't going to have a very good christmas this year because she normally spends $1000 (yes, one thousand dollars) on them and she won't be able to do that this year.

my heart broke for both groups of people.
i thought about the extremes all day long.

i love christmas.
i love everything about the season.
i start listening to christmas music in early november and don't stop until well after the new year has arrived. i love to hunt for beautiful light displays and make a huge deal out of them to my children. i love gingerbread houses and making christmas goodies.
i love decorating the tree and all the traditions that come along with it.
i love christmas!

{photo credit}

however, i am struggling this year to find the balance.

we are santa people.
we have the elf on the shelf that my little girl hurries to find each and every morning.
she knows santa brings presents to little girls and boys and all of that good stuff.

but this year my heart is heavier than years past.
maybe it's because i am more aware of the depravity around me.
families that have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet.
some are struggling just to eat.
and we...well, we have plenty.
i want to teach eisley that christmas is about jesus and the "gift" he gave. i hope that in turn she will want to give gifts to others. not neccessarily material things, but instead gifts of love, hope, peace, kindness, thankfulness and service.

i read this post a few weeks ago and it spoke volumes to my soul. and then a few weeks later i read this story (get tissues ready}.

both stories encouraged and challenged me.
so as a family we are focusing on the reason for the season which we believe is the amazing birth of jesus. we are talking about this daily with our children in hopes that they too will desire to give to others more than they desire to receive.

{grace and peace friends}