Sharing a little bit of Christmas Joy

If you don't already know, I work at a large church. Because it's a church, people often come in asking for help with food, gas, Christmas gifts for their children, rent, and all utility bills. There is one woman in particular who has come in many times since I have worked there, and she has touched me.

She often asked for food and bus passes, and occasionally asked for help with some bills. She used to come by frequently to use a phone posted in our hallway by the office entrance. I could see her through the glass walls, and she would wave at me, make a short phone call (which I did not mind), and leave. She eventually got an apartment of her own - which, even in her 60s - is a huge milestone because she has never had a lease in her name. It seemed like she was extremely proud of being able to keep an apartment and to truly own that responsibility. Now, she is also taking care of two grandchildren who are in elementary school and middle school because their mother (her daughter) is in prison. This woman, who has obviously had a rough journey through her own life, is now responsible for taking care of these two girls when she can hardly take care of herself.

She now rings the bell for The Salvation Army outside a shop near my apartment. She yelled a merry christmas at me from across the parking lot one day and gave me a huge hug. Since then, I have seen her there several times, and I have wanted to do something special for her. If I were a gutsier person, I would do so many things.... But instead, on a whim tonight, I spent some time at the store picking out nice lotions and soaps and fancy chocolates (that I don't even buy myself!). A woman who works this hard to make ends meet for the other people in her life deserves something special for herself - and she certainly deserves it more than the rest of us.

I cannot wait to surprise her tomorrow.
Imagine if everyone did something special for the person who least expected it.

Christmas Music Wonderment

So I was listening to some ridiculously bad Christmas song while I was buying gifts last night, and the song mentioned something about wishing for (yes, here it is) peace on earth and goodwill toward men. I'm sure most people have thought about what a world like that might look like, but I had not thought about it before in quite this way:

If we perceive good and wonderful things because of their contrast with tragedy and misfortune, then how would we perceive "peace on earth," if there were nothing to remind us of the bad things we were missing? In other words, if Good is good because Evil exists, how can Good exist if there is no Evil in the world? If were actually to achieve peace on earth, would we be able to full appreciate it?

I'm not sure it's possible. . . at least not on earth.