It’s that time of year again. The time of year when our calendars explode with parties, get-togethers, and activities. The time of year when our days are filled with errands and shopping. The time of year when our to-do lists become overcrowded with baking and cleaning and decorating and wrapping Christmas presents and addressing Christmas cards. The time of year when our cars become our offices, with places to go and people to see. The time of year when we sing carols like “Silent Night”, “Joy to the World”, and “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” but our lives are far from silent or joyful or restful. The time of year when we are easily overwhelmed.
That’s how it is this year for me. I’m completely overwhelmed.
But not by the busy-ness or the shopping or the decorating. In fact, that’s been the easiest, most stress-free part of my Christmas season. I’m overwhelmed for a completely different reason. Maybe this clip will help you understand why.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxNXtjGY_Us&feature=related[/youtube]
At this season of hope, peace, and joy, we found ourselves much like George Bailey. Hopeless, despairing, wondering…does God really hear our prayers? Why is He so silent? And although we weren’t to the point of wishing we had never been born, we began to ask the hard questions about ourselves, about our situation, about God. As we celebrate the birth of Immanuel – God with us – it seemed as though we were alone, without answers or leading or direction. And so, in my desperation, I cried out to God for hope. Needing a touch, a word of encouragement, a tangible expression of His love and care, I put my emotions “out there”…hoping that someone, anyone, would be that voice.
Two weeks later, I’m simply overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by my God, who has sent His angels in the form of friends and family to demonstrate His presence. Not a day has gone by in the past fourteen days that we haven’t received a surprise blessing. At first, it was with words…words of encouragement and healing. Words of hope and promise. Verbal hugs and the reassurance that we are, in fact, not alone. That we have friends and family interceding for us, bearing our burdens with us, and standing in the gap for us.
But then things began to change. One day, out of the blue, I received a Target gift card in the mail…from “A Friendly Elf.” An elf who felt led to provide us with enough money on the gift card to stuff all four stockings hanging on the mantel. Then it was a single large bill tucked into a sweet card handed to me by a close friend, along with a bag filled with gifts for all four of us and gift cards for the kids. The next day, Matt found a significant amount of cash slipped into his hand…enough cash to purchase all our family’s Christmas presents, Mom and Dad included. On Sunday, as I was serving at church, a staff member handed me the official Promiseland Christmas card along with another envelope…containing another large bill placed in an unsigned card. And then a Kroger gift card appeared in our mailbox with enough funds to purchase our family’s groceries for nearly two months.
On and on it has gone. A ham now sits in our family’s refrigerator, thanks to the generosity of friends. Santa has been able to provide gifts not just for Trey and Crisana but for Matt and I, too, thanks to our families. Someone dropped by with a plate of cookies this afternoon…with a generous gift card attached. A sweet friend and partner in ministry handed me a bag filled with gifts for the children and us, along with a PF Chang’s gift card which – along with another generous gift card to Cinemark, from a different friend – funded the Inaugural HMS Architects Christmas Party this week. Trey’s Sunday School teachers are purchasing a much wished-for DS game for him. We’ve been told to expect a visit from a true “St. Nick” this week, along with the promise of help in the future should it be needed.
I’m deeply humbled. Humbled by the staggering amount of love and support we’re being shown. Humbled by the help that’s being offered. Humbled by the grace God is showing me, despite my unbelief. Humbled to be the recipient of such amazing generosity.
Clarence the Angel said it best: “No man is a failure who has friends.”
And so we are deeply grateful to our friends. We are truly overwhelmed…and wonderfully so.