Merry Christmas!

So a few years ago I came to a conclusion: Christmas is just more fun when there’s kids around. I remember when my niece, Carsyn, was about 2 years old. We woke her up on Christmas morning (this kid will sleep til noon if you let her!) She came down the hall half asleep, curly hair going C.R.A.Z.Y, and very disoriented. BUT as soon as she saw her presents, adrenaline kicked in and she was a “ripping” machine. She was so excited, and it was so much fun to watch her not only open her own presents, but want to see what everyone else was opening too. Since then Christmas has always been fun. Last year we had TWO crazy kids tearing through presents. It was a blast!

See, before Carsyn, Christmas was boring (apologies to my family, but you know it’s true). My brother was in his later years of high school, me in college, and my sister was a “newlywed”. We slept late, got up, opened presents, and ate breakfast. Pretty low-key and chill. I mean don’t get me wrong, those were some great relaxing years, but the truth is I prefer the kids! They just make it more fun!

This Christmas proved that theory TEN fold!!!

I spent Christmas Eve morning with 12 kids ages 7 months to 15 years. And it was a BLAST!!!

We started off the morning with breakfast. They ate quicker than I’ve ever seen them eat before. Then we did clean-up. Again, they were quick. These kids meant business… they were ready for some presents!

They all sat while the presents were handed out. They were so good, no one trying to open a gift (they even let us get a picture). Then…game on! They got to tearing, ripping, paper everywhere! It was AWESOME!!! They were looking through their treasures, yelling across the room for so-and-so to look at what they got, grinning from ear to ear. What a blessing it was!

After all the gifts were open the kids just played. They were all over the place, chasing bouncy balls, zooming toy cars, putting together legos, drawing pictures… The fun just didn’t end. I was sitting there just smiling watching all of them when the Lord once again humbled me.
See, the majority of these kids were from the same family. A “Roma” family. I put that in quotes because that is their heritage, but I hate using that term to define them. They are each so precious, and so much more than what society sees them as. These kids don’t ever have what we think of as a “typical” Christmas. Their mother passed away several years ago, and they live
a life most in the U.S could never imagine. It often breaks my heart and brings me to tears to think of how they live.

So as I was sitting there, beaming to get to experience Christmas with them, and one of the boys (who is about 9 or 10 and so sweet and mild mannered) walked up to me and held out some candy. I thought he wanted me to open it for him, but he told me “no, it’s for you.” It was candy he had gotten from his Samaritan Purse Christmas Shoebox. I told him that it was sent for him and so thanks, but it was for him. He insisted I take it, and pointing to my “empty pile” on the table said something to the extent of (I’m still learning language) he wanted me to have it because I didn’t have any presents to open.

I almost lost it. I started rapidly sipping my coffee so I wouldn’t cry. These precious kids! How I praise the Lord for them.
This Christmas above all the blessings…the fun, the craziness, and the smiles…the beautiful smiles…God sweetly showed me such grace through a young boy who has so little, but saw someone without “presents to open” and didn’t want them to be left out…and I am left once again humbled by His grace.

Merry Christmas!