what it's all about...

ok, so be honest. how often do you say or hear someone say the phrase...'what christmas is all about' or 'the true meaning of christmas' or 'tis the season'. well, i hear it/say it all the time...but most of the time i, unfortunately, have not walked the talk.

i'm not referring to a lack of focus on celebrating the birth of christ. because...that IS my MAIN focal point...but i'm talking about something else. gift giving.

true gift giving.

how many times are we caught up in the hussle and bussle of getting our family members and friends the perfect give. it's stressful. (or maybe i am the only one who can spend hours upon hours searching, then finally buy something, just to end up returning it for something different the next day, ugh).
God knows my heart, he SO knows my heart. He knew how stressful I make the holidays for myself, in terms of gift giving.
an opportunity knocked on my door this week.
a family here at school was not planning on celebrating christmas. no tree. no gifts. not really even sure if they would have enough food/money to get them through the month of december.

when asking their 5th grade son what kinds of things do you, your twin siblings, and older sibling like? what do you want? he responded with the ever-so-humbling, "oh, we will take anything". now come on. most 5th graders would totally haved rocked this question with a PSP or DS or whatever latest gadget is out there. nuh uh. not this boy. he's a humble fella.

k, so his classroom teacher and I got our staff on board with support and went to town on gathering gifts...
...dinner certificate, date night for mom and dad
...toys, clothes, family board games
...grocerie gift cards

we went crazy. my heart is going crazy.

....my heart is so glad. my cup is so full.