Out of The Mouths of Babes

If you read this blog, you know we've been going through a rough time with unemployment. At 12, my daughter is affected in some way because she is old enough to be aware. This makes it all the harder that we are enduring what we are. I am constantly grateful for our church - not only because of the generosity and thoughtfulness of the members, who are like family to us, but also for all that my daughter learns from the dedicated leaders of the children's and teen's programs. In the course of this difficult time, Jay's depression has taken a few hits. I try to remind him, and Rachel, that we are blessed beyond measure. We still have a roof over our heads, thanks to our church. We still have a vehicle which, as long as we have gas money, we have at our disposal. We have each other, the scriptures, our prayers and the love of our Heavenly Father. These last things cannot be taken away. We, therefore, have more than we do not have. After one of these discussions, my precious child bore her testimony at church. You can see a description of that at this link, a blog a good friend participates in: http://lightrefreshmentsserved.com/2008/12/19/i-think-im-doing-it-wrong/#comments Then Rachel sent an e-mail out to everyone in her address book on the computer. Everyone is really not a lot of people, but Jay and I are on it. This is what I got: 

There's a miracle that happens all the time, unnoticed and undiscovered except by the people involved in it. People don't really notice it except for the first week or so. But it should be remembered forever. We've had a lot of money trouble this year; I thought we'd have six presents under our tree if that. But yesterday, when we were coming home, there were four HUGE bags on our doorstep. There were a lot of 25 dollar gift cards and two hundred dollars outside of that. We had at least a dozen presents from one bag alone; all of them probably added up to about twenty. Before that, we had a bunch of other presents. Two of them came from people who rushed over and wished us well. Yesterday, we all were in tears. These people were amazing; they gave us something special. They were Santas for us. They were friends. And I thought, 'how blessed we are.' I just couldn't stop praying for them, thanking them. All throughout November, for Thanksgiving, we had food brought for us. That was the best Thanksgiving dinner I ever had. This year, I've also learned we have more than we don't have. All we need is family, and then we have more than enough. We're as rich as could be. We're blessed and we're special. People care about us. I really wish I could have learned this important lesson sooner. If I did, I could have focused more on thanking rather than asking or wanting. There's not a present I won't appreciate, now. I'm blessed because there are these wonderful people surrounding me, and if I didn't have all my friends and family, what would I be? The true meaning of Christmas comes more clear to me now. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but we'd never have Him if it weren't for the gift from Heavenly Father. If we can give than we can understand things all that more clearly. And if we can thank, then what else do you need but love from friends and family? 

I, too, am blessed to have such an amazing daughter. But I know she wouldn't be all that she is had it not been for the influence of the church and the leaders in it who have taught her the things I haven't or couldn't. It really does take a village.