Favorite!

It is that time of year again . . . the time for me to share with you one of my favorite Christmas Memories!!  It was many years ago, my mom, brother and I lived in an old run down farm-house out in the woods.  We weren’t allowed to tell anyone where we lived – my mom was afraid the house would be condemned and we would be forced to leave . . . we had no where else to go.  The pipes froze up in the winter.  We washed dishes in melted snow from pots on the stove.  We had one wood burner to heat the whole house.  There was no heat upstairs in mine or my brother’s room.  We didn’t have much.  But we were happy.

One winter’s night two cars pulled up in front of the house.  We lived on a gravel road surrounded by trees and fields.  We weren’t expecting anyone to stop by.  And these cars did not pull in the driveway; they stayed on the road with the motor running.  My mom sent my brother and I upstairs while she grabbed her shotgun.  My mom is a smaller woman; not quite five feet tall.  Her name is Annie and her brother used to call her Annie Oakley.  She knew how to use that gun.

A strange man knocked on the door.  My mom cracked the door, pointed the shotgun at the man, and asked what he wanted.  The man nervously stammered out that he was from the church and that they had groceries and presents for us.  My mom put the gun down and opened the door!  The cars had parked on the road because it was closer to the front door and they had a lot to carry in!  Two whole cars full!

My brother and I were allowed to come down stairs.  I remember being amazed at the number of grocery bags that were brought in that night.  My mom was beyond thankful!

This was the first big memory I have of this kind of generosity in life!  But the story is just even better that my mom pulled a shotgun on the church people 😊  We ended up going to that church.  And later as an adult, I’ve gotten to help with this same kind of Christmas blessing . . each time, remembering that night when I was a kid.

For the past several years, my own family has picked one big thing each Christmas season to bless someone with.  This is a wonderful tradition that I hope means a lot to the kids!  I know it means a lot to me.  My daughter has a goal for us to adopt a whole family soon ❤

Tonight I am thankful for the memory of past generosity and my mom with her shotgun!  I am also thankful for the chance now, as an adult, to be generous to others.