A Christmas Tale

Dec 17, 1843 Charles Dickens' classic story, "A Christmas Carol" is published.

A few months ago, I had a new little baby girl and life with a newborn craziness ensued. As November approached, no amount of newborn drama allowed me to forget that 1 year ago, we miscarried a little boy.

It's clear that without his passing, we wouldn't have beautiful Caroline in our lives. Yet, it's hard to not feel empty where his name lies in our life. I honestly don't remember his due date or even "remember" him on a certain day of the year. But, I wanted to do something in memory of him. So that what he couldn't do in life, he could do in death.

I decided to reach out to a group of foster families and see if there were any children needing/wanting some gifts this Christmas season. I had a few families reach out, and I was going to just open it up to my Facebook friends (who never disappoint in the generosity category). When I was posting, I decided to add in that- people could donate/sponsor a child- to do so in memory of a lost loved one. 

Honestly, I wasn't starting this to help anyone else heal, but myself. Giving to kids was surely an easy way to soothe the soul, but this project was much bigger than MY personal desire to do something in memory of my son.

Within 30 minutes all the kids had been spoken for and were assigned to families who were now able to purchase gifts for these foster children. One girl was a family member of my good friend (Chasidy), and she chose to donate in memory of her daughter who was stillborn. Others had mentioned that they too had a family member in mind to give in memory of.

It was a sweet and beautiful gesture on all parts.

The gifts rolled in, and I could see potential joy in my mind of these children on Christmas day.

Today, I reached out to the foster families to meet up so that I could drop off the gifts. The girl I mentioned above, had chosen 3 children to buy gifts for and had written a card to each family. So I had met up with one lady who had driven over an hour because when I had asked for foster families in Greenfield, Fishers, or Anderson, this foster mother had mentioned she didn't live in that area but was willing to meet.

Everyone was prompt, and I handed over the gifts and the cards, and the one mother from out of town had straw covering her car seats and trunk, and I made small talk about it. She mentioned that her and her husband were pastors and she was transporting the straw to and from church.

We departed and went on our way home.

I get home to a text from the woman who had read Chasidy's card:

(who is a pastor, who traveled far and wide, with manger straw in her car) 

(that sounds somewhat familiar lol)

"...if you know who they are, they might like to know that when our adoption happens (hopefully sometime in 2018) that our youngest who they gave the elephant to, we had already chosen her new middle name to be Grace."

Chasidy had named her daughter, Isabelle Grace.

I promptly message Chasidy, and she replied, 

"God works magic. Sometimes we don't feel it or believe it during these times or push it away but oh my gosh how amazing."

We went on chatting about the beauty of it all, and it reminded me that...

In the world we live in, we are but mere tools for good. When one action of good, can turn into multiple actions for good.

Whether it be a kid with a smile on Christmas, a toy that brings happiness, a child that is remembered, a faith that is restored, there is a much bigger plan for our good deeds than our eyes can see.

This connection of love was spread by babies that inspired love and have done more good and happiness in their brief little lives than some people care to give in their lifetime.

I didn't do this. I made an action, and the rest took shape from the love of others, and as I searched what happened in history on today, Dec 17th, it was the publishing of The Christmas Carol.

Just as Ebenezer Scrooge learned the meaning of goodwill, we should be reminded:

"He went to the church, and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and for, and patted the children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked into the kitchens of homes, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed of any walk, that anything, could give him so much happiness." (p.119).

With great love can bring great sadness in its absence, but be reminded that the world is willing and capable of opening up our eyes to its joyful beauty, and what better way to do that....

than the love of a child.