>You’ve Made This Holiday Happier

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Can you believe that Christmas is almost here?

Somehow, despite all the craziness that comes with having a family of six, our stockings our hung, our gifts are wrapped, our tree is trimmed, and we are ready for the big day.

But while I’m enjoying spending time with my family this holiday season, I’ve been really struck this year by how many people out there won’t be having much of a Christmas at all. As most of you know, hundreds of people in my community lost their homes to the Nashville floods back in May. As of today, only a third of them are back in their houses. The rest are still displaced, still living in hotels or in rented housing or with family members and friends, still paying mortgages on homes that are still unlivable. A number of those who are back in their homes are living there without working kitchens. Without carpeting. Without hope of finishing those repairs any time soon, because they’re completely out of money.

So many of you have been incredibly generous over the last several months, sending me your unused gift cards to give out to families. I’ve spent the last week giving the last of your gift cards out to as many families as possible before Christmas. I’ll be delivering cards to two final families today, and taking a few last “odds and ends” gift cards to a trailer that’s been set up in the community specifically to help flood victims with any needs they might have.

I’ve said this before, but I dearly wish those of you who’ve donated cards could be there with me when I deliver them, so that you could see for yourselves how much it means to the people who receive them- not just financially, but emotionally.

One family not only lost everything they owned in the flood, but a few weeks ago the father was injured on the job and hasn’t drawn a paycheck since. Thanks to your gift cards, the two girls in that family will be getting winter coats, and having a few meals out at local restaurants. Another mom who’s still displaced and is crammed with her family into her parents’ tiny house just found out she’s expecting. Another cried when she got your cards and said she had been feeling like people had forgotten about them.

You’re making a difference and if you can’t see it for yourselves, at least I can describe it for you.

What this has done for me (besides give me a permanent nagging need to help others) is to make me far more relaxed about the holidays. Last year, I was stressed about the gift-buying and the wrapping and the baking and the memory-making. This year, I’m just…

grateful.

Grateful for all we have. Grateful that our calamities this year have been minor. Grateful that no one in my family is sick. Grateful that through your generosity, you are helping my children learn to be generous, too, as they help deliver your cards to people who need them.

Grateful for you. You’ve enriched my life in so many ways. Thank you for that.