The Worst Christmas

     My son, Joe, told me something so bright and right on, that I will never forget it.  He said that he used to imagine how a party or get together was going to be for weeks before the event.  He would envision the party in great detail, what would happen, and how much fun he would have.  Unfortunately his imagination was very good and reality never lived up to what he had conceived, in his head.
     Joe finally learned that if he didn't invent the day in his mind, if he just went with the flow, he would have a great time, because he had no expectations.
     The worst Christmas that I can remember was the third year that I was married to my husband, Mark.  We had a sign business and we just didn't have any sign work, close to Christmas that year.  We were so broke, but thank God, my mom called me to come over and she had a whole box of food that she gave to me.  It was left over from the Christmas eve party that she was getting ready for.  She also gave me twenty dollars.  I took that money and went to a dollar store and bought four presents for our four kids, also wrapping paper and tape. 
     On Christmas eve, after the kids were asleep, I placed a small glass Christmas tree in the middle of our coffee table and placed those four terrible presents around the tree.  The kids woke up expecting nothing because Mark and I explained to them the money situation, so they were happy to each have a present.  They opened them and five minutes later the presents turned into junk.  The rubber band balloon cars, didn't work and the gun that was supposed to shoot balls out, didn't shoot, the balls kind of rolled out, and I don't even remember the girls presents because they were so bad.
     The amazing thing about this is that today I was talking to my oldest daughter, Christina, and she told me that those Christmas mornings were her favorite, because we were all together and happy.
     What is wonderful is that we really got an opportunity to look into the hearts of our kids.  They made me proud then and they are still making me proud.  If you take money out of the Christmas equation, our time together was warm, close and happy.
     I have learned from Joe, not to have great expectations when the holidays come around.  I have learned from my other children to be happy in all circumstances.  With our old sign business, sometimes we had money for things and sometimes we went without heat and we ate noodles for weeks at a time to get by.  Again, this isn't something that came naturally, I have learned, with the help of my children and the Holy Spirit, to be happy.
     Philippians 4:12, Paul says, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in every and any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."