Christmas with the Lovelies

To say it's been high excitement for the last couple of days is putting it mildly.  Vietnamese people believe in the Vietnamese New Year, and don't celebrate Christmas (mainly because the majority of them are Buddhist), so my little Christian Vietnamese kiddos were over the moon excited with the tree, the gifts, the music, the stockings, the idea of cookies, and games...and...and.... and....

It's been ridiculously fun.

I'm going to back up to last night though.  You all know I've been a slight maniac in trying to get everyone to make this season about something MORE.   Be generous, surprise someone, blah blah blah.

Well.....  Last night.

We had just gotten back from getting Big Sis, and were running around getting food, and laughing, and, as usual, just being our loud usual selves, when someone knocked on the front door.

I assumed it was Lacey, as I was expecting her at any minute, and though it was weird she knocked first, I really thought it was her, with her arms loaded or something..... so I yelled on the way to the door... "Come on in Lacey, the water's Fine..." or something else ridiculous, and when I opened the door....nobody there.

I stepped out on the porch and looked around....nothing.   I looked down, saw a box, and picked it up and looked around the corner of the house.  I could see taillights and two people just BOOKING it running to the corner.   ??

I thought, "What the crap?"   (Yes, I did) and then   "For.the.love".

I carried it in, thinking COOKIES, woohoo!~  and told my three bonus children..."HEY, kids.... SANTA came early!"   and then I opened the box,  and fell over.

I really did.  It kind of concerned my kids.  I just started crying.  There was money, money, change, folded bills, and money and money.

I handed off my last $20 in my purse to the tired checker at Target yesterday, and I TRULY, didn't know what I was going to do.  

I'm so silly.

The lovelies just went nuts, and what a blessed moment to get to show them the TRUE love of Christ's people.  I got my bible and we read the verses together.  

The first verse :  "And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had.  They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need."

Slap my face and call me Blessed.

2nd verse:

Amazing.  These folks PULLED IT OFF.  I saw the back of retreating people and taillights.  MAN!  HOW INCREDIBLE!

The kids were just over the MOON, and I got to share with them the amazingness of generosity, and how faithful God is, if you just put your trust in Him.   Big Sis said,  "It no mistake that we are here.  God wants us here."  

Keep being generous, keep being faithful Jesus lovers.  Don't let the giving spirit stop after the season.  People need you all year.

I had highlighted Acts verse and wrote in the margins

"God use me for your Will.  I am Yours."

I do believe He heard me and is doing just that.  And NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING is more satifsying and heart filling than walking in God's will.

The rest of the season has been anti-climatic...the kids LOVED everything, and just yelled and yelled, and now we are playing cards and video games and trying to ride the bike in my 100 sq ft of front room, and the scooter in the kitchen, and we're watching it snow, and it's just magic.

I didn't get to share the amazingness of the giving with the kids when I got the target cards from friends, because that's what bought the presents.  But they got to witness firsthand,  the generosity of our unknown gift bearers.   My friends and even people I don't know who to thank have overwhelmed me to the point of near speechlessness.   (Now that's a first).

Everyone remember to wish Jesus a very Happy birthday, and remember the REASON for the season.  It's all about God and His love.

If my anonymous benefactors are followers of my blog and can hear me, I want to tell you that you taught this family so much in your gift.   You will NEVER know the depth of gratitude for your generosity.  I pray that God blesses you all back a hundredfold.

Jesus is the Reason for the Season.   MERRY CHRISTMAS!