Pay it forward

Many years ago as a small girl I learned of blessings and what they meant. I remember patiently waiting for mine to appear as my aunt promised they would. What I didn't know was that for the blessings to magically appear you had to be in a state of mind to acknowledge the real blessings. I guess I was 17 the first time I realized this, as they lay that tiny little girl in my arms that day, I knew of complete and absolute faith, as this child was surely a miracle because I had never done anything so wonderful in my life to deserve this incredible warming feeling that I had that day. I was blessed many more times in the same manner with exactly the same reaction. Instant Love, I had never known such a thing.
As years passed the blessings seemed to have disappeared as I never felt that again about anything else and I was losing faith because of it.
20 years later I can tell you that this wasn't truly the case but that I had lost sight of what could be deemed blessings and what isn't.
In the past 12 years, I've learned to acknowledge and express appreciation for the blessings and I've learned also that without returning these blessings, the ones you receive will begin to recede. I was reminded of this yesterday as I listen to someone else's rendition of her blessings. How sad I was that I had let myself get to the state that I forgot or got too busy to watch for opportunities to bless others less fortunate than myself.
So Im writing this blog as a challenge to my friends and family that have probably also forgotten what it was like when our lives weren't so blessed. I want to look for those opportunities to help the less fortunate, to speak words of comfort or words of love to someone that needs to hear it. To seek that single mother whose heart is breaking this holiday season cause not only can she not afford the gifts her children so desire but she can't afford Christmas at all. Search for that man who has lost his family this year and must face Christmas day alone, invite him to share your holiday with your family. Ask the church to direct you to a family that needs Christmas Dinner bought for them. Volunteer at a local shelter or a food kitchen. Offer that stranger stranded a tank of gas and a hot meal. There are so many ways to help that doesn't involve monetary donations but would still mean the world to someone. When hurricane Katrina send the victims to Amarillo, I decided to volunteer to help. We were coached about how angry these people could possibly be and not to expect thanks. I can tell you that night watching them file in one by one, hungry and scared and worried, that my eyes filled with tears and my lip trembled with pity for these people. In a few days time I come to find that it wasn't that I was helping them but that these people gave me more than I could ever give them. I truly come away the better for being there. When we help someone else the feeling we get can never compare to anything else.
Let's spread it this year, Pass it Along
Happy Holidays to All.....