Something happened last Sunday that has really made a lasting impression on our parishioners. A grandma has a 4-year-old
grandson at her apartment on weekends for some special bonding time since
he's having a hard time adjusting to his 3-month-old brother. On Sunday, she babysat for her 3 month old Benjamin, while her daughter in law could have some one on one time
with 4-year old Issac. Grandma was sitting in the living
room and she could hear her daughter in law getting Isaac's piggy bank off his
shelf. She heard money clinking as she explained that they were going to the
store to buy a toy for a child that may not get one from anyone else. She had
him take out some money and had him put it in his pocket. A 4 year old can't
really grasp what they were about to do but grandma was impressed that they are
starting out Issac at a young age doing this. They came home from the store with
this beautiful big dump truck that they would give to an unknown little boy. Of
course, Isaac wanted to play with it and hear the sounds it made but this daughter
in law stood her ground and told him he was not allowed to play with it. Grandma thought
this was the best example of what children should be taught from a very
young age, to know that they must help others in need. It may have been hard
for Isaac to empty his pockets at the store but non-the less he did it and
hopefully it will leave an impression on him to continue doing that in future
years.
Last Sunday, twenty
children came into this sanctuary not to sit on the knee of
Santa, but St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children. They had been asked by
their religion teachers to go home and empty their piggy banks to buy a toy for
some poor child in Wyoming County. I did not hear if anyone got grumpy and
refused to part with their gift, but on Sunday you could see the smiles of
each child as they came up to St. Nick to give him a 100 presents to help kids they would never see. Hopefully, this example will make a lasting
impression as they grow up in life. It’s like that God who humbly came down to
earth to show us the secret to happiness. It’s not Amazon, or some new IPhone,
it’s thinking about other people who are hurting.
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are giving of themselves this Christmas. Instead of just survivng another hectic holiday, may you thrive knowing that you helped a poor family or child make their season bright.
