Hometown Rankin - December 2015 & January 2016

This time five years ago, my family was
gearing up to move into a new house. If
you’ve never moved anywhere the week
of Christmas, don’t. It’s insane. And it’s the
second time we’ve done it. The first time
was sixteen years ago as newlyweds into
a home that my husband and I had just built.
It was Christmas week and all we had was
some random furniture, each other, and big
dreams. Our biggest priority, at that point,
was to have people over for New Year’s
Eve to ring in Y2K before the cyber-world
collapsed.
The second time we moved was different.
We were a family that included a child, two
dogs, a cat, and more stuff than anyone
should haul from one place to another—
all, of course, in boxes. Countless boxes.
We stuck a tree up in the corner and put a
handful of ornaments on it including one,
brand new and still wrapped in tissue that
said “Our New Home”. I was starting a new
tradition of collecting ornaments that told
our story, and this was our first. There were
no elaborate decorations or
wreaths or swags. There
was no gourmet meal, no
Christmas cookies and no
eggnog. But despite the stress
of moving, and all the
back-breaking work that comes with it, it was
undoubtedly one of the best Christmases I
can remember.
It allowed us to reflect on the true meaning
of the season. Actually, it forced us to, I guess.
We had each other, a roof over our heads
and a warm place to sleep. My husband and
I didn’t even exchange gifts that year and
my then-seven-year old son only had a few.
I would love to tell you that we limited our
gift giving as the result of some new-found
stance on materialism–after all, Baby Jesus
only got three gifts. But the truth is, that with
the all the packing and moving and working,
I hadn’t had time to shop. And as it turns out,
no one seemed to mind at all–particularly
my son. It made me proud. There we were–
all genuinely grateful for what we had and
for being together. It’s one of my fondest
Christmas memories.
It is incredibly easy for us to take our worlds
for granted and many of our children may
likely never remember a time when things
weren’t constantly available–and in great
abundance. But sadly, we are surrounded
by people in our own zip codes that struggle
with keeping a roof over their heads or
feeding their own families.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of
seeing, firsthand, what the efforts of a
determined few can do to offer hope to the
weary. I’ve volunteered for several organizations
that are committed to changing people’s
lives and I’ve learned more from the broken
than I ever learned anywhere else. It makes
me appreciate, even more, all we have, and
even more so, all we can do. It’s important to
help others–particularly during the holidays.
Remember, “To whom much is given, much
is required,” Luke 12:48.
So this year, as we continue to whittle
down our holiday to-do lists and prepare for
our annual family gatherings, let’s remember
those who are truly in need of our time and
generosity.
Consider sponsoring a needy family.
Help to put food on the table for those
that might not have the means to do so
themselves. Or commit to helping the
homeless. At a time when warm homes
and family get-togethers are common,
the homeless are left feeling particularly
isolated.
Deliver a meal, visit a senior, or adopt
an angel. (The Salvation Army Angel Tree
program is one of my favorites.) Help a
co-worker or over-tip your waiter. There
are lots of ways to make an impact.
I know that as a child, I couldn’t wait to
open gifts on Christmas morning and
probably asked a hundred times when it
would be time. But, looking back, I don’t
remember many of the gifts I received.
I do remember baking holiday cakes in
my grandmother’s kitchen, though. Those
memories are more valuable than any board
game or Barbie doll I ever got, I can assure
you. Making memories is what it’s all about.
And so, time marches on. My son will
turn thirteen just two days into January. And
since that first Christmas in our new home,
we’ve collected five more years’ worth of
memories–many commemorated by special
ornaments on our tree. There are no
cardboard boxes in our living room and our
halls are all suitably decked. But nothing will
ever take away from the lesson we learned
from our very first Christmas here. We know,
beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the most
important things in life are being grateful for
what you have and being together with
people you love.
And that the best thing about memories,
is making them. Merry Christmas. n
Hometown Rankin • 95