Not long ago, at a fundraising event, an old-time friend approached me with an apologetic look on his face. The previous year, he had promised to send $20.00 a month to MUMs. He had not done so and he was feeling bad about it.
"I know I promised to send it every month," he said, "but, it's such a piddlin' amount that I forget about it."
I see his point, but, on the other hand . . . what's "piddlin'" to him, or to you and me, may not be "piddlin'" to someone else!!"
As a matter of fact, I know two little girls who would probably take great exception to that philosophy!!
They and their Mom just recently moved to Maury County. They have food and shelter and clothes, but that's about all they have. Mom is doing volunteer work at a local Hospice so that the family can continue to receive enough Federal Assistance to keep their food stamps and their housing allowances.
Last week, MUMs began transporting her back and forth, to and from her volunteer job - that's how we met.
They have very little - they barely get by.
We might say, "Her need is SO LARGE and there are SO MANY like her. Anything I could do would be so small. How could it ever be enough to make a REAL difference in their lives?"
In answer to that question, let me tell you what happened, here at Chrismas time, when some others heard about her need!!!
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It started with a lady in town who has a special love for the Christmas Season! As a matter of fact, she is noted for having SO MANY Christmas trees in her house!
When she heard that this family didn't have a Christmas Tree, she couldn't STAND the thought of it! So, she loaded up one of her trees, (along with ornaments and lights) and brought it over and set it up in their apartment in front of the living room window!
(Just ONE LITTLE THING!)
The little girls were ABSOLUTELY ECSTATIC over the tree!!! Their eyes lit up and they danced about, "Now, we'll have a Christmas Tree!!" they shouted!!
A man in town had a fruit basket. It had been put together for one of the board members of his company. He hadn't been able to make contact with the board member, so he brought the fruit basket over and gave it to this family!
(Just ONE LITTLE THING!)
A couple in town heard that these little girls had NO GIFTS, at all!
Off they flew to the Dollar General Store, where they spent a few dollars on games and toys (and wrapping paper, tape, bows, etc. - so Mom could wrap the presents and put them under the tree)!!.
(Just ONE LITTLE ACT OF KINDNESS!)
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Can you see them on Christmas morning - those two little girls?!?
Playing checkers on the floor . . .
Dressing their new dolls . . . .
Coloring their brand new coloring books . . .
Enjoying apples and oranges . . . . .
Under the twinkling lights of
Their Christmas tree!!
And, there is Mom, curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee, watching her girls playing and laughing!
I challenge anyone to try to convince THEM that the small things done for them this Christmas did not make a very large difference in their lives!
Nothing is small if it is helpful.
Every small act of kindness ties itself together with other small kindnesses to create large transformations in the lives of others!
When He came to us on Christmas,
EVEN GOD WAS LITTLE!
Merry Christmas and God Bless You!!
Update (three months later):
After many other kindnesses, this mother's heart has melted toward the love of God, and a few weeks ago she asked Jesus to come into heart. She has joined a church and is scheduled to be baptised, soon!!
Last night, at church, she proclaimed to the congregation that last year was the best Christmas of her life!!
Praise the Lord!!
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Christmas Day - Maury's Ministries
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