Christmas

The Black Friday incident of the Wal-mart worker who got trampled to death by people who couldn't wait to get in the door to buy more stuff really soured me on some of the worst of us that comes out at a time of year that should really bring out the best. I usually hide out at home on Black Friday, but this year I went to Babies R Us to buy some needed baby nail clippers. I wasn't even out of my car before I came across a woman screaming a crying in the parking lot, devastated that she hadn't been in line soon enough to get some sort of limited deal. She was so absolutely distraught that she had to go back into the store and yell at the employees some more because she just couldn't believe it.

I know most of us are feeling the pinch of harder times than we've been used to for a long time. Used to a certain standard of living, I get a little frustrated that we have to wait a little longer for something we want or to pay off a bill, or give up some luxury due to the rising cost of necessities.

But who am I to feel so entitled to these things? I try to think of the families who were just barely making it before business slowed, someone lost a job, or gas and food prices jumped - the families in my own community who are more than inconvenienced, but pushed over the line from scraping by to devastation. The mothers in this affluent country who have to put their children to bed hungry or cold. Not to mention the rest of the world.



Whenever I think I'd love to spoil Susanna and our loved ones a little more than I can afford to this Christmas, I remember that short story we read in school - The Gift of the Magi - to try to remember what it is about gift giving that's so integral to Christmas. We try to express some gratitude for the gifts of the loved ones and the material blessings we are lucky to have in our lives throughout the year. Let's also try to remember to express some gratitude to God for the unbelievable gift of God coming to be with us in the world, for the light that overcomes all the darkness.