Giving

The month of December is the season of giving. Last week I shared with you the season of stress. Today, I would like to talk about what it means to be giving. Every year, my family and I focus on finding different ways to help others. We start the season by stuffing several shoeboxes with toys, books, and hygiene supplies to be delivered to Operation Christmas Child. Then we follow it with random acts of kindness such as delivering cold weather kits to the homeless, or delivering toys to the children’s hospitals, and so much more. I’m not telling you this to boast but to encourage you to find ways to help others. I don’t know about you, but I want my daughters to understand that Christmas is not about what presents they receive. Instead, it is about what they can do for others.

We live in a society where we tend to put our needs ahead of others, starting with myself. Somedays I have a hard time giving when I can use it to benefit me. But then again, I remind myself of where I came from, how little I had in Iraq, and the blessings I enjoy today. Everything I have is a gift from God, so who am I to try and keep it to myself when people around me are hurting and in need.

Giving can be rewarding and frustrating at the same time. It’s rewarding when we can experience the gratitude we receive and frustrating when things don’t go as we had hoped, especially if we feel shorted by the recipient. Trust me when I say, giving is as much about you as it is about the receiver. Yes, you are helping and making a difference in someone’s life, but you are also being obedient and giving out of selflessness. You are going against the norm and making a difference.

This holiday season, together with your family or friends, find different ways to help others and spread the Christmas cheer.