Why gifts matter more than you may think...

I walked into Aldi with hopes of finding three toys for $10 a piece, plus the grocery shopping that I hadn't done all month. We're talking about this taking place on December 23rd. Yep, that close to Christmas. Nope, we hadn't gotten groceries for that long - we had help in the beginning of the month so we had something to get by with. We're getting good at stretching rations.


It's been like this for the last three months. So tight that Andrew has stayed home a day or two from work because we didn't even have enough to put into our gas tank. So tight that we both feel like we are milking our helpers dry and that we have NO right to ask for any more help from anyone.

I'm not telling you this for sympathy or help, I want you to understand my desperation as I walked into the store that afternoon.

I had $300 in Aldi gift cards that we had been gifted for Christmas and I REALLY wanted to get the kids something special to put under the tree. Earlier in the month I gave them the choice to use the little bit of my check that I had left to GET presents or to GIVE presents and after some discussion, my oldest came to the conclusion that Christmas is about giving and that's what he wanted to do.

I didn't find anything at Aldi. Most of what they had in my price range was art supplies and while art supplies are wonderful, we have an overabundance, so I passed on them, grabbed two new Star Wars tooth brushes for the stockings and got my groceries.

We made it home, my oldest helped me to put groceries away and I went out to get the mail hoping for a letter for Andrew from the military. What I found instead was a shiny, red foil bag with a curl of green ribbon tied on it.

I racked my brain as far as what it could be, threw the other two envelopes on the table and opened it, not sure what to expect.

Que the big, ugly, blubbering alligator tears because there, in that little package, anonymously set in our mailbox was a $100 gift card.

Have you ever been so overwhelmed with gratitude that you get almost angry at yourself? I felt like we didn't deserve it, I didn't pray for it, I felt guilty because we were that far in need...but in the end, overall I just felt grateful and blessed.

What a sweet, surprise blessing. How quickly I see how little my faith really is.

I mentioned this on Facebook the other day, but I REALLY don't like anonymous gifts because I just want to thank the person, hug them and give them something in return.

Christmas is a really difficult time for me, particularly when we are short on funds. My love language is gift giving and when I can't give someone a gift, I feel like I failed. It also speaks to me in huge ways when others give me gifts so to think that I'm not getting someone a gift and in return they won't be gifting me with anything makes for a pretty big emotional roller coaster for me. The gift giving language is really tough because I just want to give all I can and when I have nothing to give, I feel like I'm not loving well enough. I realize that not everyone speaks in the same love language but since I don't know most other people's, it's hard to know how to love them, so I do what I know.

Since I know gifts, I love to do everything I can to get someone a gift. I participated in several mug/gift swaps that I found on Instagram a few years ago and decided that I wanted to host my own! So three years ago I did my first ever #warmandcoztea exchange. I think I had 7 or 8 ladies participate that year. I did another last year and I had a few more and this year I am just so excited for because I have co-hosts and a Facebook group for it, it's just going to be a really great experience, and guess what!!!!

Register today and join all of the fun!!! We interact on Facebook, we do a giveaway, we learn about each other and we make friends and it's just so fun. :)

Don't miss out.

2 comments

  1. What a wonderful story. I often find that sometimes when we feel undeserving of others gratitude, is when they feel we deserve it the most.

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  2. Thank you! I so agree!!! Thanks for stopping by! <3

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