A Christmas Blessed

I've been hesitant to write this post.  Mostly I'm afraid of what other people will think but I've decided I need to do it for me.  So that I will remember one of my most unseemingly blessed Christmas.

Let me start at the beginning.

Daniel started a new business venture in October so money was very tight.  We were very blessed to be able to make all of our financial obligations but we didn't have extra for anything more...including Christmas presents.  Although I believe the holiday and presents are important I don't think it's an excuse to go into debt for, so that wasn't an option for us.

Christmas was fastly approaching and the closer it got the more dread I felt because I didn't know what we were going to do.  Every day I prayed that I would find a way to get them something so they wouldn't have nothing.  We draw names to give presents to in our family and our extended family and I wanted that to come first.  I personally have experienced a lot of joy through giving and I want my children to experience that.  To have that happiness of making another person happy through their gesutre of giving is irreplacable.  I managed to set enough money aside to get everyone's family gifts but that was it.  What was I going to do about Christmas morning?  As Christmas was very near my prayers changed to help that my children would be understanding and I would find a way to explain to them why Santa only brought them a small trinket that wasn't on their list.  It broke my heart to think of my children's disappointment and confusion.

Then a miracle happened, angels came.  Real sent-from-heaven angels.  They took my children shopping and purchased the presents that they were going to give to their family members.  That meant I could use the money I had set aside and get them one thing each that was on their Christmas list.  I was overjoyed and filled with gratitude.  But in the back of my mind I was still afraid of what my children would think of recieving only one gift.  Again, my prayers continued.

A few days before Christmas we went on a fun outing to City Creek and Temple Square with some family.  Even though it was very crowded (and I get very irritated in large crowds) it was still a great time.  When I got home there were three wrapped packages that I found in the back of my van.  They each had a tag with the my child's name on it that said "From: Santa".  Angels had visited us again. 

My fears and disappointment of only having one gift for them disappeared.  I was able to breath.  The word to best describe my feeling at the time is: humble.  I felt so humbled that my Father in Heaven would answer my prayers.  I realized there were many more pressing and significant problems in the world but Heavenly Father didn't forget me.  He answered my prayers through righteous people who were listening to Him and He used them to bless me.

On Christmas morning my children went to the tree in excitement and not one word was said about the small pile of presents.  They were so appreciative of the things they had gotten and never said a disppointing word about what they didn't get.  We spent a quiet Christmas at home with just us, the children, my husband, and me.  It was simple and it was wonderful.

Even though this Christmas was the smallest material-wise that I've ever had it was by far the most blessed.  I was blessed with a renewed testimony that I am a child of God and He loves me, hears me and answers my prayers.  I was blessed to know that the greatest gift is our Savior.  I was blessed with knowing again that I have amazing children who know about gratitude.  I was blessed with my ever-loving family.  I was blessed.