Christmas Miracles
As this Christmas season is growing to a close I wanted to take a moment to reflect on all the things happening around us.
Kalamazoo had a storm on Saturday and Sunday this week and 1000s of people were without power. The weather was horrific between the wind, the snow, the ice and the temperature. It made for adverse driving conditions and adverse living conditions for those without power.
Well most of you know I work in a hotel. The weather conditions brought 100s of people into the hotel and me the opportunity to experience all their hardships. Most people were excited to have a warm place to stay from the stranded travelers to the residents without power. However there were several that were so upset that they had to stay in a hotel during Christmas.
I listened to every story walking through the door from their flights being cancelled, road conditions, the power being out, funerals, hospital stays, accidents, etc. I heard it all. One lady in particular struck me when she came into the hotel in a fury of anger so upset that she had no power at her house and what was she going to do now because she couldn’t wrap her gifts. I had ruined her Christmas she exclaimed!
Well, if you can only imagine how hard it is to deal with the different emotions of every person that walks in the door, you will understand why I decided that I had to say something to this lady.
As she screamed at me about me ruining her Christmas, I decided to inform her that I didn’t know I had THAT much power! WOW, I’m a powerful person if I can destroy a perfect stranger’s Christmas! Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I wish I had the power to twist an arm or break a leg, but I assure you I have none! I wish sometimes I could be Samantha from Bewitched and could just twitch my nose and just inflict a bit of pain on some of the ignorant people of the world.
Well, as she looked at me in horror as to say, I can’t believe you just said that and did not acknowledge my grief, I explained to her, “Maim, it could always be worse.” I explained to her that a family traveling from Utah ended up in a multi car pileup and the lady checked into the hotel as her husband sat in the hospital on life support in a town where she knows no one.
I explained to her that we have a family staying at the hotel whose Grandmother passed away on Saturday and the funeral was being held Christmas Eve. I told her that there are 100’s of electrical contractors staying at the hotel that not only have to stay in a hotel away from their families on Christmas they have to work in the cold and in adverse weather conditions for her.
As the reality started to sink into her, she just quietly walked away. She never apologized nor did I hear from her for the rest of the night. I hope I made her think and I hope it makes everyone that reads this think. Christmas was never meant to be about the presents anyway! It was always about the birth of Christ and bringing families closer to each other and closer to God!
I think in this country we have become so obsessed with things that we forget to enjoy the simple things that we have. Christmas should be spent with family and the presents are just a simple appreciation. The presents should never be the central focus even though for most people they are.
I bought all of our employees at the hotel a simple gift card, when the first employee got theirs, it was stated to me, did you get everyone a gift card? Well not that it was any of this person’s business but I replied yes. The first thing out of this person’s mouth was, Well you know you’re not going to get anything back from anyone, don’t you?
Well, I didn’t buy everyone a gift card to get something back. I did it because I genuinely appreciate them. Each and every one of them impacts the job I do. Without even one of them it makes my job even harder than it already is at times. I wanted them all to know how much they are appreciated. These people are not my biological family nor are most of them my friends, but they are my coworkers and I spend more time with them than most of anyone else in my life.
Think about how much time you spend at work and how much you work with all of your co-workers. What would you do without them? Yes, I know, some of them probably drive you nuts, some of them you don’t want to associate with, some of them you can’t stand, others you tolerate…but without them how would you do your job? I just wanted them all to know how appreciated they truly are. It’s because of their hard work that I can do my job with ease on most days!
It wasn’t about getting back, it was about giving. That’s what it is all about. When I left work tonight I called a friend and told them that I was going to be able to see them during the holidays. I had their gift and their response to me was, No I don’t want you to come because I didn’t buy you anything. UGH! I didn’t buy this person something to get something back. I bought this person something because I saw something that reminded me of them and I knew they would like. So are we getting to the point that we avoid people at the holidays because we didn’t buy them something? That’s not the way it is supposed to be!
I had to talk this person into letting me come see them anyway and let me give them their gift. It had nothing to do with HAVING to buy them a present. I did it because I thought of them and wanted to. I wanted them to know that I think of them and that I appreciate them. This person stood beside me during tough times when I lost my Dad and then some. I appreciate that! I wanted them to know that.
How have we gotten so backwards with Christmas that we have lost what the gifting truly meant? God gave us the greatest gift in the world as he gave us his son. We always forget that. It really got to me the responses that I have received from just a simple act of kindness and by trying to spread the true meaning of Christmas.
I don’t know who will read this, I don’t know who will understand it because I’m just rambling and don’t intend on editing this as it is Christmas Eve at 2:19 in the morning, but I hope someone reads it and says, WOW, maybe we do need to change the way we do things. You know I just don’t even think people understand what they are doing when they say the things they say. I don’t think we as Americans realize what we are doing to our future by raising our kids with expectations instead of intentions.
If we could just change our thinking from expectations to intentions, life would be so much better for us all. And if you find yourself constantly challenged in a way where you are always hitting brick walls, stop and ask yourself, what is God trying to teach me here? Everything happens for a reason and I think God sent a message to the town of Kalamazoo when the weather got bad right at Christmas time. I think he was telling everyone in Kalamazoo, it’s time to focus on family. I mean how much closer can you get with everyone huddled into a hotel room for a few days and even sleeping in the same room. God creates miracles in his own way and I know there will be quite a few created in those hotel rooms this Christmas!
Celebrate the true reason for the season! The glorious gift of our savior! May God Bless you and keep you as you travel and share this blessed time with your loved ones.
Merry Christmas!
