Let’s talk about biting off more than you can chew.
You know how you start a project that sounds theoretically simple? That’s what my Mrs. Claus Affair stuff is supposed to be. Send a few emails, adopt a few families, make dinner, do some laundry, clean up puke (one of those weeks)…you know.
But when a “few” emails start breeding in the inbox and suddenly you’re looking at names that all blur together it gets…time consuming.
And these letters. I’m telling you there are some amazing women out there. It appears some service dude told his friend and suddenly I’m getting these beautiful requests from husbands all over the globe, telling me about their sweethearts. Women who are going above and beyond. I’ve even had two dads nominated this year which is so awesome.
On Tuesday I found myself looking at 8 names with no one to help. On Wednesday the number was up to 10. By Thursday it was 13 and nominations were closed. Oh, that looming list of wonderful spouses who deserve a little Christmas remembering. So many of these soldiers get limited access even to the computer and have no means of shipping or shopping. I’ve had nominations for women who have lost children this year, been alone for Christmas two years in a row, are dealing with 5 kids and a new littler of 11 puppies while finishing up a master’s degree (one of my favorites), and the list goes on and on.
I’ve been feeling serious sympathy pains for the inn keeper this week. How do you tell someone there’s no room at the inn?
Instead I’ve sent these husbands emails asking them to please pray that Heavenly Father will send me names and they’ve responded with a resounding yes. I sent out emails asking for help, but by Friday morning I was sweating it.
I’m not prone to anxiety but let me tell you, I was starting to think I’d have to rearrange my Christmas budget and take care of them all myself. It was enough to keep me sucking down Diet Coke all day long (which might have added to my racing heart, just saying).
And then by some miracle I got home last night and checked my TMCA email and was greeted with a full fledged Christmas miracle. There were requests for 12 of my 13 names. It was like pennies from Heaven were filling up my email account.
My last name was this dad in Texas who I’ve been trying to find the right person to place with. I went to bed satisfied that Jason and I could take care of him and get something in the mail Monday, but when I woke up this morning there was an email from a pastor offering to help with him. He’s the first man who has offered to help and it was like a match made in Heaven.
Miracles and Christmas and gifting and chocolate, these are seriously a few of my favorite things.
Oh yay. I put it on my FB yesterday and hopefully some of the people who saw it filled up some of your spots. So glad you got it all covered.
I LOVE to hear stories like this where everything just works out…a little faith goes a long way!! Reading this made my heart happy 🙂
I’m so glad I was able to help AND that I got my pkg sent weeks ago 🙂