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Last Christmas things were shaping up as most Christmases recently. We have always lived quite far from both my husband's and my side of the family. When our children were young, we'd always drive from Winnipeg to Swift Current and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to visit the grandparents for Christmas. Only about twice did we have to cancel because of bad winter driving conditions here on the Canadian prairies.
But the children grew up, and all of our grandchildren are much too far away to drive to see us over Christmas. They live in the southern states-South Carolina and Florida. We much rather do our getting together in the summer time. We had the traditional get-together with the nearby siblings of my husbands side of the family well before Christmas.
Christmas Day would be much different than for those who have family surrounding them. Some years we invite friends over to our house for Christmas day, or friends invite us to their house. Last year, it seemed as if we were going to be alone for Christmas. We saw our Winnipeg son a few days before Christmas. It was tempting to have a very relaxing day, just my husband and me, but I thought that surely there must be someone out there who was also going to be alone at Christmas. We decided we would see whom we could find that may not have any one to be with that day. I prayed that the Lord would guide us to the right people.
In our church there is a single older gentleman, Murray, who was very happy to be invited to our house. Then I called a single mother Judy, and her adult daughter Amanda, also from our church. I asked Judy what they were planning to do on Christmas day. She said, "Oh, we're always just the two of us. I'll probably call my family in Ontario that day to wish then a Merry Christmas."
I asked her if they'd like to come to our house for a Christmas meal at noon after church, and then later in the afternoon we'd give them a ride back home. She very happily consented. That Christmas afternoon, Judy told us several times, "This is the first Christmas in eighteen years that Amanda and I haven't been home just by ourselves." They thanked us over and over again for giving them a special Christmas. Murray likewise, really showed his appreciation over and over.
At the end of the day both my husband and I felt so blessed to have helped to make this a special day for Murray, Judy and Amanda. By doing so it was a very special day for us as well.
Julia Neufeld
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