One of our favorite family traditions is feeding the elderly in our community on Christmas Eve. We invited 200 adults/elderly from our community to come at 1pm for a short devotional, song time, prayer time, fellowship, & food!
I remember asking my parents many years ago, “What can we get you for Christmas?”
They said…. “Feed and care for my people. Care for the elderly who have no one else to care for them. Love on the widowed & orphaned – who are often the same people because their spouse & children have all passed away. Remind the lonely & lost that they still serve a mighty purpose.”
So every year…that’s what we do! We honor our Father in Heaven as well as the two people who have enriched our lives & imparted invaluable wisdom throughout our ministry!
We spent several hours on Christmas Eve encouraging & loving on those sweet men & women….whose bodies constantly ache, whose children have all passed away, whose spouse is no longer with them, whose stomachs continually grumble in hunger pains.
We reminded them of the purpose they still serve each and every day. I shared about all the wonderful things my parents have done for me, my children, and the communities they serve.
I then reminded them that THEIR children, grandchildren, neighbors, & community STILL need their wisdom, grace, patience, & love. Some of my children’s best memories are curled-up in their grandparents’ lap. So even if their health has failed them and they can’t work like they used to….hold & love on those grandbabies and speak God’s goodness over their lives.
Though the plan was to start at 1pm….we had people trickling in as late as 4pm! 🙂
Each person received a huge carton of food – enough to eat at our tables – AND take home! We also passed out large gift bags full of toiletry items! It was another successful and rememberable day!
Thank you for showing Christ’s love and giving hope and encouragement to these dear people .