The Best Gift

 I had plans today to update you on Abby the RV, because it's been a while since I gave you a sneak peek. Alas, the biggest project happening with her was delayed by a few days, so I need to wait another day or two to tell you about that. But it's coming! 

Meanwhile, can I tell you about a sweet moment we had yesterday?

Last night was the WillowBridge Christmas. I have so much to tell you about that and all the goodness our local community poured into our tenants. But I (ahem) may have taken a lot of pictures and the party may have gone late and I may not have all the pictures sorted and edited. So that will come later, too.

There were many gifts opened here last night, but I want to tell you about the best gift, which didn't even come in wrapping paper.

Our Christmas dinner was actually breakfast for dinner, and we decided before we ate and got lost in games and gifts, we would read the account of Jesus' birth and pray together. So I read from Luke 2 and Ryan prayed for our dinner. As he prayed, he named each person in our building. 

He prayed for Tim and Justine and the work they do here with us. He prayed for each of our tenants by name and specifically mentioned the joys of the personalities that bring us delight. He prayed for the babies and their sweet little lives. He prayed for our one tenant's boyfriend, who was there for Christmas, too. 

As he finished the prayer and we all started to turn our sights toward biscuits and gravy, French toast casserole, and other delights, one of our tenants said (almost hesitantly), "Can I pray, too?"

Not gonna turn that one down!

We all bowed our heads again and she prayed the sweetest prayer that I wish I'd recorded. In it, she thanked God for the two of us (we'd been missing from Ryan's prayer since he didn't think he should probably bless himself and name his own best qualities). She told God what she loved about us and said that she knew He'd given us a hard job in calling us to WillowBridge, and she wanted Him to know we worked really hard and cared about them.

I probably don't have to tell you I was in legitimate tears when that prayer ended.

I've told you before that this job crosses over into feeling like parenting at times. We're not their parents and it's not the role we have in their lives. But sometimes the work we do feels parental to us - and to them. And because it does, there are days when we wonder if we are doing anything right at all. Are we making a difference? Are we getting through? Do they hear us? Like really really hear us? 

So to hear her words of affirmation was truly the best gift of the night. She wanted to pray. She didn't want us to be left out. It was the best. 

I'm grateful the night went well. I'm grateful they enjoyed the food, had fun with the games, and loved their gifts. I'm grateful for the village - small city, really - who delivered Christmas to our door. But most of all, I'm grateful for the glimpses of genuine love.

It's really the best gift.