The Christmas season is often a colorful blur—a whirlwind of gifts and food. (Even the unfortunate fruitcake makes an appearance.) As we are consumed by the hustle and bustle, we tend to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas.
We need opportunities to step away from the blur and reflect the light of the world.
In that spirit, Crossroads continued the tradition of The Giving Tree. It is an opportunity to share our abundance with people in need. And Crossroads… You rocked it!
All month, instead of fancy ornaments, the Crossroads Giving Tree was decked with colored cards, each representing a child or family in need. Crossroads members were encouraged to take one and fill the requests on those cards.
Gift and need requests came in from not only Crossroads families, but also from the House of Neighborly Services, Cottonwood Plains Elementary School, The Northern Colorado AIDS Project (NCAP) and Crossroads’ own Single Mom and Families Group.
Big needs and bigger hearts
The needs were vast and touching: Some families asked for toys or games. Others requested clothing and school supplies. One request was for a child who was trying to save for college. All of these cards—all of these needs—came from people just like you and me who for whatever reason have found themselves in uncomfortable and unfortunate circumstances at the end of 2010.
The Giving Tree experience opened our hearts. Over 450 cards were adopted by caring Crossroads members. That’s 450 people whose lives were touched by the kindness and compassion that should be the cornerstone of every day and every December.
Volunteers rocked it!
It took tons of open-hearted volunteers who organized the gifts and delivered them, boxed, unwrapped and anonymous, to the parents and guardians of hundreds of children, allowing those parents to be the gift-givers they long to be.
Perhaps the greatest blessings of the Giving Tree is love offered and love experienced—Crossroads, parents and kids.
There’s still time to give
If you missed the Giving Tree this year, think about making a generous, special, surprising year-end donation to our church. Crossroads pours out love all year long. Don’t miss John’s post that describes our work together in 2010.
Crossroads. You rock.
Merry Christmas, Tim
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16