Hey everyone!

I hope you are all feeling as amazing as I am in the run up to Christmas 2015. This holiday season, I’m basking in the sun surrounded by family, friends and good food! In light of this, I’m feeling extra grateful for life and the joy that this year has brought me, regardless of whatever difficulties I faced. In my opinion, the grace of God brought me right to this point and I couldn’t be more thankful. Experience has taught me that as much as you may want to take all the credit for your successes and triumphs, there has to be something greater than you that prepares your prosperity and enables your safety as you weather the storm we call life.

In the spirit of gratitude, I wanted to share one important lesson I learned at Mass (Catholic word for Church/Service) this year – what it truly means to give of yourself in service of others.

The homily was based on the story of the woman who gave all she had, found in the gospel of Mark.

Mark 12:41-44

The Widow’s Offering

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

The scripture above speaks for itself really, but I want to invite everyone – Christian or not, to consider what it means for YOU. Whether you believe in Jesus, or you believe in being charitable to others, there is simply no escaping the strength of this message.

Many of us are in a position to give so much more of ourselves in service to others than we do. Though this scripture focuses on the giving of wealth, it is symbolic of the many things we can share with God and one another – time, empathy, understanding, patience, and hearts filled with love. In light of this, I would really like to encourage each of us to look outside of ourselves and our immediate families this Christmas season. Look to the homeless who live on the streets and have nowhere to lay their heads, the disabled who seek our help in cash and kind, the orphans who have no family to share the tidings of the season, and the impoverished in society. If you are able, please share your time, resources, smiles and love with them, recognizing always that the strength of your gift is in its sacrifice, not in its size. The wealthy may give ‘so much’ compared to those who have little, but the distinguishing factor in the gift of the poor, is that they give so much of the little they have.

How many of you bought christmas presents for all your family and friends? How many of you added yourselves to your christmas list?? (I’m so guilty of this lol). How many thought about the less privileged when you wrote your christmas list?? How many thought about their tithe this holiday season and said ‘ I’ll make up for it in January, I need to buy christmas outfits and presents…’? The purpose of these questions is just to make everyone realise that we sometimes leave charity or offering to God as a last resort. I know I have been guilty of some of these in the past, and I am determined to break this trend. Giving of your leftovers is so practiced in society today that is considered rational and proper – make sure you have everything you want and need, save, and then give the REST to charity. I believe that our altruism should transcend this limited point of view, and that we should try to begin with giving, rather than apportion what may remain to it. None of us like to eat the leftovers that others have, and some even consider it an insult. So why give to others in the way you would not like to receive?

My advice? Skip one day turning up with your friends and family (or better yet turn up with those who are much less fortunate than yourself) and share your time and money with the less privileged this holiday season. You will feel a sense of true fulfillment this season; I promise!

I think that this post would be incomplete without a show of gratitude to each of you – Thank you so much for reading, sharing and engaging with the content on my blog. The positive responses I have received have been overwhelming, and I feel so blessed to be sharing some of myself with each of you, and learning more about your thoughts and opinions in return. I hope that I keep you entertained and provoke more thought in the coming year.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a prosperous and happy new year! Try not to forget the reason for the season in the midst of your frantic shopping and lavish celebration.
  

Lots of love,

Jo xxx