From the Heart: There is Always Enough Love

There is Always Enough Love

Make the Most of Each Moment in Your Life

by Lori Kroh

The holiday season seems rushed this year like never before. The news lately would tell us to hurry and buy due to massive shortages. We need to hurry before it’s all gone and there is nothing to give. Don’t wait. Run out to get it before you run out.

I asked my relatives if anything ever ran out when they were growing up. I asked them to tell me if they ever experienced any shortages. The laughter rang through the room like golden bells on Christmas morning. They had plenty of shortages, and yet they believed they had it best because it was all about the time they spent with the ones they loved. You just make the most of each moment they told me.

They ran out of wood for the fireplace so they huddled together in the living room under piles of quilts and drank hot cocoa to stay warm. They watched the lights glisten on the tree and listened to records that their mom had put on and watched their parents kiss under mistletoe.

Grandma made homemade biscuits and fried bacon in her iron skillet and used up the jam she canned that summer from the blackberry bushes.

Once, they ran out of money and only had canned goods. The children knew not to ask for presents. There was deep sadness and no merriment to be found. Then, a knock on the door and they opened it up to a cooked turkey dinner with all the trimmings and a pile of presents and the most beautiful noble fir tree leaning against the post with a golden star in a red box. The entire atmosphere changed and it was the best Christmas ever. They never found their Christmas angel to thank them. So, each year they do the same for another family.

Another family ran out of money to buy ornaments for the tree so they each got to make some using paper sacks, yarn, and bits from the sewing box. They wrote on the ornament what they were thanking God for in their life. She still has them and treasures each one to this day.

Some others ate piles of pancakes on their fine china passed down from their great grandmother. They went to church and handed out blankets to the poor and knew they had everything they needed.

Another relative ran out of money for gifts so they had an uncle play guitar, an aunt play the piano, and they sang carols until midnight on Christmas eve. He sighed and wished he would have learned to play because he said there is nothing like a singalong to cheer one up.

Some friends ran out of hope of their son coming home from war so they got out all his letters and placed them under the tree. They called all their friends and asked them to please pray for his safe return. When he finally came home months later in the summer, they opened his gifts under the tinseled tree.

One time they ran out of sugar and didn’t think they would have dessert, so the mom made snow ice cream and served it in white bowls with a silver spoon. It was his favorite dessert he ever had in his whole life.

Another told me they ran out of trees at the tree lot so the dad and son took all the trimmings and made wreaths for the elderly neighbors to hang on their porch and they took them baked cookies in tins and celebrated just fine without a tree.

Another relative ran out of gas so they walked until they saw lights in a farmhouse and then were invited in for hot tea and gingerbread cookies and stayed until the tow-truck came. They went back the next day for Christmas dinner and received a gasoline can with a big red bow as a gift. Their friendship is rooted in true hospitality and they had to follow the star to find it. Phillips 66 people don’t really care for the Texaco Star and that’s why he most likely ran out of gas, they said.

I wanted to encourage you that no matter what shortages we have, there is always enough love to go around. It doesn’t take a lot to create a big memory. Celebrate the beautiful moments with the ones you love.

Merry Christmas!