signed copy of BEYOND BREATHING
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The Gift of LOVE…it’s a one size fits all.
In today’s world we hear so much about the negative; the greed and contempt, the wars and fighting among one another, the struggles and hardships that tear at your heart and soul. How often do we hear of the GOOD that WE are all capable of doing? How often do we hear of what one person’s ACT OF KINDNESS can do for humanity? In my opinion, not nearly enough.
5 years ago I changed the way I do Christmas.
5 years ago I started a new tradition in our house.
5 years ago I stumbled upon the “Jena Box’
Let me explain.
Holidays are always the hardest and Christmas is the pinnacle of pain.
The joys that used to fill this house now just seem sort of vacant.
The tree is up…big deal.
It’s missing all of Eric and Jena’s handmade ornaments hanging off its fake, lighted limbs.
No Christmas dishes are out.
No Christmas cookies are baking in the oven.
No Christmas cards will be written.
No, I’m not a Ba-Humbug kind of person, I just don’t care anymore.
Jena took the magic with her.
She’d be so angry with me for the way I’m acting. She’d also be bugging me which present was hers under the tree; holding each one up, shaking, guessing…
Yeah, here come the tears….
One morning in December of 2007 I woke up from a “Jena” dream.
In my dream, Jena was shaking a wrapped present and said, “I just know this is my favorite gift, ever!” When I asked her what she meant, she smiled and told me I’d figure it out.
Then I woke up.
Great…dream riddles… at Christmas… from Jena.
Turns out, I figured it out and I wouldn’t dare let a Christmas go by without a present for my daughter…especially her favorite gift EVER.
Here it is:
What’s inside, you ask?
LOVE.
Jena once told me, “When you see love, you’ll see me.” I believe her. I know for certain that we take our hearts with us when we leave this world and that love transcends.
So, back to the ‘Jena Gift’… since that dream in 2007, my niece and nephew and I wrap an empty box, right after …Just Thursday… (The holiday formally known as Thanksgiving) and leave a slit at the top. Then between ‘Thanksgiving’ and Christmas Eve our whole family engages in as many random ACTS OF KINDNESS as possible.
Here’s the catch: they can’t tell a soul. It’s a secret!
Then we write down all our random-acts-of-kindness on an index card, we address the “gift” to Jena, and slip each card in the wrapped Jena box.
On Christmas Eve, when we are all gathered around the Christmas tree at my in-laws, we read them out-loud TO Jena, it’s her favorite gift…EVER!
It’s giving of yourself, it’s giving of your time, it’s giving of your love.
She is forever with us. We want her to know we still go “shopping” for her to find her that perfect Christmas gift.
She LOVES presents, so feel free to join us in the gift-giving!
Ok, here’s the deal:
1) YOU do something nice, an act of kindness, then tell me about it by midnight on Sunday, December 23, 2012.
2) Please tell me about it either below in the comment section, or on my Beyond Breathing Facebook page , or if you rather not be public about it, you can: EMAIL ME HERE
3) On Christmas Eve, my family will read your Jena gift with all our Jena gifts and then decide which 3 people I’ll send a SIGNED COPY of ‘BEYOND BREATHING’ to and you too can *meet* Jena.
There’s so much in this world to be thankful about.
There’s so much in the world to share.
And LOVE truly is a ONE SIZE fits ALL.
Now go GIVE some LOVE !
Hi Ms. Cassalina, and Family :
Last night, I donated 2 Stuff Animals (Scentsy Buddies) to a Texas Hospital for Children with Cancer. One was named Pooki the Polar Bear and Roarbert the Lion.
Merry Christmas!!
My mom told me about a woman at work who is having some financial issues. I don’t know the woman. I brought a bag of groceries to my mom and asked her to give them to the family. Just a small gesture, but I hope it helped.
It’s after midnight but hope this gets to you on time. While preparing the children’s sermon for our Christmas Eve service, I discovered your post. Include me in the Jena box. The other day a poor couple wanted to buy a used Playstation at a thrift store, however, neither of them had any money…nor would the clerk hold the item until they could return with money. The price? $9.36. My heart was moved that they were trying to purchase this as a gift and did not have $9.36. So, I simply had the clerk add the item to my purchases. The woman was moved to tears and hugged me. It was such a small thing, but I bet Jena would have loved it. I suspect I would have loved your girl–she sounds lovely. Merry Christmas, Jena. We are all still giving the gift of Love.
Margarete, I’m a friend of S. Rider’s in Iowa and found your blog through her. What a powerful story you have to tell!! Your “Jena’s gift” reminds me of A. Curry’s 26 Acts and I had started a list and wanted to share one with you. I was doing some grocery shopping this weekend and saw a woman drop her credit card in the snow/slush as she was headed into the store with other papers/mail in her hand. I stopped to tell her and another woman heard me and besides the credit card holder thanking me, the woman behind me with a small boy said, “Hallelujah!” I felt like I had been sent at the right place at the right time:)
Beautiful stories! Thank you all! We have decided on 3 and will be sending the books out today! Have a Happy New Year…and continue to be as wonderful as you all are…and do Random Acts of Kindness whenever possible!