God Bless Us Everyone

I finished watching "A Christmas Carol" tonight.  God Bless Us, Everyone.  "I will honor Christmas past, present, and the future!!!" thus spoke Ebenezer Scrooge.  What does this mean?  I'm taking from it that I will learn from the past, live in the present, and work toward a better future.  Is this what everyone takes from this?  I don't know.

I've had a blessed past, I won't deny that.  Not a "perfect" situation, but in God's hands, and the outcome was just plain blessed.  I was offered for adoption, lived with a foster family for a while, and was ultimately adopted by some seriously wonderful people.  They gave me a wonderful childhood and young adulthood.

Now, to the present.  I don't have a particular amount of angst anymore.  I've been accused of being angsty in the past, but not for a long while.  I am pretty much contented.  The last time I was accused of being "of angst" was by Sister Charla Commins, Catholic Charities of Warren & Washington Counties.  It was just ten years ago.  I asked for a raise in pay, and Sister Charla informed me that, although the person before me had fewer responsibilities and more pay, I was out of line in my request.  So....

My last day of work was Christmas Eve, 1999.  I was the ONLY staff on hand.  I was trying REALLY HARD not to let that door hit me in the ass on my way out.

So it was whatever was closing time.  My desk was cleared out, there weren't any counselors around.  It was me, me, and only me.  I was just on my way out the door.  I'd even sent it to the answering machine when....God help,me, that phone start to ring.  It rang, and rang....I knew I had no reason to answer it.  After all, it was Christmas Eve, I was done, quit!, and it was my oldest son's birthday.  And I had lots of my own kids waiting for me at home.

At any rate, I answered that blessed phone.  There was a woman on the other end who had just been released from jail.  She had just gotten her kids home with her, and she had nothing, including food, for Christmas.  I could have taken a message.  I could have just hung up.  All I remember is about 2 or so hours hooking this poor soul up with some meagre blessing for the next day.  No thanks to Catholic Charities.  I seem to remember that the Salvation Army was her benefactor.

I'm not judging Catholic Charities (although they FORBID me from telling anyone I would pray for them, because they took state and federal funding).  I prayed for them all anyway.

I guess this is just my Christmas musing. 

God Bless Us, Everyone!!!

On reading this post back, the blessing is that I took a job with NCES the following week. Which means, that ten years ago this year, this month, I met the best friend I ever knew, and my partner, best friend, mate and lover.  My dear Stiva!!!

Happy Anniversary Stiva!!!