Tis the season to give

I need to tell you about a little girl I know. Her name is Ashlynn and she amazes me every. single. day. Ashlynn has come up with several things this season that have just blown me away. Let me tell you about our week.
On monday we made thank you cards for a pantry that we have been visiting. You see we have hit some hard times since my husband injured himself... and this pantry has saved us. In more than one way. Not only do they offer much needed food, but also they offer up amazing sermons from their pastor while you wait... and I am hit almost every week by something he has said. So a thank you card is the least we can do. Our local dollar store has packets of thank you cards for 1.00. So we got a package of thank you cards and a package of markers and we said thank you. What happened next is amazing I can hardly tell you all about it. One of the ladies started crying... and then another... and then I started crying. Then they brought out packages of fruit treats and candy for the girls... and then there was some more crying as one of the ladies told me that volunteering has "saved her" this year... and to receive thanks like this hit her so hard. Ashlynn and Taryn were impressed by the reaction. It lasted most of the day with them.
Later that day Ashlynn asked if we could make Christmas cards and bring them to the store to hand out to the shoppers that are there. I asked if she wanted to make them for particular people or stores.... and she said " No just for people who might need to hear Merry Christmas" WOWZERS.... well yes darling we can. So we spent all day on Wednesday making cards that we are planning on giving out this weekend. We do not know where we are going yet only that we have a handful of cards... that we are going to give to perfect strangers... and the girls will decide WHO gets them when we are at the store.
On Tuesday she was looking over my shoulder while I was surfing facebook and I came across a post from someone who was putting together a care kit for homeless people. That struck her and we had a conversation that went something like this
" homeless mom does that mean they don't have a home?"
 Me "Yes Ashlynn that is what that means."
 Ashlynn " But mom it is really cold outside... you mean there are people who don't have a home to sleep in and keep them warm."
 Me " That is exactly what that means."
Ashlynn thought for a while and said " Mom we don't have a lot of money."
and I said " no but we have what we need."
Ashlynn " there are people who DON'T have what they need?"
Me " yes"
Ashlynn " well we should help them"
then she ran off to play. I thought it was the end of it. On Thursday however she started talking about needing to make a care package for homeless people. That glimmer of an idea has grown and grown... until I have jumped on board with her. We are working together to make a care package for people who are less fortunate than we are. We don't have much.... but we have more than someone who is living in a grocery cart. And because of that.... some of what we have is going to them. While I would have kept every penny to make what is going to be a very small Christmas in our house.... Ashlynn is looking to share it. She tells me over and over that Christmas isn't about the presents.... as she is aware that I am concerned about Christmas for the year. She hugs me and says as long as we are all together we will be okay. And then she reaches out to help those who don't have even as little as we do. This child humbles me. She just humbles me. And I am so glad to say that I know her.