Author Topic: Christmas 2023 (Read 1287 times)

Flyin6 · « **on:** November 28, 2023, 09:14:59 PM »

Gentlemen, it's that time again. We have now made it happen for families in need for 8 years and are about to make it happen for #9! Outstanding!

I have two candidates at the moment. Instead of just arbitrarily making a choice, I am placing it before the Lord and all of you. I want you to pray over this to see if, 1-you are supposed to donate, and 2-to which of these needy causes.

Possibility number 1: There is a single mom with two children whose home burned down this past year. They live in an apartment and are having trouble making ends meet. Christmas will probably be too much of a stretch for her, and they actually need a bunch of the normal trappings of a normal modern home since they lost almost everything.

Possibility number 2: This family of four has two children, both of whom suffer from some rare condition. At this time, I do not know what those rare conditions actually are. The family had to move to Cincinnati because the child with the most urgent need will undergo surgery this week. I think the working father had to take a local job and does not have health insurance just yet. Further, the surgery is a risky one and he plans to be with his child (along with his mom) until that child is out of danger. He will have to take unpaid leave to do so.

I have a contact that is somewhere near these people in need. This person is aware that the men of our website come together to help out people around Christmas. The person reached out to me to put these two families in need in our zone of consideration.

Personally, both families sound like great candidates to me...Could we support both? Historically we do not get to $2K so it would be a stretch unless God intervenes. I would like to hear your thoughts. Discuss it openly here or PM me if you wish to remain secretive, which is fine. I have the donation tab here, a PayPal and a Venmo account as well as an address for checks. I am thinking I would try and meet these families' needs on the 21st or the 22nd of December.

Let me know your thoughts.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 30, 2023, 02:09:26 PM »

No thoughts?

stlaser · « **Reply #2 on:** November 30, 2023, 02:42:34 PM »

No sir

Flyin6 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 30, 2023, 10:14:59 PM »

Well, we just got our first donation of $110 to start off with.

I got some additional information about the family with children of special needs. One of them underwent surgery today and it turned out good. I still do not know who wins the lottery this year, and I welcome your thoughts/ideas.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 01, 2023, 09:06:39 AM »

We have another brave and generous soul for $100...Thanks!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 02, 2023, 10:30:15 AM »

Well, "He" showed back up as has become a norm here with a donation of $103.16

Way to get out there and lead from the front!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 02, 2023, 10:36:14 AM »

So, had a nice conversation with one of our generous members yesterday. He called in response to my asking for opinions about who to give the annual gift to.

His answer lined up with what I was thinking. Give to both!

I have had a number in my mind, that we should give $1200 to each person. That makes a pretty lofty goal of $2400. I did not want to put that out there because judging from last year's total collection of $733, it may look like a failure for us/me not to reach a goal.

So as is commonly stated around here, I'll just leave this here...

$2400...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 08, 2023, 10:43:45 AM »

We have another $125
Thank you!
You have donated every year. I pray that your generosity is paid back to you many times over in blessings!

Our total is now at $448.16

Flyin6 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 08, 2023, 11:00:55 AM »

Welp, that Phantom 3:16 guy showed up again

Donation received for $5

Total is now $453.16

Nice....

Flyin6 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 08, 2023, 11:15:20 PM »

Oh Boy, we just received a $200 donation!

Total is now $653.16!!!!!!!!!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 11, 2023, 03:31:34 PM »

We just got another $100. We now have $753.16

cj7ox · « **Reply #11 on:** December 11, 2023, 03:53:27 PM »

I'm down with contributing to both families. Both seem to be deserving of a little help!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 11, 2023, 04:37:54 PM »

Quote from: cj7ox on December 11, 2023, 03:53:27 PM

I'm down with contributing to both families. Both seem to be deserving of a little help!

Not one to take away the blessing, I would ask you do what you are led to do. I am soliciting opinions from folks who have donated. You make two who suggest giving to both families. I have felt from the beginning, that I would like the gift to be $1200 for each. Aside from that, I'll likely just decide on one of them to get this year's check. I have an "inkling" about who has the greatest need, but we still have 9 days until I close it out and actually hand over a check.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 14, 2023, 07:39:30 PM »

Folks, are we done?

Man I sure hope not, but we haven't seen any contributions for a couple of days now...

And I think we are going to give the money to the single mom. I have found out a bunch more info about her. She is not a young mother like I first thought, but an older one. She is still raising a couple of kids of her own but has also taken in some grandkids. This is the typical father refusing to support his own kid's situation. I'd kind of like to see people like that fall off of a bridge into some icy water, but, hey, it's Christmas and I need to work on my holiday cheer.

The younger family with the child who just got the operation now has a "GO Fund Me" and locally someone is selling T-shirts for them and passing on the proceeds.

In stark contrast, no one knows this struggling mom exists. I was reading the whole book of Acts and when it spoke about widows, and helping them, I felt strongly that this mother is a modern-day widow.

cj7ox · « **Reply #14 on:** December 15, 2023, 12:26:48 PM »

Agreed

Flyin6 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 15, 2023, 05:49:45 PM »

Another $50 from a generous member, thank you!

We now have $803.16 to give away in a little less than a week

If you're thinking of giving I will wrap this up somewhere from the 20th-23rd ish.

Thank you to everyone who gave or said a prayer for these people in need, or prayed over this Christmas RealMan giving!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 18, 2023, 10:24:28 AM »

I have settled in on the single and unsupported mom. The more I hear about her, the more I admire the unrelenting spirit of a mother. She gives herself nothing, but then sacrifices everything for her kids and also some grandkids too. She had a car but it always needed repairs. That caused her to lose her apartment and she had to move everyone into a hotel for a short time. She managed an apartment again but just has nothing.

I want to partner with people like that. I look around at the abundance I enjoy. Things like a closet full of clothes and a pantry stocked to overflowing. Then I think about her trying to put together an evening meal after working all day. I see her struggling to maintain some semblance of a normal life for the kids' benefit, and I think about how some days I can't decide if I will go to my farm and work, or work around my large home, or just go out with friends. Indeed, she is a bigger person than me. Other than at war I have not been tested for as long as she has. But I have been tested some, just enough to know what it feels like.

I remember when I was a young buck sergeant stationed at Ft. Knox where I was just before flight school. I lived off-post in this tiny little house. I couldn't afford car insurance and I ate mostly canned beans. I found this grocery store that would sell five cans of beans for $1 and I loaded up. I then bought a block of cheese to melt in my beans and I very illegally hunted squirrels and rabbits on Ft Knox for my meat. I would pick up extra CQ duty because I could eat in the mess hall for free then and I did a bunch of field duty because the "C" rations of the time were free out there.

But I seldom went without a meal, and I finally was promoted to Staff Sergeant, and it all worked out. I have to think my creator had the situation in control at all times, even though I was not saved at the time. He allowed me to know something like poverty and that gave me a heart for those suffering in poverty today.

cj7ox · « **Reply #17 on:** December 19, 2023, 09:32:29 AM »

I feel this is the right choice, Don.

oklawall · « **Reply #18 on:** December 19, 2023, 10:10:07 AM »

Good choice Don

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

Atkinsmatt · « **Reply #19 on:** December 19, 2023, 04:21:26 PM »

Yes sir.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 19, 2023, 05:35:17 PM »

Excellent, men.

I'll season it a day or two more to see if any more money comes in, then I will give her a check.

I wish some of you could experience what I am about to do...The look on their faces, the surprise, the humility...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 21, 2023, 10:22:58 AM »

Well, the giving has stopped so I will do the give-away tonight, tomorrow, or Saturday at the latest.

Thanks to all, and may you find peace during this blessed season where, despite the commercialization, it is at its heart the time we celebrate the arrival of God in the birth of Jesus who came to live amongst us.

Sammconn · « **Reply #22 on:** December 21, 2023, 02:20:44 PM »

Great choice on the person in need this year boss.

Been busy here helping get this all ready for our communities this week. Nearly double the hamper requests from previous years.

It’s a near and dear project to mama and she needed some extra help this year. Normally she just champs it but so much need this year.
They all go out tomorrow.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Flyin6 · « **Reply #23 on:** December 21, 2023, 05:35:15 PM »

I tried once already to contact the woman for this year's giveaway, but no joy. She is no doubt working. I will continue to try to contact her...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 23, 2023, 11:08:53 AM »

I met with the woman who is this year's reciepient of the money you donated this morning at 0900.

After speaking with her, I feel she was the right person to receive the money.

I asked her if she had anything she wanted to say to the men here and she said the following:

"I would just like to thank you gentlemen for the blessing you have given me at Christmas. Its gonna be so helpful for me and my family and I just wanted to let you know that I really do appreciate it. Thank you so much and I do appreciate it gentlemen, it's a blessing."

I set the phone down and it recorded what she said which I have just transferred to this post. She was a little bit overwhelmed by this unexpected act of kindness. After hearing her immediate circumstances, this gift is hugely impactful to her life

Well done!

stlaser · « **Reply #25 on:** December 23, 2023, 11:20:30 AM »

Atkinsmatt · « **Reply #26 on:** December 23, 2023, 03:57:40 PM »

Outstanding. Thank you gentlemen.

oklawall · « **Reply #27 on:** December 23, 2023, 09:29:13 PM »

Outstanding to see God work

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

cj7ox · « **Reply #28 on:** January 04, 2024, 03:40:10 PM »

Amen!