shall yourselves find blessing

Last Christmas, I traveled south of the border to Mexico with my good friends, Judd and Debra. The purpose of our trip was to help spread holiday cheer to more than 5,000 beautiful Mixtecan people. You can read more about my experience here.

If we were still living in San Diego, I would absolutely head south of the border again. But this time, I would bring my whole family with me so that my children might better understand the people that we pray for every night.

Recently, I've been involved in fundraising efforts for local homeless charities in the Washington, D.C. area and I have been overwhelmed at the need right here, in our own country, at virtually the foot of the White House.

You don't need to travel to a foreign country to see people with great need.

But that trip to Mexico last year touched my heart so greatly, that this year, I set some of the pictures that I took to one of my favorite Christmas songs. I'd never really appreciated the lyrics to the song, Good King Wenceslas, until I heard it brilliantly performed by The Skydiggers, a Canadian folk band.



This is such a beautiful song and reminds me so much of the good work that Judd and Debra, and scores of others, 'round the world, do to help bring relief, compassion and most of all hope, to the impoverished.

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath'ring winter fuel

"Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know'st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither."
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather

"Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, women and men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing!

Please tell me your favorite Christmas song. For every comment left on this post, I will be donating $2.00 to help continue the good work of Hilarious Givers.

In giving, we receive.

And serving in Mexico last year was a real gift for me. It was also a very humbling experience for both my spirit and my stomach. I doubt I'll ever be able to eat a churro, again.