What a wonderful ending to 2010. We had an amazing Christmas season and feel blessed to welcome all the new members of The Santa Club. So many of you have gotten in touch with us about how the story of The Santa Club has impacted your family. Each and every one of your stories is very special, thank you for sharing. We are honored that The Santa Club is the answer you all were looking for.
One of the amazing stories we were told is so marvelous, I would like to share it with you. It is a story about Faith. A grandmother in the UK who was sent The Santa Club told of how this book gave her faith. She said that she had been struggling with her faith and after reading the book she was given “her faith back”. We all realize that something magical is going on with this book. But her admission that the book helped restore her faith was truly a gift. Faith is something that our family lives by every day and we believe that it is one of the most important aspects of being human.
Faith is defined by dictionary.com as confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. It is also defined as Faith in God and his promises, which is the Faith that the Grandmother had lost until this past Christmas and our family lives by every day. Even those of us with great faith can have it waiver. We all go thru it. We can lose faith in ourselves, or each other. We can lose faith in God. The terrible scene in Tucson is a perfect example of a time when our faith is tested but yet redeemed.
Jared Loughner is a very disturbed, mentally ill human being. His actions are one of those things in life that tests our faith. Some may even lose their faith. Hearing the evil acts this young man did tests our faith in humanity, in people and in God. Many question why. Why would anyone do this? Why would someone inflict so much evil on another or others? Why would God allow this? Mental illness is something that those of us who are healthy cannot explain, or even rationalize. As I hear all the news people, the politicians, and others rationalizing why this man did this, I cringe. For us to rationalize at something we cannot fathom is futile. There is evil in this world and as much as we wish to stop all evil, it is something that cannot always be stopped. Evil things happen here on this earth. Just as I cannot begin to know the mind of a truly mentally ill person, I cannot know why evil happens here. My faith tells me that God has a plan and bigger things are going on than what we see. That just as the story of Santa Claus has much more going on than the fat guy in a red suit, hard times have much more going on behind the scenes as well. What I do is let go of the questions I cannot answer. I let go of things like why did he do it, and why did this happen. I let go but I cling to one thing…..
I hold on to God. Pretty simple but my faith is just that. I am no different than anyone else. We all question our faith or we wouldn’t be human. Knowing I am human and cannot begin to know some things or understand them, I pray. I pray for strength and then I look for the amazing stories that I know will come from the evil and unexplained.
Like the story of Dorwin Stoddard who thru saving his wife he perished. His story of sacrifice and love is amazing as well as the life he lived every day. And Mary Reed who protecting her daughter was shot three times and is recovering. A mom who during what must have been some horrendous moments thought of her family and daughter first. Not to mention the story of the nine year old Christina Taylor Green. Here is a little girl who could be a member of The Santa Club. At nine she is at the right age to ask, Is Santa Real and had told her mom she wanted to help those less fortunate. She is one life that makes you ask why. Why her and why so young? Even in her young age she touched so many lives and that is an amazing story we need to remember. There are many other stories of that day in Tucson and even though this unspeakable evil is still fresh, I promise more amazing stories will come. It doesn’t change the pain that we all or they feel, nor will it take it away. But Faith is fighting thru the pain and the unfathomable to realize what is beyond.
The grandmother in the UK said she lost her faith, but reading the book, brought it back. I can only imagine why the book was the catalyst to bring it back. I believe that the simple story of a baby, who becomes an amazing man that changes history and continues to change the world 2 thousand years later is the reason. Whether you believe in Jesus as the son of God or not, his story changes lives. It redeems our faith that there is more to life than unspeakable evils. It is Faith personified. His sacrifice is what redeems our faith. Just as the stories of sacrifice in Tucson bring us hope. Their actions redeem our faith in the good.
We thank you for an amazing 2010. We are praying for the community of Tucson and for the victims. We pray that 2011 becomes the year you always wished for. That even thru the tough times we all endure your faith is restored by some wonderful act of giving. We pray that the spirit of Santa is with you all year.
May God Keep You and Bless You,
Kelly, Joe, and all of us at The Santa Club
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