Best Christmas Gift

Sometimes the best gifts really don't cost anything.  I'm sure there's something from my past that explains this but this year I also got to experience this idea.

Now this isn't a story about what a good gift giver I am...but I (tagging along with several others) did give the best gift of the year.

It was Monday before Christmas when Linda, the secretary of the church received an unusual phone call.  The caller was a case worker for the Dept of Aging here in Sweetwater.  The case worker explained that she had a client who really wanted to hear carolers for Christmas and was there anyone at the church who could fill this request.

Well the request got to Lori Ortega, our music director.  She called the case worker and worked out a time when some carolers could come the house where Gerald Bohall, the client, lived.  That evening, Lori put out a text message to several people asking if anyone wanted to go caroling to a man who had requested this for Christmas to meet at the church in about five minutes.

Well....
We were about to go out to eat with the Tolles.  Chelsea was here and we didn't really "have the time" to go do this.  But on second thought we decided that we should go do this.  So Susan, Chelsea and I went and met Lori along with her family and our youth director, Stephen and JulieAnn.  We didn't even know the name of this person till we met up with Lori.

When we drove up the house, we went in and met Mr. Bohall and his wife.  He was in a wheel chair and on oxygen.  We all sang several Christmas carols and they seemed to be very appreciative of our effort.  Mr. Bohall told us as we were leaving that he had not been out of his house in two years except when his case worker took him to the doctor.  That made feel glad that we went.

Then on Friday, two days after Christmas, the Home Health Care worker was told by Mr. Bohall what a wonderful Christmas he had.  "This is the best Christmas I've ever had" he told the worker.  He told her about us carolers that came over and sang to him.  He described how happy that had made him.

And wouldn't you know it.  The next day was his last day on earth.  He died on Saturday.

So when someone asks you to do something nice for someone.  Don't put it off. Don't hesitate.  Just go do it.  You just might make someone's best Christmas ever.  And it didn't cost anything.