An Unusual Christmas Surprise

On Christmas Eve, the family and I went to the local church for the Christmas service. This was a hard time for my wife, as her father had passed shortly after the holidays a few years ago. Along with us, my wifes son from a previous marriage, who was spending Christmas with us also reluctantly came along.
The service was very nice, song, story, and testimony. One testimony that took both my wife and I by surprose, was that of her son. He had gotten himself led astray and wandered down the wrong path, as did I when I was his age. He started getting himself together, going back to school and trying to get his life in order. In church that night, he stood much to the amazment to his mother and myself and simply gave thanks to new beginings. I was proud, his sister smiling and his mother close to tears of happiness.

After the service was over, we decided to give to others less fortunate. Now, everyoneone knows that around this time of year, the generous people who give, do so to familys in need, the homeless, ect. This year we decided to give to the ones, who, most would rather forget for one reason or another, including their own families. So, kids in the SUV, 10 liters of eggnog, cookies, doughnuts and chocolate bars, we all headed down to one of the local halfway houses in town.
We all know the stories of how those who commit crime should be locked away, and most do end up like that that, but what happens when they are released back into the community? For some, they still have family and loved ones to lean on, and help them better themselves, (not all do), but some have no one to turn to for even a smile.
We arrived at the halfway house, a few former inmates mulling around, pulled out the treats we had bought and set them them out for these guys to help themselves. What was surprising is that everyone of these men, who were once condemed for whatever reason, all smiled and thanked us. There was even a few who really made us smile, the main point of what we hoped we would achive.
It is in my own opinion, that if we can all learn to forgive a little at times like these and open our hearts. Show everyone that little bit of kindness we all have somewhere in our hearts. We can’t change the world, but we can make a difference.