Sometimes God uses a Christmas Tree to give hope

I have been sick for a long time; diagnosed with Sarcodosis in 2010 they believe I actually had it since 1994. I had to cut my hours of working because it will cause a problem with my trying to get my disability.

Over the past month, my hood has had several of its young people murdered. Some of them on freezing nights. The hood gets a break from shootings and Shot Fireds during the cold season. We lost several people this year.

I also became an empty nester, my youngest left the next on Nov 30, 2017. With all this stress and sadness going on I got the blues and I was feeling hopeless.  I was losing my faith and any hope I had was gone.

Then I got a text someone donated a Christmas tree to me and it would be delivered the 18th of December. I was at work but when I got off the tree was there. I noticed it was a big tree, the tree I always wanted but couldn't afford. I also got ornaments and a gift for me. Only God knew this was the tree I always wanted. I knew then that it would be fine.

The next day my Social Worker and nurse delivered presents for my grandchildren. Today I picked up additional gifts for Christmas from Gisele Fetterman, the First Lady of Braddock. I am truly blessed.

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Struggling to give kids a simple Christmas becomes more difficult

It's Christmas time and parents are busy shopping and making plans. Poor parents struggle with trying to get at least one of the things on their children's wish list. When they are children and even Pre teens it is easier but teenagers are extremely difficult. Poor teens are aware that their parents can't afford the items they want and most hide their disappointment and enjoy the gifts they got. Poor parents feel like failures when they can not give their children the things they want. People want to know why poor parents buy Jordan's for their children. When you constantly fail your kids because of poverty you are desperate to do whatever you want to do like buying your son the Jordans or Timberlin boots.

We have a lot to deal with our children. High murder rates and constant shootings and trauma of living in the hood. Kids here are affected by trauma due to that and add to that a loss of utilities, not having enough food, a loss of income or any other issue that might come up. The kids here don't complain but they can take only so much before they come to you and beg you to move out of the neighborhood because of more shootings or a homicide of a good friend it makes you feel hopeless. Well meaning people ask Can't you move? It's not that easy when most places that are affordable are just like your current one. All you can do is comfort them at that point.  You still feel helpless.  So at Christmas time we make more money by working overtime or taking a second job just to be able to give our teens something that they want so bad.

The cut off age for  toys and gifts from Charity is 12. I understand why because no one likes teens but poor teens wind up being forgotten except by their families.

I remember when my son wanted a pair of $175 Tims but his feet was growing so fast so he got the cheap boots. He was disappointed but now he understands that you don't drop $200 for a pair of boots for growing feet. I did get him a new game he wanted though.

Girls are a lot easier than boys because boys want a lot of expensive clothes and game system. I don't care what you heard my boys were more expensive or at least they are in the ghetto.