Better than a Hallmark Christmas Movie

In spite of my resolve not to, I have watched a good many Hallmark Christmas Movies in the past couple of months. If one thinks on a realistic level, you know they are ridiculous. They reuse the actors, the sets, and the story line over and over. The movies are predictable and cheesy as best.  Yet none the less there is something about them that draws people in.  The Holderness Family of YouTube fame referred to it as Christmas Prozac. I think it is the predictable happy ending that is so appealing, especially this year among so much turmoil in our world.  Honestly I have so many issues with the whole Hallmark franchise and often declare I am not longer going to buy into it ANYMORE.  Then next thing I know, I am snuggled up with the latest Hallmark version of happily ever after.  There are multiple things I could say about Hallmark but for the sake of this post, I want to point out one common story line.

It is a common notion among Hallmark Christmas movies that a stranger walks into a Christmas themed town and is embraced by the local mayor, Café owner, innkeeper and most recently jilted or widowed town bachelor/bachelorette. They give him/her a place to stay, invite him/her to the kitchen table, let him/her flip the switch at the Christmas tree lighting, give him/her access to the cash register and entrust him/her to babysit the town children. Excuse me, who is REALLY going to do that for a stranger???  Where is the background check? The references? The drug test? The idea for some reason is appealing but who are we kidding.

The book of Matthew records Jesus saying "when I was a stranger and you took me into your home, you did it for me,"  (slight Linda paraphrase) And obviously by the use of the story line in Hallmark ,there is something about that concept that is appealing.  However I don't think it typically happens like Hallmark portrays it. BUT I have seen it played out before me in my life.  This story is about my mom.  This is about my mom caring for a stranger in a way that is messier and less glamorous than Hallmark yet no doubt what I believe Jesus was talking about.

Throughout my life I have watched my mom give of her time, money, and love to people who where not her family. There have been multiple families who she met through Christmas sponsorship or child mentorship that she has invested her life in way beyond a one time food and gift drop or tutoring during school hours.  But one of the most outstanding evidences is the "widows,"  single older women that my mom has cared for and made a part of our family.  In my high school years there was our neighbor Betty C.  She was old and cranky with a hyper, over protective cocker spaniel.  For the last several years of her life, my mom was a key player in seeing that she had what she needed and helping with the closure of her estate. During my 40's , it was her neighbor Ida who mom helped and loved.  Mom helped Ida when her husband passed away. Miss Ida became a regular at our Holiday table.  Mom visited her regularly in the nursing home up until her death and helped her daughter settle her estate following.  Then there is Betty A.  Mom simply met her while delivering Meals on Wheels twenty some  years ago. In these past twenty years Mom has helped her move, carried her to the doctor, visited her daily in the nursing home during various stays, transported her on weekly grocery runs, assisted with paperwork and so on.  Currently Betty is on hospice in the nursing home just around the corner from mom's condo.  If it wasn't for Covid, I am sure mom would be visiting daily at she had been prior to March.  As it is last Sunday found mom and I standing at her bedroom window waving at her.

In all these scenarios, mom has been there at the end helping to wrap up the loose ends. Honestly that is not a job most of us want to do for our family members much less a non family member. Last weekend mom and I were cleaning out Betty's house because her POA (not mom) is going to rent the house after it has sat vacant for a year.  Betty has no family and mom knew the POA though he cares for Ms. Betty would basically go in and put what little she had into the dumpster.  Mom and I went in and found things that would be sentimental to Betty's few friends or useful if donated to a thrift store. Mom boxed up the important papers that testified to Betty's life. As I saw it, mom gave dignity to Betty's life by not just letting it all be swept into a dumpster.  

The first Betty had only a few estranged family members.  Ms. Ida's daughter was far away with no family nearby.  And Ms. Betty A has no family living.  And my mom took them in.  She didn't just invite them in for a Christmas meal or let them flip the switch at the Christmas tree Lighting.  My mom invested in these women's lives for the long haul through the less than glitzy moments.  She loved these strangers and made them family.  I think this is what Jesus was talking about. I am so grateful because the truth is the Plants' family as a whole has been enriched because of these women and  the example mom set before us.  And let me tell you, I think that is way better than a Hallmark Christmas Movie.