Issue 28: “'Twas the Night Before a Single Mom's Christmas”
"Poetry is a nightingale that sits in the darkness and sings…"
-Percy Bysshe Shelley
Our mission at the Matthew 25 Initiative is to equip and sustain Anglicans serving alongside the vulnerable. The work of justice and mercy is often wondrous and also difficult. Holding beauty, naming pain, and contending for hope is what M25i does well. Walter Brueggeman writes, "A poem utters the unutterable and thinks the unthinkable." In places of brokenness, where much feels unutterable and unimaginable, we encounter Jesus. Continue with us in reflection and prayer through this series, "For the Soul," as poetry might offer us Spirit-soaked imaginations.
Before you begin...
This month, we are considering God's heart for single moms and recognizing the great effort it takes to care for children alone. Last week, in our Friday email (see link below), we offered "glasses" to really see mothers who are raising their children without the support of a spouse. Jesus calls us to love these women and hold them within the family of Christ, and all of Scripture calls us to care well for our modern day "widows and orphans."
Enjoy this Christmas-in-August poem as you read it out loud. Take in the unexpectedness of the story it tells.
Listen for the Spirit to speak through these words and take a moment to pray for the over 15 million single moms in the United States, the 1.84 million single parent homes in Canada, and the 5.62 million in Mexico.*
'Twas the Night Before a Single Mom's Christmas
by Jennifer Maggio
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the place,
Only mom was stirring, as she washed her tired face.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that something good might soon be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of phones & iPads danced in their heads;
And mamma rushed and rushed about – to and fro,
Scrubbing the floors, and then….the commode.
Mom quickly moved to the very next task.
It was the laundry, dishes, and then…the trash.
She paused for a moment for one bite of supper.
Then, back at it again, with no one to help her.
After her house was spic and span,
She rushed to the kitchen – recipe in hand.
She pulled out the flour, the sugar, and milk,
In no time, she’d have this cake built.
As she whipped & mixed, then placed in the oven,
Chores mounted & mounted…six….maybe seven?
She sang and smiled, as she completed her list,
Knowing this special day couldn’t be missed!
Sweat rolled down her face, as she tended each detail;
Smiling with glee at what tomorrow entailed.
She rushed to the closet and pulled out a bag,
With only one small gift per child to be had.
She pulled out the tape, the bows, and the paper.
And slowly wrapped each – with love and favor.
She paused for a moment, as tears hit the floor.
If only, she prayed, she could do more!
After hours and hours of each lowly task,
The mom hit the pillow and finally collapsed.
She awoke early morning, coffee in hand,
As happy kiddos walked…and then ran!
Excited they were, as they opened gifts with zeal,
And hugged mom’s neck and let out a squeal!
As each hustled around and played with their toy,
Mom grabbed the Bible for this Christmas story.
As she read aloud, each kid was amazed…
They leaned in, and listened, with their eyes all a-glaze.
This love that she shared of the Jesus she knew,
They all quickly realized, it was enough for this crew.
As she finished the reading and closed the book,
Tears filled her eyes, as she gave each a look.
She proclaimed her love for every child – each one,
And tears flowed down, by the time she was done.
Tears flowed from exhaustion and overwhelm and joy,
The love that she felt for her girls and her boy!
It could only be explained by the love of a Father,
Who loved us enough, to send us a Savior.
And this mom took a deep breath and dried her tears.
As she realized, her Savior had sustained her for years.
She grabbed her kiddos, and rushed to the kitchen.
After a warm meal, the kids silently listened.
Mom grabbed the cake and lit it a-glow.
Happy Birthday to Jesus, the words start to flow.
This is everything I need, she knew with all her might,
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Anglicans loving single moms, their kids, and teens.
During their twenty years of small group ministry, Matt and Melissa Lindell experienced many broken marriages and families. After walking alongside many single moms in varying states of struggle and not finding local resources to help, they created Not Alone Ministries.
At the Matthew 25 Initiative, we hope to shape an ACNA that is known for its vision of those who are most vulnerable in our society.
We help parishes and dioceses strategize, launch new works of justice and mercy, revamp works that have gotten stuck, and offer resources to their churches that can mature what it means to be Anglicans who love Christ in the poor, the imprisoned, the stranger, and the hungry.
*The statistics in this newsletter are from Statista.com
