Wednesday, December 31, 2008
At Christmastime we ask our boys and girls to share with us their thoughts in this Holy Season. We pass them on to you with the hope that you will be encouraged to pray for our children and to choose goodness and happiness in your own lives.
1. If I could give a gift to someone in my family for Christmas, it would not be bought with money. It would be a changed me. I would show my mom a changed me, yes. It wouldn’t be the old foolish me running around robbing people burglarizing. Instead it would be a newer improved me that has replaced his ignorance with confidence so that he can do right, a new me that accepts feedback. He can do whatever he puts his mind to, positive things and not negative things that got me here.
--Gabriel
2. If I could give a gift to someone in my Boys Town family, it would be a gift that came with time. It would be a success story, my success story about how I came to Boys Town as what society calls a criminal, a thief and a thug. And instead of sticking to old ways, I change for the better. Merry Christmas Boys Town. --Joe
3. If I could give any Christmas gift whatsoever, I would give my family honesty. I would tell the truth about everything that I used to lie about. I would give my parents the trust in me that I believe it worthwhile. I would be able to be trusted, even with small things. I lost a lot of trust. I need to regain it. --Shannon
4. The worst Christmas I ever experienced was 2006. I was in placement because of my actions. And the best Christmas I ever had was all my Christmases at Boys Town. I have learned here the true meaning of Christmas. --Tazzi
5. The best Christmas I ever experienced was my first Christmas at Boys Town. I have never seen so many presents. I was appreciative for everything I received. Whatever presents I unwrapped, I always had a smile on my face. I thank Bruce and Janele for the presents. --Manuel
6. One gift I would give to my family back home would be to give my dad a brand new toolset and a couple of dollars. Another thing I would give him is a brand new winter coat, hat and gloves. And a gigantic hug and a pair of new boots.
If I could give a Christmas gift to my Boys Town family members, I would give all of them a huge gigantic hug and spend a whole lot of time with them trying to get to know them better and better each and every day. --Reagan
7. The worst Christmas I ever experienced was the first without my dad. I felt so empty. There was no possibility for me ever to have a family again.
The best Christmas I ever experienced was my second Boys Town Christmas with my Family-Teachers, the Baumgarts. This was my best Christmas because for the first time I felt like just maybe my hope and dream was coming true to have a family together. --Kahli
8. The best Christmas I ever experienced was here at Boys Town because I had a family to wake up to and was happy to give my help and to have the love and happiness surround me. It was the best Christmas I have ever experienced. --Tyler
9. I have never had a bad Christmas. Throughout my foster care, I have experienced many different Christmases. Each one has taught me more about family and how I need to be appreciative for family, not only about family but about the Baby at Bethlehem, as well. --Cristle
10. The best Christmas I ever experienced was in 2006, my first Boys Town Christmas. It was the first time that Christmas wasn’t about gifts. It was the day spent with family. I found I didn’t need presents to be happy. I saw I had a family to spend a real Christmas with. It opened my eyes and I became a grateful and caring person. --Chris
11. Since being here, I have noticed all of us deal with many life issues. Maybe some not as big as others. But I think that I would give everyone the opportunity to live in a loving safe home. I believe all families at Boys Town and around the world should possess the qualities of being loving and safe.
The best Christmas I believe is yet to come. I’ve had many beautiful and fun Christmases, but I think that when I get to have a family of my own that I will make the best Christmas ever.
--Jackey
12. Lately here at Boys Town, I have been getting in a lot of trouble. There have been many family meetings on my behavior and it is to the point where it seems the girls are in my house are babysitting and that’s not right. I am very close to all of them, Melissa, Alicia, Sara and Cheyenne. And I know I have let them all down. The best Christmas gift I can give them is my word, my word that I am sorry, my word that I am here to change. I want to do better. Lastly, I can give them my love. That’s all that matters in the end. --Name Withheld
13. A gift I would give my family back home is a gift to my sister. It is the gift to understand that nothing is always fair. I want her to understand things happen for a reason and they are not always her fault. I want to take the pain away she is felling. I want to give her the gift of reassurance to let her know that God will make things better at the end. --Natalya
14. If I could give any Christmas gift to my family, I would give them my presence by being there. I have not always been there for them and with them. I believe that the gift of my being there would be greater than any materialistic thing. I have not been able to actually live and stay with my family since I was 13. This would be my gift. --Kenny
15. To my Boys Town house, I would give the gift of sharing. I care about my housemates. We all need help, some more than others. But just being there for them would be a good thing to encourage them to do good when they are feeling down. --Reshaun
16. A gift I would give my mother is the satisfaction to let her know I will be staying at Boys Town until the day I graduate. Her dream for me was to be at Boys Town to complete high school. I am going to stay. --Gustavo
1. If I could give a gift to someone in my family for Christmas, it would not be bought with money. It would be a changed me. I would show my mom a changed me, yes. It wouldn’t be the old foolish me running around robbing people burglarizing. Instead it would be a newer improved me that has replaced his ignorance with confidence so that he can do right, a new me that accepts feedback. He can do whatever he puts his mind to, positive things and not negative things that got me here.
--Gabriel
2. If I could give a gift to someone in my Boys Town family, it would be a gift that came with time. It would be a success story, my success story about how I came to Boys Town as what society calls a criminal, a thief and a thug. And instead of sticking to old ways, I change for the better. Merry Christmas Boys Town. --Joe
3. If I could give any Christmas gift whatsoever, I would give my family honesty. I would tell the truth about everything that I used to lie about. I would give my parents the trust in me that I believe it worthwhile. I would be able to be trusted, even with small things. I lost a lot of trust. I need to regain it. --Shannon
4. The worst Christmas I ever experienced was 2006. I was in placement because of my actions. And the best Christmas I ever had was all my Christmases at Boys Town. I have learned here the true meaning of Christmas. --Tazzi
5. The best Christmas I ever experienced was my first Christmas at Boys Town. I have never seen so many presents. I was appreciative for everything I received. Whatever presents I unwrapped, I always had a smile on my face. I thank Bruce and Janele for the presents. --Manuel
6. One gift I would give to my family back home would be to give my dad a brand new toolset and a couple of dollars. Another thing I would give him is a brand new winter coat, hat and gloves. And a gigantic hug and a pair of new boots.
If I could give a Christmas gift to my Boys Town family members, I would give all of them a huge gigantic hug and spend a whole lot of time with them trying to get to know them better and better each and every day. --Reagan
7. The worst Christmas I ever experienced was the first without my dad. I felt so empty. There was no possibility for me ever to have a family again.
The best Christmas I ever experienced was my second Boys Town Christmas with my Family-Teachers, the Baumgarts. This was my best Christmas because for the first time I felt like just maybe my hope and dream was coming true to have a family together. --Kahli
8. The best Christmas I ever experienced was here at Boys Town because I had a family to wake up to and was happy to give my help and to have the love and happiness surround me. It was the best Christmas I have ever experienced. --Tyler
9. I have never had a bad Christmas. Throughout my foster care, I have experienced many different Christmases. Each one has taught me more about family and how I need to be appreciative for family, not only about family but about the Baby at Bethlehem, as well. --Cristle
10. The best Christmas I ever experienced was in 2006, my first Boys Town Christmas. It was the first time that Christmas wasn’t about gifts. It was the day spent with family. I found I didn’t need presents to be happy. I saw I had a family to spend a real Christmas with. It opened my eyes and I became a grateful and caring person. --Chris
11. Since being here, I have noticed all of us deal with many life issues. Maybe some not as big as others. But I think that I would give everyone the opportunity to live in a loving safe home. I believe all families at Boys Town and around the world should possess the qualities of being loving and safe.
The best Christmas I believe is yet to come. I’ve had many beautiful and fun Christmases, but I think that when I get to have a family of my own that I will make the best Christmas ever.
--Jackey
12. Lately here at Boys Town, I have been getting in a lot of trouble. There have been many family meetings on my behavior and it is to the point where it seems the girls are in my house are babysitting and that’s not right. I am very close to all of them, Melissa, Alicia, Sara and Cheyenne. And I know I have let them all down. The best Christmas gift I can give them is my word, my word that I am sorry, my word that I am here to change. I want to do better. Lastly, I can give them my love. That’s all that matters in the end. --Name Withheld
13. A gift I would give my family back home is a gift to my sister. It is the gift to understand that nothing is always fair. I want her to understand things happen for a reason and they are not always her fault. I want to take the pain away she is felling. I want to give her the gift of reassurance to let her know that God will make things better at the end. --Natalya
14. If I could give any Christmas gift to my family, I would give them my presence by being there. I have not always been there for them and with them. I believe that the gift of my being there would be greater than any materialistic thing. I have not been able to actually live and stay with my family since I was 13. This would be my gift. --Kenny
15. To my Boys Town house, I would give the gift of sharing. I care about my housemates. We all need help, some more than others. But just being there for them would be a good thing to encourage them to do good when they are feeling down. --Reshaun
16. A gift I would give my mother is the satisfaction to let her know I will be staying at Boys Town until the day I graduate. Her dream for me was to be at Boys Town to complete high school. I am going to stay. --Gustavo
posted by Fr. Peter | 7:49 AM
<< Home