Feeling "poor"

I suddenly had a feeling today that I appear poor to some people. I also realized that most of my friends seem ridiculously greedy this time of year...

Jerry and I decided to sponsor two children in foster care whose foster parents do not have the ability to buy them gifts. Jerry sent me a message stating that we have so much that he would like to share it with others this Christmas. Somewhere along the way (somewhat through a miscommunication), this thougt turned into, "Let's spend money on these children and forego exchanging gifts with each other." I have to tell you that this is a GIANT sacrifice for me as everywhere I go, I see things that I want to buy my husband.

It's true though, we are not needy. Anything that we want for ourselves, we either buy it right away or establish a plan of action to get it. We both come from amazing, giving families who have never and will never let us go without being able to meet our basic needs.

I have been extra stupid-sappy this Christmas because I am so proud to be married to a man who never asks for anything and seeks primarily to make others happy. Just yesterday, we invited a friend to join us for the Cyclones game this evening. He laid out a laundry list of reasons why he couldn't go, finally ending with, "I can't afford it." As if on cue, hubs and I looked at each other, nodded, and having never said a word to one another turned to this friend and offered to treat him and his daughter to the game as a gift. I love that we both have that attitude and the relationship to know we are each thinking it.

I have been asked by many people what I am getting my husband for Christmas. They are often shocked to hear that we aren't exchanging gifts. My co-worker even made a comment about how she and her husband are fortunate enough to have stupid amounts of money to spend on each other at Christmas. I felt like she was looking down on me and calling me poor in that singular statement. (this would be the same person who once told me that she would consider divorcing her husband if he didn't get her an extravagant gift for Sweetest Day - a made up holiday!)

On top of that instance, I read facebook status updates all the time about people who are requesting some perfect, unattainable gift from a spouse or family member. And I see them as purely greedy. It kinda makes me sick and a little sad for them at the same time. Yes, I have given people Christmas wish lists - upon request. But I do it hesitantly and only because I know that I will be receiving a gift from them either way, so it may as well be something that I like.

I don't know exactly where I am going with all of this other than to say that I am not poor. I have more wealth than it is fair for Jerry and me to keep to ourselves. I just wish that being charitable did not leave others with such a bad impression of me, particularly when the response should be quite the opposite.