How are your Christmas preparations coming? I hope they are well on their way and all you are doing is designed to remember the Savior's birth and life, putting His Spirit into the season. As we think of our family and loved ones, and our gifts to them, I hope we will also think of those who may not have family to share the holiday, those who might be suffering from a loss, or who are in need in some other way.
As I have read posts from Facebook friends, I've come across several ideas for sharing the holiday. Here are a few: My cousin, Lois, in Rhode Island, wrote:
I
started doing (Christmas cards for soldiers) as a Community service project through the
Grange- an organization I belong to. They did it for 2 years and then took
up another project.. I really liked this idea and after seeing so many
of our young soldiers returning home from the war missing arms and legs,
blind, etc. I decided it was something I wanted to keep doing..The
address I have is : Holiday Mail For Heroes P.O.Box 5456 Capitol
Heights, Md. 20791_5456. They like them as early in December as
possible so they can check them. I guess they've found traces of powder
and other things that could hurt the Soldiers.
Sheila, a friend in Montana gave this suggestion: I...send magazines called Guidepost and Angels, and craft kits to
wound warriors.You can go to Guidepost web site and find out about
them. (Check out) paralyzed veterans, in Wilton,NH. They
send address labels to people for a $3.00 Donation. They gave me the
place to send money for the craft kits........It's kind of nice I have
gotten thank you cards from those who recieved kits.
A Florida friend, Mary Anne, posted this: sent
hubby about town making donations to organizations near and dear to
us...prepping the grandkids on how to share and this
season...participating in the school food drive and dropped off a few
gift certificates for late comers...and it is only the beginning
of December...I am sure other projects will move me over the coming
days... and as always daily prayers and gathering with like minded
friends and family for a Christ driven Christmas.
As we prepare our homes and hearts for this season of giving, we may find there are meaningful gifts that cannot be placed in a box and wrapped in paper. As I attempt to put away my own feelings of selfishness, I find myself asking the questions: "What would Christ do? How would He reach out to others? What would His perfect eyes see? What service would His perfect hands perform?"
Is there a widow down the street who is lonely? Is there someone I know who is confined to a nursing home? Is there a caregiver who could use a break to do some holiday shopping? None of these gifts costs us anything but a bit of our time. Although they have no price tag, they are priceless acts of service that have a lasting impact. They are gifts that will be cherished and appreciated, by those who receive them, but also by those who give them, long after the holidays have ended, and right on, into the New Year.
Happy Holidays, and Happy Christmas Preparations!!
I hope all of us enjoyed a wonderful weekend, celebrating our blessings and spending time with family. Unfortunately, we hardly had time to begin digesting Thanksgiving dinner when every major department store and electronics chain was beckoning (screaming) at us to come and take advantage of their sales. I'm not one to listen to the Siren's call, but I know that many others do, and enjoy a bundle of savings for their troubles. I'm more of a slow paced gal. I love to peruse a nearly empty shop, smile at other customers, say hello, make some small talk, and linger over my purchasing decisions.
So what did I do this weekend, if not shop??? Well, in all honesty, I did go to one store on Friday--a crafts store that was doing a booming business. I needed a scrap booking album, and found a great buy. I picked up a couple of other sales as well, but I did it in Sharon mode: Stopped to chat with a couple of women who were also looking at the albums. Browsed the store for gift ideas, carefully maneuvering around other customers, smiling and ignoring the traffic problems. Stood in a l--o--n--g line, which moved rather quickly (thank you Michaels for having plenty of staff on hand) and effortlessly to the check out stands as I made small talk with the ladies behind me. It was a pleasant, if crowded, experience.
What of the remainder of the long weekend? I cleaned the house, borrowed movies from a neighbor, and caught up on my ironing. Yes, I know, I'm old fashioned and I still iron. But I got it done--all in the presence of Cary Grant. It was great!! On Sunday I attended worship services, and was happy that my husband was up to going, too. However, the highlight of our weekend was spending some time with family as Lynn (my husband) got to visit with his sister at the naming and blessing of a newborn great nephew (kind of like a christening, but no baptism involved. That comes later--at age 8). Chubby little Cohen is the latest addition to a family of (now) four boys and a girl. It is so exciting to see a wee one come into a home where love is strong and family ties are thoughtfully made and carefully secured to last forever.
So, as I kicked off the Christmas shopping season, it was pretty devoid of shopping, but there was a lot of Christmas spirit, because the Christmas spirit is the spirit of Christ's love. I felt a lot of that! As I watched Cohen's big brother, Mason, tickle and admire him, I was reminded of what really matters. Black Friday deals come and go, but strong families and new babies are the best gifts anyone could ask for.
