The Season

I love the Christmas season.  I love decorating the tree.  I love singing Christmas carols.  

I love baking and sharing goodies with family and friends.  

This was the first year Robbie was able to help us decorate our tree.  He had so much fun and we had a blast watching him be adorable.

 A few years ago I made these beaded candy canes.  I normally spread them equally about the tree.  Robbie decided they all should go in a cluster about a foot from the bottom.  Perfect! 

 I keep thinking that some day I will think back to our tree and that cluster of candy canes and remember these as the best times of our lives.  I love our little guy so much.

Another great thing about the season are the opportunities to give.  I am so grateful for my blessings.  I am thankful that I always have had food on the table and presents under the tree.  Even when money is "tight", it is always enough.  I think that it is incredibly important that we stop and say, "I am grateful.  I am blessed.  I want to share what I have with someone else."  Our church has been encouraging congregation members to make this a year round philosophy and not just a holiday event, but has participated in several holiday specific giving opportunities.

 One of these was "Christmas Dinner in a Bag"

We were given a shopping list for some grocery staples and returned them to the church.  Needy families are given the sack of groceries and also a turkey to have a nice holiday dinner.  This year I heard we provided dinner to nearly 100 families in our community.

Another opportunity was "Operation Christmas Child"

We filled two shoe boxes with gifts, toys, and toiletries.  We filled one for a little boy age 2-4 and one for a little girl age 2-4.  We went to the Samaritan's Purse website and printed a tracking label so we could follow our box.  It turned out that the boxes went to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

So does it really make a difference?

Do our gifts and food make a difference in the life our neighbors or in the lives of children halfway across the world? Maybe?  Maybe not.  I hope so.  I really really hope so.  But I can tell you 100% that it does make a difference to me... because I have to do something.  There is a line in "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss that I read to Robbie that says, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."  Giving a little time, a little money, and a whole lot of prayer is such a simple thing to do and it reminds me to be grateful for the things I do have.  I have a good life.  I am grateful.

Merry Christmas!