On this beautiful fourth day of December,as you prepare for Christmas what are your plans for giving this season? I’m making a conscious effort this year to think seriously about this question. Of course, we all buy for our families and friends.
I know that I need to make a list for who I am buying for, decide on price limit for each gift and make sure that when I total this, it doesn’t exceed my budget. What? A budget for Christmas? Yes, if you don’t want added stress in the new year!
The thing I don’t want to forget or put off is the other giving I want to do more of this month. It truly is a time of year that either thrills people or greatly saddens them. I sincerely want to reach out to those who are alone, sad, or maybe they recently lost someone and this is going to be a particularly rough Christmas. Yes, I have already given money to charity and want to do more in that arena as well, but sometimes our time, a smile, freshly baked cookies, or just randomly doing a chore for someone is just as important.
I met a woman this week who doesn’t need anything monetarily and she looks fine and smiles a lot. What I found out though is that her husband recently left her and she’s alone. My first thought would be that there isn’t really anything I could do; after all she isn’t local. However, I WILL find a way to somehow make her holiday brighter, even if it’s sending a note. It’s easy to overlook needs if we aren’t looking at people and situations with love and open hearts.
Will you partner with me and search out some of these needs in your community? If you already do, God Bless You, you rock! I think most of us have good intentions, but sometimes the busyness of the season wears us down until we don’t even enjoy it. We will enjoy it most when we give most!
Have a great night!
Long walks and dark chocolate 
I will partner with you and carry it on here in Arcadia..This past Thanksgiving I found myself with time on my hands as we were not having our dinner until late afternoon….God laid it on my heart to reach out and I did. I called the Bread Of Life Mission who hands out dinners to the needy and volunteered my time. I tell you Lisa it was the most rewarding and blessed day for me. I met some great people and made new friends..Everyone was so grateful and appreciative of all we were doing for them.. I will definitely be back there for Christmas and I will make time to for others until then..You are so right in that we all get busy and lose sight of the meaning of the season..To give of our time with a true heart is very rewarding indeed. It flows up and I am sure our God in Heaven will be smiling down on us…Job well done my friend…
That’s awesome, Jencie and your words were beautifully said.
Yes!! This is so true!!:-) I plan on doing the same!:-) great little read sister! Love you:-*
Great writing Lisa!! This is so true — we can all do our part in blessing people with things that don’t cost. Love is free so we need to give it all. ❤