Its that most wonderful....well you know the rest

wow I believe I am a little Scrooge this year. I live in Los Angeles but really was trying to go back East for the holiday but instead I will have another green Christmas this year. Maybe I'll just look to the mountains and admire the snow that way.

An old high school friend posted pics on Facebook of her in Switzerland right now..the photos were breathtaking and looked like most Christmas cards we send out!

Family and friends that's what truly matters this time of year. As we approach the end of the year I always wax nostalgic and think of the good times and prepare for what's ahead. So many things flood my thoughts from setting goals, preparing for marriage, (even though the beau is taking his time :) and enjoying my life. I have a good life.

Soon I will have more than enough work flooding my world as I gather my thoughts and put things in motion.

Time to get moving. Enjoy, celebrate. Be brave.

Giving

I recently read an article on volunteering for the homeless shelter and they wanted everyone to sign up. I thought about how the homeless are not just homeless at Christmas and remembered how inundated the shelter was when I was homeless with people coming to assist at the holiday. I remembered as I've volunteered at various charities throughout the year that this season is of course the busiest. How great would it be if we could all take time in the off season to be a blessing and to look beyond our own space and think of others; not just at Thanksgiving or Christmas but set aside time once a month to do something that stretches us.

An area that God deals with me specifically is in the area of sowing my time. I give clothes, money freely but time is the area where I am stingy! :) So now the stretching for me is in the one area I hold most dear and that's my time. So I make it a priority to sow into others that precious commodity and learn that truly isn't all about me and my agenda for life; but want God wants for me and how a simple gesture or kind word can truly change the course of someone's day or even the course of their life.

I challenge you to do the same a month or two months from now,when the holiday is over to remember the Los Angeles Mission, or any homeless shelter or the Los Angeles Food Bank and support them with your time. My personal fave is the Reading to Kids program too. Nothing is more grand than the written word. As a writer and lover of words, reading is one of my favorite pasttimes plus I love reading in front of kids and seeing the illumination or anticipation of what's to come on their faces.

Have a great day and let someone else see the Jesus in you. Smile, be kind, share Him today. :)