A time of thanks and giving

I try to spend my time looking for good in people and helping people. Recently I was pleasantly suprised to discover that sometimes you are judged by your actions and nothing else in life. One of the local women in my community and I signed onto a blog to win a contest. I posted my entry and so did she, but I didn't know she had entered the same contest. I was checking up on the contest late one night, around 11:30 to discover she had gone back to the blog and left a message to the blog owner to tell her that I should win. I cried, I couldn't believe that she did that. I am not much of a crier, but it touched me to discover she had noticed my efforts to help others. The idea was to post something that you did to help another person but made you feel good about yourself. Leslie recognized that I try to donate time, materials, manpower, whatever it takes to help people less fortunate than myself. Thanks, Leslie, you will never know how that made me feel.

I grew up in a home with 8 children. There were some financial challenges for my parents having all those children along with lack of education and blue collar jobs. We ate, we survived. However, I know there were times when it was very difficult for them (mom and Dad) to provide for me.


Friday I took hours off work to ring the bell at the Salvation Army kettles to bring in money for folks that are hurting during these rough financial times.

I remember when my little sister had kidney disease. My folks struggled with having enough money as well as cash for the medications, dip sticks she had to have done on her urine up to 6 or more times a day depending on how ill she was, they also had to make a 100 mile round trip to the hospital many times a day when she was hospitalized. There were no drug cards to help pay for meds in 1976. There was no offers of help, money, food, etc. for them. They sucked it up and did what they could. I give because I hope it helps somebody else in a situation like that.

I only know that I get great pleasure in helping others. I hope you all do, too.

I just learned from our local pantry that they need blankets, crackers, flour, oil, cornmeal, and spices. Their canned goods are looking good right now, but if you have a few extra dollars, please think about helping them out. Even take them 1 item, it all adds up.

You never know when a tragedy like cancer or a horrible illness will hit your household. You might need that helping hand. I am a firm believer in what the Word says, to give and it will come back to you 10 fold.

Happy holidays, be thankful for what you have and Give what you can, the feeling is priceless.