Giving

After seeing the Red Kettle on a fellow bloggers site, I have decided to add one here. I also added it to my Facebook profile page. In this season of Christmas, it seems that everyone, including myself, gets so wrapped up in trying to get just the right gifts, spend a certain amount on each person, get something on that person's list(even when they have everything) that they will like, maybe we ought to find needs in our communities and give in other peoples names. Then at Christmas, give them a nice card and tell how you helped someone in need in their name. Everyone gets so wrapped up in making sure your house is decorated better than your neighbors. How about you take some cookies over and give them to your neighbor instead? Instead of trying to "outgive" other family members by seeing who spends more money on a gift, why not do something nice for that family member, make some meals for their freezer, offer to watch their kids, offer to help them in some other way. I think Christ would rather we give to those in true need, rather than give to those who have everything and will probably take the gift back and get the money or another item instead. We are supposed to be showing the love of Christ, not greediness. What is the legacy that we are leaving our kids? Will they learn to live happily with what they have been blessed with, or be the kind that think they need the latest video game to be "cool"? I have really been rethinking the whole idea of the gift giving this year. With the economy in the state that it is, we need to learn to be happy with what we have, not wanting more. I have found out since I have been unable to work, we really don't need a lot of things that we thought we needed. We are learning what wants vs needs are. I have been able to shop and feed our family of 4 on less each month than some people I know. What we spend on groceries in one month, they spend each week. It is a matter of convienence, and want not need. I have been trying to do a lot more with a lot less and have been able to get things done and we enjoy it more because it has caused us to learn to be more creative. Well, I am going to stop the rant for tonight. I am going to get some things done since I can't sleep. The headache has been bad today. The snow and storm system that we have moving in is going to be a tough one. I can already feel it. Going to keep up with all my meds and try and keep it at a minimum.