Merry Christmas to All

Like many of you, this time of year is a paradox for me. I love this season - the lights, the tree hunting, the baking...and the gifts. I really enjoy picking out something for each person on my list that I know will be a joyous surprise. All the while, I hear my kids have conversations, like the one they had yesterday in the car, that go something like: "I love Christmas - it's my favorite holiday." "Mine, too. But maybe I like my birthday more because I get presents AND cake." *sigh* Doesn't that just warm your heart?

We've all heard it this year. America spends multiple gazillion dollars on Christmas; in contrast, the world could be fully vaccinated with a small portion of that sum. Although Americans plan to spend less on the holidays this year than in the past several years, it's not just about holding back a few additional dollars; it's about making the world a little better place for others as well. It's about generosity and humility and a little perspective.

After that conversation start yesterday, the kids and I decided to put together a list of ways we can help others enjoy their holiday season and choose as a family which ones we will join with this year. I'm starting our list, but I would love to have input. What are other organizations or ideas for giving that you think are great?

• Sponsor a child through Compassion International, Samaritan's Purse, or another reputable child sponsor organization.
• Buy a malaria resistant mosquito net for an African family (this is what we gave our dads for Father's Day - to help a few children who may not have fathers).
• Provide a micro loan in order for someone in a developing country to begin a business that will support their family.
• Buy a goat, chicken, alpaca, pig, or some other cute animal that will help support a family.
• Take food to our local food bank.
• Choose a family we know personally and sneakily drop off gifts & food (I read of one family who blesses a family every year with an anonymous twelve days of Christmas countdown of decorations, food, and small gifts).
• Give needed clothes or toys to a foster child.
• Make homemade Christmas decorations for elderly people in a near-by retirement home.
  

What else?

Wishing a fabulous holiday season for ALL of us.

Give Money Away!

Feel like donating to a charity today with someone else's money? Check out this cool project by Squidoo - click here.

Free the Rice!

A friend introduced me to a new site this evening that I can already see might be a bit of an addiction. FreeRice is a vocabulary game - for each three correct words in a row, you move up a level; each mistake drops you back down one. As a bonus, for each word correctly defined, the United Nations World Food Program receives ten grain of rice to distribute to needy countries. So not only am I playing a game, I'm getting smarter while I do it and feeding hungry families, too! How great is that?

Although I hit level 39, I really hover around 36 most comfortably. The first time Allan sat down with it, he shot right up there to 45. You know who to turn to next time you are playing Scrabble. Try it out!