We’re always up to something in the community. And this time of year is no different!
I feel like just yesterday it was November 1st, yet now we're almost 1/3 of the way through the month!! I keep asking myself, “What in the world is happening with time? Is it because I'm older? Is it because we own a business now?” And let me just say—I haven't gotten any answers!! The rhetorical questions go up into space and float around with no replies! (I’d share if answers ever drifted back, LOL!)
But yes, Thanksgiving and Christmas are staring us directly in the face!
Certainly, like many people, I don't particularly enjoy the stress of the holidays! Nor do I care for the commercialization and materialism because it takes away from the meaning behind it all. For our family, it's about celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus, and appreciating the blessings we have in life, despite the obstacles. We tend to “clump it all together,” with Thanksgiving → Christmas → New Year’s as one big, drawn-out festivity! It's the end-of-the-year, feel-good, mug-of-warm-cocoa time of good cheer and love for each other and the community in which we live.
What I love about the holidays, simply stated, is all the warm fuzzies! The music, the beauty of the season, the decorations, the cheer, the time with friends and family, and the overall joy that it brings amid the chaos of life! I feel as though it brings out the best in everyone and helps us to pause for a hot second, absorb it all, and appreciate the “small” things. (Are they really that small?!)
AdmittedEach year, as a family, we find ourselves shopping not just for our family and friends, but for those less fortunate. It's become an unspoken tradition—we get excited about finding deals so that our dollar goes a little further, and we can purchase more for others in need!
Last year, I found myself with toys in the back of my car, waiting to swing by a Toys for Tots drop-off location. In fact, in light of the usual evaporation of time (hehehe), I almost didn't get them dropped off in time! Since we always partner with the Toys for Tots program as a family, we thought it would be perfect to have a bin at the office and serve as a collection location!
I encourage you to join us this year and grab some extras the next time you're out shopping! The program accepts new, unused, unwrapped toys to distribute throughout our community. They’ll be coming around to collect the bins of toys with time to sort and distribute, so the deadline is rather early—December 7th.
Let’s spread some cheer!!!
Dr. B
