I am drawn to the opportunities to support those who need a boost this Christmas. It might be the ringing of the bell that draws me towards the Salvation Army red kettle or the tip line for the waitress or nail tech. I have seen children’s names and ages on Angel Trees, and I wonder about families living paycheck to paycheck and don’t have enough to make it a special time of year for those they love.
I know I can’t give to every need, and I am reminded that not only gifts or material things make Christmas special. I am reminded of something my Dad would say when he and my Mom were raising five kids, and they didn’t know if ends would always meet.
When they were met with an opportunity, he would ask, “Will we eat a sandwich less if we do this?”
Over the years, we have often repeated this question to remind us that the choice to be generous often has a minimal cost impact on how we live our day-to-day lives. I invite you to be generous this Christmas and into 2024. Make it a part of who you are. Be generous with your giving, words of affirmation, kindness, shared spaces, and the grace you offer others!
May we give and receive with open hearts,
Trish