Safe Travels

If there is typically a pile of presents under your Christmas tree, consider yourself blessed. Hopefully you're grateful that you can both give and receive. Not everyone has that privilege. 

While you're shopping during this holiday season, consider adding to your list. Someone less fortunate. Someone you might not even know.

My church made it easy. We participate in Operation Christmas Child organized by Samaritan's Purse, an international relief organization. A couple weeks ago we could take a red shoe box home and fill it with goodies for a child likely on the other side of the globe.

If you don't think you can fit much in a shoe box, think again. They provide guidelines for what isn't allowed and what's encouraged – from hygiene items to educational tools to something FUN!

I was kind of fun to see what I could all cram in there. I chose to shop for a K-3 aged boy and managed to fit all of the above in the box. With little to no wriggle room.

 Today my fellow church elves and I dedicated 49 boxes and prayed for a safe journey tomorrow.

And yes, even though the collection sites close tomorrow, you can still donate to this cause. They ship these gifts to over 100 countries, so any support is welcomed, I'm sure. Click here to learn more.

And if you want to know what's on MY list. It's pretty much not going to happen based on the sad and scary show I was watching on TV this afternoon. Maybe I should change my Christmas wish to something that could fit in a shoebox instead.

May we all find joy in giving this season!