Angel Trees and giving at Christmas
  We try every year to pick a child off the angel tree that is the same age as Kaya. We feel that teaches her how it is to be a child and not have certain things, that not all little ones have everything, that sometimes just receiving clothes is a blessing, and that life is much bigger than her Christmas List.
  We found a 4 yr old little girl that wants babies, girl things and under one of her special gifts she listed...Dora Panties. I teared up. Here my child has two dressers of clothes and this small child was asking for panties as one of her special gifts. I will admit I teared up reading the card.
  I grew up far from rich, a farm kid that was thankful for a Mom and Grandmas that gardened and canned, a Dad and Grandpas that raised pigs and cows and butchered. The guys hunted and put up deer. We raised rabbits to eat. I never knew a day without a meal and I never knew that our Christmas by many would be considered "lean" mainly because we were happy, we got some toys and we got clothes. Steve had far less than I had and Christmas was not always a happy time. So we have always made Kaya a priority but we have tried hard to also make her realize how very blessed she is.
  I know there are some rotten apples out there that spoil the bunch. People get turned off of Angel Tree, Shop with a Cop, alot of charitable events because so many parents that put their children last and abuse the system use it either as a way to get their kids Cmas with no expense to themselves or they sell the kids stuff. But..I always think..what if the one name left on the tree is the one that truly needs it and noone would take it for fear of those abusing the system? No child should suffer for the sins of their father so I feel alot of times people should find a good cuase that their heart is into and do it..as a family.
  Some very neat ideas this season (and any time...need doesn't have a holiday or a time..it's everyday):
1.make homemade caps and toboggans and give to the local cancer ward
2.donate a magazine subscription to the kids wing of a hospital
3.donate to Toys for Tots, Shop with a Cop, Clothe a Child, the Salvation Army or Santa's helpers
4.donate to a military family aid (it's not just the soldiers sometimes stationed far from home..but their families too)
5.Adopt a deployed soldier. A card or a carepackage can mean the world to a soldier
6.donate to a food pantry
7.Spur your church congregation to do a food drive for the local pantry or a cap/gloves/coat drive for a kid's group
8.Spur your church or your family to do a houseslipper/robe drive for a local nursing home. Go there caroling or offer to spend some time there....the elderly often suffer from depression at the holidays
9.Pick an American Indian reservation and donate Cmas stockings filled with goodies or even basics/clothes...those needs are year round
10.donate your time or needed items to a shelter (many shelters have women and kids that are escaping a violent situation...brighten their day)
11.Pay forward your blessings and give a free cup of coffee/cocoa to the bell ringer
12.Pick up the tab when you have the extra for someone behind you in line at the drive through or the tab of an elderly person getting a few basic groceries
     Showing kindness at Christmas and all year long not only makes someone else smile but it enlarges your heart.