Thinking Outside The Shoebox this Christmas

Sunday, November 14, 2010 at 7:12pm Well, here we are once again, entering "that time of year" ! Where did the last year go to? I for one have no idea. There are some things that have been on my mind for awhile and I felt like it was time to get this written down. I am here to issue you all a challenge this year. It seems to me that over the years the act of giving to others has become less and less personal and more simple, streamlined and sanitized. With click of a button I can give to some wonderful cause, no dirty work required. And there is that wonderful shoebox ministry, some churches have made it so simple that all you need to do is donate money, they do all the shopping and packing and sending for us, no need to even put thought into it ! And getting others to help out with those type of things is usually pretty easy. Its exciting stuff, helping some child in a third world country, that makes us feel extra special somehow. Now, am I saying that these are bad things to do? NO, please do not read this in that way. I enjoy putting a shoebox together with my kids every year and they just love shopping for those gifts, thinking about each one carefully and thoughtfully. There are so many world-wide outreach type of charitys that are just wonderful. I am not here to put them down. I think that we should help those as we can. My problem is this, are we missing out on helping the family that lives right down the road from us? Are you missing out on taking a little risk and going outside your comfort zone ? Its not as fun to talk to someone in our own area who may seem very "different" but looks like their kids could use a little help this season. What if they are druggies that spend all their welfare money on cigarettes and booze? What if they like to keep to themselves like hermits and "wouldn't want us to bug them"??? But wait...what if they are not really welfare bums like "everyone" is saying? What if they are just normal folks who have been through some really bad times? What if that "hermit" type women has been abused in her past and just doesn't find it easy to trust others? What if that family who "keeps to themselves" is just embarrased to let anyone in ? And yes, there are those who really are using the system and whatnot, but should their children suffer for their bad choices? Depression rears its ugly head this time of year and magnifys the worst situations 100 fold. Just the darkness and cold is depressing on its own, especially when you do not have suffient heat and trying to keep your kids warm. Add to that the pressures to keep up that jolly attitude and providing something of a decent Christmas for your kids and you have a very, very stress-filled situation. This is the reality for many, many , MANY familys this year. When I hear people talking about how they have to shop early so their kids get all the stuff they just "have to have", I cringe a little. Or how some people just go out without any real budget in mind and just grab whatever they think their child will like. It makes me wonder, do they know that this is not the "norm" for so many others? In some ways it also seems that people tend to ease their guilt by doing the "easy-giving" type thing. Its like, "well yeah I did buy my 4 year old a iPhone this year, but look I also helped feed some poor person in another country by clicking the donate button on my fav website!" So, enough of my rambling, here is the challenge I issue you today, and I give it to myself as well. Would you be willing to think "outside the shoebox" this year??? Would you take just a little extra time this year to find someone that really could use some help, someone you could even make real human contact with, and do what you can to help??? Someone in YOUR part of the world, someone in your neighborhood even? It is not all about money either. I have not been in the position to do anything financially in a big way for many years now, however I find ways to give. (not tooting my own horn here, just giving an example) If you need ideas, feel free to ask me. If you honestly can not find someone who seems to need help, ask around. Local churches, locial food banks, Human Services ofices, etc. Trust me, you have someone around you! So, step away from the sanitizer for a minute and get some dirt under your nails. You may just surprise yourself by how little it really takes. Heck, you may even decide to try helping those same folks out when its not a holiday season ! I know, its shocking but poor people do not just live the whole year off of those dented can goods you gave them in November. May God Bless You All this entire Holiday Season, Please do be the hands and feet of Christ this year~Very Sincerely, Carole L. MonasmithCarole L. Kruckow Monasmith on Sunday, November 14, 2010 at 7:12pm Well, here we are once again, entering "that time of year" ! Where did the last year go to? I for one have no idea. There are some things that have been on my mind for awhile and I felt like it was time to get this written down. I am here to issue you all a challenge this year. It seems to me that over the years the act of giving to others has become less and less personal and more simple, streamlined and sanitized. With click of a button I can give to some wonderful cause, no dirty work required. And there is that wonderful shoebox ministry, some churches have made it so simple that all you need to do is donate money, they do all the shopping and packing and sending for us, no need to even put thought into it ! And getting others to help out with those type of things is usually pretty easy. Its exciting stuff, helping some child in a third world country, that makes us feel extra special somehow. Now, am I saying that these are bad things to do? NO, please do not read this in that way. I enjoy putting a shoebox together with my kids every year and they just love shopping for those gifts, thinking about each one carefully and thoughtfully. There are so many world-wide outreach type of charitys that are just wonderful. I am not here to put them down. I think that we should help those as we can. My problem is this, are we missing out on helping the family that lives right down the road from us? Are you missing out on taking a little risk and going outside your comfort zone ? Its not as fun to talk to someone in our own area who may seem very "different" but looks like their kids could use a little help this season. What if they are druggies that spend all their welfare money on cigarettes and booze? What if they like to keep to themselves like hermits and "wouldn't want us to bug them"??? But wait...what if they are not really welfare bums like "everyone" is saying? What if they are just normal folks who have been through some really bad times? What if that "hermit" type women has been abused in her past and just doesn't find it easy to trust others? What if that family who "keeps to themselves" is just embarrased to let anyone in ? And yes, there are those who really are using the system and whatnot, but should their children suffer for their bad choices? Depression rears its ugly head this time of year and magnifys the worst situations 100 fold. Just the darkness and cold is depressing on its own, especially when you do not have suffient heat and trying to keep your kids warm. Add to that the pressures to keep up that jolly attitude and providing something of a decent Christmas for your kids and you have a very, very stress-filled situation. This is the reality for many, many , MANY familys this year. When I hear people talking about how they have to shop early so their kids get all the stuff they just "have to have", I cringe a little. Or how some people just go out without any real budget in mind and just grab whatever they think their child will like. It makes me wonder, do they know that this is not the "norm" for so many others? In some ways it also seems that people tend to ease their guilt by doing the "easy-giving" type thing. Its like, "well yeah I did buy my 4 year old a iPhone this year, but look I also helped feed some poor person in another country by clicking the donate button on my fav website!" So, enough of my rambling, here is the challenge I issue you today, and I give it to myself as well. Would you be willing to think "outside the shoebox" this year??? Would you take just a little extra time this year to find someone that really could use some help, someone you could even make real human contact with, and do what you can to help??? Someone in YOUR part of the world, someone in your neighborhood even? It is not all about money either. I have not been in the position to do anything financially in a big way for many years now, however I find ways to give. (not tooting my own horn here, just giving an example) If you need ideas, feel free to ask me. If you honestly can not find someone who seems to need help, ask around. Local churches, locial food banks, Human Services ofices, etc. Trust me, you have someone around you! So, step away from the sanitizer for a minute and get some dirt under your nails. You may just surprise yourself by how little it really takes. Heck, you may even decide to try helping those same folks out when its not a holiday season ! I know, its shocking but poor people do not just live the whole year off of those dented can goods you gave them in November. May God Bless You All this entire Holiday Season, Please do be the hands and feet of Christ this year~Very Sincerely, Carole L. Monasmith

Trying to get back to writing (and hopefully other creative things)

While I would LOVE to sit here for a nice long time and write about all the thing twirling around my head, all my passions, concerns, thoughts on life...alas life is HAPPENING at this moment and I only can afford a small snippet of time to 'escape" for now. Maybe I can fit in some more late at night when my house is quiet. I really enjoy writing and (along with many other passions) have put it on the back burner for far too long. Why do I do that, put aside things I actually enjoy? I think there are a few answers to that, maybe a couple of them ring true with you as well my friends. I struggle with chronic depression , depression can suck away a lot when it gets a good strangle hold on you. It tells me "You don't deserve to set aside time for yourself, you haven't earned it".... Now I also struggle with health problems, that means small jobs are now big jobs. I have to pick wisely what my energy can handle day by day. I simply can not fit as much in. So of course I think trying to get my house clean and such is top of the list, the "fun" stuff gets pushed farther & farther back. I resolve today to work on pulling it back out and smattering it among the "must-dos" of my day. Its not going to be a easy thing, it goes against all I know. I am not used to caring for myself, I am a care-GIVER. I give until I am depleted, then give a bit more. I need a better balance. I want to do more art WITH my children also, sometimes I give them some art to work on and then go do dishes...I need to get in on the fun, make some messes with them, not just near them. Well back to my work (& some play). Tell me about YOU, what do YOU enjoy? How do you (or do you?) make time for it?