Enrich the Lives of Each Child in Your Life

This time of year finds all of us - whether we are married, single, with kids, without kids - a bit stressed and caught up in the frenzy. The holidays seem to bring with them uninvited stress. I encourage you to stop, look and listen!!!

We are our children's best teacher. No matter who you are giving gifts to this year, I encourage you to share with them not just what was written on their list, but I urge you to share with them the true meaning of this season.

This is a time for giving and caring and loving and sharing. Sounds so corny as I write it, but it is so true and is so lost with the barrage of retail ads. My 6-year-old has a list that resembles one from a middle school teen hooked on electronics! It's truly weird to read it and think it came from my sweet little first grade daughter.

Last night I saw a flicker of hope that all is not lost on this future gamer...I stopped the madness and took her to a song worship service at my amazing church in Clearwater, Florida - Calvary Baptist. (Funny! I always thought "Southern Baptist" - arms flailing, voices ranting and raving madly and uncontrolled & uncomfortable outpourings of faith. This home I have found is nothing near that description. It is AMAZING!!!) I saw in my little girl's eyes the reflection of the trees lit up for the season, the joy of singing along to Christmas songs and the feeling of harmony as we joined hundreds who wished to celebrate the season and not bemoan it.

That my friends is what I encourage you to do in these last 7 days before Christmas. Stop, look and listen with the young children in your life. Sit by a fire and roast marshmallows, go on a hayride, go to the beach and enjoy the beautiful sunset, sip hot cocoa and talk about what charity you will give those toys to that she hasn't played with in months. We must lead by example and, in spite of all outside influences, help our children remember what this season is all about.

No matter what faith you follow or what creator you believe placed you on earth to teach the children in your life it is now our responsibility to enrich these little lives with the true meaning of being kind this holiday season...help them remember what kindness is...be kind.