By Patty Ayers
From the beginning of November to the beginning of January one of the major concerns that many caregivers share with me is the stress associated with the upcoming holidays, combined with the stress of caring for their loved one. Many caregivers feel “obligated” to keep things “the way they’ve always been” for the sake of their children, grandchildren or parents.
This morning I awoke to find this nice surprise waiting in my email box. My friend had nominated me for the Blog of the Year, 2012. Viveka is the one who nominated me. You can find her blog here:
http://mygulitypleasures.wordpress.com
I like Viveka from the very first time I found her. She is a chef, and I have to admit she is a fabulous chef. She has taught me many things about cooking, and how to make great foods with little effort. Viveka and I spend many times visiting with each other, and I have come to adore her and her blog.
Here are the rules – and they are not mine.
1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award
2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.
3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award – and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)
4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them
5 You can now also join our Facebook page – click the link here ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Award and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience
6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…
My nominations for this wonderful award are:
buckwheatsrisk.com x
tellsafe@hotmail.com
hometogo232.wordpress.com
tersiaburger
tersiaburger.wordpress.com x
joetwo
joe2poetry.wordpress.com x
Sheila Morris
redsrantsandraves.wordpress.com x
paulaacton
paulaacton.wordpress.com x
hehappyhugger
hopethehappyhugger.wordpress.com x
cecilia
thekitchensgarden.wordpress.com
jmgoyder
jmgoyder.wordpress.com x
juligoyder@gmail.com
sbcallahan
thedrsays.wordpress.com x
sblakecallahan@aol.com
sharechair
sharechair.wordpress.com x
Thank you Viveka!!!!
Elks Plan Community Thanksgiving Dinner At Center Lake Pavilion
English: Thanksgiving Dinner, Falmouth, Maine, USA 2008 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Link to an item in the news you’ve been thinking about lately, and write the op-ed you’d like to see published on the topic.
Every year at the holidays groups, volunteers gather together and help the less fortunate. The Elks is no different. They help in so many ways the whole year, but at this time, they are providing a meal for those who have no one to share the holiday with, or maybe the ones attending can not afford to purchase any food this year at Thanksgiving.
It warms my heart to see these organizations reach out to the less fortunate or to the lonely, but why is it usually only at Thanksgiving and Christmas? One reason could be that all through the year, people scrape by, and at the holiday, this is a family celebrating with family members. We all want no one to go without.
We are so blessed in our country. We have so much that is laid at our feet, waiting for us to pick it up. There are many complaints about what we do not have, but when you sit and think about it in your own personal life, is there much that you need, not want, but need that you do not have?
The answer to this is yes, there are more and more people each year that do not have the food, the winter coat, boots, hats, gloves. How many times have you seen a school aged child walking to school in attire that is not appropriate for the winter months.
It makes my eyes water, that there are children that were not as blessed as maybe my own.
I would like to see a main page article next year at Thanksgiving stating that only one or two organizations were helping others, because this year, neighbors were helping neighbors, and the needs were fulfilled.
The gift of love is free. You can not purchase it anywhere, no matter how wealthy you are. Open your hearts, help the elderly that can not get out this year, make one extra plate and take it over to them.
What a difference one person can make in this world, if we share our own blessings, and pay it forward. So the article headline would read as this:
Too much food and donations left over for this years holiday meals. All neighbors decided to get together and help each other out. No one is going without this year. May God bless each of you for your generosity.
