The GREAT Christmas IDEA

Today was a crazy day for me! Have you ever said YES to something that you thought was a “GREAT idea” and then wondered, “What was I thinking?”

People from our church hosted a Christmas party today and needed 2 students to dress up in costumes and greet families. Who couldn’t do that, right?

I asked my kids if they were interested because the reward was a small donation to their mission trips. One of my girls was so excited about the earnings but quickly realized she had to work.

Being the mother I am, I thought, “I’ll go do it and give her the money for her trip! What a GREAT idea, right?

Well, after shaking hundreds of hands, causing children to laugh and cry, walking numerous miles at the party, sweating my head off, and nearly loosing my tights twice, I survived the “great idea!”

I must admit in spite of all the negatives, it was a sweet day, sharing the magic of Christmas with so many children. Seeing their faces light up at the sight of “the Grinch” (yes, that was my costume) or hearing them squeal across the yard, “It’s the Grinch!”

After the party I quickly ran home and changed clothes to work the “snow hill” at our church. After our Christmas program each year we have snow for children to sled. The staff herds hundreds of giggling, excited, and happy children (and adults) down 8 lanes of packed snow in a quick hour and a half. As I pushed each child down the hill or tossed sleds to the appropriate lanes, it was so fun watching children enjoy the special moment that is so rare in Texas  - playing in snow!

As I rode home at 10pm tonight, I thought to myself, “What a great idea! Spending my day making others smile, laugh, and enjoy a magical moment!” Then I wondered, “What if we all spent our lives investing in others? What if every day we each made another person laugh, created magical moments for the ones we love, or brought smiles to people who cross our paths?”

I thought about the number of people sitting at home all day staring at a television, surfing the net, checking out facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest. How would the world be different if the electronic invested hours were turned towards people?

I had ANOTHER great idea …this Christmas season, I’m going to turn off the TV and turn to the people I love. Shift my focus from internet acquaintances to those I see and touch. I will make somebody laugh, giggle, or smile. I thought to myself, NOW THAT IS THE RIGHT IDEA! Don’t you agree?