I realized today that it is almost time to get out the Twisted Peppermint hand soap and lotion and that means one thing…Christmas is on it's way!  Such an odd association, but since I first discovered it a couple of years ago, I have let that become one of the first things that I put out, even before the tree and decorations…mostly because it resides in the hall closet and the decorations are in the garage attic!  I have resisted the tempation to decorate before Thanksgiving up until now, but the boys are going to be out of town on various and sundry activities and I'm afraid that when the boys leave town, Megan and I can't seem to find anything to do but WORK!  The immediate days after Thanksgiving are already booked, so unless we want to leave it until mid-December, we will have to get busy!

Busy…that about sums up the season ahead of me.  Its not that its any less busy at any other time of year -there never seems to be enough time and/or energy to get everything done.  It is hard to choose where to put one's efforts.  So maybe the answer isn't the quantity of projects, but where my efforts will be best spent and how I will best serve.

What is the best gift I can give?  Something that in times of plenty or in times of need doesn't cost a penny – my time, my love, my hope and my heart.  What can I give?  At the very top of that Christmas gift list, I can share my knowledge of my Heavenly Father's gift to all the world…the gift of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, born as a babe in a manger so very long ago.  As He said:

"…Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  Matthew 25:40