To give is to receive

I had the opportunity this holiday season to give to a brand-new charity.

A dear friend of mine was notified of a need at Jonathan's Place, a “home-style” emergency shelter for abused, abandoned and neglected children in the DFW area. The emergency shelter provides specialized services and 24-hour residential care to children age newborn to 17 years and is the only emergency shelter in Dallas County that provides residential services for children in crisis under the age of 10.

He and I teamed up to provide gloves, winter hats, toothbrushes, toys, T-shirts, and more for the residents of Jonathan's Place. Noticing the large purchase, the manager of the store where we were purchasing the goods inquired about our intention. When my friend explained what he was doing, the manager threw in 4 FREE comforters for the cause! What a blessing!

*Entering a deeply reflective moment . . . *

Life's lessons have taught me that it's better to walk through each day with open arms. If you hold on to stuff with clinched fists, it hurts more when God tries to replace what's there with something better. So adopt an "open palm" perspective as you experience life. There's nothing like giving!