I’m slightly obsessed with Christmas; the music, the lights, the laughter, the joy, the celebration of Christ. I’m that girl, who in the middle of July, yearns for Karen Carpenter’s rich alto. Logs on the fire really do fill me with desire!
Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to the holidays. For those less fortunate than us, it’s a time of struggle, guilt, and feelings of failure. Listening to NPR yesterday, I heard accounts of Americans with liquidated assets, foreclosed homes, deciding whether to buy little Johnny a Christmas present or groceries for the week. Apparently, financial infidelity has been running rampant with husbands losing jobs and not telling their wives, spending everything they have to maintain the illusion, only to have it blow up when the credit cards are maxed out and the creditors come knocking on the door.
Families are falling out of the middle class at an alarming rate with an increased number of these families seeking outside assistance from food banks. If you live in Northwest Houston, I’ll be holding a food drive at 1960 CrossFit, with all the food going to Northwest Assistance Ministries. They are in dire need of canned and dry goods. If you’re not in the area, consider hosting a food drive of your own, or maybe next time you go grocery shopping you can pick up a few cans of veggies to donate to your local food bank.
Nothing fills your bucket more than giving back. Please do your part to help families focus on the joys of Christmas rather than the rumblings of hunger. Remember, a little goes a long way!
Liani Oistad Fitness 