Today is Friday, December 28th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2475
As we leave behind the Christmas season and get ready to embrace 2013, here are a couple of thoughts for us who sometimes think "I am only one and I can't do much!" or "Our group is so small we can't make a difference":
* On Sunday night before Christmas, we went to the neighboring town of Dakota City to see 'one of the largest Christmas light displays in Iowa'. As we walked around a portion of the lights on the side-hill, we had the opportunity to talk with the gentleman who owns the home and light work. How many people put up the display each year? Two! He and his lady friend, both of whom are no doubt senior citizens (they hire a couple of people for two hours to help put up the 'tall' things). How many lights? More than 130,000. How many days do they work on putting up the light display each year? 59 days!
* We moved down the street to twin town, Humboldt, to the Kiwanis-sponsored Christmasland and their 'shed' which houses a number of animated Christmas and winter figures. No charge to attend, but freewill donations are welcomed when visitors exit. A steady stream of Christmas-goers walked in line to view the dozens of moving figures. So how big is their club? "Twenty-three," said one of the gals helping to 'man' the exhibit which is open several hours each evening from Thanksgiving through Christmas plus extra hours on Saturdays and Sundays, "but there are only about ten active members, due to age and busy schedules." The bustling handful of Kiwanis worked for 'a month and a half' to get ready for their guests. She did mention they recruit some volunteers to help host/hostess some of the open hours outside of their club membership. Not-so-many-people, doing-not-so-easy things!
* Early in December more than 20 members of our church family traveled a one-hour distance to Mason City to ring bells for Salvation Army, we 'manned' seven business doors for several hours, to collect funds to aid less fortunate people in our area in the upcoming months. Ages of our volunteers varied from three-year-old Grant who rang bells with his grandma, to 92-year-old (who will be 93 in January) Herb who just wanted to 'help'.
* For the second year in a row, our granddaughter Molly, now a first grader, volunteered to be one part of the special music for their church's Christmas Eve program. She does it because she likes to sing and the church family asked for volunteers. "Sure she could do it," Molly would say. This year she sang "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly". Now the words of her song continue to rattle around in my mind.
Hard to tell how many things have impacted the lives of others this Christmas season. Lists like these are long. Don't dismiss anything you may have done, or others did, to make a difference this year to celebrate this "One-of-a-Kind Birth in All Human History".
Infant holy, Infant lowly
For His bed a cattle stall
Oxen lowing, little knowing
Christ the Babe, is Lord of all.
Swift are winging angels singing
Noels ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the Babe, is Lord of all.
Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping
Vigil till the morning new
Saw the glory, heard the story
Tidings of a Gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow
Praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the Babe was born for you.
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