Lord, help me to hold out...

The Holidays are coming.  Every year I try to figure out some way I can go to sleep on October 31st, and wake up in late February so I can skip right past all of the holidays that make me miss family and friends who are not here to celebrate the holidays with me.  So far, it has not happened.  Why have I chosen late February as my wake up date?  So I can skip Valentine's Day, too!

I know I am not alone with my "Lord, here comes the Holiday Season, help me to hold out" lament.  As the years have passed, I have found it harder to look forward to Thanksgiving, with so many places around the table no longer filled by loved ones; family, friends, and strangers to be family by the end of the day.  All of the kids are too big for a tree filled with presents, and there are no in-laws, wives or husbands or grandchildren of another generation yet.

But, once again, here come the Holidays.  If you are like me, how about we make an effort to reach out to someone whether we know their situation or not, and give them a hug, a card, a small gift or a kind word, to get them through this Holiday Season.  Many are facing the first holiday of many, when a loved one who has been here, will not be at the table, lighting a candle or crouching under a tree to hand out presents.

We are not the only ones missing our loved ones, now faced with spending the next few months thinking about our holidays in years past.  There are so many people that we pass every day, who are hurting.  A smile, a hello, a holiday greeting, or even just enough eye contact to let them know you see them, that they exist, that they are important, can make someone's day.  Don't forget the little niceties, which go a long way.

Remember to put something on your Social Media or Blog, letting your readers know they are in your thoughts and prayers as we enter into this holiday season.  It has been a rough year, touched by huge tragedies, you never know what someone is dealing with, be a light in their life during this upcoming Holiday Season.