How to Serve Those in Need- on a Budget

Hello Everyone!!

With the holidays upon us, I am realizing that with this new chapter of our life, we are going to have to find new ways to help those less fortunate than ourselves! We are so lucky to have a warm place to sleep and yummy food to eat, but sadly there are those who are not so fortunate. In the past we have always adopted a family for Christmas- we bought the Santa gifts for the little ones, made sure the grown-ups had a little something to open up and provided  the makings for a delicious holiday meal. There have also been times when we have been lucky enough to pay off someone else's Christmas lay-a-way!

This year there really is just no possible way for us to do those things, so I am looking for ideas  on how to take part in what the holidays should really be about - helping the less fortunate.

Here is the beginning of a  list of  some of the things we can do to serve that won't cost anything but time:

1.  Clean out our pantry and take some food to the local food pantry.
2.  Serve at the local homeless shelter on Thanksgiving or Christmas.
3.  Take any extra coats, gloves, hats to the fire station.
4.  If you have extra fabric hanging out (most crafters do) you can make blankets for the babies in the
     hospitals.
5.  Take extra blankets and clothes to the Homeless Shelters.
6.  Write a letter of thanks to someone overseas in the service.
7.  Visit the elderly at a local rest home.

I am still looking for more ideas. Do any of you do something special to serve this time of year? Please share your ideas!


Until later,
Hugs,
Shelly

Surviving and unexpected Start Over....

Hello Everyone, You may remember me from my previous blog "Nama Halacy's Comfy Cottage"I am so excited to begin this new blog and document my new adventure!

Sometimes life feels like chapters that begin and end with certain events. For example one chapter may be before you had children, or before you moved out on your own, or for some it may before or after a divorce. Well the hubster and I are at the beginning of a new chapter in our life. We didn't choose this chapter but how often do we get to choose? I am the type of person tho, that looks at each challenge as a new adventure!

Before we start with this new chapter, let me update just a bit of my past chapter. I am married to my soul mate, I know that may sound cheesy to some, but I know it to be true for me and the the hubser. Mike is my best friend and I would not want to do any of this without him. I just know that he was meant to be mine and i was meant to be his. Together we have a blended family of 8 amazing adult children and 11 adorable little grandies, all of whom I truly adore! Not too long ago we were living the American Dream, both of us working and earning not a huge but a decent living. We owned a cute little cottage in the country, had toys and were affording comfort and fun. Unfortunately, while hubster was serving in the Army, in his younger years, he injured his back, and through years of working, playing and living, it became unbearably painful. After many doctors visits, much discussion, alot of research and a ton of praying we decided that back surgery was the answer. At that time we were assured that after six weeks of recovery, hubster would be released back to his job as a Heavy Equipment Mechanic. Guess what? THAT-NEVER-HAPPENED!! After the surgery the doctor informed us that hubster would never be returning to his 36 year career!! We were stunned! Not only that, but a year or so after the surgery it became apparent that it didn't help with his pain, in fact it made it much worse. So this began the loss of our American Dream. I don't blame anyone but ourselves. We should have been prepared, we should have had a savings. The fact is that we didn't. Hubster instantly applied for his Social Security Benefits, and they did come - 3-years later. In the mean time we sold everything we could and tried to skimp by, but with the hospital debt and other debt we already had, we finally had to claim bankruptcy and our cute little cottage was foreclosed on.

So here we are today. Learning how to start over. This will not be a depressing blog, but it will be truthful. My life is still fun, I still love living and like I said, this is just another adventure, and I look forward to adventures. There is not a little book out there that tells you how to begin again, so I am hoping that this little blog will be helpful to people that find themselves in the same situation or one similar to this. I am certainly not claiming to be the expert, if I were I wouldn't be here now, but I am aleady starting to see things I should be doing differently. If I write as I go it may be helpful or at the very least comical!!

So please follow as I go, offer advice, ask questions or just laugh along with me as we rebuild our American Dream.

Until Later,
Hugs,
Shelly