Happy Christmas

It's just three days until Christmas.

I've not written many cards this year, but have sent a few e-cards, courtesy of the Open Door project in Livingston.

If you are looking for a cause to support this Christmas time, give them a look:

And have a happy Christmas.

Grace & Peace,

W

Local People, Local Clothes, Local Schools, Local People

A few things are happening over the next two weeks or so to encourage people to give away things they don't need. At the 1st April, welivesimply encouraged people to give away things they don't use or need any more - it was then captured under the twitter #tag #foolpurge.

I can only report getting rid of a few old t-shirts that were surplus to requirements. We handed a few bags of clothes into our local Help the Aged shop.

Then I saw that this event was happening in the United States: Give your stuff away on 15 May. That's this weekend.

Pretty cool. If you are in the US: GET INVOLVED!

Then I read that there's something similar happening in the Scotland: Pass it on day on 5 June. That's in three weekends time.

In the meantime, our local school, Broxburn Academy now has a textile bank and a collection due on 23 June with all funds going to supply planners for the kids. Interestingly, the company involved are Rag Bag, based in Denny and employing 200 people in Scotland. Which is pretty cool too.

Clearly, the more we reuse, the less we waste and put into landfill. The less we need to buy new *stuff*. So, get involved wherever you can and see what you can give to someone else!

Give

It's nice to give. It's nice to give out of more than just your abundance, but give something that costs.

Like your blood. (warning, this topic may make some people feel a little wooooooozy)

Think about it in abstract and it's a bit bizarre to consider your blood going into a bag. Deliberately.

I got a letter from the Scottish Blood Donor Service saying thanks for donating in 2009. This was more than just a few lines and a "thank you", but included four stories of real people whose lives were changed - or even saved - thanks in part to the blood they received. It's always more personal when there's a real story being told.

I carried this letter in my bag for a few days to remind me that I need to go and give blood again soon. Why? because I'm not just putting blood in a bag, but I'm putting blood in a person.

And that's a very encouraging thought.

You can read the stories and get involved at www.scotblood.co.uk