As many of you know, we lost and buried a dear family member last week in LA.  We are back home in Little Rock and have spent the past couple of days resting and transitioning back into daily life.  Your words of support, prayers, love, and contributions in memory of Jean, are beautiful treasures to both Ron and I and we thank-you with sincerity.

For whatever reason, whether it be “The Season”  or getting the kids out, or just having extra time with family and friends and being grateful,  many people are looking for places to volunteer their time or their talent.  Twice today people have asked us for places to volunteer their time.  There is never a shortage of people or places that could use your time and talent.

Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

  • What is your passion?   Do you love to dance, or sing, or play an instrument?  Grab some Santa hats and go to a homeless shelter or to a local nursing home with your kids and family and dance, or sing, or play.  This doesn’t have to be anything fancy–just show up and have fun.
  • What do you really love to do when you have time off?  How can you share that love with someone else?   Love to bake?  Take cookies to your doctor or dentist or vet’s office and say thank-you for the great service you have received this year.  Like to play tennis or practice yoga?  Call a local Boys and Girls Club or community organization and offer to teach kids the fundamentals of tennis or offer to lead a 15-minute yoga practice.  The possibilities are endless.
  • Where are your  areas of expertise? What do you do professionally?   Offer your services for free to a local non-profit.
  • Where do you have training that you can share with someone else or an organization?  A couple of friends of ours teach Dance and Theater at a local university.  They have decided to spend an hour or so at a local family shelter to introduce children to the wonderful worlds of dance and theater.

If you still need some ideas, here are some websites to help you find places to volunteer in your community:

  • http://www.volunteermatch.org/
  • http://serve.gov/
  • http://www.voa.org/

So, we challenge you this week to get out and volunteer! And then post on our website or on our facebook or twitter page where you donated your time and talent.  There are a bazillion (that is a word, isn’t it?) ways to volunteer your time and talent-and it is so true that you always receive more than you give.