| I found myself daydreaming about past
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| | sponsored a free meal for the needy every
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| Christmas'. Remembering my two small
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| | Thursday evening. The restaurant always
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| boys, excitement filling their eyes, as
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| | donated food or money to help with those
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| we trimmed the tree and they talked about
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| | dinners. Could they help us put together
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| a visit from Santa, leaving cookies out
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| | a guest list?
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| for the jolly old man and carrots for his
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| | I met with the person in charge of those
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| reindeer and shopping with their small
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| | Thursday night dinners and was told they
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| savings for gifts for each other.
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| | would be delighted to help with our
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| I remember Christmas morning in church
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| | Christmas dinner plan. The churches would
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| and I remember always being surrounded by
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| | put together a guest list and get the
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| loved ones during the entire holiday
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| | word out to the needy at their Thursday
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| season. How blessed I was to have my
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| | dinners.
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| family and friends and God in my life.
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| | When we received the guest list early in
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| This started me thinking about ways to
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| | December, we found that many children
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| "give back" for all the blessings I
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| | would be among our dinner guests. My
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| enjoyed. But what could I do?
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| | sister said, "We have to have gifts for
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| Being a small restaurant owner left very
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| | the kids." She and some friends held a
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| little time for anything else in my life.
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| | charity party every year to raise money
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| My husband, one of my sisters who worked
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| | for needy families and they decided to
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| at the restaurant, my Chef and I got
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| | give part of that money for gifts for
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| together to discuss ideas and finally we
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| | "our kids." The guest list included the
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| came to the conclusion that we could do
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| | age and sex of every child, so Sis was
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| what we did best and what we did everyday
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| | able to purchase appropriate gifts for
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| - serve food.
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| | each one.
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| There were a number of homeless and needy
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| | Those that volunteered to serve Christmas
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| people in my small town; a few even
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| | dinner also asked if their children could
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| enjoyed a cup of our soup slipped to them
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| | help. Who could deny them the pleasure of
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| while passing by the back door of the
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| | serving others! The kids had the time of
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| restaurant. A plan began to come together
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| | their lives serving the Chef's
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| ...we could serve Christmas dinner to
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| | scrumptious roast turkey dinner with all
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| families who were having difficult times.
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| | the trimmings and pumpkin pie for
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| If we closed the restaurant early on
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| | dessert.
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| Christmas Eve, we could serve them a
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| | When every appetite was satisfied and
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| Christmas dinner and still have family
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| | folks lingered over coffee, my sister and
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| time afterward!
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| | her helpers presented wrapped gifts to
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| But who would help prepare the food and
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| | every child. Every one of us was blessed
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| serve the food and do the dishes and
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| | when we saw each child's eyes light up
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| cleanup ...all on Christmas Eve?
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| | with surprise and happiness. It is a very
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| We posted a letter to the restaurant
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| | special feeling to bring a moment of joy
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| staff titled "A Christmas Story - A Time
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| | and a full tummy to those in need.
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| For Giving" explaining our plan and
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| | The restaurant continued this Christmas
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| asking for their help. In a matter of a
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| | Story - A Time For Giving every year
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| couple of days we had more than enough
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| | thereafter. We never lacked for
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| volunteers to help prepare the food and
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| | volunteers. Unfortunately we never lacked
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| serve it, wash dishes and clean up! "A
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| | for needy guests, either. But it is a
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| Christmas Story - A Time For Giving" had
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| | fabulous experience to have people in the
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| the employees excited and eager for the
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| | community stop by or telephone to offer
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| chance to give of themselves during the
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| | their help every year. As it turns out,
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| holiday season!
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| | there are many caring people who want to
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| The next obstacle was how to obtain a
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| | "give back," to share in a celebration of
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| list of people to invite and how to get
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| | God's blessings to others.
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| the word out about the Christmas dinner.
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| | "A Christmas Story - A Time For Giving"
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| Many of the restaurant customers attended
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| | is simply people helping people. It is
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| local churches and those churches
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| | what Christmas is really all about.
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