There’s still time

So I guess I didn't scare you off, huh? Good! Welcome back!

Christmas is just a few days away and I hope all of you are still in the holiday giving spirit. (Oh, and Happy Hannukah too! I don’t know much about Judaism but I know it started at sundown today.)

Anyway, I’m just not feelin’ it this year, between my financial situation and some things my kids have said and done recently, but one thing that never fails to lift my spirits is seeing the generosity of friends and even strangers throughout this time of year.

My favorite stories this season are those of my friends Michael Martine (@remarkablogger) and Kelly McCausey (@kellymcausey).

Michael survived a run-in with some black ice on a Vermont highway not too long ago. Unfortunately, his Jeep Cherokee didn’t make it. So Michael thought it would be worth a shot to ask for some donations to help cover the cost of repairing or replacing the vehicle. What he ended up with was enough to cover the towing expenses from the wreck AND put a down payment on a “new” Saab. (Its not a  brand new car but its new to him.) He was completely blown away. But like everyone kept telling him, its just our way of giving back to him after all he has given to us.

Kelly’s story is about what her readers did for a whole group of women (and one man!), specifically moms who work at home.  A few weeks ago, Kelly asked WAHMs to submit their holiday wishes, something that would help them grow their business. Remember my recent video post?  That was made possible thanks to Kelly and my not-so-secret Santa, Alice Seba of Internet Marketing Sweetie. Among the wishes I’d submitted, I asked for a camcorder so that I could take my blogging to the next level. (I’m working on some how-to videos but my director talents are lacking a bit so I’m learning.) Anyway, there were so many wishes granted – everything from coaching and memberships to printers and digital cameras – that it just warmed my heart. And, frankly, its been bordering on ice cold lately.

So the point of this post is to not only remind us about the caring, compassionate nature of people you meet online, people you may never see in person, but also to let you know that there are still people out there who need a little help. If you’ve got a few extra dollars to spare, visit the following blogs or sites and contribute what you can afford. I haven’t been able to give more than $5 or $10 but if enough people can add just that much or even $1 or $3 it all adds up and puts that person one step closer to their goal.

Also, while you’re visiting, some of these blogs belong to freelancers or people trying to get their business going, so check out their services too and save their info for the next time you need an article or some graphics or something.

Kim has a shattered windshield thanks to this nasty cold Midwestern weather

My single mom friends, Tishia Lee and Shannon Smith, haven’t asked for anything specific but I know they’ve both had some struggles lately with computers and cars and other expenses that single moms rarely have room for in their budgets. Tishia is a virtual assistant specializing in transcription and Shannon has her own graphic design business, so if you need either one of those services, look them up.

And, as much as I hate doing this because I’m not big on asking for help, I’ve got my fair share of car problems. (Business is improving but its still not enough. I had to borrow money from my mom to get Christmas gifts for the kids.) My brakes are so bad, they grind even when I’m just driving along and my tires are so bald that I end up with packed snow coating them. This 120-mile-a-day trip to get Princess to and from school doesn’t help and I’d love to find a way to make the sperm donor her father pay for it but considering he hasn’t contributed a single dime to child support or transportation costs it ain’t happening. Anyway, that’s a whole ‘nother story I just don’t want to get into again. I’ll just leave it at that and post one of those nifty little PayPal buttons down at the bottom of this post. (I’ve also got that little Top Spots box over in my sidebar if you wanna get some ad space out of it.)

If you’d rather donate to charity, here are a few of my favorites:

Hopeline, the organization that runs 1-800-SUICIDE as well as other helplines

JDRF, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

NAMI, National Alliance for Mental Illness

I’ve had this post sitting in draft mode for the past 2 hours so I think its time to just get over my fear, swallow my pride, and click on “publish” now.

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