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A Different Kind of Giving

December 11, 2013

How will you celebrate the holiday season this year? Will you pack up the car and travel to spend time with loved ones? Will you wait in mile-long lines to get the perfect gift? Will you watch football and pray for a bowl game victory?

The wonderful traditions of the Christmas season mean many different things to many different people. It is a season of joy, but also of excess – too much eating, too much shopping, too many to-dos. It seems each year our "busyness" gets in the way of celebrating the true reason for the season. Christmas is a reverent, holy day on which we observe and celebrate the birth of Jesus. There is no better cause for gathering with loved ones and hitting the "pause" button to celebrate the good news.

This holiday season, I encourage you to think about adding a new tradition – a tradition of service and giving back to our community. There are so many worthy causes calling for our time, talent, and thoughts this Christmas.

Perhaps you might consider visiting a nursing home or children's wing at the hospital. Maybe your family will volunteer together at a toy drive, a soup kitchen, or meal delivery service. Or maybe you and children in your neighborhood decide to hand-make Christmas cards for our troops serving overseas, away from their families. My family always enjoys selecting a charity, drive, or special program to volunteer at together during the holidays. Somehow it always feels like we're the ones who receive the blessing when we give our time in service to others.

Whatever it is you do, let's work together to make a positive impact on our community while making new and lasting family traditions.

As I reflect on the many blessings of 2013, I am most thankful for my faith, my family, and the humbling opportunity to represent the 25th District of Texas in Congress.

I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year.