This Reminds Me

Archive for August 15th, 2009

Thanks, Dorothy, for alerting me to Target’s 75% off red dot Dollar Spot this a.m.  Hannah and hoofed it over there and snagged $43 worth of note pads, swim rings, squeak toys, socks, calculators, hair froo-froo, etc. for this year’s Samaritan Purse (Operation Christmas Child) boxes. This is only our second big snatch from Target this year; somehow, we’ve not hit the sales at the right time.

172 items for $43….The receipt was so long, the machine froze.  Hannah and I helped move the groceries of the lady (unfortunately positioned) behind us to another register.  But – what the heck – it gave me time to explain Operation Christmas Child to the lady, the checker and two supervisors.

In about a month, school supplies will go really cheap, and we’ll be haunting Target and Wal-Mart, hoping to scoop up index cards, pens, pencils and I really, really hope pencil sharpeners.  As my friend Lisa pointed out a decade ago, “It doesn’t do any good to send pencils if they don’t have sharpeners.”  (That same friend Lisa sent me dozens of boxes of crayons last month that are now piled up in our game room, awaiting packing right after Halloween.)  Shelley’s already sent folding mesh bags.  Paula passed me a bag of Happy Meal toys last week – really appreciated, because here – only Julia eats Happy Meals any longer, and I know we are going to be really short on toys.

This world is a black hold of need.  There is no end of “good works” to do.   In a couple of months, our mailboxes will be stuffed with heart-felt appeals.  But really – if you want to do something fun and meaningful for Christmas, consider filling a shoe box for a needy child.   It doesn’t have to cost a fortune – especially if you shop now.

This picture is still on our fridge, next to the Kohl’s coupons and on top of the Birthday party invitations:

When I see it, I think, “This Reminds Me.”