Tis the Season...

...to be jolly. Fa la la, la la la

Or so it should be. Unfortunately it's not jolly time for everyone. Last night I was watching the news and they announced over 400 jobs that were being cut in my area. 400 jobs in ONE DAY. It's shocking and sad to know these people and so many more will be without an income soon.

When economics take a turn for the worse and people are worried about Christmas and providing for their families, sometimes it brings out the worst in people.

I'm sure you've heard about the Walmart employee being trampled to death. I was at Walmart on Black Friday so I can assure you there was NOTHING in that store worth a man's life.

There is an email making it's way around town about an almost mugging incident at a local mall. The local news wasn't able to verify the details but it still gives you pause about how dangerous it is to be alone and vulnerable in ANY isolated place.

One of our employees had his car broken into and his wife's purse with all her credit cards, debit card, checks, etc was stolen on Friday. In UNDER AN HOUR the thief had wiped them clean with trips to Toys R Us and various other stores. He filed a police report so he won't be held liable for any of the charges but it was still very upsetting.

On the radio this morning I heard there is a new trend of "tip jacking". Basically you hand over your card at a restaurant and the server takes the liberty of adding a little extra on your bill. If you are not careful to keep receipts and check charges then you may never notice the extra .50 or $1. I actually had a $3 overcharge two months ago. I chalked it up to a mistake and my bank refunded the $3 to me, but now it makes me wonder.

I don't live in a bad area but people are desperate right now.

This isn't meant to bring you down but I want to make you aware of a few things.

First, I realize how blessed I am. S and I are both employed and able to live a very comfortable middle class life. For the most part our family is healthy and everyone is together.

Do your part. Whether it's donating to a worthy cause, buying a toy for a needy child, or just taking an extra second to thank a cashier - we all need a little extra cheer this year.

Be realistic. While I prefer to see the good in everyone there are bad people in the world. Or people that make bad decisions. Either way it's more important than ever to be aware of your surroundings and be cautious.

And more than anything pray for the people that are struggling and just trying to keep afloat right now. In October the unemployment rate rose to 6.5%. Job losses over the last 3 months totaled 651,000 and if there is one thing I'm certain about it's that this number is getting higher by the day.

Now that I've made you think I'm going to make you cry. Pop over to Kori's and read about her good news. Blessings come in many forms; hers came as an unexpected call.

Tomorrow I'll be back and promise no more PSA's.