I do not know about you, but I have spent a Christmas alone because of circumstances such as an adult child on a distant coast who was in the hospital and needed my wife to be with her while I stayed home finishing portraits for my clients. Being alone for Christmas is not fun. No one should spend Christmas alone; especially people who are suffering with tragedy in their lives, where the simple gesture of an invitation to a meal and to hang out with a family may be the best gift they get all year.

This year there are those in our state whose lives have been disrupted by hurricanes and floods, losing everything. Maybe you and I can share a little of what we have with them, even if it’s just for a day or a weekend or Christmas. Let's not assume they have an invitation. There are so many displaced people in those communities that there are not enough hotel rooms or housing to take care of them all.

Is there someone in your life who would enjoy an invitation to Christmas dinner? Is there someone who, if you stop and think about it, is lonely because of a recent change in his or her life? Maybe they just moved to your town, or maybe they are recently widowed or divorced. Maybe they are just in need of some friendship.

Imagine the impact we could have if each of those who read this would invite just one person for Christmas dinner. That one gesture could change everything for that person. It may seem small to us, but it is major to them. With Christmas just a week away, now is the time to be planning who you will invite.

As we get close to the big day, and as the stress of giving "things" tends to keep us going from store to store, let’s not forget the difference we can make in the lives of others with a little slice of our time.