December 14, 2010 • Page 5 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com LAURA ON LIFE Gift giving is not an obligation Gift-giving should not be an obligation. Furthermore, not receiving a gift from someone should not condemn that person to your blacklist. A gift is simply a gift – something you give to someone because you thought they would like it. You thought of them when you saw or made this gift and knew they had to have it. If you buy the mail carrier a scarf because you thought to keep his ears warm, this doesn’t mean you must give one to the trashman. Of course, if the trashman’s ears are equally as important to you as the mail carrier’s, you may find yourself knitting mufflers for both of them. If Mary has been a real peach helping you adjust to a new job and Roy merely made it clear that he wanted your job, you are not obligated to gift them both just because their cubicles abut. It would be lovely to be able to give a gift to everyone regardless of your feelings about them, because that’s what Jesus, “our Reason for the Season,” did. However, we will always make excuses for our limited gift giving; a lack of money or time or the thought that even Jesus would probably give Roy a lump of coal. Laura Snyder To be perfectly frank, we are not Jesus. We are not perfect. We were not born with that kind of capacity for love and forgiveness. We do not always think of other people. Our hearts are fickle. However, regardless of how much money or time we have, or how much perfection we lack, everyone we know is deserving of our regard; a gift of ourselves. I know people who put limitations on their giftgiving. That person is over 18 year s old, so… no gift. That person didn’t give me a gift last year, so… no gift. That person isn’t really part of the family, so… no gift. A persons place in life should not determine whether or not you give them a gift. Money should not play a part either, but it often does. To give a gift, one make something or do something for the people you know and even for those you don’t know. You’ve heard it said many times: “It’s not the gift, but the thought that counts.” If you have a beautiful voice, sing for them. If you have a talent for cooking, make lasagna for them. If you have a green thumb, grow something for them. If you are good with a hammer, build something for them. As always, a gift is optional. If, for one reason or another, you did not receive a gift from someone this year, don’t be offended. If they forgot about you, it simply means that you probably haven’t done anything for which to be remembered. Next year is another year… Give of yourself to those people who hold your regard. Don’t let money, time, or obligation make it a chore. This is something that should be easy to do. Most importantly, it is something that should not be reserved merely for the Holiday Season. 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Consider making something for the people in your life; even if it is a beautifully hand-written note. I love to receive handmade gifts! Gift giving is not an obligation. It is an expression of love or friendship. It should not be a chore. If it is, you are doing it wrong. It should be something you want to do. If spending money causes you stress, then Find a career that’s right for you. SHOPPER MISSOURI VALLEY $36,500 OBO Call Joe at 605-661-1799 or 605-665-2477 or evenings at 402-388-4200 su|do|ku © 2008 KrazyDad.com Filll the puzzle so that every row,, every column,, and every e e o t y y d section contain the numbers 1-9 without repeating a number n n e s 9 t g EQUESTRIAN | COMMERCIAL | AGRICULTURAL | GENERAL PURPOSE Style & Quality From Concept to Completion For over 60 years we’ve been constructing functional, attractive buildings. Our high-quality structures are created with your vision in mind and covered by one of the strongest, non-prorated warranties in the industry. For more information 605-368-2511 27087 Morton Court Sioux Falls, SD ©2010 Morton Buildings, Inc. A listing of GC licenses available at mortonbuildings.com/licenses.aspx. Ref #043 DISCOVER THE ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES OF THE WORLD OF MORTON BUILDINGS... Check today’s issue for the solution to the puzzle. INT Book 14 #5 The identity of the featured celebrity is found within the answers in the puzzle. In order to take the TV Challenge, unscramble the letters noted with asterisks within the puzzle. 9. “__ of the Month”; 2006 ACROSS 1. Actor on “The Jessica Simpson film Good Wife” (2) 13. Setting for “The 10. Adams or Falco Golden Girls”: abbr. 11. “__ __ Thinkin’ About”; 15. “Run __, Run Deep”; Bruce Springsteen hit 1958 Clark Gable movie 12. Start of an Iowa city 16. Many a time, in poetry 13. “Alice” spinoff 17. Eliot __; role on 14. Help for a lost motorist, “The Untouchables” for short 18. Danny __; “CSI: NY” role 16. Alex of “Hawaii Five-0” 19. “I Survived a __ 18. Monogram for actor Fox Game Show” 20. Decorative tin painting 21. Injure 21. Veal or venison 24. Sandwich type, for short 22. “Say __ to the Dress” 26. Short-tailed weasel 23. Cleopatra’s downfall 29. “All in the Family” 24. Cartwright and Matlock producer 25. “Stupid __ __ 30. “He’s Just Not That __ stupid does” You”; 2009 movie 27. “__ No Man Write My 31. “That’s __ Raven” Epitaph”; 1960 James 34. “Hot __ Time Machine”; Darren movie 2010 John Cusack film 28. “The __”; series 35. Sphere for Tim Kang 36. Whitney and 32. Classic Olds McKinley: abbr. 33. Record-producer Brian 38. Initials for the star 34. __ Paris; “Star Trek: of “Tootsie” Voyager” role 39. Lois’ comic strip hubby 37. Leader killed in 1981 39. Actor William 40. Role on “NCIS” (2) DOWN 1. Elly May’s pa 2. “__ to Billy Joe” 3. Rudy, to Theo 4. “__ Was a Quiet Man”; ’07 Christian Slater film 5. Saint topper 6. Last name for baseball’s Felipe, Matty and Jesus 7. Actor Lansing’s initials 8. “Guiding __” © Zap2it