Lately, I've been thinking of the big picture and why we worry about trivial things.

Why is it important to have the newest, latest game or electronic toy? Why is that designer bag, dress, shoe, pair of jeans or shirt, and that particular house or car so important?

The object, once obtained, becomes just as expendable as last year's items.

“A Perfect Day," a 2006 film based on a book I read, is about a middle class author who lives payday to payday until one of his books becomes a bestseller. He becomes very successful and neglects everyone close to him.

Fast forward and, when faced with a lifespan of 40 more days, he remembers the people who fueled his journey.

Something similar happened to Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol."

But why does it have to come to that? Is it human nature to take others for granted at one point or another in life?

I truly believe Christmas and other holidays have been extremely commercialized. Don’t get me wrong; I understand supply and demand. I just strongly believe in staying focused on the main reason that holidays are holidays. After all, Christmas is about family, loved ones and togetherness.

"A Perfect Day” made me think of my life and how I treat people.

What would you do if you found out you would die in three weeks?Who would you spend your remaining days with? What would you do with your time?

A question I have asked many of my holiday guests this week is, “What was the first gift of Christmas?” With the economy in the state that it is in, my household has taken the answer to this question to heart. Almost every single gift given to each other this year was handmade.

Paper, wood, glue and popsicle sticks were among the materials, but the foundation was the first Christmas' gift: love.

Happy holidays.

Amber Kelley lives in Laurel Hill. Send news or comments to Hobo.homefront@gmail.com or P.O. Box 163, Laurel Hill, FL, 32567.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HOBO HOMEFRONT: Let's think of the big picture this holiday season

CRESTVIEW — Sharing and Caring volunteers need non-perishable foods to last beyond the winter holidays, organizers said.

"We are holding our own right now," said Robin Marston, vice president of local food pantry. "Unfortunately, donations usually begin to fall after the holidays, and we are already low."

  Volunteers said they appreciate local organizations, churches, schools and Cub Scout Troop 799 for donating large amounts of canned food items.

However, nearly 40 residents daily come to receive food items, and it's difficult to meet the demand, Marston said.

That's because the number of donations has dipped since the country's economic downturn, volunteers said.

Yet one thing is certain: "There are a lot of hungry people in our city," volunteer Doris Mauldin said.

WANT TO HELP?

Sharing and Caring needs these items:

•Rice

•Dried beans

•Canned vegetables, fruit, beans, tomatoes and soup

•Crackers

•Tuna

•Cereal

•Peanut butter and jelly

•Spam, hotdogs and hamburger meat

•Powdered milk

•Pasta and spaghetti sauce

•Dinner items including macaroni and cheese mix, stews, chili and ravioli

Sharing and Caring is closed through Jan. 6 for the holidays, but regular hours are 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday at 208 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Crestview. Call 682-1907 for more details.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Sharing and Caring 'low' on food donations; seeks food items

CRESTVIEW — The Okaloosa County Master Gardeners have elected the group's 2014 executive board. Incoming officers are treasurer Bob Bayer, secretary Karen Kirk-Williams, president-elect Linda Meyers and president Stacey Taylor.

The new board takes office in time to assist with the annual local Arbor Day program presented by the Master Gardeners' sponsoring organization, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Service.

The 2014 observance is Jan. 16 at the county extension office on Airport Road, group spokeswoman Sandie Olsen said. The time will be announced later.

"This will be a cooperative effort between forestry (the Florida Forest Service), extension and the Master Gardeners," Olsen said.

The county's more than 100 certified Master Gardeners are trained gardening and landscape enthusiasts who volunteer countless hours answering home horticultural questions in person and on the telephone, and work with youth through the county 4-H program.

The gardeners also operate the County Extension testing laboratory; operate a speakers bureau for organizations and gardening clubs; and run the Master Gardener nursery in Fort Walton Beach.

"The goals of the program are to increase the availability of horticulture information for the community and to improve the quality of life for residents of Okaloosa County through horticulture volunteer services," Olsen said.

Home gardening advice

Master Gardeners provide free home gardening advice by phone or in person at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences County Extension office. Call 689-5850 or visit  3098 Airport Road, Crestview, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, for assitance.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Master Gardeners 2014 executive board elected, planning for Arbor Day

CRESTVIEW — Many underserved kids will have something under their Christmas trees tomorrow thanks to a Bob Sikes Elementary School fifth-grader's efforts.

Justice Livingston, who publishes a newsletter in the Garden City Brownstone Manor development, encouraged her neighbors to donate toys for the Crestview Police Department's Cops for Kids program. It is the second year the 10-year-old has collected toy donations.

Thursday afternoon, Justice and her grandparents, Pat and Howard Mosely, brought the toys to Crestview City Hall. There, Mayor David Cadle, City Clerk Betsy Roy and community policing officer Wanda Hulion received them.

"We're so proud of … Justice," Cadle said. "The police department is proud of (her), too, for helping with their effort to give toys to children who need them this Christmas."

The toys Justice collected joined a whole office full of other donations and benefited more than 40 families, Hulion said. Many donations came from donor bins in area businesses. Employees of the Baker Dollar General filled the bin in their store twice, she said.

Pat Mosely said she and her husband encourage Justice to be community oriented.

"I'm glad to do it because it helps other kids," Justice said.

That kind of attitude inspires adults, city officials said.

"It makes you feel good when kids care about other kids," Hulion said.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bob Sikes student's effort augments Cops for Kids toy drive

CRESTVIEW — Attending Noel Night at the Crestview Public Library has become an annual tradition for T.J. Fulton's family.

See the Noel Night photos here>>

"It's something different," the 22-year-old said. "I enjoyed pretty much everything."

 Families like Fulton's had several activities to choose from Thursday. Children participated in a scavenger hunt or made snowman ornaments, craft stick replicas of a kinara or a menorah and played the traditional Hanukkah dreidel game.  

Crestview resident Jay Haberline said his 4-year-old daughter, Lillianna, enjoyed spinning the dreidel.

"She caught on to it quickly," he said.

Attendees listened to live music performed by Crestview High School's Chanticleer chorus and Emmanuel Baptist Church's worship music team, featuring event organizer Heather Nitzel. 

Upon Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus' arrival, parents and children quickly filed in line to photograph keepsake snapshots and share Christmas wishlists. 

Nitzel, who serves as children's director at the library, said she was thankful for everyone who participated in the event.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa celebrated during 10th Noel Night

CRESTVIEW — North Okaloosa residents can celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah on Thursday during Noel Night at the Crestview Public Library.

Families can participate in a scavenger hunt and have the opportunity to meet and have photographs with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus.

In addition, attendees can make a snowman Christmas tree ornament or a craft stick-based kinara — the traditional candle holder in Kwanzaa celebrations — or a menorah — the traditional lamp stand in Hanukkah celebrations — event organizer Heather Nitzel said

Soloist J.R. Lewis, Emmanuel Baptist Church's worship music team and Chanticleer, Crestview High School's elite mixed show choir, will provide entertainment.

Snacks and refreshments, including freshly baked cookies from the Friends of the Library organization, will be available. 

The event is free, and library staffers will sell $1 raffle tickets for the chance to win a Christmas candle painting by local artist Deni K. Proceeds will help pay for new books.

Library staff also will collect canned food items for the Sharing and Caring food pantry in Crestview, Nitzel said. 

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Noel Night brings holiday traditions, crafts and fun to Crestview library

LAUREL HILL — Despite the cloudy conditions and low attendance, the event organizers considered this year's third annual Laurel Hill Christmas parade to be successful.

See the Laurel Hill Christmas Parade photo gallery>>

"We had about the same number of participants as we had the last two years," said Laurel Hill City Clerk Nita Miller. "I think the rainy weather played a factor in the low turnout."

Miller said she noticed the low turnout at the neighboring Florala, Ala., Christmas parade, which occurred later that afternoon.

Miller and several city employees dressed as Santa's elves and threw candy and bead necklaces to attendees. Also featured in the parade were several local fire departments, law enforcement agencies including the Florida Forest Service.

Even at the last minute, members from the nearby Hopewell United Methodist Church decided to participate.

"We contacted the city on Friday to see if it was alright, and they didn't have a problem with it," church member Janet Twitty said.

 Members participated by taking a tractor-driven hayride along the parade route, from New Ebenezer Road to 4th Street.

Although she was not part of the parade, Twitty said church participants are eager to be part of the parade next year.

Attendees are also willing to continue supporting of the parade.

For the third straight year, resident Melissa Matthews and her 3-year-old son, Jeremiah, stood by the side of New Ebenezer Road to catch candy and other items.

"This year was the biggest," she said. "It gets better and better each year."

Gretchen Walsh and her 6-year-old son, Charlie, Florala residents, said they had a good time attending their first Laurel Hill parade.

"I liked it because they were throwing candy," Charlie said.

His mother said they attended for another reason.

"We came to support our small local community," she said. 

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Despite weather, low attendance, Laurel Hill Christmas parade draws several participants ( PHOTOS)