Special Holidays are not the only times of the year we give here on Cedar Creek Lake. The serotonin boosting act of giving goes on all year in every corner of the area. Residents who, like most people have had struggles in their lifetime, are coming together to give and bless one another with low-cost, no cost and barter services to help one another in improving their quality of life.
With HWY 175 clustering on the population grid between Dallas and into the Cedar Creek Lake area, per Senator Robert Nichols in Nov. 2017, so will the needs of the community grow. As we say goodbye to 2017 (…in like 2 minutes), 2018 welcomes us with a clean slate of flurries to fill hearts of the community with pure love and kindness. Let's take a look at all of the good stuff going on around here!
In Gun barrel, Great clips opened on Oct. 27th. The manager, Amanda Rogers, says the business has “given over 4900 haircuts at under six bucks a cut”. Woah! That is many heads going through those chairs. On Saturday, Dec. 29, three-year resident of Cedar Creek Lake, Mike Roberts who served over 35 years on the Flower Mound Fire Department, received his haircut and left just before lunchtime. The women working were so busy trying to keep up with the flood of people that they kept cutting well into the lunch hour. Roberts returned with two pizzas for the team to enjoy and refused to let them pay him back. “That pizza made me feel good!” said Roberts.
In Mabank, Pastor of Perfect Love Ministries, Patricia Coleman and her family, spent the last day of 2017 loving on the community by giving diapers, pillows, formula for babies, clothes with tags for all age and new blankets. Coleman grew up in the Mabank area and ventured into the Dallas Metroplex for many years; however, she recently moved back to care for her mother. Patricia says her passion for giving to the community is strong. “I’m here to do a work and I’m going to do it.” she said. The church members served over 6 families, after offering the service to be available on a few of the Facebook blessing pages. PLM is in Mabank at 103 W Mt. Vernon suites A & B. They hold services on Sundays at 11 am. And Wed. at 7pm.
Cedar Creek Lake Free Blessings is one of the few Facebook pages that has become a tool for the reidents and will continue to be a resource in which many individuals in the community use to exchange 'gifts'. Heidi Herndon is the creator of the page and has generated over 3500 members since 2014. Here's how it works. Somebody posts a picture of what they intend to give with detailed information. You type in the comment box, the word "want" or show interest in the item by aking questions to clarify any missing information. The object is then given to the first person unless 'passed' upon. If you pass because you can't pick up or various other reaons, it goes to the next person and so on. After you pick up your gift, you're expectd to regift before aquiring any further gifts (This keeps the gifts going).
Some of the rules for the Free Blesings page include not exchanging monetary funds and not reselling of any gifts received unless you hold a non-profit status and are doing so to benefit others through more giving.Other details are posted in the file attached to the Facebook page. Medical necessities have been met, families have received help after experiencing life tragedies, homeless have been lifted and are thriving, children have been fed and just all around goodness happens on the little Facebook page. It’s truly a gift to the community.
So, let 2018 be your year of giving. It’s easy as human beings to curl up and hold this wonderful virtue in due to the misuse from others of your generosity in the past. But remember, hearting hearts hurt others. Those who misuse have somewhere been misused. There is healing in continuing to give. Your physical health can be enhanced by stimulating the increased production of neurochemicals that makes up the Happiness Trifecta. It can even be beneficial in assisting with the lowering of blood pressure and anxiety, both which make your heart healthier. I hope you all have a new year filled with happy, happy giving. Happy New Year 2018!
Northwestern Medicine 2017. Why Gift Giving is Actually the Gift that Keeps on giving. http://www.nmbreakthroughs.org/wellness/give-a-gift-for-better-health