Well, after a wonderful Thanksgiving the madness that is the Holiday Season is upon us. Soon we will begin in earnest the shopping, the entertaining, the decorations, the cooking, and the never-ending quest to pull off the perfect Holiday for our families. And do you know what? I think it's great!

Sure, it's an enormous challenge to get everything done. But in the end, when the days of celebration are finally here and family and friends are gathered together, isn't it all worth the effort? Our lives go by so fast, and we move through life at breakneck speeds these days that I think it is even more important than ever to stop and really cherish the people that we love. No matter what Faith Traditions you celebrate, the Holidays are really about celebrating the gift of love, and the gifts of forgiveness. After all, when it's all over with the only thing worth keeping is love. Why not go out of our way to stop and spread love and joy to those we hold dear?

Again this year we will be collecting socks, underwear, clothing, toys, books - anything that kids ages pre-K to 13 could use. We will take these donations to the family resource center at McFerran Preparatory Academy. These kids need a healthy dose of love and kindness, so anything we as a community can do to make their lives a bit easier will be a blessing.

On behalf of all of us at Stevens & Stevens Delicatessen let me offer my love and peace to you and your loved ones. Thank you for your wonderful support.

Mark Stevens