Christmas Reflections {Part 2}

Our Homeshool Assistance Program kept us busy this month with two very special events.

"Joy to the World" emphasized the need for telling the world of the Good News

of Jesus Christ through a lovely little drama that incorporated the entire student body in story and song.

After the program was over, the Beginning Foods class that I taught this semester hosted

a "Mini-Dessert and Hot Chocolate Bar" reception for the students and their families.

My students prepared some of their favorite Christmas cookie or candy recipes,

and our Ashlyn was, once again, supervising the hot chocolate bar.

We were so blessed by the enthusiasm of all the students and the lovely responses of their families.

Joy, joy, joy!!!!

Christmas Reflections {Part 1}

December typically blurs together with all the activities and events

we like to participate in, and this year was no exception.

In the middle of the month, our three youngest children were a part

of the Junior Choir Christmas Program entitled

"Christmas Carol."

This was Abby's last year participating as she is in the 6th grade

and will be graduating up to the Youth Group at the end of this school year.

Talk about hard to wrap my brain around!!

She played the part of the "Orphanage Worker" and she also sang

a little solo.

 Garrett and Aryn were part of the children's choir.

  

The following Sunday evening I had the distinct privilege of not only directing (the dramatic portion), but also playing a part in our Adult Choir Christmas Concert and Dramatic Presentation.

We are so very thankful that the Lord led us to a church family where we have the opportunity

to use the talents He has given us to celebrate His birth together through music and story!!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We've been crazy busy here this month, but enjoying oh, so many activities

together.  As a family.

Because isn't that what Christmas is all about.

Being together and participating in events together,

and seeing friends you may not have seen in awhile.

Getting in touch with long-distance friends you may not have heard from all year.

Catching up.  Checking in.

It's what makes this time of year so energizing and exhausting all at the same time.

Sharing.

Giving.

Taking time again for one another.

Remembering why we do this.

We're anticipating something.

Waiting.

Preparing.

It draws people together.

And we once again realize we have so much to give.

Because we were given such a lavish gift.

And there is plenty of this Love to go around.

Our favorite family service project

Last Thanksgiving I was looking for a way to get my children involved in giving.
As in Thanks Living.

I did a little local research and found the perfect opportunity at the Union Gospel Mission in Dallas, TX.
My children loved working with all the regular employees of the mission as well as meeting new friends through the other volunteers.
We loaded food onto the serving trays, served the trays to the men, and some of us prepared bagged lunches for the men as they left the shelter the following morning.
My children enjoyed it so much that we went back at Christmas.

What better way to instill a sense of gratefulness for what we have than to expose them to the realities of those living with next to nothing.
To teach them what it looks like to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are in very difficult circumstances who need shelter and food.

These men may look a little scary, but it's because they've been on the street for awhile.
My children see that many of them look just like people they know; they just don't have a home.

These men are always very grateful and always quiet.
Some seem very afraid, like they've had to be watching over their shoulder for danger.
Others are very friendly in spite of their obvious physical injuries or disability.

At this mission, my children see employees, men who once went through the rehabilitation programs there, with a passion for Jesus.
A love for the Lord and an obvious result of the redemption and restoration found in Christ.

That's what I want my children to experience.
What grace looks like.
What loving the unlovely looks like.
Learning they have so very much to be thankful for
as they return home to warm, safe beds and a kitchen full of healthy food
available to them at any time of the day they choose.
Learning that we all have difficulties in our lives, but we have so much to give.
It should be a way of living not just a season of the year.

Thanksliving.

We're so thankful for you!

This school year I've had the amazing priviliege of teaching at our little

homeschool program again.

Last year I taught a Beginning Speech and Drama class.

This year I'm teaching Family and Consumer Science classes

with an emphasis on Foods 1 this semester.

Next semester we'll get to learn Beginning Sewing and Crafts!

A couple months ago, the idea was presented to me of our class preparing

a Thanksgiving meal for the senior citizens of the church where our

 homeschool program is held.

The ideas just flowed and we had an absolute ball pulling this all together!!

The girls and I spent the weeks prior discussing menu plans 

and delegating responsibilities.

Each girl chose a favorite dish they had learned to prepare,

and Lexi was in charge of decorations.

We prepared for 36 people.

We found this fun favor idea on pinterest,

and the girls helped to assemble 6 dozen of them!

The church had stacks of these pretty dishes and tableware,

so we used what we had on hand!

The fall themed decor was all happily lent to us by a lady in the church!

It all fit together perfectly with our fun, whimsical vision for this event!

The girls learned how to prepare and roast a turkey, as well

as make yeast rolls from scratch!!

Our honored (and surprise!!) guest was Pastor Sam Appiah all the way from Ghana, West Africa.

Lexi stayed with he and his wife in their home when she went on the mission trip to Ghana 3 years ago!!!  We were so blessed to get to meet him and to thank him for his hospitality to our daughter!

This cutie bunch of elementary children from our homeschool program prepared and sang the most precious medley of gospel songs for all the grandma's and grandpa's.

We had some baked goods left over, and put those out as a mini-bake sale and it was

all gone at the end of the luncheon!!

This was such a huge success and so much fun!!

What a blessing it was to be a part of blessing these older folks!!
I am so very thankful for this homeschool program our children get to be involved in,

and for the opportunities I get to teach my own daughters some of the things I absolutely love!

God is so good to us, and how can I help but thank Him!

The Challenge: Sharing the grace

Every once in a while, it's good to look back through the archives
and remember how God has spoken to you.
To remember those "Ah-ha moments" when the light came on and something the Lord has been working on in your life finally clicked!!
The following is one of those posts.
I shared this story awhile back, but I remember it like it was yesterday.......


At Christmas time several years ago, I was extremely challenged
by Ann's post on "The Great Give-Away."
It's a must read!!

As well as Joy's post on "Being filled: The beginning of giving."
Wow!!

Giving is not something that comes naturally for me, I have to admit.
I tend to be the frugal one always thinking of ways to save and conserve and plan for later.
My hand naturally tends to be holding onto things for "just in case."
I like to think my motto has been, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."
Not......give it away.

But I want to be better.
I am learning that my Savior daily "loads me" with benefits, and when I open my life and let Him fill it,
I naturally have a desire to share the bounty.

So yesterday I was faced with a challenge.
I could see clearly that the Lord put this opportunity in front of me to test my decision.

I was running some errands with my oldest daughter and my "personal assistant" daughter (remember, where ever I go, there she is also?)
I had the plan, the route mapped out in my mind, and the time in mind I wanted to be back home.

We were literally a minute from our first stop when we pulled up to the stop light at the corner waiting to make our turn.
That's when she saw him.
The transient.
Or as they are known in my house......the hobo.
A man standing on the corner, looking rather tired and weathered, with a hand-made cardboard sign that said "Anything would help."
We made the turn and my oldest daughter said, "Mom, don't you think we could go to McDonald's or something and get him some lunch?  Then I could witness to him.  I have my Bible with me."

Okay, so this became an enormously complicated question for me.
I have to admit......I didn't want to do that.
All kinds of excuses popped up in my mind...

....it's freezing cold and too windy out,

 .....it's never a good idea to give hand-outs to those who are standing on corners because they could be frauds,

......13 year old girls should NOT be sitting down on the embankment with suspicious looking men,

...I have a 7 year old girl who we're NOT leaving alone in the van,

and the list could go on.

"Mom, there's a subway store RIGHT THERE.  

I could use my money and get him a $5 foot long. Please?"

I told her that I would think about this as I was running in to take care of my first errand.

As I took the key out of the van, the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart.

"Do you REALLY want to be the hands of Jesus?  Really?"

After finishing my errand, I climbed back into my van, turned the key and the radio blasted loud.

The younger sister had tried to play a prank on me.

I teasingly asked, "Who did that?"

Lexi was quick to say, "Abby did, Mom.  I didn't want to do that because I didn't want you to say that I couldn't buy that guy some lunch."

Ouch.

She knows me too well.

I have been known to say things like that.

"Okay, Lord, I hear you."

So I tell Lexi that we need to find a tract because although she was going to be able to buy him some food, we wouldn't have the time or the place at that moment to open the Bible with him.

We couldn't find a tract ANYWHERE....not in any purse or Bible or cubby or storage spot....nothing.

So our plan was that after Lexi bought his lunch we would have to loop around under the highway and come back up the way we came to meet him at that stop light.

She came out of Subway and said, "Look, Mom.  I got this whole foot long, a bag of chips, and water all for less than $10!!  I hope he likes black forest ham, turkey, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce."

So as we pulled up next to him the light turned red, which was a gift from the Lord.

I rolled the window down and as I handed him the food, I said, "My daughter felt led to buy this for you, and she wanted you to know that Jesus loves you, and He asked us to be His hands for Him today and to give this to you.  We certainly hope that you'll consider going to a church where they can help you and give you some encouragement."

He looked at me the entire time and mumbled at one point, "You're an angel."

Then he asked me, "What church?"

I told him, "ANY church.  Why there's a good one just down the road from here" (and I told him about the church we used to attend.)

At that point the light changed and we had to go.

Lexi was weeping by then.

She could hardly regain her composure, so she stayed in the van at our next stop to pull herself together.

I have to admit, the whole thing made my eyes run liquid too.

Lexi reminded us to pray for this man at our dinner table that night.

Where we had plenty to eat and some to spare.

Under a roof.....that we own.

On furniture.

Because my husband has not one, but two, jobs.

We are thankful.

I am learning.

Learning to see my blessings.

To see how really full I am.

And that I have plenty to share.

And that my children need to see that what I say I believe in church......

.....that Jesus loves EVERYONE,

.......that He sat down with and had meals with the outcasts of society,

.......that He approached those who were a little scary looking and obviously troubled,

.....that He offered them Living Water,

......that He wants us to emulate Him.....

I actually believe and LIVE out in our world!

And that in giving,

I am actually giving only what was GIVEN to ME in the first place,

and that in continuing to SEE,

I don't have to worry about coming up short.

There's plenty more where it came from, and in LAVISH amounts. 

Grace.

"For God so loved.......that He gave..."