So the idea of me writing a blog every day for 25 days straight was a lofty goal! And obviously, one that I have not accomplished. But that's ok...there is blogger grace for me, and I will gladly receive it. :) But I will say the giving has been fun! However, today, I want to veer from the "giving" stories for a moment, and share what's been on my mind lately.
Christmas is 5 days away. I've been reminded lately that this season, though full of events and gifts galore, may not always be the most joyful time of year for everyone. Sometimes it brings pain, heartache, suffering, reminders of things and people lost. Sometimes, because of life's circumstances, it may feel heavy and difficult instead of light and carefree. Reality is, we live in a broken and hurting world where these things do exist... where we experience sadness and loss...where we can feel sorrow and pain in one moment, and joy and life in another. It's confusing and messed up, just like all of us are. :) But the good news is, there is one Gift that can change it all. One Gift that gives us hope. One Gift that reminds us the pain and suffering, the sadness and hurting won't last forever. One Gift that can make life and us not so messed up after all. The Gift: JESUS. He's all we need. He's all our world needs. He is HOPE. He is JOY. God sent Him to earth because He knew we needed a Savior...we have been and will always be in desperate need of a Savior. And praise God, we have One. JESUS. We are desperate for Him and for His grace. We long for the day when He shall return...where He will wipe away every tear and heal every wound. Until that day, we will WAIT for Him and cling to the hope we have in Him. And when the realities and hardships of this life set in, I hope that I...and WE...will remember that HOPE. And remember that we can find Joy in HIM, despite the surrounding circumstances.
Last night I attended Ryan's sister's (Jami Smith) Christmas concert. It was beautiful. Ryan sang with her, which made it even more beautiful to me. :) They sang this song together that I can't get out of my head. Maybe you've heard it. It goes along with everything I've been talking about. It's called Lament by Robbie Seay. You can listen to it here.
We need Him. I pray that you know Him, and that you will experience His Hope, His Grace and His Joy this season.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Days 4 & 5 - Giving and Receiving
Wow, I've never blogged this frequently EVER, in all of the 3 years that I've been blogging! ha! This is good for me. :) So, day 4, Saturday, was kind of a whirlwind of events for us. Didn't really get to do a giving "event" like I would want. However, I did find that my mind was focused on giving a lot throughout the day...intentional Christmas shopping for other people, baking food for people, etc. I had to make a quick run to the grocery store, and when I got there, I immediately saw the Salvation Army bell ringer out front. I knew that this time I couldn't just pass by. So, I dug through my purse searching for as much change as I could find, and on my way out of the store, I stopped to drop it in the bucket. It was a small act...a VERY small act. But I have to believe that somehow, at some point, it will help someone.
Later that night, a strange chill QUICKLY fell over me. It was weird. All of a sudden, I got a fever, cold chills, body aches, sore throat, and a pounding headache. I could not get warm, no matter how many blankets I piled on top of me! It was horrible. I finally fell asleep, moaning and groaning all night long because my body was aching so much. I never thought my whole body could become so sensitive like that! I mean it hurt to roll over, put socks on, and even try to walk! So strange. Needless to say, when Sunday morning rolled around, I was NOT going anywhere. I was completely sick! And this is not fun for a momma. Boo. So, Sunday ended up being my day of RECEIVING, not giving. :) My mom helped out with Graham, and then she brought Ryan and me lunch. Then sweet Ryan took care of me all day, bringing me water, medicine, taking my temp., and attending to our kiddos. That is no small task! He did a great job and he served me well. I felt very loved.
Oh, and I almost forgot! A sweet friend at church sent a gift back with my mom to give to us...it was definitely a random act of kindness! She gave us a bag of little hair rubber bands for Abigail and special shampoo, because she had told me that her little girl had hair like Abi does, and these were the things that she used. So sweet and thoughtful! So of course, I had to try out the hair bands...OH. MY. GOODNESS. PIG TAILS ON MY ALMOST 6-MONTH OLD BABY GIRL!
Fits her, don't you think?? :)
Later that night, a strange chill QUICKLY fell over me. It was weird. All of a sudden, I got a fever, cold chills, body aches, sore throat, and a pounding headache. I could not get warm, no matter how many blankets I piled on top of me! It was horrible. I finally fell asleep, moaning and groaning all night long because my body was aching so much. I never thought my whole body could become so sensitive like that! I mean it hurt to roll over, put socks on, and even try to walk! So strange. Needless to say, when Sunday morning rolled around, I was NOT going anywhere. I was completely sick! And this is not fun for a momma. Boo. So, Sunday ended up being my day of RECEIVING, not giving. :) My mom helped out with Graham, and then she brought Ryan and me lunch. Then sweet Ryan took care of me all day, bringing me water, medicine, taking my temp., and attending to our kiddos. That is no small task! He did a great job and he served me well. I felt very loved.
Oh, and I almost forgot! A sweet friend at church sent a gift back with my mom to give to us...it was definitely a random act of kindness! She gave us a bag of little hair rubber bands for Abigail and special shampoo, because she had told me that her little girl had hair like Abi does, and these were the things that she used. So sweet and thoughtful! So of course, I had to try out the hair bands...OH. MY. GOODNESS. PIG TAILS ON MY ALMOST 6-MONTH OLD BABY GIRL!
Fits her, don't you think?? :)
Day 3 - Giving Treats!
Wow, I am quickly falling behind on my blogging, but I will try to keep you up to speed with our Giving Challenge. There are two challenges when it comes to this giving thing...1. To actually get up and go DO IT. and 2. To do it with a JOYFUL heart, overflowing with a "giving spirit." We don't want to give just to check it off of our TO DO list. We want to learn to give because we can't imagine NOT giving. That's part of why I want to do this. I want GIVING to become just a natural part of who we are...that we don't even have to think twice about it, we just do it. And I want it to be a natural part of who my kids are. I want them to love to give and to find enjoyment in it.
On Friday, we went to dinner as a family at one of our favorite little Mexican restaurants in town. Chicas. It's not your typical tex-mex...their food seems much more fresh and even heart-healthier, if you will. :) I love it. I love their tacos, their black beans, their fresh fruit. YUM. Anyway, so we went their for an early dinner, and afterwards, we decided to pick up a yummy treat to give away. We went and bought a big, fluffily vanilla cupcake, with colorful sprinkles on top. We got back in the car, and as a family, we literally sat there and asked, "Who could we bless with this cupcake tonight??" We kept asking and asking, and then we thought of someone! Not knowing if she would be home at 8 o'clock on a Friday night, we drove to her house. Graham got out and walked up to her front door with cupcake in hand. She came to the door all bundled up in blankets because she was sick! She was thrilled to see us! And actually, she had been wanting something sweet to eat and just didn't have anything there at the house. So she was blessed to receive the gift! And we were blessed to be able to give it to her. She said she felt like Angels were watching over her. How cool is that?! Funny what just a small act of kindness can do for another person. Giving away this cupcake really topped off our whole evening! It was fun. :)
Here is Graham delivering the goods to our friend Anne, and some pretty Christmas lights we saw along the way...
On Friday, we went to dinner as a family at one of our favorite little Mexican restaurants in town. Chicas. It's not your typical tex-mex...their food seems much more fresh and even heart-healthier, if you will. :) I love it. I love their tacos, their black beans, their fresh fruit. YUM. Anyway, so we went their for an early dinner, and afterwards, we decided to pick up a yummy treat to give away. We went and bought a big, fluffily vanilla cupcake, with colorful sprinkles on top. We got back in the car, and as a family, we literally sat there and asked, "Who could we bless with this cupcake tonight??" We kept asking and asking, and then we thought of someone! Not knowing if she would be home at 8 o'clock on a Friday night, we drove to her house. Graham got out and walked up to her front door with cupcake in hand. She came to the door all bundled up in blankets because she was sick! She was thrilled to see us! And actually, she had been wanting something sweet to eat and just didn't have anything there at the house. So she was blessed to receive the gift! And we were blessed to be able to give it to her. She said she felt like Angels were watching over her. How cool is that?! Funny what just a small act of kindness can do for another person. Giving away this cupcake really topped off our whole evening! It was fun. :)
Here is Graham delivering the goods to our friend Anne, and some pretty Christmas lights we saw along the way...
Friday, December 3, 2010
Day 2 - Giving & Serving
It's day 2 of our challenge and we didn't get to leave the house on this day! So...we GAVE through HOSPITALITY! I invited a few other young moms over, and their boys who are Graham's friends, for coffee. I told Graham that we were having friends over and that he would get to share his toys with them. I think he did a pretty good job at sharing. :)
I love having people in my home! Especially during the holiday season. We had the Christmas decor up and the Christmas music going...fresh tea and coffee...and the holiday candles burning. It is so important for me to be able to connect with other moms who are in the exact same phase of life. We can talk, relate, encourage and share with each other. It is life-giving and very much needed. But I've realized that for so many of us, it is hard to actually initiate something. Probably because we get bogged down with our daily routines and feel overwhelmed with kiddos, etc. But part of it may also be fear, insecurity, or just wanting to wait until someone actually pursues us. I know I think and feel that way a lot. But sometimes we just need to pursue first. Take the first step, because we all want that relationship and community. Anyway, this time, I decided to just go for it and initiate something. Because I WANT to make time for people in my life...for relationships to deepen and grow. And I need it! So I'm trying to get better at initiating and pursuing people...and GIVING of myself and my time in that way.
We had a good time together, but as you can imagine, with 4 young boys running around it got a bit out of control at times! But that is just the phase of life we're in now. And at least we can all understand that together. I love my friends, and their kiddos too. And I'm so happy that I can open my home up to them...and I hope to do it a lot more in the future! :-)
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The Giving Challenge
Today I woke up with a thought in my head. And instead of just dwelling on it for a bit and then throwing it out the window with so many others that I've had, I decided to just GO WITH IT.
Last night I had the privilege of attending a banquet here in Oklahoma City for the Whiz Kids organization. This is a faith-based, tutoring/mentorship program for kids in elementary school. It is making a huge impact here in OKC. The key-note speaker at the banquet was Collins Tuhoy, the sister from the movie The Blind Side. She told her story of how her family became so connected to Michael Orr and the impact he had and is still having on their lives and hearts. It's a pretty amazing story. Her charge at the end of her speech was, as we walk away from this banquet, away from hearing stories of lives that are being impacted and changed, that we would STOP. Turn Around. And ACT. That we would be people who ACT. Not just hear and be encouraged, but ACT.
So back to my thought for today. The Giving Challenge. I want to teach my children that it is better to GIVE than to receive. That it is more fulfilling to GO and GIVE away, because we have been given so much. And THEY have so much to give. And God calls us to GO and GIVE it away to others, to the world, in whatever way we can. So my thought for us, for me, for my kids, my family, is to do the Giving Challenge.
Today is December 1, 2010. For the next 25 days, I am challenging myself to do an "ACT of Giving" every day with my kids. This will challenge me to first THINK of and LOOK for opportunities, to be proactive, to be CREATIVE, and to ACT. As an act of accountability, I will post what we do each day...give me grace on posting though! I might get behind on the blogging, but hopefully not on the giving! I'm praying that this will have an impact on me and my heart, making me more sensitive and aware of ways that I can give and encourage and impact, as well as teaching my 3 year old son that he can make a difference in people's lives...that even at a young age, he can give and influence and share what's been given to him.
So today's ACT was taking clothes and toys to GOODWILL. I asked Graham if he wanted to give some of his toys away to kids who didn't have any, and he responded with a resounding, "YES!" He was so excited to go through his room and pick out toys to give away. It's already in him! This generous, joyful-giving spirit!!! I love it. A child's heart is so precious. His only disappointment was that we didn't actually get to "see" the kids. He kept asking me where they were! Sometimes I forget that kids are so literal. :) Here are some pics from today's Giving Act...
If you have "GIVING" stories to share during this season, I would love to hear them! Or, if you would like to join in on our 25 day Giving Challenge, that would be awesome too! Either way, I hope that all of our hearts are sparked to give a little more this holiday season.
P.S. My daughter had an INCREDIBLY, HUGE blowout diaper during the writing of this post. So I was interrupted with this stinky explosion, which required bathtime and all. Just wanted you to know it's always just a normal mommy-day life over here in these neck of the woods. Fun times. :)
Last night I had the privilege of attending a banquet here in Oklahoma City for the Whiz Kids organization. This is a faith-based, tutoring/mentorship program for kids in elementary school. It is making a huge impact here in OKC. The key-note speaker at the banquet was Collins Tuhoy, the sister from the movie The Blind Side. She told her story of how her family became so connected to Michael Orr and the impact he had and is still having on their lives and hearts. It's a pretty amazing story. Her charge at the end of her speech was, as we walk away from this banquet, away from hearing stories of lives that are being impacted and changed, that we would STOP. Turn Around. And ACT. That we would be people who ACT. Not just hear and be encouraged, but ACT.
So back to my thought for today. The Giving Challenge. I want to teach my children that it is better to GIVE than to receive. That it is more fulfilling to GO and GIVE away, because we have been given so much. And THEY have so much to give. And God calls us to GO and GIVE it away to others, to the world, in whatever way we can. So my thought for us, for me, for my kids, my family, is to do the Giving Challenge.
Today is December 1, 2010. For the next 25 days, I am challenging myself to do an "ACT of Giving" every day with my kids. This will challenge me to first THINK of and LOOK for opportunities, to be proactive, to be CREATIVE, and to ACT. As an act of accountability, I will post what we do each day...give me grace on posting though! I might get behind on the blogging, but hopefully not on the giving! I'm praying that this will have an impact on me and my heart, making me more sensitive and aware of ways that I can give and encourage and impact, as well as teaching my 3 year old son that he can make a difference in people's lives...that even at a young age, he can give and influence and share what's been given to him.
So today's ACT was taking clothes and toys to GOODWILL. I asked Graham if he wanted to give some of his toys away to kids who didn't have any, and he responded with a resounding, "YES!" He was so excited to go through his room and pick out toys to give away. It's already in him! This generous, joyful-giving spirit!!! I love it. A child's heart is so precious. His only disappointment was that we didn't actually get to "see" the kids. He kept asking me where they were! Sometimes I forget that kids are so literal. :) Here are some pics from today's Giving Act...
If you have "GIVING" stories to share during this season, I would love to hear them! Or, if you would like to join in on our 25 day Giving Challenge, that would be awesome too! Either way, I hope that all of our hearts are sparked to give a little more this holiday season.
P.S. My daughter had an INCREDIBLY, HUGE blowout diaper during the writing of this post. So I was interrupted with this stinky explosion, which required bathtime and all. Just wanted you to know it's always just a normal mommy-day life over here in these neck of the woods. Fun times. :)
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