Category Archives: Holidays

The Gift of Giving

Holidays, ,

The Gift of Giving


 I can’t believe we’re down to the last days of December! As I’m posting this, there are only 15 shopping days left for me to buy all the presents needed for all the special people on the “Nice” list this year.

The Farmer and I have decided that we are not going to spend as much as we have in the past. With nine children, their spouses, our eleven grandchildren, his mom, my parents, siblings, secret sisters, missions, charities, and random strangers—the spending had gotten so out of control, it looked like the national deficit! (Before 2007)

Although we have never had a need that has gone unmet, we are far from having untold riches within our reach. Every year, with Christmas looming near, our financial belts always seem stretched to the point of snapping. Nevertheless, each year, as we watched our children rush to their stockings and then to the tree to unwrap their gifts, the financial sacrifices we made seemed all worth the strain…but then came the aftermath. And I’m not talking about the mounds of wrapping paper and mountain of boxes that had to be cleaned up and taken to the burn barrel (after closely examining for any stray “important” piece of someone’s toy). Or the assembling of the Barbie house, or the new bicycle, or the new whatever electronic contraption was popular that year. No…the aftermath was the financial devastation that our monthly budget suffered until the spring thaw. I guess that is one way to make the Christmas season last longer!

However, overspending, stretching the budget, or strapping our finances does not only cause us a hardship, but it also makes us careless stewards of God’s rich blessings. God has called us to be stewards, or caretakers, of what he has given to us, so he can use them for his glory. Our material possessions are not eternal, but what we do with our money and time here on earth will someday be taken into account in Heaven. As Christians, we are responsible for what has been entrusted to us.
 “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen”. Romans 11:36
Everything belongs to God, and if you are a Christian, He has entrusted you with earthly possessions that He desires for you to use to share His love. And in this world of entitlement, there are lots of opportunities. Nevertheless, here is a list of things I consider (and hope) are legitimate.
Goodwill is all about putting people to work. Every item sold and donation made to Goodwill helps fund job training programs and employment placing services for people with disabilities or employment challenges. Find out how you can make a difference >>Here<<
I just went shopping there and found 2 blouses for $3.00 each.
Ronald McDonald House 
I donate often to The Ronald McDonald House, mainly because I give them my loose change every time I stop by McDonalds to get a burger. My granddaughter spent the first seven weeks of her life in ICU, and I saw what a hardship it was on her mom and dad traveling back and forth to be with her each day. This charity makes it possible for families to stay close by, often at no charge, while their most precious possession is getting the care they need.
Salvation Army 
It’s super easy to donate to this charity, they are the ones standing outside WalMart and other retailers, ringing their bells and making it impossible for you to walk by without feeling a little guilty. I always make sure I have $1.00 ready when I walk out, just to quiet my conscience.
Red Cross
Give the gift of life…donate blood through the American Red Cross. And I saw on their website that when you donate your blood, the Keebler Elves will bake a cookie just for you!
U.S. Marine Corp Reserve Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots collects new toys from October through December, and distributes them to the worthy children in the local communities in which a Marine Corp Reserve Unit is located. These are easy to donate to, also. Just buy a new toy in a store that supports Toys for Tots and drop it in their box on the way out.
More personal ideas on giving:
·        Give a secret gift to a less fortunate family who you are associated with
·        Help an elderly neighbor with yard work or household duties
·        Spend time with someone who has no close family nearby
·        Encourage your kids to donate their toys (especially before Christmas)
·        Bake goodies for special people in your life
·        Give your words through cards, phone calls, and personal visits.
Got any ideas on other ways we can share God’s gifts?
Leave a comment and share them with us all. 

Being Thankful

Holidays, Home, , ,

It’s here again! Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away, so now I need to get busy preparing for it. We have almost 50 people at our house each year for Thanksgiving (actually the day after). I kept telling myself that it was November, and reminding myself that Thanksgiving was coming, but I guess it never really sunk in. Fortunately, I began receiving phone calls and texts from my (grown) daughters about preparations for the meal; otherwise, I would have procrastinated to the last minute (which is a bit redundant).

When I sat down to prepare my to-do list, I began thinking of Thanksgiving—it’s meaning, family time, past memories, and of course, a post for my blog. And instead of finishing my grocery list, I began writing (I would rather write than shop).

Thanksgiving

Since the beginning of November, I have seen people all across social media making lists of what they are thankful for. Most are doing one a day, so in 30 days they will have listed 30 blessings they personally recognize. This is a great idea, and we should all be numbering our blessings continually. However, yesterday at church, the preacher (who happens to be my nephew) [wow! That makes me sound too old or him sound too young…] Anyway…back to the point… he brought up the idea that Thanksgiving wasn’t about the things that we should be thankful for, but Who we should be thankful for. He brought up the idea that Thanksgiving should be less about the things we have and more about the Provider of these things.

The Bible tells us that all things were made by God, and that every perfect gift comes from the Father of lights. If you have health, wealth, and affluence, you should be thankful for God. If you’re sick, poor, or friendless, you should be thankful for God. No matter what state our finances, our family, or our influence is, we should be thankful for God.

It’s easy to be satisfied and happy when all is going well, rather than when we are facing trials and tribulations. However, there are many examples of people throughout history who have had the integrity to stand when all is lost, and probably the most familiar example in the Bible is Job.

Job lived the life of health, wealth, and prosperity. He had it all according to everyone’s standard. He was a successful farmer, a great father, a loving husband, and a faithful friend. He also had a testimony of one that worshiped God and avoided evil. But one tragic day he lost everything. His animals were all stolen, his children were all killed, and he even lost his health to the point that his wife begged him to “curse God and die”. Even his friends were condescending and critical, falsely judging Job because they perceived his devastation was due to some deep, dark sin.

But Job did not waver in his faithfulness to God. He didn’t base his thankfulness upon his possessions, his family’s health, nor his well-being. In the first chapter of the book of Job, he clearly shows what he’s made of: “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, ‘Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’”

He had gut-wrenching sorrow from his losses, but through it all he never blamed God nor accused God of being unfair. He continued to praise God for Who He is. No matter what we as Christians go through, our first reaction to all situations should be “blessed be the name of the Lord”.

Give Thanks

Give thanks for His Power— God has the power to give eternal life. “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him”. (John 17:2)

Give thanks for His Person— The Father creates (Isaiah 44:24), the Son redeems (Gal. 3:13), and the Holy Spirit sanctifies (Rom. 15:16).  “Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord”.

Give thanks for His Provision— “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matt. 6:25-26)

So this Thanksgiving, amid the turkey and the pumpkin pie, I encourage you to count your blessings, but more importantly, meditate on the greatness and holiness of God.

I Luuuv You!

Holidays, Home, , ,

Do you remember the goofy mountain prankster from the Andy Griffith Show? In one of the episodes, The Education of Earnest T. Bass, the unruly hillbilly gets swatted on the knuckles by Miss Crump, while he is under her tutelage earning his grade school diploma (which he is trying to get to impress the love of his life—“Romena”).

Smitten with Helen Crump, after she disciplines him for being unruly, he declares to her, in his distinctive mountain accent… “I luuuuv you! I luuuuv you!”

Of course, Helen runs to Sheriff Taylor, who eventually convinces the wild-eyed mountain man that his feelings for Miss Crump are due to her appearing to be a “muther figger”. J

Although there are so many great things you can bring out about that whole episode, since it’s Valentine’s Day, I want to talk about “luv”.

Love, according to Merriam-Webster, means strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties; a person’s adoration of God; unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.

According to the Bible, love is patient and kind. However, it is not jealous, boastful, or arrogant. Love does not behave inappropriately, does not insist on having its own way, and is not irritable or resentful.

Those two definitions definitely fly in the face of how people use the term “love” so flippantly.

We proclaim it, we fall into it, we share it, we lose it, and misuse it.

                                                                   I love my nail polish

                                                                                                                   …I love your hair color

                           …Don’t you just love these potatoes?

                                                                                                                                                               …Everyone loves chocolate!

                                                                                              I love to play soccer…

                    He loves to go hunting…

                                                                  We love our home…

                                                                                                                   They love to eat out.

When I see what the Bible says about love, I have to ask myself if my closest relationships—with my spouse, my children, my parents—are characterized in that definition. Sadly, I would have to say…not always.

If you were to ask me if I loved my family, of course I would say yes; but what do my actions say? We all know that our actions speak louder than our words. I can say “I love you”, but if my actions are impatient, unkind, jealous, arrogant, improper, selfish, angry, or resentful—then I am not displaying love.

In that same chapter of 1 Corinthians 13, it goes on to say, love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in truth.

This Valentine’s Day would be a perfect time to reaffirm my love for my husband, my children, my family, and my friends.

In loving my husband, I want to be committed to serving him as I promised on the day we were married; to reverence and honor him whether I’m sitting beside him talking about our secret plans for our life together or I’m speaking in public to a group of ladies.

In loving my children and grandchildren, I want to adore them and make them feel special; to encourage them and support them in the wise decisions they make concerning their lives.

In loving my family and friends to whom I’m emotionally connected, I want to show them respect and to value opportunities I have to spend with them.

But most of all, in loving the Love of my life, the Savior of my soul, I want to walk in a way that would bring glory to him; to show how grateful I am that he gave his sinless life as a payment for my sinful life by dying on the cross and rising from the dead so that I may someday spend an eternity in his presence.

My Jesus, I Love Thee

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

William R. Featherston, 1864

Happy Valentine’s Day, everybody!

heart2

Starting A New Resolution In 2013

Holidays, Home, ,
happy new year

Happy New Year!

Have you started your New Year’s resolution? Or…have you already broken it?

As far back as I can remember I have never liked to make a new year’s resolution. Mainly, because I know myself well enough to know that I don’t have the fortitude to keep it. Blame it on laziness, distraction, weakness, or whatever…but I don’t like to set myself up for failure.

Last week as I was studying for my Sunday school lesson, I ran across this statement, “Should Christians make New Year’s Resolutions?” Well of course we should; there’s even a hymn for it:

 

 

I am resolved no longer to linger,
Charmed by the world’s delight,
Things that are higher, things that are nobler,
These have allured my sight.
I am resolved to follow the Savior,
Faithful and true each day;
Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth,
He is the living Way.

I looked up the word resolution and the definition that I liked best was “a firmness of purpose”. So yes, I decided, Christians should make resolutions. Like the hymn says, be resolved not to be charmed by what the world has to offer…things that are higher and nobler should be what we try to obtain.

Then I began thinking about the new year and making changes. My thought pattern (if you dare to listen in) went something like this (imagine me talking to myself):

As a Christian, maybe I should “resolve” to do some things differently.
    –I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions.
But as a Christian, I should be resolved about some things.
    –I don’t like New Year’s Resolutions.
Have I ever lost weight, or read my Bible in a year, or stopped any bad habit, or started any good habit?
    –Well… probably, I just can’t think of anything right now.
Maybe if I make one New Year’s Resolution that I was going to do anyway, like lose weight (yeah, right).
    –But it’s a New Year’s Resolution.
Oh, come on! What’s it matter what I call it? It’s the same thing!
    — I don’t like New Year’s Resolutions.
But losing weight would be a good goal, and I know I will be able to keep that.
    …Oh good…there’s still some cookies left from Christmas…
I wonder where that fudge is that Mom made.
…I had better get that eaten if I’m going to make a resolution!

Actually, that was one of my more sane “conversations”. But the point is, that statement about Christians making resolutions got me thinking. When I make a decision to change something about myself, why do I want to change? What’s the reason behind the change?

Well, there are a lot of things we (I’m including you now, so I don’t have to be out here by myself) all could change. Maybe it has to do with weight, punctuality, finances, attitude—you could insert a thousand things. But what are the reasons behind the change?

Let’s take weight—you may want to lose, or gain, weight to improve your looks, or for health reasons.

Or finances—maybe you want to try to learn to save money so you can take your dream trip.

Maybe your attitude needs to change so you can be polite and considerate.

Although these changes, and the reasons for them, are good, the center of all the reasons is “I”.

“I want to change so I will be better”.

As a Christian, the changes I make should bring honor to God so I can be used for his glory.

  • Does God want me to manage my weight? Yes, but I should seek out his will in that area.
  • Does God want me to be more financially responsible? Yes, but I should find out what he wants me to do with my finances.
  • Does God want me to have a loving attitude? Yes, but I should desire his way over mine.

Proverbs 16, verses 3 and 9 says, “Commit thy work unto the Lord, and thy thoughts will be established; A man’s heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.”

Christians should be resolved, we should have a firmness of purpose, but our goal should not be self-improvement, but God-honoring—“Heed what he saith, Do what he willeth…” However, we don’t have to wait until January 1st, we can be resolved to change anytime of the year, month, week, or day. Just pick a starting point and make sure the hub of that decision wheel is God and he will establish your steps.

By seeking to be more like Christ, I’m becoming a better me.

Have We Cancelled Thanksgiving?

Holidays, Home,

Image of empty Thanksgiving table

Why Should We Celebrate Thanksgiving?

With Black Friday starting on Thursday, and Cyber Monday turning into Cyber Week, the time to celebrate Thanksgiving has almost been lost. Christmas decorations go up before Halloween and Christmas music begins to play shortly after.

Why should we celebrate Thanksgiving, anyway? If we got rid of that day, then the holidays wouldn’t be so crunched. We could go to Halloween parties, pumpkin patches, and trick or treating in October, in store shopping, online shopping and office parties in November, and squeeze in a plethora of gift exchanges in December, without the crunch of a Thanksgiving gathering.

Too Busy to Be Thankful

Well of course, I’m being facetious. Like others, autumn is my favorite time of year. The trees turning shades of yellow, red, and orange; the smells of drying leaves and wood-burning stoves; the sounds of leaves crunching under foot and acorns dropping to the ground; there’s even something about the cool bite of the autumn air early in the morning that brings a feeling of nostalgia. I must have had a wonderful childhood (Thanks Mom and Dad!).

But why must we rush through the celebration of Thanksgiving? Is it because we don’t care anymore about America’s history? Are we too busy to sit down with family and friends to enjoy a feast? It seems that all the holiday rush is overshadowing Thanksgiving.

Abundantly Blessed

Taking time to remember where America started and the hardships that our ancestors faced is important, and we should be teaching it to our children always. Taking time to gather as a family and remembering all the great things we have been blessed with is equally important. But Thanksgiving Day should be just that—a day of giving thanks.

We should be giving thanks to God our Creator, who provides all things in abundance to every one of us. If you are an American, you should be thankful for the blessings that you have received merely by your presence in this country. If you are a Christian, you should walk in a thankful spirit always, remembering the grace of God that has separated you from death to life everlasting.

Be Thankful—Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.