They're Back

To wish you a Merry Christmas!!




Hope your holiday is filled with Joy!

Our Christmas Card

We decided not to send out Christmas cards this year. It felt overwhelming.

Our kids were pretty bummed when we told them, so they asked...

"Can we put together a little song and dance to share with everyone anyway?"

How could I refuse...

Hope you enjoy their production!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Shopping!

Yes,  you read that correctly.

And even though it is 100 degrees outside, I am beginning to think Christmas.

Last year I set a goal to purchase gifts that gave back. This year I'd like to do the same.

So, in the spirit of Christmas, I'd like to share a few opportunities with you.

Have you ever heard of Scentsy? Head over here to learn more.
The Scentsy fundraiser will only last during the month of September. What makes this FUNdraiser extra fun is if you make a purchase over $10 you can be entered to win other prizes. AND, for every purchase you make money goes to help orphans in Henan (Suhn's province in China). So go knock a few items off your Christmas list and help orphans at the same time. It's a win-win-win (which is by far the best kind).

One more "gifts that give back" tip (and I'm hoping to share more over the next few months so stay tuned)...

Wild Olive T's

Awesome, awesome t-shirts for women and kids. Better yet, a percentage of EVERY purchase you make goes to help orphans.

My "So Loved" t-shirt if an easy favorite. Mya and Suhn's too! Go check out the site. Seriously, t-shirts don't get any better than this.

Happy Shopping and have a great Labor day weekend!

Merry Christmas

It's been quiet around this little patch of Internet for several weeks, and just in case you are curious, it's going to continue to be quiet for several weeks more. At least into January, maybe more, we'll see.

Until then, wishing you a Wonder-filled Christmas, from our family to yours.

Shopping with Purpose

Wanted to let you know, I found one more "master list" to share...

Go here, shop and help families adopt!

Get Shopping!

Christmas is around the corner. I've been at the job of Christmas shopping for several weeks now. Making my lists, checking them twice, and all that.

I love giving gifts, but sometimes I struggle with purchasing more-stuff-that-we-don't-really-need while lining the pockets of corporate America in the process. So this year I set a goal. It doesn't necessarily help the "more stuff" issue, but I have found a way to give twice as much with one gift.

I've challenged myself to buy all of my extended family (this includes anyone outside the 7 who live in my house) gifts that support other causes. There are hundreds of families creating and selling amazing products to raise funds for their adoptions. There are organizations who do amazing work to help alleviate poverty and the suffering of others who sell great items.

I have found some great gifts that I am really excited to give and knowing that my money is supporting adoption and other worthy causes makes me even more excited.

Just in case you'd like to do a little "shopping with a purpose," I thought I'd share some of the great sites I have found...

• Kristen, at We Are That Family, and her family have recently been called to start The Mercy House in Kenya. Their etsy shop (go here) has a great selection of items that are constantly changing. Your money will support The Mercy House .
• Mama Mimi, at The Domesticated Diva, has put together a large list of links to help you find adoptive families who are fundraising, she has even separated them by category! There is lots of shopping to be done here!
• My Cup Overfloweth gave adoptive families the chance to link up and share their fundraisers. There are currently 42 links with a huge variety of products. Shop here to help a family bring their child home!
• Linny, at A Place Called Simplicity, had the same idea. Go here, to find over 40 more sites where you can Shop with a Purpose!

If you have found other great places to "Shop with a Purpose", please share them in the comments.
Otherwise, happy shopping and Merry Christmas!!!

The First Noel

The church choir was singing "The First Noel" when the director stopped and reminded us how beautiful the song was. I was glad for the interruption, because even though I was singing the song, I was missing the beauty.

I wasn't noticing the intricacies of the harmonies. I wasn't even paying attention to the lyrics and the message of joy they were sharing. I was concentrating on singing the notes of a song I have sung since childhood and was missing the point.

It is easy to stop paying attention to the familiar because we know what is coming. Christmas is full of the familiar, from the songs we sing to the story we celebrate.

As we move into December, begin to be bombarded by carols and are reminded once again of the first Christmas, don't forget to pay attention. Stop yourself, look around and listen to the beauty of the familiar that infiltrates this extraordinary and holy season.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel!

That Night There were Shepherds...

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.

The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.

After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.

The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Luke 2:8-20 (NLT)

An Unexpected Gift

This year we started a new tradition. We had our kids exchange names and "buy" a gift for each other. Last night we exchanged those gifts.

They were excited. Excited to open presents, yes. But also excited to watch their siblings open their presents. It was fun to watch!

Kory and I exchanged presents too.

Mine came in a big, microwave sized box. Which contained a smaller box, which contained a smaller box. (I remember watching my mom open similar presents from my dad.) I love what he got me - Kory is a great gift-giver. Because of the packaging, the actual gift was unexpected. It got me thinking...

So much of the Christmas story is unexpected.

A virgin girl gave birth to the Lord of Hosts. What must she have felt when the angel came to her? What was it like to hold the baby Jesus? What was it like to look into his eyes? God as a baby! What was it like?

Shepherds were the first to know. Poor, stinky shepherds out in a field! What was it like to see the angels singing, "Glory to God in the Highest!" What did they feel as they went to find the baby? when they saw him? What was it like?

Wise men traveled from afar. Foreigners bringing expensive gifts to a little, unknown Jewish boy. Why did they follow the star? What did they think they would find? What did they think when they found him? What was it like?

God giving the best gift ever given - his son. Jesus, leaving the glory of heaven to be born as a man. What was it like to bow down and worship him that first Christmas morning? To reach out and touch the hand of a baby who would save your soul. What was it like?

An unexpected story written by a God who loves us infinitely.

May you experience the wonder of the Christmas story this season.

May you be blessed with unexpected gifts in unlikely packages.

May you experience joy as we celebrate the birth of Jesus - the one who changed everything!

Merry Christmas everyone.

Happy Birthday Jesus.

Merry Christmas Charlie Brown

Tonight A Charlie Brown Christmas was aired once again on ABC. I grew up watching this movie at Christmastime. It always makes me nostalgic. This year Mya watched it with me. It is so fun to introduce my daughter to Christmas traditions that I enjoyed at her age.

On another note, I was pleasantly surprised to see that A Charlie Brown Christmas is still being aired. When Charlie Brown asks if anyone knows what Christmas is all about, Linus proceeds to tell him - quoting directly from scripture (Luke 2 - "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night..."). Who would have thought that the same network that gives us quality programming like Desperate Housewives and Wifeswap would share with its viewers what Christmas is really about? Especially in a world where saying the words "Merry Christmas" is becoming politically incorrect, baby Jesus is being removed from public nativity scenes, and "Christmas" break is being replaced by "winter"break. Will this country someday just celebrate the "holidays" and take away Christmas altogether? I can get worked up just thinking about it...

...and then I remember that I serve a Sovereign God who is in control of this crazy, mixed-up world. He came to earth and confined himself to human form. He became a baby - a helpless, little baby - and was born in a dirty stable and laid in a manger. Because of that mind-blowing sacrifice, Christmas will always be Christmas - a celebration of Jesus birth. Praise God political correctness can never change that!

As I bring today's ramblings to an end I want to shout with Linus, Lucy and the gang,

"Merry Christmas Charlie Brown"

Thank you for sharing the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas

Christmas time is here! My goal this year (and every year for that matter) is to pass on the true meaning of Christmas to my kids.

Today Mya and I had a little conversation:

"So, Mya Christmas is coming soon. Do you know why we celebrate Christmas?"

To which she replied, with much enthusiasim, "PRESENTS!"

I think we have a little work to do. :)