Showing posts with label Giving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Giving. Show all posts

Monday, December 26, 2016

Christmas 2016

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas! Mine was absolutely spectacular! My family and I opened presents and stockings, watched some shows together (Mission Impossible and Star Trek...yes, very non-traditional things to watch on Christmas day. ðŸ˜‰), played Twister, tried out all our new gifts, put together Christmas supper, and in all, spent a great day with each other. It wasn't a white Christmas unfortunately...but it did rain, so I guess that was okay. Better than nothing at all (and you ought to know how much I love rain). ðŸ™‚

Aside from telling y'all about my Christmas, I wanted to share a little something. On Christmas Eve, my family and I went to a Christmas Eve service at the Church. The place was all decorated up with wreaths and garlands, and everyone received a candle which was lit at the end of the service. Towards the end of the service, the pastor showed a short video - rather, a commercial - about an event during World War I where the British and Germans stopped the fighting to celebrate Christmas together. The video was quite awe-inspiring, and so I want to share it with you. You can watch it below. December 25 may be over this year, but I hope the joy and love and peace that comes with the Christmas season never ends.



May your days be merry and bright, everyone!

à la prochaine,

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Joy To The World

I love those words.  Joy to the world.  It adds so much to (and not just) December, thinking about Jesus.


My Mom and I were watching the K-LOVE Music City Christmas videos on YouTube yesterday, and I enjoyed hearing Mandisa talk about her Christmas memory of when she was all by herself.  She said that she read the account of Jesus' birth, and for the whole day it was just her and God.  Just listening to her talk about that Christmas, I felt like I should do more than anticipate getting gifts.

But it seems like so many people celebrate Christmas just because of the gifts, the family togetherness, and fun.  It's like we're forgetting the most important part of Christmas.  Jesus, Who brought the most joy to the world that we're ever going to get.

To tell the truth, my Christmas Wish List was anything but small!  "A ukulele, Gabby Douglas' book, a new guitar, Mandisa's new album, a $15 itunes gift card..."

I love to give.  But I also like to get.  But this year, I think I know exactly what I can get for my Mom (I just can't state it at this moment because she subscribes to The Godly Photographer and she proofreads every post before I publish it. :) ).  It's not a material gift, not something I could go buy at Walmart.  But it's something she told me she wanted. Can you guess what it is?

This Christmas, I'm thinking about what I can do for others.  I want other people to know all about the Joy that came to this world 2,000 years ago.  And He is the best gift I can ever give and still keep for myself.

What will you do for someone special this Christmas?



Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Remembering 9/11

FOR THE HEROES WHO RISKED AND LOST THEIR LIVES ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
AMERICA IS DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SELFLESS SACRIFICE


Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Compassion Blog Month is Back!

If you read my earlier Compassion Blog Month Post, you probably know what I'm talking about...If not, let me refresh you...

Beginning Tuesday, September 3, Compassion International will email a weekly writing assignment to members of the Compassion Bloggers Network and will publish each assignment on compassionbloggers.com.

The goal is to find sponsors for at least 3,160 waiting children. If you help, that will make a huge difference.

And there's prizes if you get children sponsored.

The grand prize is a spot on a 2014 Blog Trip.
The first prize winner and second prize winner has the option to attend the 2014 New Media Expo presented by BlogWorld or the 2014 Blissdom conference.

To be eligible for the above prizes you must get at least five children sponsored during Blog Month.

Also, Compassion has five prize packages to give away!  To be eligible for these, you must get at least one child sponsored.
Each prize package includes the following and more:
~$25 iTunes gift card
~16 oz. Compassion stainless steel mug
~12 oz. bag of fair trade organic whole bean coffee
All you need for entering is a blog and signing up to the Compassion Blog Network. Compassion Blog Month starts September 1st, so get ready if you're interested! Oh, and one last thing: 
Each blog post you write will earn you 10 contest entries after you enter the URL to your post in the Rafflecopter widget on Compassion Website. Submitting more than one blog post for each assignment is allowed, but each post must be unique and different...no copying! :)
For more info, click the link here
Let's help save children from poverty.

Friday, May 24, 2013

LISTEN!

I dare you to stop whatever you are doing right here, right now...and listen.
Just Listen

What do you hear?  
OK, before you start hearing imaginary crickets and get terribly bored, keep reading.

Can you hear the sound of help? Of assistance? Of life?
Can you hear the sound of sound itself? Calling you to do something?

Now look.

Just Look 

Look around you. What do you see?
Can you see the sight of someone in need? 
If you are inside, are the beds needing to be made? Are the dishes needing a good washing? How about the clothes in the enormous, never-ending pile of laundry?

Now get up, stop reading, and help out.

Just Help
 
Go on! If you are reading this before you get up and start helping, you aren't going to read much in this post that will benefit you yet.
On the other hand, maybe you're thinking you shouldn't obey the blog post of a complete stranger!  ;)

So, (hopefully) you listened, looked, and helped. 
If you obeyed this blog post (written by a complete stranger)...
You deserve a thumbs-up...
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  Galatians 5:13

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

~Merry Christmas!~


The white Christmas hasn't come yet, but it stands to reason that there's no place like home for the holidays!
This celebration of Jesus is a mere one for such as Him. Everyone is busy celebrating His wonderful birth! The tree, the presents, the laughter, the families gathering, sharing, and love.

You know, that's what Jesus was portraying when He came: His amazing love.

Thinking beyond the packages coming week after week this season, the temptation to take a small peek under the wrapping paper, the endless question "Is it Christmas yet?": Did we remember Who gave us Christmas? Who gave us this love, joy, and peacefulness?

Or have we waited for the morning when we get to grab out the stockings, rip open the paper, and spend all day in our pajamas?
This isn't all that Christmas should be. It should be more! Giving is better than receiving after all!

Give with your heart. You'll be glad you did.
Jesus Loves You, everyone.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Share Some Love


Christmas is arriving. But families in poverty may not receive any gifts.
While we sit around the tree, opening up our packages or smiling for the camera, holding up our stockings in our Christmas pajamas, there will be children who will be sitting on dirt floors, never getting the chance to know what a gift is.

But you can help give a family in destitution two special gifts: love and safety.
This Christmas, why don't we give instead of receive? Compassion International aims to raise $20,000 through their Gift Catalog. Your donation will help these families not only thrive, but show them that someone in the world is caring. And showing that you care is a gift in itself. 

Jesus gave Himself to us, and He was (and is) the greatest, most precious gift we will ever receive. Why not give for Him?

By giving love, time, and sometimes money, you will abound in happiness. Give generously and without resent ...you are doing a good deed.

"But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving." (2 Corinthians 8:7 NIV)

"Freely you have received; freely give." (Matthew 10:8b NIV)

"Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you."(3 John 1:5 NIV)
THANK-YOU,
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!


Thursday, December 13, 2012

Carrying a Stranger

I had a dream a few nights ago. I dreamed I was carrying a child in my arms through unfamiliar streets. Past stoplights and cars, and children playing, I carried this small one. Where I was going, I did not know.
 But all the while, I heard a voice saying, "Jesus. This is Jesus..." over and over again. 

I could not see the child's face; it was blurred in my dream. But I could see what he or she was wearing: Filthy, musty rags, and bare feet. While I continued walking, I remembered a quote by Mother Teresa: "I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus...I must wash him and tend him. I serve because I love Jesus."

I proceeded on my slow, steady walk to somewhere. I noticed how light and easy it was to carry the small child. Whoever I was holding was very thin, dark, and very dirty. And I carried this one child all the way to a large home.

Nothing looked familiar about this place, a very unusual thing to happen with me: Practically everything in my dreams look familiar.
I walked up the steps to the door with the child still in my arms, and the door was opened by a woman. Still nothing familiar, but she welcomed me in. However, she looked quite uncertain about the child I was holding.

I told her that this child would be staying with us for a while. We needed a nice bath for the little one, new clothes, and good hygiene lessons.
She smiled, took the child from my arms, and headed up the staircase, while I proceeded into the dining room. A large family was sitting at the table, and they all smiled. They invited me to sit down and eat with them. They were very friendly. Though I did not know them, they seemed to be a kind of family to me.

A short while later, the child and woman came downstairs to the dining room. The child was no longer in rags, but had a cute, flowered dress on, and clean white socks. I still could not see the face, but assumed, by the clothes, that I was looking at a little girl.

She ran up to me and gave me a big hug. A sweet, adorable, big hug. No one said a word. But words were not needed; she expressed her love all in that one hug.

Right after that, I woke up. It took me a second to figure out I was no longer dreaming. Then I decided what to do with this amazing dream: Put it on my blog.

Exactly what this dream means, I do not know. But I do know how that dream might have come.
I requested K.P. Yohannan's book No Longer a Slumdog and received it in the mail with great enthusiasm. This book is a real eye-opener, and the gripping facts may have moved from my mind, into my subconsciousness. And other reasons, such as my love for helping those in need.

I don't know how this dream occurred or why, but I will keep it in mind. Do you have a thought about this dream? Leave me a comment below. I'd love to see your input!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

What does Giving mean?

When I really think about giving, I think of many different things. Happiness, love, charity, peace, joy, emotions.
There are so many ways to give.
Soup kitchens, volunteering your time, money, love and friendship to do something for someone, schooling, giving the Good News to someone in need. But, as James 1:15-16 says, we should not just say what we should do, we should do what we say.
And, every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17), from God.

I collected a "survey" of what my friends and family think the phrase "It's About Giving" means:
My Dad- Willingness to give: When you want or own something, but you give it to another person who needs or wants it.
Little Brother-"When you give somebody something."
Little Sister-"You give somebody something."
Big Brother-There are lots of ways to give, not just gifts.
My Mom- Give with a cheerful heart.
A Family Friend- Christ crucified is the epitome of giving for all ages. An honest account of giving is...“Ouch!” It is painful, BUT God has directed His creation of us such that the joy in giving exceeds the suffering, and ultimately refined through Him, the joy dissolves any remnants of suffering.
The gift from our eternal Father of his only begotten Son is again the model for an answer: The pouring out of oneself is the Grace of the gift, of love. There is disappointment in a gift refused, but no diminishing in the love itself. Love is giving of self.
A Friend- It looks like someone cares, it sounds like something nice, it tastes like something sweet, and it feels good. Babies love their mom but they can not give her anything but love. It is the feeling of knowing you helped someone, give the word of Jesus to others and share about Him.

And this gift can be given to people whom you do not even know! Give a gift of love, care and assistance to someone in need with Compassion's Christmas Gift Catalog! Give a family livestock, safe drinking water, food for malnourished children, and more. 
 
And, some quotes for Giving (Before Saturday's Selections!):



Here are a list of Bible Passages for thought:
Deuteronomy 15:11  Open your hands wide to the poor and give.
Proverbs 21:13 Listen to the poor.
2 Corinthians 9:6-12   God loves a cheerful giver.
Romans 11:29 The gifts of God are unchangeable.
Matthew 2:11 The wise men gave gifts.
Romans 12:6 We all have different gifts, use them.
1 Corinthians 12:4 Many differing gifts, same in Spirit.