For Unto Us...

... a child is born, a Son is given.

We talked about Luke 2 & 3 in our small group on Sunday night where Mary was told she would conceive through the Holy Spirit and give birth to God's Son, Jesus.

We wondered what must have been going through Joseph's head after an angel appeared to him and told him that Mary's child was from God. And then the angel told Joseph to name the Savior of the world Jesus.

We considered how Mary must have felt during her pregnancy months, what she must have been thinking and worrying about.

As the moms in our group mentioned feelings of inadequacy and fear with how we raise our own children, we couldn't help but recognize the same feelings within Mary... with one huge difference. Mary knew. Mary knew. She knew, as she stroked the hair of her newborn, what Jesus was sent to earth to do. She knew one day that he would suffer, be beaten beyond recognition and eventually die for the sins of all mankind. Yet Mary didn't run from the mission for which she was chosen.

So, the baby was born to a virgin on a cold winter night in a stable surrounded by farm animals. Her first visitors after giving birth? Shepherds, the lowest of the low. Dirty and smelly from spending week after week in fields attending sheep. Do you get the symbolism? We, you and I, are the lowest of the low no matter what our social status may appear to be. We are the ones God sent His Son to shepherd, to look after, to save from certain death.

It seems simple, doesn't it? Sometimes I overlook the telling of the story because I've heard it told countless times in many different ways. It's the Christmas Story and it doesn't change. Yet, it changed me. And I look at it with new eyes today, through the eyes of Mary. May the story never get old for you. Luke 2

Merry CHRISTmas!

50!

Today is a snow day for Diego. Usually on a cold, snow day I can be found curled up with a hot chocolate, Chai tea and a good book. Not today. Today I am getting ready for Joe's 50th birthday party that's happening tonight at our house.

With the monumental accomplishment of reaching 50 years I thought I'd make a 50 Joe's list:

1) Joe loves me
2) Joe loves God
3) Joe loves our kids (all of them)
4) Joe gives from the depths of his being
5) Joe uses his spiritual gifts to serve God
6) Joe works hard
7) Joe is a wonderful husband
8) Joe is a tremendous provider
9) Joe clears the sidewalks & driveway of snow
10) Joe clears the sidewalks & driveway of snow for our elderly, widowed neighbor
11) Joe does the yard work (also for the widowed neighbor)
12) Joe does laundry once in a while
13) Joe uses the vacuum once in a while
14) Joe cares for others
15) Joe likes Diet Coke
16) Joe takes care of himself for me
17) Joe has put up with me for 26 years, 3 months and 8 days
18) Joe knows when I need comforting
19) Joe is very insightful
20) Joe listens to my hair-brained ideas and even agrees with them sometimes!
21) Joe supports me
22) Joe defends me
23) Joe is Diego's best advocate
24) Joe leads our family well
25) Joe is the 'go to' person for countless people
26) Joe is respected
27) Joe is humble
28) Joe shares
29) Joe buys me flowers
30) Joe is funny
31) Joe loves to vacation 'up north'
32) Joe is a good judge of character
33) Joe completes me
34) Joe bought me a Honda Element even though he really wanted it
35) Joe is intelligent
36) Joe is wise
37) Joe loves looking at house plan books - no, we're not building another house
38) Joe doesn't argue
39) Joe does not use harsh words
40) Joe is quiet
41) Joe is a good listener
42) Joe is gentle
43) Joe loves others unconditionally
44) Joe is a great son
45) Joe is a terrific brother-in-law to my family
46) Joe is great at being a grandfather
47) Joe snores
48) Joe's smile lights up a room
49) Joe sometimes laughs until he cries
50) Joe gives me a reason to live every day to the fullest

Happy Birthday, my love!

Project Share: Food. Love. Hope 2008

Project Share 2008 is in the history book. It's over but not to be forgotten. Take a look at the video taken from this past weekend here

This project had God's fingerprints all over it from conception to completion. Check out some of our "God Moments":

* Community Action Agency graciously offered to collect names and addresses of recipients through their office. It took countless man hours to compile the names and organize them into a list for us.

* Borchardt Brothers grocery store in Blissfield, MI carried the entire amount we owed them (over $41,000) for 2 months then sold us additional stock from their shelves 3 days prior to the project which allowed us to feed an additional 11 families.

* The boxes used to pack the product were generously donated by Pro-Pak Industries in Toledo, OH.

* 1000 names were signed up to receive a box within a little over 2 weeks from time of starting sign-up.

* Hunter Moving and Storage stored the product in their climate controlled warehouse for nearly 2 months and also did several pick ups of product for us. Plus, Hunter's truck was used to transport the product to LCS for packing.

* A week prior to Project Share 300 packages of pre-cooked bacon were donated.

* The day before the project, more than 1000 packages of rolls were donated by a local bread company.

* The Morenci Fire Department's ladies auxiliary collected money and decided to donate it to Project Share.

* The offering goal was $42,000; as of 12.6.08 more than $52,000 has come in. (The overage will be given to help heat homes this winter.)

* 1011 boxes were packed and ready to deliver in under 2 hours by nearly 450 volunteers.

* All boxes/maps were out for delivery within 1.5 hours with over 350 volunteers.

I'm sure there are many more God moments which I've not listed here. If you were involved in Project Share in any way, I encourage you to write your God moment(s) down and go back to look at it often. Like I started out, the project may be over this year but it will not be forgotten anytime soon.

It's Here!

After many hours of planning, Project Share: Food. Love. Hope is finally here! Crossroads is going to help feed over 1000 families - check out the project on our website.

The food is being loaded into a semi as I write this and will be delivered in about an hour for unloading... and the process begins.

I have to show you what 4000 candy canes and about 1000 chocolate chip cookies look like in a Honda Element (yep, they fit!)...