Monday, November 27, 2006
Perfect weekend
We had a perfect weekend this Thanksgiving holiday! It began by the family coming to our home for dinner, and then on the weekend we visited my parents at their home and got to go to the Children's Museum, the symphony and we had Indian food too!!! We are so thankful for our families and for our many blessings.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Thinking outside of the "gift box" at Christmastime
Is anyone else out there tired of stuffing their hall closets with well-meaning Christmas gifts that just never ever get opened or used? I know that I definitely have had my fill of foreman grills, nine west purses and personalized stationery. It is way too easy to get caught up in the commercialism of giving store-bought presents instead of adoring Christ’s holy presence. It can turn into a fanatical frenzy of trying to find the “perfect thing” for everyone, when really the “perfect thing” is simply to spend time as a family worshipping our Lord and sharing loving acts of service with our community.
Why not challenge our families to do something a little different this year, especially those of us with older children who could really benefit from an unforgettable family growth experience, and a lifetime lesson that might shape their future careers and families? I would like to share a few ideas that have worked wonders in my family, and I think they will inspire you too.
-Buy gifts for needy children through the Angel Tree project or Operation Christmas Child project at your church. Or volunteer to help wrap those gifts as a family, or deliver them to homes.
-Visit the elderly at a nursing home as a family or offer to serve a meal at the nursing home close to your home or a soup kitchen. Our family sings Christmas carols at our local nursing home, and it’s a beautiful way to celebrate the day!
-Sign up to deliver Christmas dinner to the needy, or have your children help you stuff grocery bags to deliver to a nearby food bank.
-Visit a “living nativity scene” and bring some neighbors or friends along to witness the true miracle of Christmas. This is a very special experience for small children too!
If you’d like to do something different with your gift-giving, there are numerous non-profit organizations that exist solely to help break the cycle of poverty in underdeveloped nations in very innovative and effective ways. Visit two of my favorite websites, and be amazed what a few simple U.S. dollars can do for a family across the oceans:
-Work of Human Hands Sale – Purchase Christmas beautiful handcrafted gifts by artisans from impoverished nations. The money you spend goes directly to the person who made your gifts! Also, you can even set a sale up in your own parish! Visit http://www.greatergift.org/ website.
-Heifer Ranch International – End world hunger by buying a chicken, or a rabbit, a tree or a cow for a whole village to share! For just a few dollars, you could help feed a whole community of people, who will then be able to save their wages to send their children to school and college as well! http://www.heifer.org/
Peace be with you at the beginning of this holy season. Let us all be inspired to help real miracles happen around the world at Christmas.
Why not challenge our families to do something a little different this year, especially those of us with older children who could really benefit from an unforgettable family growth experience, and a lifetime lesson that might shape their future careers and families? I would like to share a few ideas that have worked wonders in my family, and I think they will inspire you too.
-Buy gifts for needy children through the Angel Tree project or Operation Christmas Child project at your church. Or volunteer to help wrap those gifts as a family, or deliver them to homes.
-Visit the elderly at a nursing home as a family or offer to serve a meal at the nursing home close to your home or a soup kitchen. Our family sings Christmas carols at our local nursing home, and it’s a beautiful way to celebrate the day!
-Sign up to deliver Christmas dinner to the needy, or have your children help you stuff grocery bags to deliver to a nearby food bank.
-Visit a “living nativity scene” and bring some neighbors or friends along to witness the true miracle of Christmas. This is a very special experience for small children too!
If you’d like to do something different with your gift-giving, there are numerous non-profit organizations that exist solely to help break the cycle of poverty in underdeveloped nations in very innovative and effective ways. Visit two of my favorite websites, and be amazed what a few simple U.S. dollars can do for a family across the oceans:
-Work of Human Hands Sale – Purchase Christmas beautiful handcrafted gifts by artisans from impoverished nations. The money you spend goes directly to the person who made your gifts! Also, you can even set a sale up in your own parish! Visit http://www.greatergift.org/ website.
-Heifer Ranch International – End world hunger by buying a chicken, or a rabbit, a tree or a cow for a whole village to share! For just a few dollars, you could help feed a whole community of people, who will then be able to save their wages to send their children to school and college as well! http://www.heifer.org/
Peace be with you at the beginning of this holy season. Let us all be inspired to help real miracles happen around the world at Christmas.
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