Here is what's up for grabs today! The two-disc Platinum Edition Sleeping Beauty DVD, shrink-wrapped and everything. All ready for gift giving:
 |
| Prince Philip is sort of a stalker |
All you need to do is make a comment on this post about how you are or will be making this season sweeter for someone else, even if you don't FEEL like it. It has to be an action; not something tangible you are giving (unlike the movie, which will arrive on your doorstep in no time if you are the lucky winner, randomly drawn!)
I'll tell you about me. Yesterday was a rough day; my sinuses were going to explode out of my head and I had nine million things to do. The sweet people who made my day were:
- the lady who let me into her lane even though I was one of those annoying people who waited until the VERY. LAST. SECOND. to move over
- the man behind me in Wal-Mart who literally waited 15 minutes (a long time when you're in the check out line at Wal-Mart) so my gift card could be swiped through properly
- my sister in law lugging Asher back and forth to preschool...seriously - I hit the sister in law JACKPOT!
 |
| we plan on stocking up on these before they're off the shelves, thanks to the Commies! Did you know that the new "environmentally friendly" lightbulbs, when they break, require a HazMat suit to clean up? this is neither here nor there. |
Anyway, I have been thinking alot about what I"ve been through and how that can translate into me helping others. My "light bulb" moment was when we were at the foster parent conference, listening to a man speak who had been abused and then thrown away by his parents at the tenderest age of 5. He entered foster care and came to be in the home of parents who NEVER GAVE UP on him, through all of his crazy behavior. One thing he did was to slash the 4 year old next-door-neighbor boy with a razor blade when he was 7. These weren't piddly little behaviors.
Anyway, at the beginning of this man's book he actually THANKS his mom for giving him up and not ever giving him the false hope that she would be back for him. The light clicked on then...if he can be thankful for that, then I can say:
Thank you, Lord, for SPARING my life four months ago. Thank you for giving me a wonderful husband who dotes on me and three awesome kiddos who, in the words of my OB, are each one a miracle. What happened is all in the past. The past is gone, dead. All I have is today, and I'm going to milk it for ALL IT'S WORTH.
God, thank you!
THANK YOU!
There are still people in our lives who don't understand why we would still want to foster, now that we got our "last baby".
I wish I could relay all of the stuff that's in my heart over to you, just vomit it out onto this page so you could see just a glimpse of what I'm seeing and feeling these days. I *know* we need to do it, and so does Scott.
Two days ago we got a call for a 2 and 8 year old sibling set. My heart said "yes", but my head said "no".
Ever the people-pleaser, but I know it would have been too much.
So, tell me: what are YOU doing for someone else? What are YOU thanking God for? If you'd like two entries, then "like" 'Finding Wonder in the Mundane' on Facebook.
My hair looks like a rat died in it and Bible study started exactly one minute ago, so I'm out.
12 comments:
Well I am giving our kiddos their first "real Christmas" and I don't mean presents I mean our house looks like Christmas threw up! Our littlest dude keeps kissing the Christmas Tree. I make sure to be mindful of the poor person with three items that behind me and my full cart and making them go first.
And I am working hard to be nice and smile!
The kids have been "earning commission" by doing chores, helping out, etc. Every week them divide it up between "share", "save" and "spend". We have been talking to them about how not all kids get to have the same kind of Christmas we do, so we've decided that we are choosing three children from the giving tree; they are spending their share money on a gift each and hubby and I are choosing an older kiddo (they always seem to be the last ones left, but they need the most show of love). We are showing how Christmas should be more about the gifts we give, not the ones we receive.
I am providing Christmas gifts for a 3-year-old girl who has a parent who is deployed. This is my 2nd year to sponsor a military family. More info on this wonderful organization, founded by a man in Tennessee whose neighbor lost a son to war in Iraq, can be found at www.asoldierschild.com
Vicki
I just realized that the website that I mentioned in the prior comment should be www.asoldierschild.org. Sorry for the error.
Vicki
I'm giving the gift of breathing air to my 37 week old (yet inside) baby. Does that count? :) That might be more of a present to me at this point.
Gift giving is reeeeally not a love language of mine, but I've realized it is for my step mom. I'm putting together a small package of pretty things (the first is a journal with a sort of brooch as decoration on it) for her and I'll mail it to her as I won't see them until after Christmas, after the baby is born.
She loves pretty things like stationary and vases and I'm certain she'll find the gift very thoughtful. She'll be surprised. For sure. (unless she reads your blog :)
I liked your 'site' on facebook. When the timing is right, you will take on another foster child. You will know when it is the one. Until then enjoy your precious miracles and relax.
I had to actively open a door in my heart to allow another dog inside our home. I'm so glad I did. It's a gift to our family, but I was the final word this time. It seems small and odd, but it was a big step for me to take, for the kids, for my husband.
Rach, I just love you. You crack me up in one moment and bring tears to my eyes the next. =))
I'm giving my children the gift of time, rather than more gifts. Since we're heading west on Christmas, we're focusing on all the things we'll GET to do together, and what a blessing that will be.
Our kids have never been rolling in the presents from us but thanks to my sister they're looking forward to building sand castles and seeing their cousins rather than 'how many' presents they'll be opening.
When I feel that so many around are counting their 'stuff' and weighing it against others, I take a deep breathe and certainly praise God for all that He has given me. I met the author of "The Boy Named David" ie the worst child abuse case in the history of California. Meeting him and seeing what an ornery guy he was after everything...I'm thankful for the foster parents who blessed him and the path that God laid out for him and too many like him.
I'm thankful for dear friends like you who open their hearts to figure out more ways to give. Give those little miracles Coco squeezes for me until I get over there to do it myself!!
P.S. I LOVE the idea of adopting a child whose parent is overseas as well!! Thank you for sharing that site!
Does taking care of my twins count? They'll be seven months old on Monday and I feel like a shell of a person. Even nursing, which I normally love, is wearing me out with two of them.
But a real thing I'm doing is praying an Advent-long novena for my dear friend who's struggling to get pregnant. I so much want her to have a (embryonic) baby for Christmas.
I am buying Christmas gifts anonymously for a couple kids whose families don't have much money and who I know won't be getting many gifts this Christmas. I am also sending an extra Christmas gift to my Compassion child.
And I liked your FB page.
Here's a bit more balanced info on cfc Lightbulbs. http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cfl.asp
I remember freaking about those things when I first heard about them, and, of course I was in Maine at the time, the state where all modern technology goes to die!
Post a Comment