by Lilbear
The winner of From Blah to Awe: Shaking Up a Boring Faith by Jenna Lucado Bishop is Cassi (c.hopecaptured@…). You should have received an email with further instructions on claiming your prize. A big thank you to everyone who entered! Huge thanks to MergePR for sponsoring this giveaway!
This week, all across the USA, people are filling shoeboxes full of goodies so that Operation Christmas Child can send them around this great globe to kids in need. Sharing God’s love with children is what it’s all about. Well, that and having some fun in the process.
For months, volunteers with OCC have been working hard to accomplish a massive goal: to collect more shoeboxes than ever before! But last week many of us {me included} had the opportunity to have some fun while promoting OCC as we became…human shoeboxes!
Donning a large box painted in brilliant red and green, I took on greater Orlando with my own personal photographer, TechDaddy. The purpose: to spread the word about and direct attention to Operation Christmas Child.
One important stop was to visit my VeggieTales friends at Lifeway Christian Store, a partner with Operation Christmas Child. Here I am, sprawled out in the children’s section, reading to Bob and Larry.
They were wiped out, having just been promoting their newest DVD, The Little Drummer Boy. Bob stayed focused though he kept making comments about how terrific my hair smelled. Larry, on the other hand, crashed after 2 seconds and proceeded to roll back and forth on the carpet, occasionally listing items that would be perfect to fill a shoebox. Here’s another shot of me showing how totally comfortable it is to lay on the floor. In a box. Junior Asparagus came over to read along.
After Bob finished informing TechDaddy about how a Speedlite {with a Gary Fong diffuser} would help my Nikon to capture indoor shots so much better, we took off for one of my favorite places: Walt Disney World!
Walking down Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom, wearing my shoebox, was a magical experience as I drew quite a bit of attention. My favorite part of this visit was when folks would say “Look! Operation Christmas Child! We’re filling our shoeboxes next week!!” That was so awesome!
Here I am in front of Cinderella’s Castle. {Note: Never, ever try to step up on a bench wearing a box unless you have “tech” support nearby. Thanks to my awesome husband for lifting me up. We havegot to show the outtakes of that graceful maneuver.}
On our walk through DisneyWorld we heard that two Disney bigwigs wanted to meet us. Can you guess who they were?
Mickey and Minnie were fabulous! They gestured {because they don’t speak} that they loved myshoebox and then the Big Cheese joked that I was “gifted.” Hahaha!
Did you like those shots? You can go to the Operation Christmas Child Facebook page to see more pix of volunteers across the country dressed as shoeboxes. They are all awesome, but you won’t want to miss the one in the Grand Canyon. Oh yeah…and the giant fish. And Paul Bunyan and Babe. Oh, just go see them all.
If you haven’t turned in your shoebox yet there’s still time! Go here to find your nearest drop-off location and take your shoebox by November 21st. Or, if you feel you’d like someone to pack your shoebox for you, check out Build-a-Box. And remember, you can follow your shoebox to learn it’s final destination by making your shipping donation online. If you have filled a shoebox and turned it into Operation Christmas Child, I thank you. You have blessed a child.
Have you filled a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child?
Have you ever wanted to share your faith but didn’t quite know how in certain situations? Maybe your work environment frowns heavily on anything faith-based coming from anyone’s mouth, or your neighbors look at you as though you have five noses when you say words like “God” or “grace.”
Imagine those folks living in countries right now where even owning a bible is punishable by imprisonment or even death. But that’s where faith is growing rapidly even though it’s kept underground.
Thoughts of people not getting to share their belief in Jesus Christ…that just floors me. Here, we live in a country where we have the freedom to speak about our Christian faith, yet many choose silence. I think that’s partly because some folks just don’t have the foundation of belief. They never spoke of their faith or shared it in any way as children, so as adults they don’t quite know how.
But we, today, can make a difference in teaching our kids and giving them a strong foundation. One easy way to share your faith is through what you wear and your “accessories.” No, I’m not talking about purses {especially not for guys}. I mean “the stuff you carry around” with you.
Like these awesome notebooks and folders from [Dayspring]
photo credit: Dayspring.com
Aren’t they cute? I received this set from Dayspring and gave it to my 15yo daughter. She loves it! The black style is her favorite because she loves the verse and design. Right now she’s “letting” me use the pink notebook. You’re probably wondering how I might utilize it, but actually I take it with me to meetings and fill it with handouts and pamphlets. It’s a great organizer and it shows I’m not afraid to share my faith either. Kids and adults can send the best kind of message without even saying a word. It’s a great conversation starter. And when someone does ask about the notebooks and what the words mean, you can explain the message and therefore share your faith.
Granted, this review was supposed to run months ago when school started, but you can still find these and other school supplies on the Dayspring site. However, right now these items are marked so low they’re practically free! I’m going to stock up on a couple of notebooks now that I know I’ll use for my homeschool organizer and my choir music next fall.
Right now my friends at (in)courage are offering one of my readers a $35 coupon code towards any purchase in the Dayspring store. That’s any purchase, y’all! They have so many beautiful and heartwarming items, and so many things are on sale now. Plus, this is the perfect time to do your Christmas shopping. {Psst! Remember to check out their Christmas selection, too.}
Here’s how to enter:
Visit the Dayspring store and come back here to leave a comment on what you love!
For additional entries:
1. Subscribe to Once Upon a Muffin through your favorite reader
2. Follow @DaySpringCards on Twitter
3. Follow me on Twitter @LilbearMe
4. Like Once Upon a Muffin on Facebook
5. Tweet about this giveaway. {one tweet per day}
Be sure to leave a separate comment for every entry so each one will count, and please include your email in the comment form {only I will see it}. This giveaway will be open until Monday night, November 28th, and the random winner of the $35 coupon code {not including S&H} will be chosen Tuesday, so check back next week!
Dayspring generously gave me the “I Know Where Love Comes From” and “He Has My Heart” notebook sets for this honest review. Please see my complete Disclosure policy. Some of the above links are affiliate links.
Have you ever been caught under the waves at the beach? I mean stuck, 3 or more feet down, feeling almost like you’ll never make it back up? Being a native and growing up a beach baby in South Florida I was used to the feeling of saltwater up my nose and crunching sand in my teeth on occasion. That’s one of the risks for taking a chance and playing in the rough surf. You might be lucky and get a sweet wave to body surf it in to shallower waters…or you could miscalculate the size of the swell and get pulled under by the strong water, desperately trying to make your way to the surface while your lungs are screaming for life-giving air.
Doesn’t sound fun, this pummeling of the waves. In fact, it might lead some to wonder at the sanity of a person who’s willing to go out deeper, swim out to rougher water. Staying in the shallows seems the logical solution, right? Sure, the gentler lapping waves are safer. They’re a known, a given on what to expect. No surprises in the shallows.
But the wild surf offers the unexpected. Adventure. Thrills. And you could even have an experience like no other…if you’re willing to take that chance.
The shallows in my life earlier this year had held the same reality. It was safe. Almost everything was known and expected. I longed to take a chance and try out unknown waters. So a few months ago…I jumped in.
At first the waves were manageable. Volunteer activities started flowing and kept me busy. But social media duties soon began to take on a life of their own, and then the rigors of teen homeschooling really kicked it in to overdrive. I began floundering, just barely keeping my head above water. As I battled it out in the wild surf of my life, I nearly sank to the sea floor under all of the pounding. I so wanted the wild ride, but I had forgotten how to traverse the surge of the sea. Deadlines were missed, assignments went unnoticed, tears were shed by the bucketful {by me!}, and worst of all…my family began to suffer.
Thankfully, my jeans with the worn out knees reminded me how to survive the rough waters as I fell to the floor in prayer. And, like every time before that, God met and lifted me up like the ultimate Lifeguard to breathe again, navigating for me though the crazy waves. Without Him I would have drown for sure, but His saving grace carried me and my family though.
I’m happy to say I’m resting from my adventure. Oh, it’s not all over. Homeschooling is still there, and the social media light is back on, but things are back to crazy/normal again.
Am I glad I ventured away from the shallows? Yes, absolutely! The ride, though rough and frustrating at times, taught me things about myself {and others} I would never have learned otherwise. Will I do it again? Only with Him, my Lifeguard/Navigator, on board as I’m always in need of being saved.
Have you been up to anything new or risky, pulling you away from the shallows?
Last night was a first. As I left my son at the middle school lock-in at my church, I thought about how many times I had walked away from him. Not walking down the hall or simply walking into another room. I pondered about walking away from his dependence.
Sure, TechDaddy and I had left MrC overnight before with family. When he was little, he and his sister had stayed with one of my sister’s and her crew while hubby and I enjoyed an anniversary cruise. But this was different.
In a nutshell, after almost five years of going to the same church, we are now getting involved in the youth ministry {both middle and high school}. So when this lock-in popped up, MrC said yes purely for the opportunity to meet new friends.
So last night rolls around and my hubby and I bring our boy. Staying to help with dinner setup and clean up for about 50 kids {pizza!}, TechDaddy and I hung around for a couple of hours. {Don’t worry, we were in adult-mode but totally staying clear of our son. You know, the “free-space from parents” mode.}
Then, after the kids had moved on to another activity and we had cleaned up, TechDaddy and I began our walk to the door. Me, being a total mom, slipped over to MrC who was resting from a game of beachball volleyball. After v e r y q u i e t l y exchanging some “I love you”s and slipping him a buck for candy, I joined TD by the door.
And then I walked away from my son.
I didn’t feel it until later, after we got home and were spending time with Catz. But the emptiness was thick. In my home his absence was real and heavy. No jokes or funny quips abounded. The sound of MrC jumping onto the stair landings was missing. And in my heart the ache was visceral.
Then this morning I woke with the reminder that my son is not in my home. And while the rest of my family slept, I walked upstairs to his room, curled up on his bed, and prayed.
My prayers covered his heart, like the ones I spoke to Papa days and weeks and months and years before today. Prayers that begged for protection, both physical and emotional. Prayers requesting my boy be happy and safe in his new environment. Prayers that God would guide my son through every step and stage of his life.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
But my prayers also covered me. That my Father would shore up my heart against the ache that comes when learning to give way to my boy’s growing independence. The ache that hurts longer and deeper than those birth pains from over 13 years ago.
My boy is home now, happily snacking and laughing with the rest of us as we watch a movie all huddled up on one couch. And though I feel a twinge of what is to come as I continue to hand over more and more independence, I feel content in knowing that my Father’s hand is guiding my precious son and that all of my prayers are heard and stored away in the heart of the One who loves my boy more than I ever could.
Photo credit: MS Word
I’ve been bitten by the running bug and can’t seem to shake it. No, I’m not a runner. Walking at a quick pace is about as fast as I move most of the time, except in emergencies {like racing to the freezer for a pint of Peanut Butter Cup before TechDaddy fast-forward’s through the DVR’s commercials}. I can strength train, walk briskly, mountain climb, and swim like a dolphin, but running is new to me. I know how, I just chose to never do it for fun.
But then this idea sprang into my brain last February. The Disney Princess Half-marathon. Have you heard of it? It’s where crowds of women gather in February at dark ‘o’clock in the morning in running gear {tutus and tiaras} to race through Disney’s Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Let’s see…crowds, early AM, running…this didn’t sound fun to me so I cataloged it under the brain-file “Silly Notions – dump asap.”
But this running thing hasn’t gone away. I’ve been struggling with it for months. It just keeps popping up like a lone daisy in a field of green grass. It’s pretty, but it doesn’t belong there.
So I’ve really been questioning this idea. Why would I want to run? Why would God want me to run?
Because I do feel that God is in on this scheme. Why else would visions of running shoes on asphalt circulate within all the brain things that go on in my head?
Then a few weeks ago, when I read about some bloggers who ran to raise funds for Compassion International, I saw a reason to run. Saving kids from heartbreaking circumstances is big for me. Poverty, slavery, trafficking…I can’t sit by and do nothing. But running? Is this how God wants me to help?
I’ve actually been shoving it to the back of my mind, trying to forget it, but this running idea keeps dogging me so I finally confronted the thought. Okay, if this is in my head then let’s deal with it now and be done with it. If God wants me to run {for whatever reason} then He’ll make a way, right? So I asked some “running experts” {new twitter friends} if they thought it would be possible for me to learn and train in time. I mean, I have NO running skills and the race is 8 months away. I didn’t see any way to get in excellent shape by then and just waited for confirmation of my own subjective opinion, ready to dump the whole running gig.
But God surprised me instead.
Check out this timeline of my day yesterday {Tuesday}.
10:30 am – Four bloggers tweeted encouragement and advice on running.
11:45 – Two bloggers tweeted they were planning to run the same race.
2:40 pm – Driving home from an appointment, I saw this bumper sticker on the car in front of me: Run.
3:55 – At the chiropractor for my weekly adjustment, I read about an upcoming 5K to stop human trafficking. And my chiro is a runner.
4:15 – Leaving the chiro, we passed the gas station on the corner. The station’s name? Marathon
Pretty cool, right?
So I’m feeling this pull to start training to run, and I think I know why, but not entirely sure. Am I supposed to get in better shape and that’s it? I can walk miles on the treadmill and bench weights for that. Is it for another reason? I don’t know.
It feels like a colossal struggle to me, but maybe this is my Father’s way of getting to my stubborn heart. I always want to know why, always need to know the reason first. But God doesn’t roll like that. Why can’t I just submit to Him everyday, in every way? Why do I struggle with Him in my daily morning habits, in my parenting? I think it’s all about trust.
When I trust Him, I don’t need to know why something is a certain way, even though I might really want to. With trust, I show God how much I love Him and that I put it all in His hands. But when I forget to trust, that’s when I struggle.
So I’m going to put it in His hands…training to run, parenting issues, everything…and see what He has planned. I may not know the reasons for everything, but I trust Him to know and lead me.
So what would you do? Are you trusting God to handle everything in your life?
As I sat at the checkout line in the rented church hall on Friday, I saw face after face of homeschooling families. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, teens. Some of the faces were tiny babies strapped to their mama’s backs or bellies, peering out from their cocoon of warmth or eyes closed in sweet slumber. Regardless of their age or family dynamic, most had come to the Used Curriculum Sale hosted by my homeschool group for one purpose: to buy much-needed items at extremely low prices so that families could continue educating their children at home. Pure and simple.“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted… to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:1-3
~ connecting with local folks through OCC-Samaritan’s Purse
Are you counting your blessings? For more words of gratefulness visit Ann.
“Encourage” is a strange word. By itself, it looks positive and happy and everything-is-right-with-the-world perfect. It looks like a pat on the back, sounds like a “way to go!”, and feels like a warm hug. It seems easy on paper, especially when you’re talking about people you know. How difficult is it for me to encourage my husband, kids, siblings, or mom? Not hard at all. But stepping outside our own little worlds to lift someone else up can sometimes {or often} be very daunting for most people.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
{Please be sure to pray for and follow the Compassion bloggers through their daily posts and at Twitter.}
Hey there, it's me Susan. I'm a follower of Jesus, life photographer, pretty good baker, stumbling learner, roadtrip traveler, gigantic dreamer, adoring mom, and lovestruck wife. Want to know more? Check out my about page! |
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