Road Map

I can't wait for 1/1/11. Cannot wait! I don't ever remember being so anxious to tear the December page off my calendar, revealing a fresh January page beneath! Why am I so excited for the arrival of 2011? I like to think it's because the year ahead is filled with possibility....with trails waiting to be blazed, surprises to be unwrapped, and new pages of my life's story begging to be written. But it's just as likely that I'm bidding good riddance to the hurts and failures of the waning year. Maybe in a way, I see 2011 as some cosmic do-over, an opportunity to get right in the new year what I got wrong in the old one.

The reality is that every year stretches out before us like a road, fraught with perils, curves and switchbacks. And we do a much better job of navigating if we pause and ask for directions before we begin a journey. That's one reason I love today's verse. I'm apt to rush off into the new thing I'm excited about without much forethought. But this verse tells me I need knowledge to go along with my desire, or I might miss the way! So this year, I'm going to pause before I dive into the new year. Long enough to celebrate God's goodness in 2010. Long enough to ask for directions for 2011. Because I don't want to miss anything on the Way.

Desire without knowledge is not good—how much more will hasty feet miss the way! Proverbs 19:2 NIV (2010)

Prayer for Today: Father, I want to follow You in this New Year. I want to walk in Your Way, in Your plans for me. Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace this year, and next. Please guide my steps as I seek You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Homemade Cocoa Mix

My daughter and I made this easy, delicious cocoa to put in our Christmas gift baskets this year. It tastes creamier and more chocolatey than any packaged mix we've tried!

Homemade Cocoa Mix

2 c nonfat dry milk powder

3/4 c sugar

1/2 c Hershey's cocoa

1/2 c powdered non-dairy creamer

1 dash (1/8 tsp) salt

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients; blend well. Store in a tightly covered container, or package in 2 c portions in bags or jars for gift giving!

Single serving: 1/4 c mix + 3/4 c boiling water + marshmallows = 1 creamy delicious cup!

*Thanks to CDRecipes for this delicious recipe!

Titus Twosdays: Gift giving savvy

If you're like me, you have LOTS of opportunities to give gifts. Baby showers, weddings, children's birthday parties....not to mention family birthdays and Christmas! If not thoughtfully managed, gift-buying can quickly derail both schedule and budget. Here are a few ideas to help keep you on course.

1. Have a "store" at home. It will keep you from having to dash out to the discount or department store every time you need to purchase a gift, saving you time, money and stress. Take advantage of BOGO or clearance sales as you see them, purchasing items that will make great gifts. Keep items someplace dust-free, where you or your children can "shop" when you need a gift. Stacked, labeled Rubbermaid tubs make great gift storage, and allow you to organize gifts and wrapping supplies. Your "store" should include gifts for many occasions, along with gift wrap or bags, baskets, tape, bows, ribbon, and cards. Also, purchase Christmas cards and wrap, and Valentine cards right after the holiday, to save 50% or more on next year's supply. You may find some great basket deals right after Easter, too!

2. Set spending limits. Sometimes, if we buy a last minute gift, the item we need is not on sale, or not available, and we end up spending more than we planned. If you know in advance that you will spend $15 for baby shower gifts, or $25 for weddings, you'll choose appropriate items at sales and markdowns, and not be tempted to overspend.

3. Standardize. If you have certain types of gifts you "always do", it simplifies shopping, wrapping, and deciding what to give. For example, if you always give a baker's basket (recipe book, cute cookie cutters, wooden spoons and an oven mitt) as a wedding shower gift, you can buy in bulk when those items are on sale. Then when you receive an invitation, choosing a gift is a breeze, and you shop at home! Don't be inflexible, though. You could miss out on some fantastic buys if you don't keep your eyes open for new gift ideas.

4. Some gifts I love to give:

Baby shower: A bath basket for Mommy and baby (hooded baby bath towel, washcloths, baby bath wash, small rubber duckies, and scented bath products for Mom)

Wedding: A beautiful cake platter, chaffing dish or salad bowl (love Ross, TJ Maxx and Target for cool items at good prices). Or buy fluffy white bath towels and hand towels during January white sales (discounted 40-50% in many stores), roll up the towels and tie with ribbons in the brides' bath colors (purchased on sale, of course). Put them in an oval wicker laundry basket she can use later!

Child's birthday party: Lego sets (love to find the larger sets on sale!), art sets (sand painting, LiteBrite, jewelry making), movie basket (micro popcorn, candy and a DVD), princess basket (tiara, lots of beads, wand, ballet slippers or slip on "heels")

Teen birthday gift: Disposable digital camera (watch for sales!), spa or makeup basket (watch for BOGOs on costmetics and fragrance), tool kit, or car wash supplies (chamois, tire shine, armor-all, air fresheners, etc).

Happy bargain hunting! Would love to hear your ideas for fun, frugal gifts. Share them in a comment, if you like.

Prayer for Today: Father, help me to be a good steward of all you've entrusted to me. In your name I pray, Amen.

Chrismas Remix

I just have to tell on myself a little. Because if I do that, maybe I'll grow a little. Remember Ellie, the psychotic Boxer puppy I blogged about in "Free to Good Home"? (If you missed it, read it here.) Well, the very same pup has wreaked havoc in our home, yet again. Quelle surprise.

This Christmas story begins with our family making our annual pilgrimage to Stinson's Christmas Tree Farm to find the perfect tree. For the third year in a row, our son John picked the winner. As night fell, we sipped steaming mugs of cocoa as the tree was cut down and loaded into the bed of the truck. Once home, my husband put the tree in the perfect spot in our living room, and adorned the beautiful tree with strand after strand of white twinkle lights. We left for Tampa the next morning, and promised that we would finish decorating the tree once we returned from our church planters' retreat.

After dinner Friday night with pastors and church planters and friends, we arrived at our beautiful home away from home in Tampa. Just as we sat down to relax with our hosts, our kids called with the news: "Ellie ate the Christmas tree." "Whaaat??" "Yep, the whole thing. Even the lights." (Deep breath...1....2....3....) We told them to take the de-branched, de-needled, de-lit tree out of the house, so she couldn't eat any more of it, and enjoyed the rest of our much-needed retreat.

When we returned home on Sunday evening, everything looked normal, except for the empty spot where the tree stood, and the guilty look on Ellie's face. Overnight, though, the large amount of pine needles and bark and lights she ingested apparently made their way through her system, and....(Oh Nooooo!) As visions of sugar plums danced in our heads, Ellie deposited steaming piles of poo from one end of the house to the other, at one point becoming so agitated, she actually ran through the piles, through the kitchen and hallway, and into the master bedroom. It was at that point she sat next to our bed and whined, asking to go outside. Really???! So at four-thirty in the morning, I was up cleaning, scrubbing, using the Green Machine, lighting scented candles and Febreezing everything that didn't move. I fell back into bed about six, tired and grumpy.

In the morning, I called our carpet cleaner, who laughs every time I call now. He came, for the fifth time since July, and made the carpets nice and clean, with an extra dose of deodorizer for good measure. We cleaned the house, and put up a new tree, which we're pretty sure Ellie can't eat, since this one is on a three foot pedestal, and is not actually a tree at all, but made out of something fake. I felt oh-so-accomplished, having overcome the dog-carnage in time for our last Wednesday small group meeting of the year.

So, more kerchiefs and more sugar plums for us on Wednesday night and.....she did it AGAIN!!! At five o'clock in the morning, I looked at Ellie's seven month old baby-Boxer face and said "I HATE you, I MEAN it!!! What's WRONG with you?? You are the WORST dog EVER!!" and put her out on the back porch while I cleaned up her latest atrocity. A couple of hours later, still grumpy, shuffling around the kitchen with my coffee mug in hand, I grumbled "Ellie is ruining Christmas....stupid Boxer....grrr...." Our daughter Caitlin overheard me, and said "If you think she's ruining Christmas, you probably have your eyes on the wrong things. Christmas isn't about the clean house and decorations." Doh!! Smackdown!!

Now Caitlin's right, y'all...(cheesy October Sky reference, sorry). If we are claiming to follow Christ, people are watching our lives to see what's different, especially at this time of year! Our kids are watching, too. Are we doers of these precious verses in Phillipians, letting others see our gentleness, sensing God's nearness? Are we trusting Him,not being anxious during this busy Season, but enjoying His peace through it all? I have to say I wasn't....but I want to. I don't know about you, but I'm going to spend the rest of this season celebrating Emmanuel, God with us, and forgive the crazy puppy again.

"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:5-7 NIV (2010)

Prayer for Today: Merciful Father, thank you for loving me, in spite of me. You knew all of my faults, fears and failures, and sent Jesus to dwell among us anyway. Help me to keep You at the center of all my celebrating during this beautiful Season, and let the light of your gentleness, kindness and peace shine through me. Amen.

Titus Twosdays: Read to Me

"Children, come and listen to me. I will teach you to worship the Lord."

-Psalms 34:11 NCV

What activity builds family relationships, inspires, educates, entertains, and enlightens, while costing very little? It's reading to your child! Maybe you already have a regular, spellbinding story time with your children...good for you! If not, it's never to early (or too late!) to start. Perhaps you'll see some titles in this post not already on your shelves or checked out from the library. Statistics show that children whose parents (or caregivers) read to them regularly develop a love for reading and books that will serve them well in the future.

Our family made wonderful memories turning the pages of our favorite books. Here are just a few we love, hope some are new to you:

The classics above were just of few of the favorites in our home. We read with excitement and crazy voices and goofy faces, and we shared so much laughter and fun as a family! When our kids began to read, we let them read to us. Story times before bed were always in two parts at our house: Bible stories and "silly" stories. We read from The Beginner's Bible, Proverbs for Kids, or The Adventure Bible before we read other stories. It was important to us that our kids love not just books, but The Book.

I know you have some favorites. Why not share them with all of us in a comment?

Prayer for Today: Father, I'm so thankful for the gift of my children. Help me to slow down and enjoy these days of sticky fingers and story times. Childhood passes so quickly, and soon they will be grown. Teach me to cherish time with my little ones. In Jesus name, Amen.

Titus Twosdays: Christmas with older kids

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?¹⁵ If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? ¹⁷So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17 ESV

As the mother of a grown son, and three older kids, I can tell you for sure that if you say one thing, and do another, in ANY area of life, your kids WILL confront the issue. If you tell them it's important to care for the needs of those less fortunate, you better be prepared to do more than TALK about it! Just because your kids are past the age of Christmas story time and dough-ornament making doesn't mean you can't get them to think about someone other than themselves this holiday season. Here are a couple of ways to get your older kids into the spirit of giving this Christmas:

One of the outreaches my church participates in to help us share God's love with our community is Stockings for Kids. I mentioned this in a previous post, but I want to share the finished product with you (see photo above!). My teenaged daughter helped shop for and fill these cute stockings for less fortunate kids in our area. The stockings are overflowing with toys, candy, and more practical items. She loved it!

Another great idea for older kids is Christmas Caroling with friends, perhaps a small group, kids class, or youth group. Several years ago, our after-school Bible Clubs worked together with a local hospice, and did a caroling night for elderly, shut-in, and terminally ill patients. Hospice gave us a list of addresses, and told the people to expect us. We had the kids make homemade cards for each resident, signed up parents to drive the cars full of kids to the various homes, and the groups sang carols of the season with people in need of Christmas cheer. After the caroling, we met at a home for cookies and cocoa. It was such a memorable night!

Senior citizens are often overlooked at Christmas time, especially those who are very poor, or who have no family to care for them. Crossroads participated in SARCOA's Santa for Seniors outreach again this year. Individuals buy household items, clothing, or other items from a low-income senior's wish list, and SARCOA delivers the gifts. Why not let your kids do the shopping? Another good way to touch an older person's heart is through visits to your local nursing home. Be sure to call ahead before your family or group plans a visit, and note that many homes ask that you NOT bring sweets due to many residents' dietary restrictions. A handmade card or ornament is a better bet. Try to get your kids thinking of ways they can help this Christmas!

Prayer for Today: Father, You desire for us to SHOW our children how to care for others, not just TELL them. Give us creative ideas to help them keep their eyes on others during this season when so many kids are focused on themselves. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Titus Twosdays: Sharing Christmas with your children

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

- Luke 2:10-11 NIV

Today, I want to share several ideas for teaching the Christmas Story to your children through a variety of fun activities. If our little ones are going to really know the Reason for the Season, we need to find ways to share it with them at home. Hearing the story of the Baby in the Manger at church is great, but there's nothing like experiencing Christ-centered celebrations at home to help our children really grasp the meaning of Christmas. Just a few ideas to get you started:

Homemade Star Christmas Ornaments: Talk about the Star the wise men followed as you make these fun star ornaments from homemade dough and star-shaped cookie cutters.

Christmas Countdown or Advent Calendar: This is a great way to create excitement about December 25th!

The Beginner's Bible The Beginner's Bible has most of the stories of the old and new Testaments, including the story of the very first Christmas. Read this as a bedtime story, or have your new readers read the story aloud. Maybe memorize a verse or two from Luke 2, and give a little prize when they can recite it to you!

Birthday Party for Jesus To remind children that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus' birth, have a birthday party for Jesus! Let your children help with special refreshments and decorations, and maybe invite a few friends to start a fun annual tradition!

Prayer for Today: Father, help me to teach my children the true meaning of Christmas. Help me to find creative ways to share the Story of the first Christmas, so my children will one day trust Jesus as Savior. In His name, Amen