The JOY of Giving!

Merit, Willem and Hazel Jane all have a canned food drive going on at their schools. The food collected will go to our local food bank. At Willem's school there are prizes for the homeroom classes that bring in the most food. Helping the hungry, teaching children giving, prizes, Christmas spirit! I love this.
Willem's AVID class has "adopted" a family through NEW HOPE, a mom and three small children. Willem and I had so much fun shopping for this family yesterday! When you adopt a family through NEW HOPE, you learn their ages, interests, sizes and what is on their wish list. It makes shopping fairly easy and very fun. If you are interested, call NEW HOPE. 

If you are interested for buying for one or two children, pulling a card off of a Giving Tree is a great way to go.

Another thing we love to do in December is bring quarters to the laundromat. What a great month to bless people with a little laundry money. I am going to give a few bags of quarters to Merit this week. He drives now. I want him to be blessed by this fun giving opportunity.

When my dear friend Liz watches Oren while I teach, sometimes she has a sweet boy named Owen there too. Owen is four and Oren and Owen quickly became great playmates when they met, earlier this school year. Liz called me Friday and said that Owen had a little gift for Oren. They came over that morning and Owen, with such excitement, handed my Oren and beautifully wrapped gift. I have never met Owen's parents. This gesture was very kind. Oren was delighted. This was so unexpected and fun! The little army guys and motorcycles have been played with like crazy since Owen blessed Oren with them that day. 


Oren and I mailed two packages today. The Post Office was busy, slush in the parking lot, people searching for a parking place, kind folks holding doors open for others. Oren is so much better at running errands with me than he was a year ago. Very few melt downs, more help from him and great conversation. It will be hard to send this munchkin to kinder. But being a substitute teacher allows me to see my kids at school - Hazel always helps me look over lesson plans and prepare when we arrive in the morning, often I get to have lunch with her too which is very special.

On Friday, I will make soap with 40 kindergartners! This is the fourth year I have done this. The teachers purchase a soap base, honey, oatmeal or goats milk. The children choose their mold and their scent (essential oil), they add a little oatmeal or lemon zest if they would like. These are parent Christmas gifts. The kindergarten classrooms smell AMAZING on the days when we do this!! And the kinder kids are so excited to make a gift for a parent, guardian or special someone.


May your day be filled with the JOY of Christmas.



Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.