Operation Christmas Child

This is where my focus has been for the last two weeks...hence the no blogging. If you haven't heard about Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child, click here and check it out. I have given shoes boxes every year at our church and last year made the decision to do more. This year I am heading up the operation at our church with the wonderful lady who has been doing it the last 3 years. TSC is a Relay Center which means we collect shoe boxes from all over our community, not just our church. We are open the entire Collection Week instead of just the one day that most churches collect shoe boxes. In order to do this, we have to have at least 30 volunteers who are willing to work at the Relay Center during the day and on the weekend. Oh how I prayed that the Lord would fill those roles and of course, He came through in a mighty way.

We have set a lofty goal for our church alone and I am so excited to see how God is going to show up this Sunday. I went shopping for my own shoeboxes this week and like always, had a blast doing it. Christmas does not always bring out the best in me, I must admit. I'm not a big fan of buying gifts on-demand. Matter of fact, I'm not a big gift person at all. (I must apologize to any of my friends or loved ones whose love language is Gifts because I know that I am not loving you in your love language.) Know don't get me wrong, if I see something that JUST SCREAMS it is the perfect gift for someone, I am all over it!!!! Anways...I digress. Like I was saying. I stress over my Christmas list like no other. I have 4 nephews who I never have any idea what they want. The oldest is fourtenn, what the heck do you buy a fourteen year old..okay let me rephrase that...what is something you can afford that they might actually like? Then there's people that have all the money in the world and you have none. So what do get them. What do you get your husband who goes out and buys everything he wants? Since I don't love buying gifts, when I do, I want them to be perfect and loved by the receiver. That's a lot of pressure if you ask me.

So what's the greatest thing about shopping for shoesboxes.....you KNOW they are going to love everything you put in them. From the best thing you find to the soap and toothbrush/paste I always but in there, they are going to love it. I always try and imagine what the boy or girl will look like and the excitement on her face. I love the fact that he/she is going to know that someone potentially half way around the world loved him/her enough to give them a Christmas present. I love that they are going to get a book in their own language that tells them that Jesus loves them. I just flat out love everything about this minsitry. (Even the fact that I haven't slept good in two weeks and my shoulders are so tight I can hardly move because of the stress I have put on myself.) IT IS SOOOO WORTH IT!!!!

I challenge you today to get involved if you haven't already. Feel free to drop your boxes off at TSC tomorrow and Saturday from 9:00-2:00 or all day on Sunday. All you TSC Members....bring your boxes THIS SUNDAY!!!!!!