Good morning everyone. I apologize for not sending an activity for yesterday. I woke up and my day was a complete whirlwind and before I knew it I was getting into bed at the end of a very frazzled day. The good news though is that these activities can be done all through the month and not just on the day it is given. So let me share with you now the activity that was to have been for yesterday.
*****Christmas Invite-Day 7*****
Today I invite you to drop some coins in the red kettles that are manned by the Salvation Army.
I have to admit I have yet to see on this season, so I'm hoping they are still doing them. If you cannot find a red kettle, you can drop some coins in any non-profit jar, bucket, slot you find in stores or restaurants. If you attend church, you can even put extra coins in the offering basket.
*************
Last night I had dinner with my very dear best friend. Yes, even at 56 years of age, I have a best friend. This friend is more than just a friend....she is a sister in Christ. We have shared our lives together for almost 15 years now. It was a wonderful evening to celebrate her birthday and before we left the restaurant she thanked our server for his taking care of us and blessed him by saying "I pray you have a Christ-filled Christmas!" He was genuinely surprised and grateful that someone took the time to share a greeting with him. After chatting with him a few moments I truly believe that brightened his evening.
*****Christmas Invite-Day 8*****
Today I invite you to leave something thoughtful in your mailbox for your mail carrier. It could be a short note to say "thank you for your hard work"; it could be "I appreciate you deliverying my mail every day...thank you"; it could be leaving a Christmas cookie with a "thank you" or "Merry Christmas" with it. Whatever you decide to do, you will be brightening the day of someone during this festive season.
One of my friends on Facebook had this as her status this morning and I share it will all of you today:
"The secret to life is that all we have and are is a gift of grace to be shared." ~Lloyd John Oglivie~
About Me
- Marybeth
- I am honored to be a child of God and a daughter of the heavenly King. This is my first and most important role. In addition I am also a wife, mother, daycare provider, preschool teacher, and friend. I've been married to a wonderful man for 27 years. We have been blessed with two beautiful children...a 24 year old son and an 21 year old daughter. My son has been married for 18 months now to a wonderful young lady I'm blessed to have as a daughter-in-law.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
*****Christmas Invite Day 6*****
Good morning everyone! I'm excited for this new week and all that it will bring....I hope you are too. It was a busy weekend of putting up our tree and decorations, spending time with my daycare/preschool moms at our Christmas luncheon, shopping and deliverying our Angel Tree gift, and spending time with Paul. Yesterday was the annual Toys for Tots Ride in downtown Chicago....apparently there were 2,000 bikers that participated this year. This is something that Paul and I would like to do one year and I know we will.
*****Christmas Invite-Day 6*****
Today I invite you to drop off a new toy in one of the many Toys for Tots boxes.
These can be found in a lot of stores across the United States. The goal of Toys for Tots is that every child receive a gift at Christmas. You can check out more about Toys for Tots at their website www.toysfortots.org.
"Children are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him." ~Psalm 127:3 ~
*****Christmas Invite-Day 6*****
Today I invite you to drop off a new toy in one of the many Toys for Tots boxes.
These can be found in a lot of stores across the United States. The goal of Toys for Tots is that every child receive a gift at Christmas. You can check out more about Toys for Tots at their website www.toysfortots.org.
"Children are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him." ~Psalm 127:3 ~
Sunday, December 5, 2010
*****Christmas Invite-Day 5*****
Good morning everyone.....a busy day for me but also a day to look back and reflect on the past week. It's has been a good week. Today is the Lord's Day. I'm thinking how Jesus would be and react if He were walking around towns and communities today. In the hustle and bustle of the season when we find patience short, tempers quick, driving in a hurry to get to the best sale, and bickering between the terms "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" ; I believe He would not be sucked in to all the commercialism and materialism this season has become. Instead He would be in the midst of those that needed help, He would be with those society has rejected; and He would be speaking words of love and kindness to all.
*****Christmas Invite Day 5*****
Today I invite you to speak words of love and kindness to everyone you encounter today. Simple acts of kindness go a long way to brighten a person's day. Think of others as you may be standing in line, or waiting to be served if in a restaurant, or a "hello, how are you today" to a passerby can speak volumes to those you've put first.
*****Christmas Invite Day 5*****
Today I invite you to speak words of love and kindness to everyone you encounter today. Simple acts of kindness go a long way to brighten a person's day. Think of others as you may be standing in line, or waiting to be served if in a restaurant, or a "hello, how are you today" to a passerby can speak volumes to those you've put first.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
*****Christmas Invite - Day 4*****
Good morning everyone.....here in the Chicago area it is absolutely beautiful outside! It is snowing, snowing, and snowing. I believe it is suppose to snow all day today. I have to admit that I love cold snowy weather during the Christmas season. I was thinking last night what I could invite everyone to do today as part of the Christmas Invite and the snow this morning gave me the activity.
*****Christmas Invite-Day 4*****
Today I invite you to shovel or plow someone else's driveway.
This is a great activity for school age children to get involved with giving to someone else. I know there is a neighbor that could use help in this way. I realize too that not everyone has snow right now or even gets snow...so here is where your creativity comes to play. You can still help a neighbor. Maybe there is raking that needs done, or weeding, or picking up some trash that may have collected in yards or flower beds. Another non-snow shoveling activity could be to help a neighbor with putting up their Christmas outside decorations. The possibilities are many when the thinking caps go on.
*****Christmas Invite-Day 4*****
Today I invite you to shovel or plow someone else's driveway.
This is a great activity for school age children to get involved with giving to someone else. I know there is a neighbor that could use help in this way. I realize too that not everyone has snow right now or even gets snow...so here is where your creativity comes to play. You can still help a neighbor. Maybe there is raking that needs done, or weeding, or picking up some trash that may have collected in yards or flower beds. Another non-snow shoveling activity could be to help a neighbor with putting up their Christmas outside decorations. The possibilities are many when the thinking caps go on.
Friday, December 3, 2010
*****Christmas Invite-Day 3****
Good morning everyone! It's Friday....this week seemed to have just flown by. In daycare/preschool we have been busy with Christmas party preparations.....learning songs for our program, making ornaments, Christmas chain, and realizing that Christmas is more than Santa Claus, Rudolph, and getting presents (although that is fun). We are learning everyday about giving and sharing with others. My heart is truly filled with joy as I see my preschoolers taking in what I am teaching them about the joy of giving to others. Several of them have brought bags in with boots, hats, and gloves to give to other kids that need these items this winter. We will be making some Christmas cards as a group today and next week to be given to residents of a local nursing home. This nursing home is visited by a grandma of another preschooler and she volunteered to deliver them.
Tomorrow is the annual Mom's Christmas Luncheon with my daycare/preschool moms. This is also one of my highlights of the Christmas season each year. I love spending time with all the moms....no kids around....just adult time together to catch up. This year we will be having lunch at a new place...not a new restaurant in town....just a change of location for the luncheon. So we get to sit back and relax, chat, have fun with a Christmas gift exchange, and let Clara's Pasta Restaurant serve us a wonderfully delicious lunch.
*****Christmas Invite-Day 3*****
Today I invite you to make a meal for someone! Do you know someone that has been sick, or has had a new baby? Maybe someone in your neighborhood is going through a difficult time right now? Is there someone you would like to just say thank you for being in my life? If you are not sure who you could make a meal for, you could contact a church or your town resource centers for a family that could use a meal.
"Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.'" ~ John 21:15 ~
Tomorrow is the annual Mom's Christmas Luncheon with my daycare/preschool moms. This is also one of my highlights of the Christmas season each year. I love spending time with all the moms....no kids around....just adult time together to catch up. This year we will be having lunch at a new place...not a new restaurant in town....just a change of location for the luncheon. So we get to sit back and relax, chat, have fun with a Christmas gift exchange, and let Clara's Pasta Restaurant serve us a wonderfully delicious lunch.
*****Christmas Invite-Day 3*****
Today I invite you to make a meal for someone! Do you know someone that has been sick, or has had a new baby? Maybe someone in your neighborhood is going through a difficult time right now? Is there someone you would like to just say thank you for being in my life? If you are not sure who you could make a meal for, you could contact a church or your town resource centers for a family that could use a meal.
"Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.'" ~ John 21:15 ~
Thursday, December 2, 2010
*****Christmas Invite-Day 2*****
Good morning everyone! I received my first Christmas card in the mail the other day and it made me start thinking about getting my own cards mailed soon. As I was thinking that I realized that there are many that do not receive Christmas cards at this time, for one reason or another.
*****Christmas Invite Day 2*****
Today I invite you to buy or make 5 Christmas cards. When you have them ready, think of a place you can deliver them to......i.e. nursing home, your church (they may know some folks that are shut-ins), a local hospital.....again the possibilities are many.
Today let's bring a smile to someone and show them they are loved and remembered!
~"clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience...." ~Colossians 3:12~
*****Christmas Invite Day 2*****
Today I invite you to buy or make 5 Christmas cards. When you have them ready, think of a place you can deliver them to......i.e. nursing home, your church (they may know some folks that are shut-ins), a local hospital.....again the possibilities are many.
Today let's bring a smile to someone and show them they are loved and remembered!
~"clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience...." ~Colossians 3:12~
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Christmas Invite - Day 1
Good morning everyone.....here it is December 1st and in Chicago it is cold, windy, and just a small amount of snow falling on and off. After I wrote on my blog about the Christmas Challenge I was going to do I began to get hung up on the word "challenge." I started thinking "challenge" more as a negative...something you had to do....that is not my intent at all.....for myself and for those that choose to participate as well. What new word could I use....if you know me I tend to be a bit obsessive at times...lol....so I'm thinking and thinking and thinking what word could I use that would be a more positive choice. The word I decided on was "invite". Today is day 1 of the Christmas Invite 2010.
As we prepare ourselves during this time of Advent and to celebrate the birth of Jesus I invite you to join with me to think of others, to bless others, and to give to others. Will you?
A few reminders: 1) these activities are "generic". Whether you are doing them yourself or as a group, you decide how you want to fulfill the blessing. I will share a few thoughts but I also understand that everyone is at a different place in their life; 2) these activities are for the entire month...feel free to do them on the day I send, or on another day during December, or even more than once throughout the month; and 3) have fun...enjoy this season of giving...not only will you be blessing the lives of others, you will be blessed as well.
********* Christmas Invite - Day 1 **********
Today I invite you to donate a piece of outerwear, i.e. coat, boots, mittens, hats, etc.
This could be a coat you have that you haven't worn, a child's coat that doesn't fit anymore...the same with boots that are too small, mittens, hats, and scarves that are not being worn for one reason or another....donate to a coat drive, thrift store, Goodwill, Salvation Army store, mitten tree at a child's school. The possibilities are many. "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God." ~ Isaiah 40:1 ~
As we prepare ourselves during this time of Advent and to celebrate the birth of Jesus I invite you to join with me to think of others, to bless others, and to give to others. Will you?
A few reminders: 1) these activities are "generic". Whether you are doing them yourself or as a group, you decide how you want to fulfill the blessing. I will share a few thoughts but I also understand that everyone is at a different place in their life; 2) these activities are for the entire month...feel free to do them on the day I send, or on another day during December, or even more than once throughout the month; and 3) have fun...enjoy this season of giving...not only will you be blessing the lives of others, you will be blessed as well.
********* Christmas Invite - Day 1 **********
Today I invite you to donate a piece of outerwear, i.e. coat, boots, mittens, hats, etc.
This could be a coat you have that you haven't worn, a child's coat that doesn't fit anymore...the same with boots that are too small, mittens, hats, and scarves that are not being worn for one reason or another....donate to a coat drive, thrift store, Goodwill, Salvation Army store, mitten tree at a child's school. The possibilities are many. "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God." ~ Isaiah 40:1 ~
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