Christmas Shopping?

Are you still looking for the perfect gift for Christmas this year? If so, I have a few ideas to share...

But, before I do...

We are proud to add another sweet child to our list of sponsored children!!! A precious 7 year old from Haiti, named MacKender is now added to the group of children being given new life!! Randy and Susan, he will be prayed for daily in our home, along with the others. Thank you for honoring our precious Chase in this way and for stepping out to take care of those who need it most. Here is a quote from their email today: "Even though Chase is now in heaven, it is heartwarming to know he still lives in so many hearts throughout the world through the sponsoring of these precious children." Amen to that!!

And, on that note, can I share that my heart is burdened with the needs of children around the world? It always has been, but even more so in recent weeks. Mommies just like you and me are losing their children so unnecessarily. So....I've been thinking. What if we all decided to give gifts of a different kind this year? Even if you've always adopted a family or given to the local toy drive at Christmas time, what if we went beyond that and really tried to meet the needs of those who need it most?

One great idea that a friend gave me (and we plan to begin doing this year with our kids) is to give your children a specific amount of money, for them to spend in the World Vision catalog of gifts. These gifts range from giving a goat, chicken, or cow to a family, all the way to buying clean water or a fishing pond for a village. We plan to let each of our girls "shop" for others in this way, and let them buy what they would like to share most. I think it's a great way to touch others' lives, while also showing your children what should matter most during this giving season.

Another opportunity to give is by supplying drinking water through this site. It's amazing to me that 4500 mothers bury their babies every day because they drink contaminated water. Meanwhile, we use fresh, clean water to flush the toilet or water our yard. Can you imagine offering your child this to drink?

Last week, I got to attend a worship service with my friend, Amy. It was called God of the City, and is a movement to rid the city of Dallas of hunger, by encouraging churches of all denominations and affiliations to come together in the name of Jesus and supply our food banks with what they need to take care of this city. It was an amazing time of worship, and two numbers stood out to me from that evening:

We spend 60 BILLION dollars on Christmas every year in America. It would cost only 6 BILLION dollars to give fresh drinking water to the entire world. Something to consider as a Christmas gift this year? I think so!

Another number that stood out was this: If only 6% of Christians adopted a child, there would be no more children in orphanages. Now, I don't know where they get these numbers, or how accurate that is, but I do know that God has a plan for each of those children, and there are many of us who could provide for them. Even if you're not ready to adopt a child for Christmas this year (ha ha), you could provide support for the orphanages around the world, or sponsor your own child through Compassion or World Vision. Our family has been blessed tremendously by our sponsored kids through Compassion, and we hope to continue adding these sweet children to our "family". We gave the gift of a sponsored child to our girls for Christmas a few years ago and got to watch as they learned all they could about who she was, where she lived, what she liked to do. And, they have loved sweet Atsupuhi ever since.

One of my newest and greatest passions is the Touch a Life foundation, the ministry of Pam Cope in Ghana, Africa. Children as young as four years old are sold by their parents and forced to fish on Lake Volta in absolutely horrific conditions. And, Touch a Life is not only rescuing these children, but also giving them abundant life, full of joy. If you'd like to read more about this amazing ministry, go here. To learn more about the problem of slavery in Ghana, go here. (And, read her book!!) It will change the way you see the blessings in our lives. And, it makes me ready to go rescue a few of these sweet children myself!!

There are so many ways to help and so many needs. Let's make this Christmas about them instead of about us. And, I think it will be just the beginning for change in this city, this country, and this world. A sermon I was listening to last night said this: "If Jesus truly had the freedom to live His life out through me, what would He do with my life to make a difference in this world?" I love that challenge of really being Jesus like we've said we will be--and allowing Him to do what He wants with what He's given us.

It also might amaze us all how passionate our children can be about this too! Their hearts were made by our Creator, who gave them a great capacity to love and to give. Why not start now with helping them see a bigger world that they can help change?

I know for me, seeing my children grow in their passion for others and their capacity to love and serve the world, would make it a very Merry Christmas to me. :)

What are some ideas you have for giving to others this holiday season?