Gobble Til you Wobble!

For most of us in North America, we really do enjoy a FEAST at Thanksgiving time. There is so much food on our counters, tables, sideboards, buffets…we cannot imagine going to bed without a wonderful turkey sandwich made with leftover turkey! Sad to say, this is not always the case in my part of "the hood."

When we first moved to our neighborhood, 16 years ago, we knew that this was the place that the Lord had called us to. It is a very urban setting with poverty all around us. In those early years, we were praying and asking the Lord how we could bless our neighbors and neighborhood. How could we love them how Jesus loves?

We knew a few people on the block who lived in intense poverty, going to bed hungry, trying to provide for their kids, etc. We even knew of some families without stoves to cook on. We felt like we were to make turkeys, the day before Thanksgiving and deliver a gallon of milk, a baked turkey and all the sides to these families on our street. They were overwhelmed with gratitude. Todd had said that every family should be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with dignity!

In addition, we joined with a local ministry that would serve Thanksgiving meals to the poor and needy out of Wendy's in our city. We even helped deliver those plates to people who were unable to get out of their homes. We did that for a few years.

A few years into this, some of our neighbors said, "Hey, thank you for all the help at Thanksgiving. This year we can do it on our own!" We were excited by this news. And we asked, "What's next?" That is when we went to a whole other level!

We started doing food drives, having local churches and friends join us, to collect ingredients for a Thanksgiving meal. We actually made a shopping list for people, asking them to pick up one or two extra items. Together we can feed people at Thanksgiving.

We no longer cook the turkey. We give them out in frozen form,the Saturday before Thanksgiving, with a paper bag filled with instant potatoes, stuffing, canned corn, green beans and sweet potatoes. It has been wonderful to see the community rally around this…to see people fed. We DO NOT run a food pantry, this is a Thanksgiving only event for us. We simply do this because the word says, "To love your neighbor as you love yourself!" This is one way we feel we can love out neighbor.

Together with the local schools, churches and other friendships we have in the city, we are able to connect with these needy families. Last year we were able to help 450 families. This year, we are needing more help in order to meet that goal again.

This is an easy model that can be replicated anywhere. In fact, we have a friend who is wanting to do just that in Texas. I am grateful for my hubs, because he carries this with such passion. I am grateful for our team at Youth With A Mission-Charlotte because they also carry the passion for this.

A friend once said to me, "We cannot step on our neighbors to reach the Nations." It is true. We need to love those we are with, while we are with them. We were created with a huge capacity to love…let's do this. If you are able to help this year, please contact me immediately. If you are interested in what we do year round, please check out our website www.ywamcharlotte.com. There is always room for more around our "table".

Thanks for reading and praying. God wants us to love Him and to love others. Start by showing love to that person right next to you!

Celebrate!

Today marks a very special, albeit unusual day. At this point, our little girl has spent half her life in Africa and half her life at home!

When we were in Togo, I wanted to soak up all the sights, the sounds, the noises. I knew there would come a day when she would ask about where she came from. I felt so responsible to capture all of it…not just in pictures, but in sounds, touch, smells. I did not know what she would remember, what she would bring "home" with her.

Now, it has been three and a half years that she has been home. Our days have been filled, from the start, with tons of lovin'…hugs and kisses, snuggles. Those same days have been filled with therapies in every area; swallowing therapies, speech therapies, physical and occupational therapies. There have been school days and pool days…mega-watt miles all along the way. Our lives are filled to overflowing!

Who knew that all those years of waiting, praying, fighting and praying some more, would yield such reward!? Gabi is home. She is thriving. She is energetic. She is FULL of life. She is loved beyond measure.

In her young life, she has changed the course of history for a nation and for hundreds of children who need forever families!

Our story begins before her birth. It is a story filled with joys and sorrow, laughter and tears…and is has a happy ending! I will tell her story here…just not tonight.

Tonight, we celebrate!

"She's Back!"

"Love is what carries you; it's always there, even in the dark."

                                                                                                 -Wendell Berry

To be truthful, it is a bit embarrassing to realize that it has been almost two years since I have been here, on the blog, writing, sharing life. Two years is a long time. I have wanted to come back, but I needed the time to be right. I needed to see order come back to my home, my life, my health. 

I have wondered if I should just close it all up, pretend it isn't here. Move on, start over, start fresh. Nice and neat...just how I like things. Fortunately, God does not operate like that. 

He is a God of redemption and restoration. And I am grateful. I really like what is here, it has just had to take a back seat to A LOT of other priorities. But now is the time!

God's plan is always to redeem all that is lost and restore all that is broken...He just needs willing participants.  I want to be one who is able to see beyond the loss and brokenness, straight through to the beauty that can come. I need to have God's perspective. I WANT to see through the eyes of God.

The past few years we have been walking through darkness, not overwhelmed by darkness, just walking through some dark, lonely, sad, overwhelming times. In the midst of it all, I KNOW that "Love", aka God,  has carried us. The darkness has not defined us. We refuse to allow that. In the midst of the darkness, we have experienced tremendous JOY.

"For the Joy of the Lord is my Strength!"

                                                                                                         -Nehemiah 8:10

We have been desperate for that strength. God has met us. He has heard us. He has carried us...

...and it's good to be back!

O, Holy Night

“Truly He taught us to love one another; his law is love and his gospel is peace. Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother. And in his name all oppression shall cease.”

Just a few weeks ago, I was singing “O, Holy Night” in the car and a question came to me, followed by an answer that was so powerful!

“Who is the slave?” When I was young, I thought that “the slave” was referring to actual slaves and the need to abolish slavery. I never thought much more of it…just words in a song. Fast forward 35 years, “Who is the slave?”

The slave has been each one of us. We have been enslaved to sin, selfish ambition, pride, loneliness, anger, the need for the approval of others, the list goes on.

Christ has set us free.

There are others who still sit in darkness, who are enslaved and oppressed. This beautiful carol reminds us that we are to love those who sit in darkness. God’s law is love, not judgment. His Gospel is PEACE, not hostility. In His precious name, oppression is broken…the reason Christ came to earth!

May you know true love and peace this Christmas time and all year through. May Christ bring liberty to your life. My prayer, during this Christmas and New Year, is that we all would come into a greater understanding of God's great love for us. And I pray that we would respond to that great love, by loving others!

Merry Christmas!

A Wonderful Walk in the Woods

In October, a friend and I were able to get away to Atlanta for Country Living Magazine's Country Fair. We spent the weekend in Atlanta, and a FULL day at Stone Mountain @ the fair.

It was staged in the woods. Hundreds of vendors...

Excuse me! A girl HAS TO eat...perfect fair fare...ribbon fries and a corndog...mmmmm!

My, oh my!

To say, "we were inspired", would be an understatement!



The whole time my mind was racing with ideas for design, decorating and crafting Christmas presents.





My "workshop" has been under construction with Hubs laying a new wood floor. However, I have still been working on a few surprises...inspired by all of this creativity!

In the midst of all of this, my heart delights...on so many levels!

First of all with creating...we are made in the image of God. He is the creator of all. So, when we create, we are mirroring just a tiny facet of God and that delights me!

Next, all of these particular items here have been repurposed.

I really love when someone can see something other than what appears before them. It's called having vision, seeing beyond the "seen". That is so God!

In the midst of our lostness, He has found us. He has redeemed us. Restored us. Repurposed us for more. That delights me. That brings hope.

He makes beauty from ashes. I am delighted. I am inspired.

A Secret

This is my little friend, Reichen...


Tonight I just had to tell him a secret! I could not hold it in another minute.

Me: "Reichen, I have to tell you a secret...

I am SO in love with you!"

Reichen: "I'm in love with your eye balls!" as he runs off down the path.

Me: "Well, thank you Reichen. A boy has never said that to me before!"

I just love three year olds!

Unlike Any Other

This Thanksgiving was unlike any other. We only had six people around our table this year, our kids and Todd's Mom, Nana. In the 21 years that we have been married we have always celebrated with more family and friends. I LOVE preparing a feast for those I love. This year was no different...just smaller...and quieter...and different.

Some friends had family in town to celebrate with. Some friends went home, or to other friends' homes. Todd's youngest brother, Brad, and his wife Dana (who we so enjoy around our table) are celebrating in China. My family is celebrating at my parents house in Maple Grove, along with other family and lifelong friends. So, I really missed the people that have sat around our table in the past.

We were reminded of other special people through the family recipes we used, eating off of Mamo's favorite Franciscan Ivy patterned china (made famous on the Donna Reed Show and I Love Lucy Show in the 1960's). Using the turkey platter that I got from my brother in law's Grandmother Strickland. Making Rachael's famous citrus tea. Bringing out an old favorite...upside down apple pie.

I realize that, no matter who is around our table, I am making memories with/for my kids, as we celebrate with tremendous JoY and GrATefUlnESs, the awesome blessings in our lives. As we celebrated, albeit quietly (just what the Hubs needed), I looked around the table at Nana, Ashley, Todd, Jackson and Gabi and realized how blessed I am.

One day they will look back at ALL the special ways we celebrated Thanksgiving through the years, sometimes small and sometimes very, VERY big! But always
CeLeBrAtInG!!!