Weekly Rewind 11/16-11/22/08

It's always a great week when you finally do those projects on your list that seem easier to avoid..this was one of those weeks when we tackled some of those very things.

~Each year, I make a note to participate in Samaritan's Purse's "Operation Christmas Child." And each year, the deadline for turning in your shoeboxes comes and goes. The task is simple..you choose a boy or girl in one of three age ranges (we chose a boy and girl in the 5-9 category) and fill a shoebox with the recommended toys, arts and crafts, toiletries, etc. Finally, you drop off the boxes at one of the designated sites during a particular week and then Samaritan's Purse delivers them to children in other countries.

So, we finally did it this year! This children had a great time shopping for the items with which to fill the boxes. It was a great reminder to cherish even the simplest things that we often take for granted, such as toothpaste or a piece of chewing gum.

The night before Mountain Man dropped these off, we prayed that God would bless those children who received these boxes and that He would give them new hearts that would rejoice in the gift of His salvation. The drop-off was at a Calvary Chapel, and Mountain Man wasn't sure he was going to get out of there without attending their Wednesday night service. He said an alarm must have sounded when he walked in because everyone greeted him and wanted to know if he'd be staying for the service. How's that for a friendly welcome! :) Thank you, Lord, for the opportunities to bless others while showing them the love of Christ. Thank you that You've called us to be servants in so many different ways.

~My sweet Beloved promised to paint our bedroom last year as an anniversary present, and we finally bought the paint this weekend! Yippee! I'm so excited...though I am cautiously waiting to see what the color will really look like once on the walls. You know those fancy names on the paint swatches never quite reflect the imagination of the person who created them...or rather that's all they reflect...the imagination of someone else. Ours is titled "Oatlands Gold Bluff," and it has some yellow undertones. The painting starts Wednesday, and I'll post before and after pictures later. Thank you, Lord, for the many sacrifices my Beloved makes everyday for me.

~Well-known for my tendency to read about great ideas and never implement them, it was great to get our "Ebenezer Box" finished. (see previous post for details) The children are already filling it up, and I say we'll have quite a few pieces of paper to read on Thanksgiving Day. Thank you, Lord, for great ideas that inspire us develop the habit of giving You praise and honor.

~I had two doctor's visits this week. Both went well, and Next Girl is great. The perinatologist said it would be fine to go ahead with the MOHs surgery (to remove the skin cancer), and I'll return in a few weeks to check baby's growth again. My visit with my OB went well, too, except for my learning that he'll be out of town briefly around my due date! One of his medical assistants shared with me that she had the MOHs procedure done on her nose as well. Her advice..don't look at your nose before they stitch you up...um, I wasn't even considering doing that! Thank you, Lord, that Next Girl is growing and this pregnancy is going well.

Love to you all,

Queen Mom for all of us