ANNOUNCEMENTS
FYI :
~~~~ My Laura-Lee Was Here Christmas Songs Play List (2015) has been posted after a 2 year absence. It is at the very bottom of the page, with our new Chat - Shout Box. That way you have the option to listen to great Christmas music as you Chat to the other people at this blog, or perhaps even to me. "WOW!"
I put 16 songs in this Play List from dance to traditional. But all are excellent and you will find yourself enjoying them long after Christmas is over for everyone else.
(The Christmas Songs Play List (2015) is also at my other blog, "The Bible and the Biz")
SAMARITAN'S PURSE: Operation Christmas Child (OCC)
Christmas Shoe Box Collection Week
NOVEMBER 16 - 22
I've always loved the idea of having a PARTY surrounding the Christmas Shoebox.
It works especially well for Canadians. Americans have Thanksgiving that begins their Christmas Season, but in Canada we have Thanksgiving back in October.
So it's a wonderful idea to invite friends and family over to have some cookies and hot chocolate and everyone fills a Shoe Box for a Child who is truly poor, while you listen to great Christmas music.
It's simple, fun and gets your mind and heart in a good place for the Christmas season. Not only do you create good memories but it alters your perceptions, priorities (and spending), when you fill the Shoe Box with precious things, like a Toothbrush, for a boy or girl who has never owned one before.
As a Christian, the idea that this may be the first time a child and their family will hear the story of how Jesus was born in that Bethlehem stable as they celebrate their very first Christmas is actually quite thrilling.
As an annual FAMILY Tradition, it's a great idea too. Nobody can get into the Spirit of filling a Shoe Box for a Child like another Child can.
And of course, Churches and Businesses also get together to participate.
But it's such a wonderful idea and it has grown so much the best thing I can do is give you the LINKS (see below) and let you follow them to whichever site you need.
I deeply hope (and pray) that if you haven't done this yet, you won't let another year go by without getting involved. I've probably made it sound much more complicated then it actually is.
But once you've filled a Shoe Box, you are hooked on the idea forever.
It reminds you that:
1) there are people who are really poor in this world,
2) we are very fortunate in our free and easy western society
3) it unites you to the people you're filling the Shoe Boxes with
4) it gets you focused off yourself for a while
5) makes you grateful for what you have
6) gets you into the Christmas Spirit
7) reminds us it's "more blessed to give than to receive" and on and on it goes ...
Next week is Shoe Box Collection week.
It's actually such a simple and fun thing to participate in.
Here's the basics:
- Get a Shoe box (it doesn't even have to be their official Shoe Box - any box about that size is fine.)
- Pick Boy or Girl and the age group
- Print out (or pick out) whatever forms you need or want
- Stuff the box with the appropriate things (they list suggestions of what to give on the websites and in their brochure)
- Don't seal the box
- Attach the label for whatever age & gender of child you picked
- insert into the box the envelope with the donation you need to include (usually $7 for shipping fee)
- Bring the Box in to wherever is the nearest collection site (also listed at the websites)
- Feel Good
Besides having all this above information at these websites, they also have several ideas that I have personally done, like sending a family photo so the child opening the box can relate to the people or person sending it.
For children here, there's actually a form they can fill out that includes their likes and dislikes, hobbies, a place for their school photo, a globe to color & show where in the world we live, etc, etc.
They have made videos of the kids opening their Shoe Boxes in previous Christmases and if those videos don't convince you and stick a big, dumb grin on your face, nothing will. Here's a few photos to get you started.
Enjoy! And with much love,
Laura-Lee
P.S. If you are reading this and it's past collection week, don't worry. You can fill a "virtual" Shoe Box by picking specific items online, pay for it there and a box will be filled for whichever child you picked and with the items you chose.
Samaritan's Purse is the umbrella organization and Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is the official name of the Shoe Box people. Now it's a global organization, so make sure you're heading to the correct websites.
* I've included both the American and Canadian ones here too.
~~ Love Always, Laura-Lee (Was Here)
