Merry Christmas

I can't believe it's almost Christmas.  Just 12 more days.  My son reminds me every morning that my shopping days are numbered.  I think he's just a little worried because I haven't wrapped any presents yet and he's afraid maybe I've forgotten.  I love it.  Nothing like a little suspense.  Next, he'll be dying because I've learned not to put names on the presents, but to identify the owner with either a particular kind of paper or color of bow.  That way, the shaking of gifts and temptation to open one a little early is lessened.  Who wants to get excited about what might be someone else's gift?  (Tough part at my age is remembering who gets what.)

I have to confess to you that I had a mini-Christmas meltdown tonight.  I was in a bit of a funk missing my mom.  For those of you who don't know, she died 13 years ago from breast cancer.  Christmas was one of her favorite times of year.  She would start looking for the perfect gifts long before December.  The house was always decorated with something special in every room.  We had a tree full of ornaments that her mom and grandmother had made.  Then there were ceramics and hand sewn "extras" here & there.  There was something about tradition and memories mixed with anticipation that she could capture perfectly year after year.  I still have some of those items and have a specific group of decorations that she collected herself.  I have them up.  They are my favorite part of decorating.  It's like having a piece of her with me and it makes me warm inside all month long.

I have to tell you that I just keep thinking about the kids that don't have those types of memories.  Where Christmas was just another day of disappointment instead of a day of joy and blessings...and I do mean blessings way beyond gifts.  My grandfather reads the Christmas story for our family every year.  Every year I cry.  To see his kids, grand kids and now great-grand kids gathered around him is as sweet a moment as anyone will ever know...and so many won't.

This time next year, I pray that a host of kids will know it for the first time.  I pray that we will have the privilege of buying 20 different kinds of paper and funky colored bows and that I will need a spreadsheet to remember which combination goes with which child.  I pray that many of you will be involved in mentoring, tutoring, teaching and giving.  I look forward to seeing Frank read the Christmas story to a room full who might be hearing it for the first time.  It's going to be so awesome.

We are continuing to move forward, talking with an attorney about our 501C3 status, assembling a Board of Directors, looking for the person who has the land/home to donate to make the dream a reality.  In the coming weeks/months we will have our website up and running so that you can begin to making financial contributions if you feel so moved.

Please pray for us.  Pray for all of the above details.  Pray for our hearts to be continually stirred and our feet to follow closely as He leads.  Pray for the name of our Ranch...it's hard to get a status and a website without a name.  lol.  Pray for the kids and the families that will bring them.  Sometimes I feel a little like Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams".  I know, if we build it, they will come.  I don't know how or why, but I know it just the same.

Thank you for your partnership!  We value you and covet your prayers.  We pray that you and your family will have the Merriest of Christmases and that you will know the sweetness of the sacrifice of the Christ child.