Christmas shopping with my bro, a couple of years ago.
Finished with your Christmas shopping yet?
If not, here's an awesome way to do it, if you're an Amazon fan (like me)! Next time you shop, go to AmazonSmile and choose Young Disciple Ministries Incorporated as your support of choice. You'll be redirected to Amazon.com and can shop just like normal. Every time you place an order this way, Amazon gives 5% of your order to Young Disciple Ministries - and you don't pay any extra for it!
You can give gifts to your family and friends, and young people all over the world this way. :)
I just couldn't post a bunch of things about Christmas without including something that's design-ish. For those of you who use Adobe InDesign, here's a cool "Easter egg" (as they call it) with a Christmas flair. :)
1. Choose Stroke Styles from the Stroke panel menu (the little drop-down menu in the top right corner).
2. Click New.
3. Make sure the stroke type is set to "Dash," then rename the stroke as "Lights."
4. Click OK.
5. Make a line and apply the Lights stroke on whatever you like!
I thought I'd share a Christmas song with thought-provoking lyrics. So often I just sing songs through and don't really think about the words, when if I really listened, I'd be so inspired by their profoundness. Here is one of my favorites...
Do You Have Room? Shawna Edwards
They journeyed far, a weary pair;
They sought for shelter from the cold night air.
Some place where she could lay her head,
Where she could give her Babe a quiet bed.
Was there no room? No corner there?
In all the town a spot someone could spare?
Was there no soul come to their aid?
A stable bare was where the family stayed.
Do you have room for the Savior? And do you seek Him anew?
Have you a place for the One who lived and died for you?
Are you as humble as a shepherd boy, or as wise as men of old?
Would you have come that night? Would you have sought the light?
Do you have room?
A star arose, a wondrous light,
A sign from God — this was the holy night,
And yet so few would go to see
The Babe who came to rescue you and me.
This Child divine is now a King.
The gift of life to all the world He brings,
And all mankind He saves from doom,
But on that night, for Him, there was no room.
Do you have room for the Savior? And do you seek Him anew?
Have you a place for the One who lived and died for you?
Are you as humble as a shepherd boy, or as wise as men of old?
Would you have come that night? Would you have sought the light?
Do you have room?
Will you come tonight? Will you seek the light?
Do you have room?
Here are a few Christmas cards I made awhile ago with the "Big on Christmas" Stampin' Up stamp set. (Just in case you have it and are looking for ideas!)
Christmas in Asia: It's kind of like Christmas in July, but not.
I know that "down under," Christmas is always sunny and warm, but I've just never been used to that so it has definitely been a big change to be in a tropical place during a time that's supposed to be freezing cold! I thought I'd tell you how we celebrated Christmas last year, and some of the things that are planned and happening this Christmas season...
1. Last year I went to Thailand for Christmas. I visited Sunshine Orchard, another mission school, because some close family friends are working there. It was wonderful in many ways, but one of the best things was that IT WAS COLD! I know, you're probably thinking yeah right. But no, it was in the upper 40s up there in the mountains, and we didn't have a nice fire to warm up to - we slept in a bamboo hut like they always do. Brrr!! But it sure felt more like the right time of the year. :)
We also went caroling. Who knew that you could go door-to-door in an Asian village of bamboo huts and sing Christmas songs? It was awesome. I learned a few Karen tunes and enjoyed getting to know some of the students as we serenaded the neighborhood.
2. WPY has an annual Christmas program - but not at our campus. A choir of our children goes to a hotel in Siem Reap and sings for the people there. Last year it was most of my cute grade 6 kiddos, and they did a wonderful job. This year, they are working hard on more songs. They are sounding good, and it will be fun to be able to hear them sing in person this time!
3. My housemate and fellow teacher, Laura (my AFCOE outreach partner back in the good old days), is planning a Christmas program for the dorm kids (both boys and girls). She has had a "store" where the kids can come and pick out a couple gifts for a small fee, for a name they've drawn (most of them are too poor to afford much, and Laura's been saving up random gifts for a few years). So a few days before school finishes and the dorm kids go back to their villages, they will have a gift exchange and a regular Christmas program in the school cafeteria. It will be nice, I'm sure! They are all quite looking forward to it.
4. I've strung up my Christmas lights in my room (just a short strand of battery-powered LED lights), and added a few ornaments and trinkets that make it look pretty. :) (It looks much better in person, of course.)
5. Laura and I are planning to make Christmas food for Christmas. Not sure what yet, but it will be fun to have plenty of time to make yummy stuff that reminds us of home! (This picture is from my Thanksgiving attempt at pumpkin pie for potluck... the remainder didn't last long with these little fellows around!)
A little while ago, I researched some cute ornament crafts to make. I haven't made them with any of my kids yet (especially since I teach older kids this year), but they look fun and I'll probably pull them out someday to make. :)
