Heart to Heart with Cheri
I hope this holiday season and
especially the Thanksgiving we just celebrated found
you thankful and blessed. As we head rapidly into
Christmas it’s worth it to ponder what brings
happiness and joy—not only during the holidays but
also throughout the year.
A recent headline questioned, “What makes people
happy?” and explained that psychologists now know
it’s not great riches that makes for happiness, but
friends and forgiveness. From their research with
thousands of people the experts reported that
materialism—the gaining of “things,” whether that’s
the newest cell phone, expensive clothes, or luxury
car—is actually toxic for happiness. In
contrast, their study showed that the happiest
people are those who surround themselves with family
and friends, don’t care about keeping up with the
Joneses next door, lose themselves in daily
activities and helping other people, and most
important: forgive easily.
Putting these principles of joy into practice,
especially at Christmas, can make a difference in
all of our lives. From some of my own surveys,
interviews with people, and personal experiences,
I’ve found giving of our time and resources to
others contributes to joy. One couple I know
remembers a Christmas twenty-five years ago when
they unloaded groceries and carried them on a snowy
path to a needy family’s trailer. As they chatted
with the surprised parents, their four young
children were busy inspecting the sacks and putting
cereal boxes, cookies, and fruit away. Suddenly
ten-year-old Charlie bounded from the kitchen with a
four-pack of toilet tissue held high in his left
hand. “Look mom, toilet paper!” The mother and
father had rather sheepish looks on their faces as
Charlie skipped toward the bathroom to put away the
tissue. You know, Dee and Margaret can’t remember
what gifts they exchanged among the family that year
and have no idea whether they received a new tie, or
necklace. Nor can they recall what special Christmas
musical concerts or inspiring services they
attended. But they’ll always remember that scene of
the little boy skipping through the house with a
pack of toilet tissue held high. The memory never
fails to fill their hearts with joy and it was
experiences like this that helped launch them into a
ministry of compassion called “In His Name” that has
been serving the poor in a myriad of ways in
Oklahoma City for a quarter of a century.
On one of our most memorable
Christmases we were 2,000 miles away from family,
friends and familiar events so we invited a Chinese
student who attended a local university to join us
for the holiday. She’d been in the U.S. for a year
but had never been in an American home. Like Dee and
Margaret, I don’t remember anything I received from
under the tree that year. But I still recall the joy
on Zhu Hong’s face at having a stocking full of
surprises hung on our mantle, receiving her first
Bible, making sprinkle cookies with our kids, and
hearing the Christmas story for the first time.
Sharing our simple traditions with someone from
across the world made them bloom with new meaning!
Other Christmases we participated in Angel Tree*, a
ministry of Prison Fellowship, that delivers gifts
to prisoners’ children on behalf of the parent who
is behind bars and can’t shop for toys for his or
her kids. Angel Tree helps connect the parent in
prison and their children and let the kids know they
aren’t forgotten by that mom or dad and to share the
love of God with the family in a tangible way. I
was very touched recently when I heard on the radio
stories of how the small act of giving a gift in a
prisoner’s name to his child brought reconciliation
to their relationships. Children have a great desire
to be loved and remembered, especially at the
holidays. Over two million kids have their mom or
dad in prison, and if each of us reaches out to a
family through Angel Tree ministry, think of the
impact.
Sometimes we get so busy just filling our kids’ or
grandkids’ wish lists, completing our long To Do’s,
and preparing for our celebrations that we don’t
feel we have time to get involved with another
project. But this is one of the greatest ministries
I know to bring connection and hope to children of
prisoners. Let me encourage you as I encourage
myself--looking at things from God’s perspective,
what ways could we pursue happiness by giving
ourselves away during this holiday?
*Go to
AngelTree.org for more information. If you know
a participating church, pick up an “angel” tag, buy
the present a child requests, wrap and tag with an
incarcerated parent’s name and deliver to the
child. Let's help during the 25th anniversary of
this awesome ministry that blesses many kids' lives!
Mother Teresa said, “It is
Christmas every time you let God love others through
you…yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at
your brother and offer him your hand." May you
experience real joy, boundless love, and the peace
that passes all understanding this Christmas season!
Christmas
Parent's Toolbox
"So we will not ‘spend’
Christmas…nor ‘observe’ Christmas. We will ‘keep’
Christmas—keep it as it is…in all the loveliness of
its ancient traditions. May we keep it in our
hearts, that we may be kept in its hope.”—Peter
Marshall
Here are some ideas to “keep
Christmas” and make memories with your children and
family this year:
-
Enjoy the little
things: the late-night cup of hot
chocolate with your spouse or teen, the little
ornament your child made for you at school,
singing Christmas carols off-key with your kids
around the fireplace, the chance to put a little
money in the Salvation Army bucket—for someday
we’ll turn around, look back, and realize these
were the big, important things about the season.
-
Make a party of your
tree trimming. Serve hot cider and cookies
and get out your holiday music CD’s to play as you
decorate the tree. If your kids are grown, invite
friends, a senior, or a young family new to your
community to join in. Now that our sons and
daughter are grown, I invite my grandchildren to
come to the tree trimming party.
-
Share a classic story.
This is one of our favorite traditions:
Gather a few Christmas books from your local
library or your own bookshelf. Put in a basket
with a bright bow to remind you to take a few
moments each day to read a Christmas story to the
young ones who visit or live with you. Classics
like: “Martin the Cobbler” by Leo Tolstoy, “The
Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry can be found in
collections. Sitting on a parent or grandparent’s
lap and hearing books like A Cup of Christmas
Tea, The Polar Express, or The Best
Christmas Pageant Ever brings wonderful
memories for kids and adults.
-
Christmas Straw
is an easy-to-do Advent tradition that encourages
unselfishness and kindness in the family. First,
collect straw and place it in a big basket by the
side of an empty cradle representing a manger (you
could use a basket or doll crib for the manger).
On the first day of December, the family members
draw names. Each week on Sunday new names are
drawn. Each does a kind or thoughtful deed for her
“person” like making his bed while he’s in the
shower or putting a small treat by his plate at
dinner. After doing an act of kindness (without
telling) he gets to place some straw in the
manger. By Christmas eve, baby Jesus (doll wrapped
in a “swaddling blanket”) has a cradle full of
straw on which to lay.
-
Chill-out Christmas
Movie Night. Gather some loved ones, get
quilts and snuggle up by the fireplace. Add
popcorn and soda and watch a favorite old
Christmas movie. If it’s funny—all the better!
Watch the stress of this busy season drain out of
everyone.
-
Birthday Cake for
Jesus. Since it is after all Christ’s
birthday that we celebrate, start a tradition of
making a small cake for Christmas day. Place a
tiny crèche on top the cake along with a single
candle. Beside each plate put a place card with a
favorite Bible verse from Luke 2 or the book of
John that describes the gift of Jesus. Then
everyone sings “Happy Birthday” to the Savior and
Light of the World.
“It comes every year and will
go on forever. And along with Christmas belong the
keepsakes and the customs. Those humble, everyday
things a mother clings to, and ponders, like Mary in
the secret spaces of her heart.”
--Marjorie
Holmes
Contest Winner
Congratulations to Monica from
Shoreview, MN who sent in the winning tip for
October's Contest (See tip below).
Special times with my Grandkids
are wonderful memories. One time the kids seem to
remember on a Minnesota spring day, we traveled to
St. Paul’s Como Park – planted (hid) Easter eggs all
along the “grotto” area in front of the Conservatory
– and the search was on for 6 grandchildren.
Grandson, Joe, climbed a tree – others looked in and
around trees – rocks – paths etc. Then we went
inside the beautiful Conservatory armed with our
pen/pencil & pad and selected something to draw.
My favorite thing is to take
them to museums and concerts. I am very lucky
because they do enjoy many types of activities. And
I learn much from them.
Quotable Quotes
|
The means to gain
happiness is to throw out from oneself, like a
spider, in all directions an adhesive web of
love, and to catch in it all that comes.
--Leo Tolstoy
|
|
No act of kindness
however small is ever wasted.
--Unknown
|
|
If we think of our heart rather
than our purse as the reservoir of our giving, we
shall find it full all the time!
--David Dunn
|
|
It is the consciousness
of the threefold joy of the Lord, His joy in
ransoming us, His joy in dwelling within us as
our Saviour and Power for fruitbearing and His
joy in possessing us, as His Bride and His
delight; it is the consciousness of this joy
which is our real strength. Our joy in Him may
be a fluctuating thing: His joy in us knows no
change.
--J. Hudson Taylor |
Book Review
Messages of God's Abundance
Corrie Ten Boom
Those of you who know me or
have heard me speak know I love the writings of
Corrie ten Boom, who suffered in a German
concentration camp for hiding Jews during the German
occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. A
wonderful treasure I have just discovered, her
little but powerful book Messages of God’s
Abundance shares twenty-six short meditations
full of wisdom and truth. As David Tucker of Trans
World Radio says, “Reading the pages of this book
you’ll be in the company of a woman of faith whose
life gave, and still gives, glory to God.” Tante
Corrie, as she was called, shares jewels from her
broad experiences preaching the gospel around the
world and conveyed to us what she discovered from
her greatest adventure: exploring the endless riches
of God’s Word. This would be a lovely gift to
yourself or a friend!
This book
is currently out of print. However, you can
purchase it used at Amazon.com by
clicking here.
Recommended Books
The One Year
Book of Praying Through the Bible
A doable, inspiring daily devotional for all
ages, women and men. It enables readers to
experience the power of God's Word and prayer each
day and to grow in their spiritual life and be
encouraged in their journey. This book has
gone into its 5th printing and has over 85,000
copies in print and we constantly hear how it's
blessing people's lives.
Purchase at
PC Publications for $12.99, which includes
shipping or at your local bookstore.
In
a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day: How to Survive and
Thrive When Opportunity Roars by Mark Batterson
(Multnomah Publishers) What if the life you really
want, and the future God wants for you, is hiding
right now in your biggest problem, your worst
failure…your greatest fear?
Purchase at
PC Publications for $13.99, which includes
shipping or at your local bookstore.
Connecting with Cheri
Below is Cheri's speaking schedule. If you
live nearby and would like further information about
the events please
contact us.
2007
Nov. 9-10
ChristChurch Plano, TX Women In Christ
Retreat, “Empowered By His Presence”, Tanglewood
Resort at Lake Texoma, TX
November 19-20
ACSI (Association of Christian
Schools International)
South Central Educator Convention Hyatt Regency
Dallas at Reunion, Dallas, TX
2008
January 31-Feb.1
ACSI Educator Convention
Moody Gardens Hotel and Convention Center
Galveston, Texas
April 4-6
Christ Chapel Bible Church Women’s Retreat
Marriott in Las Colinas, Texas
April 11
Northwest Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
Mothers of Preschoolers
