Living Life One Cheerio at a Time

I love the traditions we have at Christmas.  I've tried out a few and they have fallen by the wayside, but some have stuck. Traditions I've not kept... Having the children buy gifts for one another....too many kids, to much hassle Opening a gift on Christmas Eve (this is one from my childhood) 4 gifts only (something to do, read, wear, and fun)...I try but I'm much better at sticking to a budget. Sorry some kids get 47 gifts and some get 1. It evens out in the end. BUT the teacher in me always gets them a book.... Traditions we've kept... Going to a Christmas Eve service Getting a new Christmas ornament each year for each kid that signifies something special from that year. Baking sugar cut out cookies from the recipe that my Jr. Church leader used to make when I was a kid. So this year, I decided we'd do something new. I'm really trying to instill a servant's heart in my kids. And t...

Flashback to 1995. I was starting college back and 3 hours away from home. In her wisdom, Debbie the College-age Sunday school teacher, decided to match up the Senior citizens with the college age students. It was called "adopt a grandparent" program. Mark and I  {not married but dating at the time} signed up. John and Marie called us and thus began the friendship. John was in the choir and didn't sit with his wife during church, so they thought it would be great if we could sit with her. It was great to look forward to seeing a familiar face in a large church every week. They wrote us notes and prayed for us. They would invite us over to play Dominoes. They'd invite us out for dinner. They would just talk with us. They came to our graduation. It was 4 years of a great friendship. We haven't kept in touch with John and Marie as much over the last few years. But during that season of life they meant the world to us. They gave us a gift. A gift of presence. Bein...