Traveling Mercies

My best Christmas memory of 2009 started early in the month with a trip to Boone, North Carolina for Operation Christmas Child (OCC). OCC is a project of the Samaritan Purse organization led by Billy Graham’s eldest son, Franklin Graham. Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan's Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ (www.samaritanspurse.org). The organization’s name comes from the story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:30-37, which gives a clear picture of God's desire for us to help those in desperate need wherever we find them. After describing how the Samaritan rescued a hurting man whom others had passed by, Jesus told His hearers, "Go and do likewise." The OCC program started with the c...

Do you like Thanksgiving? I do. I’m already counting down the days and looking forward to both the food and the company. But since Thanksgiving is about counting our blessings, this is a good time to reflect on 2009 and the bounty the year provided. During a time when so many people were losing jobs or were fearful of losing jobs, I was blessed to get a new job. I joined a company where I had worked before – but in a new position. Many of the pains of a new job I didn’t have to experience, I knew the people, I knew the culture and I knew many of the job skills that I would be expected to perform. The company culture fits me well, I have friends and colleagues I enjoy spending my time with and I’m intellectually challenged by my duties. If I had to write the perfect job description for me, this would be it. My career change definitely counts as a blessing. In a time of war, when many families are torn apart by deployments, serious injury or even death, I am surrounded by people I love a...

Are you a list maker? I am. I love the structure and order that lists provide. I enjoy the sense of accomplishment I feel as I cross items off my list. I have a variety of lists ongoing at any point in time. One of my lists is books I want to read (and books that I’ve read). I feel I spend more time compiling this list than reading the books, but time management is a discussion for another blog post. A list I normally begin in October is my Christmas planning list. First item on the list is to prepare and mail the invitation to my annual “girls” Christmas dinner. In December, 1984, after our college graduation, I hosted a dinner for high school girlfriends. This year we are celebrating our 25th annual dinner with 8 – 10 friends in attendance. Once the invitation goes out, I start planning the menu. I always do all the cooking with new recipes – nothing tried and true. I can say that in 24 dinners, there have been no failures or flops – or at least my friends have been gracious enough t...