Tag: family

Campground Celebrations

celebration, Jesus, inspiration, joySome campgrounds have interesting traditions. The one we stay in holds a Canada Day parade the Saturday before July 1st.

Family friendly is a good description of this event. Everyone was encouraged to decorate their sites. Canadian flags and banners were hung. Red and white in the form of streamers and balloons were seen in abundance. We even hung a Canadian flag Frisbee in our tree!

A big red fire truck decorated with Canadian flags led the parade. Behind the truck was campground paradewhere the real fun started. Children rode decorated bicycles; drove battery operated cars and waved flags as they walked the parade route through the campground. Parents walked along with them.

Those deciding not to enter the parade sat in lawn chairs to watch the procession. The lucky ones were able to gather some of the candy that was tossed out to the spectators.

In a matter of minutes the parade had passed. What lingered was the joy of seeing families participating together in this event.

If this simple celebration could foster such a spirit of co-operation and joy, imagine a world where families, friends and neighbours joined together to celebrate and share the love of Jesus. That kind of contagious joy could change the world!

Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; celebrate his lovely name with music. (Psalm 135:3 NLT)

And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound. (1 Kings 1:40 NLT)

The Spirit of Giving

family, love, memoriesAt Christmas the emphasis is often placed on gifts. The malls are crowded as people search for the perfect gift to give to loved ones. Budgets are often ignored and spending runs rampant.

This puts an incredible amount of stress on people. I remember being worried that I couldn’t find or afford the latest toy that my children wanted. While this seemed important at the time, neither my son nor daughter can remember gifts received when they were children.

What they do remember is time spent together as a family. Their Christmas vacation was spent playing board games and doing jigsaw puzzles. We did simple things, but we did them together. It was the love and laughter of family that was most important to them. This is something that money can’t buy.

Love is the reason we have Christmas. God loved the world so much that he sent his only son. Christmas is the celebration of the greatest gift ever given. This was given freely, sacrificially and generously to all of us. All God asks in return is that we love him and share that love with others.

I pray this Christmas that I may have a heart like His and my giving will follow his example and be pure and selfless.

In this spirit, I have a gift for you. I would like to give you a copy of my book, Inspirations From the Everyday. Let me know you’d like this and I’ll be happy to send you a code to download an ebook from iBooks. This is my Christmas gift to you.

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NLT

One of Life’s Special Moments

first book, inspiration, supportThe call came while I was at work. A shipment of books had been dropped off on my front porch. As I thanked the person who called, tears of joy were running down my cheeks. You see, these weren’t just any books. They were my book, the first I had written and a labour of love.

Since I live close to work I was told to go home, take the books in and enjoy the moment. Climbing into my vehicle, I realized that I would be alone when I first held one of my books. This didn’t seem right, so I called my daughter-in-law Jackie and asked her if she could join me. She and her girls soon met me at my house. Jackie took pictures as I opened a box and then more as I picked one up, smiling and crying at the same time! The girls each held a book so we could get a photo. Two of them looked at the front cover and one turned it over and said “Your picture is on here!” The joy I felt was indescribable. After the photos we had a little celebration party with bowls of candy (before lunch!) and then they went home and I headed back to work.

The moment I held my first book was a special time that will never happen again. This was an achievement I wasn’t certain I could accomplish. I thought it was too big a project for me. God had other plans as he gave me the inspiration needed and surrounded me with the support that enabled me to take on this daunting task. I am doubly blessed. Firstly that God entrusted this to me; and secondly that I had loving family members with me to share in this special moment.

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 NLT

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