December 5
Yesterday we talked about preparing for Christmas and doing our best to not be stressed. Today I want to talk about a different kind of preparing. Check these scriptures out:
Revelation 21:4, 18-21, 23 (NIV) He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”, The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass., The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
John 14:1-3 (NKJV) “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Look at these preparations which God Himself has made ~ He is so good to us! We can spend a lot of time trimming our trees and decking our halls, but the beauty they reveal when done are nothing in comparison to the beauty that awaits us in heaven.
We are blessed to see God’s creative handiwork all around us on a daily basis. Our world has been made very wonderfully. It is October as I am writing this and the colors outside are breathtaking. I love living in Pennsylvania and being able to enjoy this scenery year after year. Each year my appreciation of it grows ~ it deepens and I see new wonders in the same places. The other day a tree beckoned me to come and sit a spell. I could not because it was in a complete stranger’s yard, but it called nonetheless! Its leaves were billowy and bright. The yellow, orange and green mix was just so, that it appeared to be perfectly shady and brilliantly bright all at the same time. I will look for the splendor again next year.
I will deck my halls this Christmas, because I think it is beautiful. I will enjoy decorating year after year knowing that, when I am blessed to celebrate Christmas in heaven, it will be far worth the yearly hassle of tangled lights and the not–quite attainable perfection that we seek in our decorating.
Deck your halls, put up a beautiful display and, in so doing, remember what a beautiful display awaits you in heaven. That is reason to rejoice and celebrate…our names are written in heaven and it is our blessed destination ~ our homeland.
Merry Christmas ~ Laurie Kay
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Christmas Time Is Here ~ Day 4
December 4
I started yesterday off with Merry Christmas! And, gee, I want to say it again, Merry Christmas! Today I wanted to talk about preparing for Christmas ~ after all, it is December 4th. There is so much to do and such little time in which to do it. Right!???!
I want you to think about your Christmas “To Do List” and consider it carefully. Why do you feel that you need to do all the things that you have on this list? Are they a family tradition, passed down many generations? Is it something that you enjoyed since your youth and you want your children to experience the same? Is it just how your mom always did it? Or mother in law? What motivates you to make “The List” and force yourself to do it?
Are you stressed out year after year trying to accomplish “The List”? Do this for me, please. Write out your list and at dinner talk with your husband about it and see whether this is really what you want your Christmas to look like. Is there any way of combining jobs? Can you get any friends to help you so it is not so overwhelming? Pray about this as well. God does not want you to be stressed out at Christmas ~ He wants you to be refreshed. Let Him direct your family into a refreshing Christmas Season. Stop trying to make it happen on your own. He does the refreshing. What can you do that isn’t a burden but is rather a blessing to your family?
This is a touchy subject for some people…you do not “mess” with their personal traditions and warm fuzzy memories. And that is not my intent…my intent is for us to do our best and not be stressed…however…if God is urging you to do something different, then obey Him because His ways are best!
Example: deck your halls (house) not stressfully, but joyfully. If you normally experience fighting and frustration during this part of the preparations…then this year pray first. If some members do not want to participate, could it be because they do not like the tension of the task? We put on Christmas movies and deck our halls…yes, we need to stop and pray “during” the task but that is “just going to happen” in a family of 6 sometimes! Let’s do our best to not be stressed!
Philippians 4:6,7 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Offer up to God a specific prayer about your “To Do List”. Seek Him for strength, wisdom, direction and peace ~ so that you and your family will have a Merry Refreshing Christmas and not a Frustrating Stressful Christmas. He loves you so much so let’s do our best to not be stressed!
Merry Christmas ~ Laurie Kay
I started yesterday off with Merry Christmas! And, gee, I want to say it again, Merry Christmas! Today I wanted to talk about preparing for Christmas ~ after all, it is December 4th. There is so much to do and such little time in which to do it. Right!???!
I want you to think about your Christmas “To Do List” and consider it carefully. Why do you feel that you need to do all the things that you have on this list? Are they a family tradition, passed down many generations? Is it something that you enjoyed since your youth and you want your children to experience the same? Is it just how your mom always did it? Or mother in law? What motivates you to make “The List” and force yourself to do it?
Are you stressed out year after year trying to accomplish “The List”? Do this for me, please. Write out your list and at dinner talk with your husband about it and see whether this is really what you want your Christmas to look like. Is there any way of combining jobs? Can you get any friends to help you so it is not so overwhelming? Pray about this as well. God does not want you to be stressed out at Christmas ~ He wants you to be refreshed. Let Him direct your family into a refreshing Christmas Season. Stop trying to make it happen on your own. He does the refreshing. What can you do that isn’t a burden but is rather a blessing to your family?
This is a touchy subject for some people…you do not “mess” with their personal traditions and warm fuzzy memories. And that is not my intent…my intent is for us to do our best and not be stressed…however…if God is urging you to do something different, then obey Him because His ways are best!
Example: deck your halls (house) not stressfully, but joyfully. If you normally experience fighting and frustration during this part of the preparations…then this year pray first. If some members do not want to participate, could it be because they do not like the tension of the task? We put on Christmas movies and deck our halls…yes, we need to stop and pray “during” the task but that is “just going to happen” in a family of 6 sometimes! Let’s do our best to not be stressed!
Philippians 4:6,7 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Offer up to God a specific prayer about your “To Do List”. Seek Him for strength, wisdom, direction and peace ~ so that you and your family will have a Merry Refreshing Christmas and not a Frustrating Stressful Christmas. He loves you so much so let’s do our best to not be stressed!
Merry Christmas ~ Laurie Kay
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Christmas Time is Here ~ Day 3
December 3
Merry Christmas! I wish for your Christmas Season to be a joyful time ~ the whole season, not just December 25th.
Christmas Day is special to me…no doubt about it & we make it a big fun family day! My family celebrates Christmas Day just like we do any other family member’s birthday…but then again it is a whole lot different. When one member has a birthday, we tell them Happy Birthday in the morning ~ with a hug and a kiss. Then in the evening, we put out a few decorations (this varies by person), share an awesome meal together, give gifts to the birthday person and then share some sweet dessert & sing Happy Birthday.
On December 25th, we wake up in celebration mode. Jesus is a member of our family and we all get to celebrate Him and His birthday. We wait on the stairs and we talk about Jesus’ birthday to help the littlest ones remember why we celebrate Christmas. Next we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus, and pray. We then come down the stairs and share presents. When the opening of presents is over, we hug and thank one another and play for a while. Finally we share a fun special breakfast. When our bellies are full we get to play and inspect our gifts some more. Some time during all of this I have to sneak into the kitchen to make my dish for the big family dinner at Grandma’s house. In the afternoon, we go over to Grandma’s to see all of the family, where we spend time playing and chatting. We share a nice meal together and then there are gifts to open. We play and chat some more and then we share some dessert together. We end up leaving there really late at night ~ tired and blessed. We have so much fun Christmas Day. My children know it is Jesus’ Birthday. We are thankful that He has allowed us to celebrate it ~ in honor of Him and to show each other how much we love them because of the great love He has shown us.
Think about what Christmas means to you: why you do the things you do, and are you honoring Him in them. What does your Christmas day usually look like? What do you want Christmas day to look like this year? Spend some time in prayer ~ share with God your hopes and desires about this year and seek what He would have you do. I want to leave you with a few scriptures to ponder.
Proverbs 17:22 (NIV) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. {NKJV – uses the phrase merry heart; AMP – uses happy heart}
Nehemiah 8:10 (AMP) Then [Ezra] told them, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.
Merry Christmas ~ Laurie Kay
PS ~ someone asked...when are you getting to the actual story of Christmas??? Well...it is coming...we are laying a foundation the first few days...because once we get into the story it is jam packed with scriptures...and we have to be able to receive it and soak it all in :o) Let the anticipation build...what am I going to learn...what is God going to personally speak to me about? What is the new thing that I will learn this year? Can I really learn something new...I heard this story hundreds of times? Are you hungry for God's Word?
I would love to know what you are thinking :o)
Merry Christmas! I wish for your Christmas Season to be a joyful time ~ the whole season, not just December 25th.
Christmas Day is special to me…no doubt about it & we make it a big fun family day! My family celebrates Christmas Day just like we do any other family member’s birthday…but then again it is a whole lot different. When one member has a birthday, we tell them Happy Birthday in the morning ~ with a hug and a kiss. Then in the evening, we put out a few decorations (this varies by person), share an awesome meal together, give gifts to the birthday person and then share some sweet dessert & sing Happy Birthday.
On December 25th, we wake up in celebration mode. Jesus is a member of our family and we all get to celebrate Him and His birthday. We wait on the stairs and we talk about Jesus’ birthday to help the littlest ones remember why we celebrate Christmas. Next we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus, and pray. We then come down the stairs and share presents. When the opening of presents is over, we hug and thank one another and play for a while. Finally we share a fun special breakfast. When our bellies are full we get to play and inspect our gifts some more. Some time during all of this I have to sneak into the kitchen to make my dish for the big family dinner at Grandma’s house. In the afternoon, we go over to Grandma’s to see all of the family, where we spend time playing and chatting. We share a nice meal together and then there are gifts to open. We play and chat some more and then we share some dessert together. We end up leaving there really late at night ~ tired and blessed. We have so much fun Christmas Day. My children know it is Jesus’ Birthday. We are thankful that He has allowed us to celebrate it ~ in honor of Him and to show each other how much we love them because of the great love He has shown us.
Think about what Christmas means to you: why you do the things you do, and are you honoring Him in them. What does your Christmas day usually look like? What do you want Christmas day to look like this year? Spend some time in prayer ~ share with God your hopes and desires about this year and seek what He would have you do. I want to leave you with a few scriptures to ponder.
Proverbs 17:22 (NIV) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. {NKJV – uses the phrase merry heart; AMP – uses happy heart}
Nehemiah 8:10 (AMP) Then [Ezra] told them, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.
Merry Christmas ~ Laurie Kay
PS ~ someone asked...when are you getting to the actual story of Christmas??? Well...it is coming...we are laying a foundation the first few days...because once we get into the story it is jam packed with scriptures...and we have to be able to receive it and soak it all in :o) Let the anticipation build...what am I going to learn...what is God going to personally speak to me about? What is the new thing that I will learn this year? Can I really learn something new...I heard this story hundreds of times? Are you hungry for God's Word?
I would love to know what you are thinking :o)
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Christmas Time Is Here ~ Day 2
December 2Psalm 119:25 (NKJV) My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word.
Psalm 119:37 (NKJV) Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.
Psalm 119:40 (NKJV) Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me in Your righteousness.
Psalm 119:88 (NKJV) Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.
Psalm 143:11 (NKJV) Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
My prayer for you for this Christmas Season is that you have a time of blessing and revival ~ not just survival. So many of us have our plates full during the holidays with places to go, people to see and money to spend! There are many more of us who are dealing with a rough past year ~ a year when hopes and dreams were shattered ~ a year when a loved one passed on.
Life can be so busy, painful and lonely. I have had a few Christmas Seasons where I wanted to retreat under my blankets and not emerge till January 2nd! During those times I cried out those scriptures to the Lord daily…and let me tell you, sweet sistas…He was faithful each time to come to my rescue.
What does the word revival mean? I found many definitions from various resources (dictionaries and concordances) and here’s what I found ~ in my own words ~ to come back to life in your heart and mind from heartache, devastation, depression and wrong thinking ~ stop walking in death and walk in life.
Be with Him. Look for Him in your everyday life. Seek Him for help and wisdom for every day. Thank Him for His loving-kindness and faithfulness. He wants you brought back to life in Him. He is the way, the truth and the life.
Pray to our Daddy with me...Dear Father, I thank you so much that You love me. Please come to my aid this Christmas Season and revive me. Revive me, O God, according to Your word …revive me in Your way…revive me in Your righteousness…revive me according to Your loving-kindness…all for Your name’s sake. Help me to live like You and be glorified in my life, O God. Amen
Merry Christmas ~ Laurie Kay
Psalm 119:37 (NKJV) Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.
Psalm 119:40 (NKJV) Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me in Your righteousness.
Psalm 119:88 (NKJV) Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.
Psalm 143:11 (NKJV) Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
My prayer for you for this Christmas Season is that you have a time of blessing and revival ~ not just survival. So many of us have our plates full during the holidays with places to go, people to see and money to spend! There are many more of us who are dealing with a rough past year ~ a year when hopes and dreams were shattered ~ a year when a loved one passed on.
Life can be so busy, painful and lonely. I have had a few Christmas Seasons where I wanted to retreat under my blankets and not emerge till January 2nd! During those times I cried out those scriptures to the Lord daily…and let me tell you, sweet sistas…He was faithful each time to come to my rescue.
What does the word revival mean? I found many definitions from various resources (dictionaries and concordances) and here’s what I found ~ in my own words ~ to come back to life in your heart and mind from heartache, devastation, depression and wrong thinking ~ stop walking in death and walk in life.
Be with Him. Look for Him in your everyday life. Seek Him for help and wisdom for every day. Thank Him for His loving-kindness and faithfulness. He wants you brought back to life in Him. He is the way, the truth and the life.
Pray to our Daddy with me...Dear Father, I thank you so much that You love me. Please come to my aid this Christmas Season and revive me. Revive me, O God, according to Your word …revive me in Your way…revive me in Your righteousness…revive me according to Your loving-kindness…all for Your name’s sake. Help me to live like You and be glorified in my life, O God. Amen
Merry Christmas ~ Laurie Kay
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Christmas Time Is Here ~ Day 1
December 1
Can you believe it? Christmas time is really here! Are you excited? Are you looking forward to all the great times with family and friends? Are you excited to eat all the special holiday foods ~ foods your mom would never make in April or May? Are you excited to bring out all the decorations and deck your halls? Yippee…now is the time for special family traditions! Are you anticipating a season of joy? Is Christmas like a great vacation at home? A time to watch special, fun, and timeless movies with the family…ones I am only allowed to start watching Thanksgiving Day ~ anyone else with me on this one!!??!! Don’t you just love the hustle and bustle out in the streets and stores? People everywhere are a little nicer ~ a little more patient ~ a little more generous.
Are you thinking that anyone with this attitude might be off her rocker? Be honest.
Are you crazy and off your rocker too? Or are you waiting for all the holiday hustle and bustle to be over and done with already? Have you had quite a year and are now just waiting for a new one to start ~ hoping it will be better than this past year?
I am hoping that the time you spend in this BLOG ~ with a good cup of coffee & time in God’s Word and in His presence ~ will change your hearts and minds. Think about this scripture, girls ~ you can insert “daughter” for “son”. Remember the scriptures themselves are the words “to listen closely to”. And then below it is my prayer for each of you.
Proverbs 4:20-23 (NIV) My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Father, I ask in Jesus’ name that You come and bless on these dear women. Help them to have an amazing Christmas ~ the whole season long. May this year be a time of fresh revelation of You and Your ways. I pray that Your love abounds in their hearts and they are changed to be more like You. I ask that you open the eyes of their understanding that they would see wondrous things from Your Word. I thank You that You love them and will for them a future and a hope. Be glorified in them in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Merry Christmas ~ Laurie Kay
Can you believe it? Christmas time is really here! Are you excited? Are you looking forward to all the great times with family and friends? Are you excited to eat all the special holiday foods ~ foods your mom would never make in April or May? Are you excited to bring out all the decorations and deck your halls? Yippee…now is the time for special family traditions! Are you anticipating a season of joy? Is Christmas like a great vacation at home? A time to watch special, fun, and timeless movies with the family…ones I am only allowed to start watching Thanksgiving Day ~ anyone else with me on this one!!??!! Don’t you just love the hustle and bustle out in the streets and stores? People everywhere are a little nicer ~ a little more patient ~ a little more generous.
Are you thinking that anyone with this attitude might be off her rocker? Be honest.
Are you crazy and off your rocker too? Or are you waiting for all the holiday hustle and bustle to be over and done with already? Have you had quite a year and are now just waiting for a new one to start ~ hoping it will be better than this past year?
I am hoping that the time you spend in this BLOG ~ with a good cup of coffee & time in God’s Word and in His presence ~ will change your hearts and minds. Think about this scripture, girls ~ you can insert “daughter” for “son”. Remember the scriptures themselves are the words “to listen closely to”. And then below it is my prayer for each of you.
Proverbs 4:20-23 (NIV) My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Father, I ask in Jesus’ name that You come and bless on these dear women. Help them to have an amazing Christmas ~ the whole season long. May this year be a time of fresh revelation of You and Your ways. I pray that Your love abounds in their hearts and they are changed to be more like You. I ask that you open the eyes of their understanding that they would see wondrous things from Your Word. I thank You that You love them and will for them a future and a hope. Be glorified in them in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Merry Christmas ~ Laurie Kay
Friday, November 13, 2009
That there is one smart 2 year old!
Oh my stars!!!
I just had to share this with you all today. I am sitting at my desk working on the Christmas Lesson ~ Christmas Time Is Here. I let the children put on a movie while I work at my desk.
The 2 year old wanted to pick a movie which happens to be "Toy Story", but she calls it "BuzzWoody" ~ the other 2 do not want to watch it. So, knowing this, I send the 2 year old up to the movie closet to pick a movie. The DVD's of Toy Story 1, 2 were on top of the TV...and she did not see them. So I sent her upstairs thinking she would see a different movie and want to watch that instead.
She came down the steps singing, "I pick it! I pick it! I pick movwee!". So, I stepped away from my desk went into the living room to take the movie and bust out laughing...oh my stars!!!!
She brought down the VHS of "Toy Story"!!! She found it in the sea of movies and brought down exactly what she wanted to watch. The other 2 screamed, "oooo, no mom, no!".
I had to let her watch it...she just took my breath away with her persistence, accuracy and smarts!!!
They are now watching it under protest and tears. You would think that I had just poked them in the eye or something!
Oh, I guess I should tell you that the 2 year old picked this everyday for the past 2 weeks and she loves it more each day...they are sick of it. Yet, they do not remember that they did the same exact thing at that age...and sometimes still do!!
Just thought you might have needed a little laugh!!
Enjoy your day...Jesus loves you & so do I ~ Laurie Kay
I just had to share this with you all today. I am sitting at my desk working on the Christmas Lesson ~ Christmas Time Is Here. I let the children put on a movie while I work at my desk.
The 2 year old wanted to pick a movie which happens to be "Toy Story", but she calls it "BuzzWoody" ~ the other 2 do not want to watch it. So, knowing this, I send the 2 year old up to the movie closet to pick a movie. The DVD's of Toy Story 1, 2 were on top of the TV...and she did not see them. So I sent her upstairs thinking she would see a different movie and want to watch that instead.
She came down the steps singing, "I pick it! I pick it! I pick movwee!". So, I stepped away from my desk went into the living room to take the movie and bust out laughing...oh my stars!!!!
She brought down the VHS of "Toy Story"!!! She found it in the sea of movies and brought down exactly what she wanted to watch. The other 2 screamed, "oooo, no mom, no!".
I had to let her watch it...she just took my breath away with her persistence, accuracy and smarts!!!
They are now watching it under protest and tears. You would think that I had just poked them in the eye or something!
Oh, I guess I should tell you that the 2 year old picked this everyday for the past 2 weeks and she loves it more each day...they are sick of it. Yet, they do not remember that they did the same exact thing at that age...and sometimes still do!!
Just thought you might have needed a little laugh!!
Enjoy your day...Jesus loves you & so do I ~ Laurie Kay
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Care Package Details
I was asked by a few women ~ "What is up with the care packages {for the December 1, 2009 Christmas Time Is Here Lesson?} What are they and why is that Namesake's outreach?"
So...I thought I would share all this info with all of you too.
1. What are they?
They are little bundles of happiness...or I hope they will be. They are some much needed items for any extended hospital stay ~ in my opinion. Some of the items will be: socks; a blanket; chocolate candy & container for candy; lip gloss or balm; hand cream; dental floss; razor; magazines; phone calling card; journal; colorful pen; word search and many more items all tucked into a nice reusable shopping tote. Oh...and i can't forget a tiara! After all, these are packages for women...fellow princess'. HELLO!! {PS - for those of you who do not know this...I wear a tiara when I teach!}
There are a few kinks getting worked out as to "specifics" on other items...so to list them would take the fun out and also be a let down if we can't fulfill it...I hope you understand!!
2. Why is that Namesake's outreach?
I was on hospitalized bed-rest with my 4th child for 2 weeks before she was born.
My room was a regular room...TV was only "so many" channels...the view from my window was a brick wall...YES...you heard me ~ a brick wall...well the view from my bed that is...when I was actually allowed out of my bed...I saw the whole roof and then the rooms of the other patients with windows facing this roof...not a fun view to see for 2 weeks!! And I was mainly in my bed so...I saw a brick wall! OH, the things I wanted to do with that space...that is a completely "other" BLOG!
Anyway...I met so many wonderful girls in that unit and got to hear their stories. Sistas ~ some of them were in there for 6 weeks with another 4 to go after I got there...that is a long time to stare at a brick wall. Some of them were also from different cities in PA and even a few out of state-ers. They were on their phones constantly...cause their families couldn't afford to be with them in PA...so they stayed connected by the phone.
My heart ached for them! Every day ached. Here I was getting company from my great sistas {Hello WOW girls and thanks for your love}. They would bring me in magazines, chocolates and even ice cream {God bless you JG & MT!!! Ice cream...I felt normal having real, flavored, from a carton and not a cafeteria ice cream!}. The sistas lavished love upon me and I loved every ounce and effort...I also really needed it.
I didn't realize how important it was to your whole well being...but sistas it is. Tangible love goes a long, long way!
One day, I had no visitors not even my man!! I had no phone calls all morning and at lunch...I was feeling lonely. It was out of no where like being run over by a mack truck...I was lonely and feeling helpless. I cried...like a baby! Why did I feel so lonely...it is only 1 day...my man will be with me 1st thing in the morning...God why does this hurt so bad? I kept praying these thoughts and crying out to Him for wisdom, strength and comfort and He slammed me with the reason: there are women in here that feel this way for weeks...and they have no one to physically be here with them ~ they are facing their trial all alone.
Oh, my gravy!!!
I did not know what I was going to do...I just knew I had to do something...that is the beginning of this care package idea...it is also why I got to know the other patients better.
So there you have it...these are the answers in a nut shell.
When something moves us we gotta move!! It is Namesake Ministries Scripture in action: Hebrews 10:24 (NKJV) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.
To which I add: And when He stirs my heart by His love I gotta show love back to Him by my good works and hopefully stir up some sistas in the process!
He loves you so much sistas...and so do I ~ Laurie Kay
So...I thought I would share all this info with all of you too.
1. What are they?
They are little bundles of happiness...or I hope they will be. They are some much needed items for any extended hospital stay ~ in my opinion. Some of the items will be: socks; a blanket; chocolate candy & container for candy; lip gloss or balm; hand cream; dental floss; razor; magazines; phone calling card; journal; colorful pen; word search and many more items all tucked into a nice reusable shopping tote. Oh...and i can't forget a tiara! After all, these are packages for women...fellow princess'. HELLO!! {PS - for those of you who do not know this...I wear a tiara when I teach!}
There are a few kinks getting worked out as to "specifics" on other items...so to list them would take the fun out and also be a let down if we can't fulfill it...I hope you understand!!
2. Why is that Namesake's outreach?
I was on hospitalized bed-rest with my 4th child for 2 weeks before she was born.
My room was a regular room...TV was only "so many" channels...the view from my window was a brick wall...YES...you heard me ~ a brick wall...well the view from my bed that is...when I was actually allowed out of my bed...I saw the whole roof and then the rooms of the other patients with windows facing this roof...not a fun view to see for 2 weeks!! And I was mainly in my bed so...I saw a brick wall! OH, the things I wanted to do with that space...that is a completely "other" BLOG!
Anyway...I met so many wonderful girls in that unit and got to hear their stories. Sistas ~ some of them were in there for 6 weeks with another 4 to go after I got there...that is a long time to stare at a brick wall. Some of them were also from different cities in PA and even a few out of state-ers. They were on their phones constantly...cause their families couldn't afford to be with them in PA...so they stayed connected by the phone.
My heart ached for them! Every day ached. Here I was getting company from my great sistas {Hello WOW girls and thanks for your love}. They would bring me in magazines, chocolates and even ice cream {God bless you JG & MT!!! Ice cream...I felt normal having real, flavored, from a carton and not a cafeteria ice cream!}. The sistas lavished love upon me and I loved every ounce and effort...I also really needed it.
I didn't realize how important it was to your whole well being...but sistas it is. Tangible love goes a long, long way!
One day, I had no visitors not even my man!! I had no phone calls all morning and at lunch...I was feeling lonely. It was out of no where like being run over by a mack truck...I was lonely and feeling helpless. I cried...like a baby! Why did I feel so lonely...it is only 1 day...my man will be with me 1st thing in the morning...God why does this hurt so bad? I kept praying these thoughts and crying out to Him for wisdom, strength and comfort and He slammed me with the reason: there are women in here that feel this way for weeks...and they have no one to physically be here with them ~ they are facing their trial all alone.
Oh, my gravy!!!
I did not know what I was going to do...I just knew I had to do something...that is the beginning of this care package idea...it is also why I got to know the other patients better.
So there you have it...these are the answers in a nut shell.
When something moves us we gotta move!! It is Namesake Ministries Scripture in action: Hebrews 10:24 (NKJV) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.
To which I add: And when He stirs my heart by His love I gotta show love back to Him by my good works and hopefully stir up some sistas in the process!
He loves you so much sistas...and so do I ~ Laurie Kay
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)