Veterans Day

     In honor of Veteran's Day I want to thank everyone who has taken part in maintaing the freedom's we have in America.  Today I was reminded to do my part in protecting those freedoms by handing down my spiritual heritage.  In the past, people have thought it so important that they gave their lives for me to worship the Lord freely.  Not only do I want to honor their sacrifice but I am commanded to pass it on to my children.
    Lately, I've been really trying to think of ways to show Ansley how important walking with the Lord is.  Because Jay is a youth minister (and Ansley's MDO is there) we are at church all the time.  I don't want her to think lightly of that heritage just because it is just where we go.  I guess the best description is like comparing it to going to the grocery store (because we go there A LOT too). I don't want her to think we just have to go to church like we go to the store.  I want her to know it's a choice and to appreciate the reasons WHY we choose to always be there.  On the other hand, I am so grateful that for now my child LOVES church.  I pray that it will always be a place she desires to go and as she grows hopefully the reason for that desire will be her hunger for the Lord and a heart that longs to please Him with her life.     

    Kind of on the same note as spiritual heritage and passing things on, Ansley helped fill her first shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. She helped pick most of the items out.  When I picked things out, like soap and wash rags, it was such a cool experience to tell her why we were packing this box.  At night we pray that our family could  be a blessing to others and maybe she can understand the concept of being a blessing by helping fill this box.  She was so good about realizing these things were not for her even though she picked things that she would enjoy.  When we were finished she asked when we were going to take it to the little girl.  I loved her heart of wanting to deliver the items.  Obviously, I had to explain how we just fill the box and someone else will deliver it for us.  One cool thing Kathleen told me about today was that you can pay your shipping for your box online and it lets you print out a label that will be scanned so you can track your box.  I think we will do that so we can show Ansley on a map where our box went.  At MDO they gave the kids a page to color and include in their box.  After Ansley colored her picture of Veggietales we wrote a note on the back for the child who opens the box.  It talked about how old Ansley is and what she likes to do.  Then we talked about how the picture was of Veggietales and  Bob and Larry always say God made you special and loves you very much.  The picture above is of Ansley, her picture, and her shoebox.