Holiday Service- Move over, Mr. Grinch

I've been feeling really blessed these last couple of days.  As you might have gathered, its been a stressful fall around here.  I've been concerned for people that I love, and praying hard.  And I've been blessed.  Really blessed.  The peace I talked about in my last post is here, in my heart.  I am grateful.  It is sustaining. I hope I can hold on to it.

I love this time of year.  As I think back on holidays past, I remember lots of things- the kids faces, the parties with friends and families, the music, the traditions.  The presents I got?  A few, but not many.  

One of the things I remember most about holidays past is the opportunities  we've had to serve.  The year we cleaned out the girls Barbies and put several into "kits" with combed hair, a cute outfit plus a spare, shoes, a brush, etc. and took them to a Headstart class.  The year we dropped off a complete Christmas to a family in need and got to see their faces.  Feeding the homeless on New Years.  Sub 4 Santas.  Knitting hats, hats and more hats. Other things.  We're not perfect, not by any means.  Some years we've been able to serve more than others.  But always, when we've done it, its been a good thing.

I've done a bit of looking, and if you are still looking for opportunities to do service in the Salt Lake City area this season, this is a list of some things I have found. 

•  Boys and Girls Club of South Valley   

• Contact: Stephanie Linton #385-646-4948 Donations: The Community Learning Center at Oquirrh Hills Elementary (West Jordan) is in need of the following items: Copy paper, copy paper, copy paper.  They could also use any sort of art supplies (especially consumables), playground equipment (soccer balls, basketballs, jump ropes, etc.), other office supplies (staples, staplers, tape, pens and pencils, paper clips, binders), and cleaning supplies (Lysol disinfectant spray, or hand sanitizer).

• Catholic Community Services
  Contact: Janet Healy #801-428-1242
  Donations: Gift of the Drummer: Start a holiday tradition with your family, friends or company and sponsor refugee and low-income children with holiday presents this year.
  Needed items are: diapers (all sizes), coats, sweat shirts, sweaters, under garments, gift certificates (shoes, clothes, etc.), gloves, hats, scarves, educational toys and/gifts without batteries, toiletries and set of twin sheets. Simply go shopping and then bring the unwrapped gifts to CCS for distribution.
  Email: drummer@ccsutah.org to participate in the program or www.ccsutah.org for more details. 
• Children’s Service Society
  Contact: Emily Redd #801-326-4371
  Donations: NEW items for children 5 and under: board books and picture books. Ages 4-12: clothes, hats, gloves, coats, toys, and games. Ages 13-15: gloves, gift certificates, and movie passes.
• Salt Lake Community Action Program
  Contact: Danny Jasperson #801-214-3138 (djasperson@slcap.org)
  Donations: Non-perishable food items, baby supplies (diapers, formula, and baby food), and personal hygiene products.
  Volunteers: Distribute holiday meals and emergency food to hungry families in your community.
• South Valley Sanctuary
  Contact: Alexandra Flores #801-255-1095 ext.202
  Donations: Clothing, shoes, baby items, cleaning products of all types, detergent (powder), trash bags 39 gallons and 13 gallons, washing machine and dryer. Volunteers: Volunteers are needed to keep up with painting projects.
• The Children’s Center
  Contact: Penney Gregerson #801-578-2329
  Donations: The Children’s Center depends on the community to help replace worn-out toys and stock our shelves with snacks, diapers and clothes for the children. Please visit their website www.tccslc.org to see their full wish list.
• The Road Home
  Contact: Celeste Eggert #801-328-8756
  Volunteers: Volunteers needed December 21st- 24th to help with their radio broadcast to raise funds to help fight homelessness.
• Volunteers of America, Utah
  Contact: Lindsay Hinton (Lindsay.hinton@voaut.org)
  Donations: VOAUT serves youth and adults experiencing homelessness, struggling with substance abuse, and involved in counseling and treatment programs. Items are needed for Candy Cane Corner providing needed holiday assistance. Items include: new teen clothing, accessories, men's clothing, toys, backpacks, sleeping bags (new or gently used), tarps, pajamas, sweatshirts and sweatpants, long underwear, gift cards to grocery stores and clothing stores, bus tokens, movie passes, and holiday food items.
  Volunteers: Volunteer groups needed at several programs to help sort donations &/or host a donation drive. Other opportunities include helping at their Adult Detox, Center for Women and Children, and their Homeless Youth Resource Center to offer game nights, baking and crafts, holiday meals or other holiday cheer. Also, during the month of December up until the 24th they will need volunteers Monday-Sunday at their Candy Cane Corner store.
• United Way of Salt Lake is looking for volunteers to help with its gingerbread house festival, Dec. 14-17, 3-10 p.m. Those interested in helping should email emilie@uw.org for additional information.
• Bank of Utah locations from Ogden to Sandy will hold a warm clothing drive through Dec. 16. Coats, hats, scarves, gloves blankets and new children's underwear can be taken to a bank location  (www.bankofutah.com)
• Trolley Square, 600 S. 700 East, will be collecting gently used shoes to benefit Soles4Souls, through Jan. 31. Donation bins will be available at all mall entrances. (www.trolleysquare.com or www.giveshoes.org)

Just reading this incomplete list makes me stop for a minute, as I sit here typing away on one of multiple computers we have in our warm home with our fully stocked refrigerator and closets.  There are so many needs out there that it can be a bit overwhelming.  

Okay Janet.  Breathe, pick something, involve the kids, jump in.  It doesn't have to be a big thing, as they say, to be a big help and maybe, just maybe, give that Grinch, or worse-yet that Gimme monster, a big kick in the butt.

What have been your favorite experiences with holiday service?  Is there a need out there that you know of that I missed?  Let me know!

Sometimes He Calms the Storm...

There is a line, I believe that it is from a Christian Pop song, that says "Sometimes He calms the storm, other times He calms his child."  I like this line. 






Yesterday we went to the baptism of a sweet neighbor boy.  It was a wonderful event. His face beamed with a pure, clean light.   While we were waiting to go in to the baptism my almost-five-year-old son Jacob sat on my lap as we watched a film called Finding Faith in Christ.  You can watch it here.  Its a film about the life of Christ, from the perspective of his disciple Thomas, and shows examples of how his faith has grown.  In the film, among his other miracles, Jesus heals many people who are sick.  


Today in church Jacob turned to me and asked "What is that?"- pointing to the oxygen tank being used by a man sitting near us.  I told him.  Then he asked "But why is he shaking like that?".  "Because, honey, he is sick," I said.  "Jesus could heal him" Jake said.  "Yes, yes he could.  But, (I had to think for a minute) sometimes Jesus doesn't heal everyone that is sick.  Sometimes he just helps them feel better in their hearts."


Yes, He does.


Its a stressful time at my house.  Some of us are dealing with some hard things, things that we wish would be "calmed" or just "miraculously" go away.  Experience tells me, though, that grand, call-in-the-brass-band type miracles rarely happen.  Its okay, though. We will be fine.  


"Sometimes He calms he storm, other times He calms his child."  All we have to do is keep asking for that calm, and do our part.  And then we have our own, quiet, wonderfully sustaining private miracle of peace.


If only I could remember this ALL the time, instead of resorting to beating my head against the wall screaming for fairness in this unfair and imperfect world.


Working on it.