My Happy Place

Last week I got word from our friends at NTX Community Food Pantry, formerly Metro Relief, that they were low on baby formula.  

If I mom is on WIC they can get most of the necessary baby food and supplies.  But many of the families we see at the pantry aren't on WIC for various reasons.  Many of those families look the the pantry to help out.  

I made a few phone calls to several of our church friends who work at pediatrician offices and collected donations for the pantry.  The girls and I were able to deliver forty-six cases of formula to our friends!  We are beyond blessed with the generous servant hearts of our friends! 

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  Luke 6:38

Election Day

This post might best be captioned with, 'you might be a home schooler if . . ." your mom signs you up to work a polling place on election day! Abigail and I showed up at our polling location at 5:30 this morning to help set up.  We worked until it was time to close down.  

Denton county had huge increases in voter turn out!  On the first day of early voting Denton county had more voters than in the entirety of the previous presidential election!   The lines stayed about a thirty minute wait all day and a little longer after five o'clock.  It's a great experience for my sweet political science major! 

I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.  I Timothy 2:1-2

A Morning of Hope

This is one of our families favorite Saturday mornings!   It's the annual Hope for Haiti's Children (HFHC) fundraiser.  We get to see the updates made in the past year and find out what their need are for the coming year. 

The organization is supported by Churches of Christ.  Approximately 80% of Haitians live in abject poverty. Illiteracy, food shortages, lack of clean water, and minimal health care are common realities they face every day. Less than half of Haiti's children will ever attend school. Scarce public education and tuition-based schools make education an impossible dream for most Haitian families.

Hope for Haiti's Children meets the needs of these children through an education sponsorship program offering health care services, orphan care, and crisis relief efforts. 

Our dear friend Steve Cooner hosts the Dallas event and has a huge heart for these precious souls!  If you are interested in sponsoring a child, please visit their website at www.HopeForHaitisChildren.org 

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40

Service with a Smile

This evening was one of our service nights at church.  Member participated in lots of great areas.  The biggest project we work on is assembling M.A.G.I. boxes for Healing Hands International. These gift boxes are delivered to needy children in Honduras, Mexico, Texas-Mexico Border, the Dominican Republic, and Zambia. 

We also made cards for our widows and shut-in.  Some of the men spread new mulch on the preschool playground. Lots of great things going on tonight! 

"For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man."
- II Corinthians 8:21

Thriving on the First Friday

After preschool today the girls and I spent the afternoon serving fruits and vegetables to  our neighbors in McKinney.  Each month the the congregation on McDermott Road serve eighty plus families in the area with fresh produce once a month. 

The rain moved in on us and Frankie and Abigail took bags out to the elderly client's cars.  We were grateful for the tent cover to work with the paperwork up by the trailer.  

Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. Proverbs 14:21

A Formula for Showing Kindness

Our time volunteering at the pantry has been dialed back but today we were able to drop off formula for the guests.  We have sweet friends at church who operate a pediatrics office.  About once a quarter they load us up with donations for the pantry! Such kind hearts! 

For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Deuteronomy 15:11

Fall Fun with Friends

Our adventures today took us to The Plaza in Richardson.  The Plaza offers seniors a respite care and a skilled nursing facility. The facility held their fall festival today so one of our home school moms from church made arrangements for our group to help out.  

The kids interacted with the residence in various games like bean bag toss, bowling, ring toss and Velcro darts.  The kids all dressed up in their Halloween costumes, Frankie wore her Bat Girl costume and Abigail was Super Girl.  The activities director brought out the ice crusher and Theresa and I made snow cones for the residence. There were mini corn dogs, candy and prizes for all the residence who participated! It was a really good time!  

Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.  I Timothy 5:3

Labor of Love

For several weeks we've been preparing to take items down to the Lakewood Church of Christ in Baytown, Texas where Caleb worked this summer.  The congregation is in the area that was impacted by Hurricane Harvey.  The congregation operates a food pantry and have seen an increase in the number of families needing assistance.  

We asked our church family to pitch in and they responded in an amazing way.  The donated everything from cleaning supplies to canned meat and ready to eat products.  Included in the delivery were all the hand made cards by our church homeschooling families with warm wishes.  

Caleb and Abigail met up with Donald Pratt at the church and filled their shelves with all the love sent by our Plano friends! 

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,
especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  Galatians 6:10

Serving and Thriving

The first Friday of the month means it's time for our church family to serve our neighbors in McKinney through the Thrive ministry.  We met up at the church of Christ on Avenue F congregation to bag up grocery bags of fruits and vegetables for the residence in McKinney.  

We had the biggest group of volunteers ever today, including seven of my Bible Bowl kids! It was fantastic!  When we set up at Fitzhugh Park in McKinney the kids helped greet families and pass out healthy foods! When we finished up two hours later and handed out 200 bags of produce!  

He raises up the poor from the dust;

    he lifts the needy from the ash heap

to make them sit with princes

    and inherit a seat of honor.

1 Samuel 2:8

A Day of Services

Today Abigail and the McDermott youth met up at the church building for a day of service.  Abigail's group was assigned to the Preschool.  Other groups worked at elderly members homes, yard work, cleaning detail, etc.

The girls pulled everything out of the preschool's store room, sorted, re-boxed and labeled all the supplies.  During the school year the room gets a lot of use by the classes and desperately needed sorting and restocking for the new school year.

After several hours of work the groups met up at Main Event for a late lunch and some bowling! A nice way to celebrate their efforts!

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  Matthew 19:14

Just Another Monday

Just another Monday, which means we are back at the pantry serving our neighbors in need. For years the kids and I have served at the pantry every Monday.  On Wednesdays we pick up pizzas from a nearby city.  On Thursdays we pick up breads and desserts from a local grocery store. On Fridays we pick up at the grocery store, plus the local coffee house and pizzas from another local store.  

That's just our work on week day.  On the weekends I process the paper work from the three weekly outreaches, plus the Saturday outreach.  Abigail is a big help to me in setting up the upcoming weeks flyers, volunteer paperwork and computer outreaches.  At the end of each month I complete the multiple monthly reports.  

It's consumes so much of our time, it's almost a job.  The up side is that we've done it for so many years that we have great friends that help us out.  The photo on the bottom is our friends the Baileys.  They have helped us at the pantry and with recruiting donation though Ella's Girl Scout troop.  

The cases of formula pictured came from a pediatrician friend at church who has made several similar generous donations!  Other friends from church bring in monthly donations, many friends have come to volunteer their time with us.  Our great supportive friends, and knowing how much of a difference we are making have made that time worth while. 

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.  1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Pizza Delivery

Today was another Monday volunteering at the pantry but as we were getting ready to leave we got the call from the manager at Papa John's saying they had a few pizzas if we wanted to come by.  A few was an under statement! 

Jon and Abigail ran over and picked up almost fifty pizzas! It turned out the store had an order for a local business who cancelled the order.  Fortunately the company had already paid for the order so the store didn't lose any money.  And as a bonus, our guests all went home with pizza! 

Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,

    but he who is generous to the needy honors him.

Proverbs 14:31

PC's and Pizzas

Tonight was another meeting of our PEACH Technology Club for the high schoolers. Today they worked on building frequencies and their applications. 

The group was going to take a break over the summer but have enjoyed handing out and learning from Mr. Kleinfall so they've kept the meetings going through the summer.  

The nice thing for this mom is that the girl can drive herself to the meetings, AND the meetings are near the Papa John's where we pick up pizzas on Thursdays for the food pantry.  That means she can stop by and pick up pizzas and drop them off at the pantry's cooler on her way home.  Tonight she snapped a picture of the back of her car loaded with pizzas.  That's just the back of the car there are more stacked in the back seat. 

Praise our God, all peoples,

    let the sound of his praise be heard

Psalm 66:8

A Good Day's Work

It was a good day at the pantry today!  We had quite a few donations come in from church friends.  

One of the elderly guests who has a disabled spouse.  Their washing machine is broken and beyond repair.  I asked friends at church if anyone had an extra washer for this family.  Friends of ours came through with in just a few hours! 

Jon and Caleb were able to pick up the washer and dryer, deliver and install it for the family!  

Next we have guests who are expecting but were in need of infant car seats.  Again I asked my church friends and a nurse at NICU came through with three car seats! 

That's a good day serving with the family and friends! 

In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever. I Timothy 5:25

Harvest Food Program Pick-Ups

The boy slipped back into our normal routine of food pick-up for the Harvest Food Program benefiting the food pantry.  I guess after so many years of doing the same thing every week it's easy to step back into that routine.  

It was great to have his help today because we had three full baskets of breads and desserts donated from our first stop, Tom Thumb.  We went on to pick up almost fifty pastries from Starbucks.  Next were our two stops at area Papa John's pizzerias.  

That make for a lot of loading and unloading and it's much easier with an extra set of hands!  Plus it just makes me smile to see him hanging out with us! 

In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:15

Family Business

The boy is home but it doesn't mean he gets to sleep in.  He knows on Monday morning we arrive at the food pantry at eight to begin setting up.  So he set his alarm and showered and down stairs ready to leave with us this morning.  

In April our volunteers helped distribute food to 447 families, representing 1,783 individuals in North Texas. Many of these families are seniors on fixed income in our community and single parents living in The Colony, Little Elm & Lewisville.

In April we served 25 first time families including 2 families in crisis. Our volunteers assisted 80 guests with job leads; but more importantly we were able to pray with 96% of the guests who came through our doors offering hope!

“Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.” Proverbs 14:31

Thriving on Friday Afternoon

Caleb made it home yesterday from Lubbock Christian University, the girls had his Jeep unloaded and all his stuff put away within thirty minutes of his arrival. He's been home less than 24 hours and I had him up with me this morning picking up food for our local food bank with me.

At noon we headed up to the McDermott Road Church of Christ to put together fruit and vegetable bags for the church's Thrive ministry.  We packed up around 200 bags of fresh produce and loaded them on the Thrive trailer's shelves and headed to McKinney's Fitzhugh Park.  

The residents in the area come to the park on the first Friday of the month and we offer the bags of produce, prayer and Bible study.  Our friends from church were excited to see Caleb and catch up on all his busyness. 

A generous person will prosper;

    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 11:25

Thank You for Your Donations

The food pantry where our family volunteers serves 130-150 families per week.  That can represent meals for almost 160 individuals each week. In the last couple of weeks I've sent out the call to friends for food donations.  Everyone came through in a big way and today Frankie, Abigail, Gracie, Ella and Tessa began sorting through the donations.  

They went through the cans marking the expiration dates and marking through UPC codes.  Each can is then sorted and stocked on our shelves.  Thanks to everyone for your donations, these things we do . . . .

For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Psalm 107:9

Supply for Every Need

Requests for food at the pantry are always high over Spring Break primarily because the kids are out of school and parents are having to provide more meals during the week. 

Today, right on cue God made sure there was a surplus of food donations waiting for us today!  At Tom Thumb we collected over $600 worth of breads and desserts.  

Everyone of our pick ups today had above and beyond their regular donation amounts of food.  

You shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Deuteronomy 15:8

Monday Ministry

Just another Monday hanging out with our friends at Metro Relief.  Today we had a full crew of home schooling friends including Gracie, Ella and Tessa.  Frankie, Ella, and Tessa worked behind the scenes stocking shelves.  Gracie and Abigail worked up front helping the guests shop.  Robin and I worked with Mr. Don doing intake.  

After a busy morning of serving fifty plus families we enjoyed a nice lunch together at Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers.   

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16