It's almost here! We're just giddy with excitement! Since Thanksgiving came a little early this year, we're having to wait a little bit longer before Advent. I'm so glad Ellie has a better understanding now of the calendar and months and days, otherwise she might drive me a little bit crazy. She has been counting down to December 1, and she can't wait to begin decorating our Advent tree. She asked me again yesterday to remind her when the first day of Advent is. And then she asked if we could start decorating the tree early (it's been up for two weeks now so I think her patience is wearing rather thin). Not yet . . .
As I was thinking about the upcoming holiday season, I pondered our traditions. Are they tired of them? Are they bored with them now since we do pretty much the same thing year after year? Do we need to do something different? Maybe we just need to scale it back this year. I always feel like the holiday season truly begins when we pack our shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. That happens a week or so before Thanksgiving.
But as we organized all of our gifts on the table for our annual little packing party, I knew right then and there that the answer to all of those questions is a resounding no. I've packed a shoebox since 1994. And it's as exciting and humbling to me today as it was nearly 25 years ago. Even more so, I think! I know I say the same thing every year, but this is one of my favorite ministries. I just love that it is such a tangible, understandable, easy, fun way for my children to be involved in missions. As I watched them carefully, thoughtfully prepare and pack each box, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. One day a child in a nation foreign to us will touch the same box, unpack the same box. And I think about those children. I wonder who they are, what their stories are, where they live. I wonder what their favorite item will be. I wonder what will surprise them the most. I wonder what will bring the biggest smile to their faces. But more than anything, I hope they know that they are loved.
We found some really fun, colorful gifts this year. I'm so glad OCC made the boxes bigger!
Another thing I love is that we can now know where our shoeboxes are going! We began tracking our boxes in 2013.
2013 - Honduras and Peru
2014 - Ghana and Togo
2015 - Philippines and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
2016 - Philippines and Chad
2017 - Mexico
2018 - Destination unknown to us but known to God
And then I realized . . . Advent, truly, has already begun . . . the waiting in earnest expectation . . . it's as exciting and breath-taking as ever! But shouldn't it be that way though? Every year? Everyday?
Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
~Psalm 33:8
There is no better way to usher in the season of Advent than to pack a box for a child around the globe for the glory and fame of our Lord Jesus Christ, a box not just full of toys and school supplies and hygiene items but a box filled with love . . . every single box prepared especially for just one child . . . every single box prayed over . . . and every single box bringing the Gospel message into some of the darkest, poorest, remotest places in the world, the good news of great joy!
