Life in the Bristolwood

After being totaly dazzled by my tiny miniature rose bush (which by the way is fifteen years old!!!) I could not resist photographing yet another beautiful little bud that will soon be in full bloom. This, after being nearly frozen alive under  a shroud of cold, wet snow! Of course, you can clearly see there are still two more blooms waiting to open as well! I would dare say the term “hardy” doesn’t do justice to this diehard little bush that endures not only brutally cold weather, but also drought-like conditions from time to time! Amazing….

 This afternoon, Michelle and I went on a little Christmas shopping trip.

Dr. Billy Graham’s son, Franklin, heads up Operation Christmas Child.  This ministry distributes shoe boxes filled with little age appropriate gifts of all sorts, selected by the donors, to under-priveledged children around the world.  Every year, I have wanted to participate in this cause, but it seems I always missed out.

This morning, while listening to the Christian radio station I always have tuned in on my bedside radio, I heard an interview with a young Russian girl of nineteen who received a shoebox of gifts several Christmases ago. She told how she had been raised in an alcoholic home and had to raise her younger brother and sister, as her parents were incapable. By the time she was eight, she had started drinking herself, to alleviate the feelings of hopeessness.  She and her siblings eventually wound up in three different orphanages.

The girl was told each day by the workers at the orphanage that no one cared about her. She said she heard this over and over again.

One day, she and other children at the orphanage gathered around as shoeboxes with little gifts were handed out. She explained that in her young life, she had never received a birthday gift, nor Christmas presents. She went on about how the children just sat and held each item in theshoebox….

In 2004, Tonya, along with her brother and sister, were adopted by a family in the United States.  She said that when the family came to Russia and visited her in the orphanage every day for a month, she couldn’t understand why these people were kind to her, as she had been told so many, many times that no one cared about or for her.

She told how she now packs shoeboxes and encloses a little note telling the recipient that she cares about them and prays for them. When I heard this, it really touched my heart and I felt so compelled to follow through this year.  Michelle jumped at the chance to go shopping to fill shoeboxes!

Michelle and I spent two and a half hours searching out the perfect gifts for children. It made my heart so happy as Michelle thought about items to go into each box.  By the time we were done, we had five shoeboxes done! We will now deliver them to a drop off location and pray for our humble little boxes and their recipients!

When we came out of the store, the day had changed over from a bright and sunny day to a darkened sky with a hazy moon!

We got home in time to watch a Buffalo Sabres game on television, and we won the game!  This was such a satisfying day, all the way around!