This Reminds Me

Stick a fork in us, we are done!  Thanks to generous friends, we filled 70 plastic shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse this year.  The girls and I agreed – We had the best “stuff” for ages 2 -  4 and ages 10 - 14 that we’ve ever had.  Every box is completely filled – no rattles, no holes.

This was, of course, Julia’s first year to pack a shoebox, and the process was…ummmm….”interesting” for her.  She started off wanting every toy for herself.  Then she edged into compromising – “Mama, just three.  Just three toys.”  I repeatedly explained that these boxes were for children who had no toys while she had many toys, only to have her counter with, “Yes, but I don’t have this toy.”  Eventually, she got into the swing of packing, with the occassional surreptitous sneaking of especially tasty leftover Halloween candy.

Where will these boxes go?  We don’t know, but we prayed for them to make children happy.  We know that one made it to Bosnia in the mid-90′s.

In addition to working on boxes this weekend, we went to cheer for Lois – 10th Chair Alto in the Region Choir workshop and subsequent performance.  Though the choir was filled with 250 of the best middle school voices in south Texas, naturally I could distinguish Lois’ resonating alto when they sang, “Let There Be Peace on Earth, and Let It Begin With Me.”

So North Korea is still flexing its nuclear muscles.  Loved members of our church are still dodging bullets in Iraq.  Putin continues to rebuild the Iron Curtain decree by decree.  We’re still enduring everything short of a body search to board a plane.  Everything we drive and live in is alarmed.  I walk with my keys in my hand in parking lots, and constantly count noses when we’re out and about.

But let there be peace on earth.

And let it begin with me.