Friday, December 24, 2010

Lessons From the Little Drummer Boy

One of my dearest friends came to church with me this past Sunday for the first time. I've been telling her about MyChurch since we first started going there (in the tent) two years ago. Having her there meant a lot to me and hopefully it meant a lot to her, too.

Sunday morning at church they took up a special offering. It was a birthday gift to Jesus of sorts and Jeff asked everyone to "give something bigger than you would spend on any one person this year." The first time I heard that request (a few weeks prior) I started to panic a little. I knew that I wasn't giving gifts this year because it just isn't in my budget. What in the heck was I supposed to do for this special offering?

While we were singing the last song (O Come All Ye Faithful) I started tearing up. I knew the box was coming around and I didn't have anything to put in it. Then I heard a voice in my ear saying "Sing louder." Now THAT was a shocker since I'm already sitting in the second row so as not to disturb anyone with my loud singing. Then it hit me...God doesn't just want our money. He wants our best.

The little drummer boy had no gift to bring but he played his drum and the baby smiled. When we give God our talents and our time, we are giving Him a gift offering that goes beyond what money can do. The Lord knows that I don't have a lot to offer financially. I'm pretty sure He designed it this way. Which makes me thankful that He has put me in a church where I can offer what I do have...time. Whether it is going to the church during the week or helping to arrange an event, time is what I have to give.

I like to think that one day I will have more financial resources and be able to give back to this church body that has given so much to me and my family. I just hope that when that day comes, I'll remember the little drummer boy and take the time to play my best for Him. The Lord knows I love smiling babies....

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Shutterfly Rocks!!

When my friend Kerri posted on her blog today about Shutterfly giving away 50 Free Holiday Cards to bloggers, I logged into my account for the first time in years. Literally...years. The last pictures that I had uploaded were from Justin's birth and the first year of his life. He is 10 now. Seeing our pictures from New Year's Eve in 1999 really took me back! There is even a picture of my Aunt Dot who passed away a couple of years ago. It is just amazing to see how much the kids have grown and to remember them as babies.

The thing I want to talk about today though, is the Shutterfly Share Site! I clicked on the "Share" button with the intention of getting a URL that I could share on FB but what I stumbled into was much richer and very user friendly! Shutterfly has given us a simple way to create a dynamic, family-themed website with little effort. The options are easy to navigate and putting the site together only takes as long as it takes you to decide which pictures you want to use!

If that weren't enough, I discovered all the add-ons that are built in which make this a PERFECT option for groups or teams to use for sharing information. There are calendars, rosters, even a snack schedule!! The site can be as open or as private as you make it and members can publish their own information or you can reserve those rights for a site administrator. It really is the perfect solution for groups who don't want to invest in a domain name and hosting just for a season.

So thank you, Shutterfly! Thanks for giving me a new toy to play with today! And thank you for bringing a smile to my face as I looked through my old albums and remembered my babies...as babies. So without any further adieu...Welcome to the Wacky World of The Wonderful Wilsons!