Christmas Eve Peace

Dear friends,

I can't believe it's already well after 10 PM on Christmas Eve. It was a busy day, finishing up last minute projects and errands, and taking a shot at cleaning up before the rest of the family comes over tomorrow. I didn't have time to make a full dinner, so we heated up some pizza rolls and biscuits. I try not to sweat the small stuff.

We enjoyed going to my daughter's church (where we were members for many years) for their candlelight Christmas Eve service and seeing old friends. So refreshing, too, to hear again of the abundant grace that God offers us in the gift of his son, Jesus.


I loved the black lanterns against the red lighted background above their stage (pictured above), and watching my grandson try to eat his necktie.


We all passed the candle flame, one wick to another, as we sang carols. "O Holy Night" is my favorite from tonight. (Watch Celine Dion sing it here.)

Back at home, as we usually do, the kids opened presents from one of their aunts. Then Daddy talked a little about Jesus being the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9). Tomorrow he will read Luke 2 before we open presents, another Christmas tradition at our house.

After two of our adult daughters went back to their own apartments, the house fell to a hush for about an hour. I lay on the old red couch with a snowman pillow tucked under my head and watched the Christmas lights reflect off of the spinning ceiling fan blades.

I thought of peace.

As a mother of many, my days are often more filled with chaos than calm.

So I am thankful for the quiet, even for just an hour. I basked in it, savored it in my soul. Not all Christmas Eves have been like this. Last year was particularly stressful.

And now I'm just going to straighten up the stuff that got shuffled into my bedroom during what "cleaning up" we already did, then go to bed. I think I heard rumors of a few of my kids planning to clean up some more after I'm asleep. I'll go with that. Either way, I'm not going to fret about it. What gets done gets done.

I'm just grateful that all of my kids and grandsons still live nearby and that we can enjoy the holidays together. It may not always be this way, so I don't take it for granted.

​​I hope that you all have a blessed Christmas and that you know that you are loved deeply by God and others.

Peace.

Virginia
www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

Weekend Gratitude: Baby Dedication and Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

Today, my youngest grandson, a month old, was dedicated at my daughter's church. Grandparents are always invited to go to the front to participate. Ten babies were dedicated this morning! 

My son-in-law with the little guy -
love the tiny blue jeans!

The pastor mentioned "forgetfulness" in his sermon, which somehow reminded me that I had forgotten to put our entrees in the oven - and even that I had forgotten to take them out of the freezer last night. (What was I thinking?) I quietly slipped out and drove home, regretting that I wouldn't be able to chat with old friends after the service. 

I put the chicken enchilada casserole in the oven, but I knew the vegetable lasagna would take too long, so I whipped up a batch of turkey meatball chili to replace it.  A cheese pizza, French bread and salad rounded out the meal. (We'll eat that lasagna for a late dinner.) My daughter made a layer cake and bordered it with Kit Kats, since her daddy likes them so much.  Impressive!

Kit Kat cake

My oldest daughter's family
with son #3 due in August

 

He loves big machines, so when I
culled my book collection this week,
I knew exactly who would get this one!

My Father's Day present
to the dad of my
10 children

We didn't attempt to get another full family photo since one daughter is out of town on a San Francisco adventure, and another is a nurse on duty at the hospital today.  You can see our last photo here: Mother's Day Picnic in the Park

I hope you all had a great Father's Day!

Other related posts:

• Father's Day 2011
• Father's Day 2012
• A Tribute to My Dad

Virginia Knowles

www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

Homeless in the Suburbs

Dear friends,

It’s been pouring outside on a Tuesday morning, and I am thinking of my homeless friends camping out in the woods within a mile from my house.  The tent leaks, the sleeping bag is soggy -- that is if you are lucky enough to have one and it doesn't get stolen. Just another day in the life.  One day you have a job, you get sick and can’t work, you can’t pay the rent, and you’re out on the street with all of your possessions thrown unceremoniously in the dumpster.  So you live in the suburbs, yeah, but it’s hidden in a thick patch of scrub off the side of the road, where no one can see.  Invisible.  Or, if you’re lucky, you might get some financial assistance to get a room in a motel where many of the other guests don’t have a permanent address to call their own.  That’s what you and your kids call home, and it sure beats the rain.

A warm meal and a bit of congenial fellowship make a big difference.  That’s what my daughter thinks, anyway.  She’s 24 and pregnant, with a huge heart of love for the homeless.  That’s why several times a year she organizes some sort of outreach, along with her husband and a team from Metro Life Church.  

Ana, Betty, Ruthe

They used to do it in downtown Orlando in partnership with another ministry. Now, they’ve moved their own efforts up really close to where we live, where a lot of the homeless are young families.  On Sunday evening in the motel parking lot, they hosted a Thanksgiving style dinner for several dozen people with turkey and ham and all the trimmings.  Artisan rolls. Pumpkin pie.  Hot cider.  Live music. The works.  Next month, it’ll be cookies and hot chocolate, caroling, gifts, and about 30 bins of clothes and blankets.

Most of the volunteers were there to mingle.
A friendly conversation is a huge deal. 

My food contribution: 
star-shaped pumpkin muffins 
and bags of sugar-free cookies.

My little girl was very eager to help
serve the bread!

Artisan rolls!

A full plate, a full heart

Another daughter at the craft table

Oh, it is such a privilege to be a part of this, to go and just be with these precious folks. What a joy to watch the kids’ faces light up to see a fun table set up just for them, with crafts, including a loopy bracelet station. They also loved the little capsules you put in warm water to see them emerge into a little animal-shaped sponges.  Bubble blowing was another hit.  What a delight to see another of my adult daughters and three of my younger kids, ages 8, 10 and 12, come along to help just because they want to do it.  

My 10 year old son rocks at the color loop bracelet making -- check out the collection on his wrist!  I figured the color loop kids would be a hit, since it’s the fad at his elementary school, and sure enough, the 900 loops went fast with a cluster of kids at the table.  So did the 30 gift bags with crayons and candy and other little things for boys and girls.  My kids had a blast filling the cart at the dollar store and then packing the bags assembly line style before church on Sunday.

It was this dear lady's birthday, and the dry sleeping bags and towel, a warm hoodie, a first aid kit, and a bunch of new friends singing “Happy Birthday” meant all the world to her. She had lots of hugs and smiles for me because she knows God is taking care of her, even in the tough times. She got some extra takeout boxes filled with food for her other friends who hadn't come. God bless her, such a sweet lady.  I hope I’ll see her again next month.  I hope by then she'll have a better place to live.

What can you do for those who need a little boost this holiday season?  Check out these links on my blogs:

• Homeless Outreach in Downtown Orlando
• Homeless (Advocating for the Vulnerable)
• A Note Wedged into the Window on My Van (and The Jesus Poem)
• Food, Health, Jobs, and Family Crisis Assistance Resources in Central Florida
• What You Can Do to Make the Holiday Season a Little Merrier for Others 
• Gathering Gifts for the Poor
• Scriptures on Food & Compassion
• Colors of Hope for a Happy New Year!

Two more web sites for those in the Orlando area:

• Coalition for the Homeless
• Orlando Homeless Shelters and Services for the Needy

You might also like to listen to Brandon Heath sing "Give Me Your Eyes."

For beauty and justice,
Virginia Knowles
www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

This post may be linked at these blogs:

Still Saturday

The Sunday Community

Raising Homemakers on Wednesday

Whole-Hearted Home on Wednesday

Wise Woman Link Up on Wednesday

Walking Redeemed on Wednesday

  

Weekend Gratitude: Homeless Outreach in Downtown Orlando

A Saturday night.

Downtown Orlando, across from Lake Eola.

Over 60 volunteers.

About 200 homeless folks.

Hot dinner.  Snacks bags.

Toiletries.  First aid kits.

Clothes.  Blankets.  Sleeping bags.

Love in action.

Tables lined up with all the good stuff!
(Photo edited with the funky HDR-ish option in Picasa)

Side windows at St. George Greek Orthodox Church
(Many church groups use the parking lot for feeding the homeless
We had to move up to an adjacent sidewalk 
since the lot was needed for an event.)

Pillars at the front of St. George Greek Orthodox Church
This is my  P52 / Sweet Shot Tuesday photo submission.

Fountain at Lake Eola

Michael,
a former cocaine addict,
is now a believer in Jesus, 
and feeds the homeless
several times a week in Orlando.
You can find him at
https://www.facebook.com/lovehim.back
http://jesuslovesyoulovehimback.org/
Would your church or organization 
like to help out occasionally?
It takes a bunch to keep this going!

My beautiful daughter Julia publicized the event,
gathered and organized food, toiletries, clothing and bedding,
and recruited a bunch of volunteers from her church.
Many other volunteers came from First Baptist
(they brought the hot meal),
and a few, like me, from other churches.
I'm so glad we could partner with others at a time
when homeless normally come for a meal anyway.

My son-in-law Alex, Michael, Julia, and Allura
(who has been a wonderful ministry mentor to Julia)
Sorry for the lighting problems on this photo!

Michael chatting with a patron at the clothes table --
lots of conversations going on around here!

Folks are starting to line up to eat

In addition to a hot meal and dessert,
we handed out snack bags.

A few camellias from my backyard
to grace the food table --
because Beauty is the handmaiden
of Justice and Mercy.

Bins of toiletries in ziplock bags --
some for men and some for women!
In addition to the toiletries, we also handed
out 60 first aid bags that were assembled
by my home school co-op students.
The supplies were donated by a family friend.
Everyone seemed really thankful for them!
My 11 year old daughter, who is in my co-op class, is on the left.
My 21 year old daughter Rachel joined us, too.
I loved having three of my daughters there!
So good to see them involved in doing good!

Some of the 60 or so volunteers.
On the right, my dear and longtime friend Donna
with her daughter,
who was one of my co-op students a while back!

This dear man was the recipient of many
homeless feedings for years.
Now he loves Jesus and
ministers to the homeless with Michael.
I can't remember his name,
but he is being featured in a documentary
about the homeless that will be shown
at the OLA film festival next month.

Danny, a pastor,
brought a Bible encouragement to the crowd
before the meal, and afterwards, prayed with the volunteers.

I am grateful.
For a home.

For food.

For clothes.

For family.
For friends.
For church.
For Jesus.

How about you?

Virginia Knowles

www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

This post will be linked at...

 P52 / Sweet Shot Tuesday 

Domestically Divine on Tuesday 
Raising Homemakers on Wednesday
Whole-Hearted Home on Wednesday
Ann Kroeker's Food on Fridays

Ten Things I Appreciate About Metro Life Church

Dear friends,

My husband and I were members of Metro Life Church for 8 years until we left last summer.  About two years ago, I wrote a post about what I appreciate about the pastors there.  You can see it here: Appreciating the Pastors at Metro Life Church.  Today, I would like to recount ten things I appreciate about the rest of Metro Life Church.  If you have ever been a part of Metro Life, I invite you to share your own list in the comment section!

1. The first one, hands down, is the love and devotion of the people there.  They love God, they are serious about their faith, and they lovingly serve other people.  We are grateful for our many friends there.  I have often commented to my children over the years how much I love their friends from church, too.  It is like a family.  It is sweet to see you at the events we still attend there, and nice to know we are always welcome.
2. Home groups are a big part of life of Metro.  We nearly always had a place to go on Wednesday evenings for more personal fellowship and discussion.  And if anyone needed a meal, or help with a household project, or someone to watch the kids for a few hours, the home groups were excellent at practical caring.
3. The generosity among members has been another sweet thing to watch.  So many people were so kind to our large family at times, whether it was passing along extra food after events, or paying our registration to a Celebration conference or to Camp Destiny for our kids.  I know that other people in the church have been blessed by this kind of generosity, too, whether it was through the church benevolence fund or just someone noticing a need and quietly filling it.
4. As a home school mom, I have always appreciated the support that Metro offered to families who were teaching their own kids.  I particularly wish to commend Benny Phillips, a pastor at MLC who is also the principal of the church’s home school enrollment program, The Regent Academy.  I am so thankful for the parent training sessions, the weekly tutoring and enrichment classes, the record keeping, the guidance counseling, the general supportive atmosphere, and so much more.  I am also grateful that they allow the Providence Home Educators co-op, which is an independent program not affiliated with MLC, to take over the building every Monday during the school year for a reasonable rate.  This is big for me.  :-)
5. Folks at Metro Life have been quite active in community service and outreach projects, such as the middle school youth in the Neighbor to Neighbor program which helped the elderly with household projects and yard work, the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Fry, holiday food and gift drives for disadvantaged families, the work day to help single moms, the homeless outreaches, and so many more that I can’t think of right now.  The Conversation program for introducing newcomers to the Christian faith is noteworthy, too. These people take the initiative!
6. On a global scale, I am thankful for Metro Life’s leadership in the Mission:X program which has taken so many of the young people to serve others away from home.   My own daughters have traveled to Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, and the Florida panhandle.  The trips have been life changing.
7. I have always loved the music at MLC, whether it is from Sovereign Grace Music or songs by Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Hillsong, Sara Groves, or others.  The talented musicians do a fantastic job every week leading the congregation in worship to God.  Dancers and actors enliven holiday programs and occasionally Sunday services.  
8. I also admire the gifted visual artists who adorn the Sunday School room walls with colorful murals, build imaginative sets for Kid’s Night Out and dramatic productions, and decorate beautifully for other events.  Beauty reflects the heart of God.
9. I always enjoyed attending the Mom’s brunches when I could make it.  Great food, great friends, great childcare, great presentation on motherhood or homemaking, and then a great small group discussion… Who could ask for more? Oh, and great book giveaways! Great job, Sheree and company!
10. I know some people wouldn’t think this is important, but for our family, the sports program has been a big blessing.  One of my daughters made some of her closest friends while playing Wolverine basketball during her high school years.  The younger kids all loved the Saturday morning soccer, and I think we’re going back for that this fall!  The sports program honors the fact that our bodies are important to God, and that fun and teamwork are important components of fellowship.  I like that.

There you have it!  Now it’s your turn!  What do you most appreciate about Metro Life church?

Grace and peace,

Virginia Knowles

www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

Weekend Gratitude All Over Again: Father's Day and More

Dear friends,


Earlier this year I did nine posts in a series called Weekend Gratitude. Well, it's time for the Perfect 10.  Or even just an imperfect one.  It has been a good weekend and I want to give a Father's Day shout out to the father of my 10 children, Mr. Thaddeus Knowles. 









The weekend started bright and early Saturday morning with a large home school used curriculum sale.  Two home school groups, Willow Creek and The Regent Academy, joined forces to present the biggest sale in the Orlando area this year, with over 200 people bringing books to be sold and/or given away.  (I brought 3 boxes.) The volunteers did an amazing job of organizing the thousands of books, helping customers find what they wanted, and running the pay stations.  I was truly impressed -- and grateful!  


I got a bunch of cool stuff, including four books I needed for assigned curriculum for the home school co-op program we are rejoining this year.  An Algebra 1 book for 5 bucks?  Sweet!  I had three of my kids with me (ages 10-14), and they were scouting around for educational CD-ROM games.  They grabbed several that we'd had before that had gotten broken.  Even my adult daughters were cheering at the sight of some of their old favorites like Jump Start and Amazon Trail. Our grand total was about $35, and I saved/earned more than that amount just by buying the four assigned books there and selling my old books.  I would say that was a successful deal.  I'm looking forward to sitting down and reading some of the "extras" I bought, like Kathy Peel's book The Family Manager Takes Charge: Getting on the Fast Track to a Happy Organized Home, or Life Skills for Kids by Christine Field,  or in preparation for teaching co-op English, Teaching Reading in Middle School by Laura Robb.  Call it continuing education for the home school mom.  I'm thankful to find some great books at great prices!

One of the books I bought for Melody, The Rhyming Bible, is one I had read to my older girls when they were little.  I'm not sure what ever happened to that copy!  Mel'y is still learning to read, and she loves to put on Mommy's glasses to look more studious.  I'm thankful that my kids like to learn, each in their own way.

I sure didn't have much chance to read after the sale, because as soon as we got home, we had to scramble around to get ready for a poolside picnic with some of Thad's relatives who are in town. It was really hot out, but we had a good time. I am thankful for our aunts, uncles, cousins who like to visit with us whenever they can.



I was totally exhausted in the evening when we were trying to get the house cleaned up, but my boys called me outside to see the oddly colored sky with dramatic clouds.  These pictures don't do it justice.   I am always grateful for the beauty of God's creation.

This morning, I got up early to make sausage quiche and "puffin mumpkins", blueberry muffins, and fruit salad for Father's Day breakfast.  As I prepared it, I thought about how a good brunch includes (at the very least) a protein dish, baked goods, and fresh fruit.  Works for me!  See Friday Favorites #10: On Puffin Mumpkins and Pringles (And Being Broken and Real)  I'm thankful for good food to eat, and family to serve.


Our daughter Julia had told us that her engagement to Alex would be officially announced this morning at their church, Metro Life, where we had attended for several years as a family.  It is a sweet tradition for the members of the happy couple's Bible study home group to march down the aisle with either helium balloons or flowers, and then for a pastor to pray for them as their friends and family gather around.  


We hadn't been to Metro Life on a Sunday morning for about 11 months, so it felt a little awkward at first.  However, we try to keep in touch with our friends there and we were very warmly welcomed.  As a side note, I was delighted to find out this morning that our family is going to be able to register under Metro Life's home school Regent Academy enrollment program this year, even though we are no longer members of the church.  This option (for folks who are not MLC members) is only open to families in the Providence home school co-op since they are doing an administrative partnership.  So this morning, I made sure to express my gratitude to at least two of the pastors of Metro Life for their kindness to these families.  Keeping official records and figuring out high school credits and Bright Futures scholarship requirements is a bit of a headache, so this makes a real difference to me personally.


Next up, our older daughters planned an elaborate Father's Day lunch for Thad.  They bought and prepared everything!  Yes!  The menu: steak stuffed with cheese and topped with a cream cheese & serrano peppers mixture, spicy roasted red potatoes, rolls, asparagus wrapped in bacon, and strawberry lemonade.  Those are some of the potatoes in that picture.  I'm told that the seasonings are rosemary, thyme, oregano, parmesan cheese, onions, and minced garlic. They were roasted in the oven for a while, then slowly sauteed a bit more in our big electric skillet.  Delicious!  I am thankful for daughters who are excellent cooks and who wanted to serve their dad!



Time for presents next!  I gave him a T-shirt that reads "Commander and Chef" with pictures of a spatula and fork on the official federal seal.  Thad is wonderful in the kitchen and fixes dinner for us at least one night a week.  In small print, "Daddius Maximus."  Daddius rhymes with Thaddeus, does it not?

As I gave it to him, I noticed he was wearing a T-shirt we gave him for Father's Day several years ago, one that reads "Authentic Dad of Dads - King of Kings was Already Taken" and "I am Loved This Much XXL."  And we are much loved by our Heavenly Father, who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  (Can I get an AMEN to that?)

Since Thad has often talked about the four o'clock tea times he remembers from his year in a British boarding school, the girls also bought Earl Grey tea and an assortment of pastries to serve at the appropriate time.  All four of our adult daughters, my son-in-law, Julia's fiance, and Thad and I have traveled fairly extensively overseas (mostly on missions trips) so much of our conversation centered on the adventures and hazards in Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.   Always fascinating when our family gets on this subject!  Melody is oblivious to most of it as she is sipping (or shall I say unceremoniously guzzling) her Earl Grey heavily spiked with milk and sugar.  The dainty pansy tea cup is a treasure from my trip to Scotland in 1979.  I am grateful that I've had a chance to get out and see the world, not only in my travels, but also via the World Wide Web.


The kids also took the time to tell Thad the things they appreciate about him as a father -- everything from drawing maps for them so they wouldn't get lost, to playing basketball, to helping them with college admissions details.

The weekend is almost over.  I'm on my laptop typing a blog post while Thad is at a youth meeting at Lake Baldwin Church (our mellow little Presbyterian congregation) to get the last details for the summer camp that Andrew is going to for several days in Tennessee.  I envy him the white water rafting! I am thankful that we've settled into a sweet little church and that my teenage son has something exciting and inspirational to do with his friends.

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

P.S. Thad just got home from his meeting and said, "Virginia, I think this is the best Father's Day I've ever had!"  Yay!  Thank you, God!