Operation Christmas Child

I thought I would finally end my eight-month blog hiatus to promote a good cause. This month, Operation Christmas Child will be collecting shoeboxes of gifts to send to needy children in every corner of the world. This is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, a great organization that seeks to help those in need throughout the world, bringing people out of hopeless situations and into a relationship with Christ. You can see the work they do by clicking here. One of the biggest undertakings lately has been the relief efforts in Haiti, where they will stay for as long as it takes to get everyone back on their feet again.


Operation Christmas Child is of the biggest events held each year. It requires little effort on our part. All you have to do is take a shoebox and fill it with small gifts. It does not have to be wrapped. Angie and I have done this for the past few years, and it has not been a financial burden at all. I recommend finding a dollar store or toy store and you should find more than enough.

The national collection week is November 15-22, 2010. You can look here for a place in your area that is picking up shoeboxes.  You also can give online if you're having a busy week.

Let’s face it – even during times of high unemployment, this is still the most prosperous nation in the world. We can help share this wealth with others by doing such a simple act. It is also a great way to get in the holiday spirit, and to start the holiday season with goodwill.

Operation Christmas Child

You can make a difference for a child in need this Christmas. Operation Christmas Child brings gifts and hope to children in need throughout the world every Christmas season. All you have to do is fill a shoebox with gifts, and make a small donation of $7, and you can bring joy and hope to a child who needs it this Christmas.

Angie and I have participated in this for the last couple of years. It is not a big financial burden (a trip to Dollar Tree or Big Lots should take care of it), and it makes you feel good to help out. As Noah gets older, we want to include him in the process, so he can see the value of giving. If you have children, this is a good thing to do with them, as they can learn to have compassion for others.

Our country has been in a recession for a while, and yet we are still doing much better than most other nations. Even in our struggles, we can help out.

The gifts will be collected this coming week (November 16-23) all over the country. To find out more, you can visit their website by clicking here. There, you will find information of what you can buy, where to drop it off, and how you can give online and see where your package ends up this Christmas. Merry Christmas, and God Bless.

Our Baby Shower

Angie had her baby shower back on January 17. It turned out very well, and we'd like to thank everybody for all of the books, all of the gifts, and the great food. Special thanks to Sherry and Nicky for organizing the event, Dad for preparing the soup, and our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and friends for helping out. The pictures can be seen on Sherry's Facebook page.

If you see Angie, ask her what she thought of the fruit salad.

Thank you all for a great baby shower, and our little guy will be here before you know it!

Our Christmas

We had such a nice Christmas. We enjoyed time with our families, and got way more than what we expected. We can't thank our families enough for their generosity.

The winners of the "clever gifts for Andy" award are my father, who bought me a flannel shirt just like what Clark Griswold wears when he puts up the outdoor lights, and Aaron, who bought me an Albuquerque Isotopes t-shirt. If you didn't know, the Isotopes were named after a reference to an episode of "The Simpsons."

Once again, our families went overboard on the gift-giving, and we are thankful.