Blessings Overflowing!

God has been GOOD!!!! I can not tell you just how overwhelmed I have been by the blessings God has provided for us this week!
First, we still needed about 75 tubes of toothpaste and 90 bars of soap, but some local hotels and dentist offices have gratiously provided the rest of the soap and toothpaste we needed to fill 150 boxes and then some!
Second, We started the week still needing over $600 to reach our goal. Now, thanks to some very generous people, we are only about $100 away from the amount we need to ship 150 boxes! I am so excited because reaching our goal seemed so far away and now, it's within reach! We are going to have so much fun on Sunday packing our boxes!
I have also begun going through all of our items and organizing them for Sunday and I think we will be able to fill all of our boxes! It's so exciting to see all of the items laid out!!
If you are still planning to pick up a few things, we could still use some toys for the boys. Things like balls and cars are great for all ages of boys.

Don't Forget the Packing Party is after church Sunday! Lunch will be provided. Please join us!

Shipping Cost: What We Have

I know everyone has been wondering just where exactly we stand money wise for shipping, so I wanted to give you all an update. Currently, we have raised $414. That's enough to ship 59 of our boxes. Our goal is 150 boxes this year. I have no doubts that we will have enough items to fill at least that many boxes, but we definitely need more money to ship them. Each box costs $7 to ship. Please be in prayer for what your family may be able to contribute to the shipping cost. Remember that this money pays for shipping the boxes, The Greatest Journey discipleship materials, and the training for the churches that will be passing out boxes and teaching The Greatest Journey. It also pays for the Bibles that the children receive when they complete The Greatest Journey.

Boys 2-4 toys needed!

I have checked out everything that has come in so far, and we have lots of stuff for little girls, but we are looking a little shy on boy toys. Samaritan's purse is anticipating a large need for Boys boxes for the 2-4 age range this year, so it would be awesome if we could help them fulfill that need. They also generally have a lower number of boxes for Boys ages 10-14 as well. Here are some ideas for these ages that may help you when shopping:

Boys 2-4:
Cars
Balls
Sunglasses
Musical Instruments
Coloring Books
Flashlights w/extra batteries
Legos Duplos
Little People
Hats/Gloves/Socks/Underwear/T-shirts

Boys 10-14:
Compasses
Watches
Baseballs/Footballs
Tools (hammer, nails, screwdrivers, screws, wrenches, etc.)
Bungee Cords
Fishing Supplies (fishing pole, wire, lures, etc.)
Flashlights w/extra batteries
Legos
Combs

*Remember, if you find that it is cheaper to buy a larger package of an item (like cars or legos) than it is to buy several smaller packages, we can always split the packages and put the items into several boxes.

Please Bring Toothpaste, Soap, And TOYS!

I wanted to give everyone an update on what we have and need as well as some great items to look out for when you are shopping.

After church today, I counted up and it looks like we have around 50 tubes of toothpaste now! Yay! We still need at least 100 more tubes in order to put one in each of our boxes though, so grab a couple of tubes if you can as well as soap. We still need about 100 bars of soap too.

Also, we have lots of toys coming in which is awesome! It's gonna be so great to fill our boxes with lots of toys. It's gonna put huge smiles on those precious little faces. We can always use more though! Hot Wheels type cars, dolls, teddy bears, small playsets, balls, legos, yo-yos, coloring books, and playdough are just some of the things that the kids enjoy getting in their boxes.

If you are shopping at Walmart and are not sure what to get, look OUTSIDE of the toy section! One of my favorite section to look in is the party section. I like to pick up balloons and party favors to fill in the empty spaces in the boxes. It's also a great section for getting one package of items that can be split into several boxes. I was at Lincoln Walmart the other night and there was a huge section of party favors. A lot of them were 97 cents. There are packages of 10 tracing stencils for just 97 cents that we can split and put into ten boxes. There are lots of other goodies too. I like to get sunglasses and mini games in the party favor section.
Another spot to be on the look out for at Lincoln Walmart is an endcap near the party/school supplies sections that is a 97 cent endcap. There are lots of goodies in the bins like stationary sets, pencils, and rubber band balls.

FREE Jewelry for your Operation Christmas Child box! (EXPIRED)

Currently, SaveMore.com has a great deal going. They are offering a $30 credit to Accessories Direct for $7 plus free shipping, BUT if it is your first order at SaveMore.com, you will get a FREE $10 credit!!! You can use it to buy this deal and still have $3 left over to catch another deal! I got mine FREE and I will be ordering the above necklace for FREE to put in one of my 10-14 girl boxes. I don't know if it will be here in time for packing boxes this year (It SHOULD!) but if not, I will save this necklace for next year. I think some little girl will love it! (The deal is on the top right of the home page)

More Than Just A Shoebox! (reposted)

It's that time of year again! It's time to start collecting for Operation Christmas Child. We have put out the bin in the ramp room and we encourage everyone to start bringing in items as they purchase them!

Those who know me, know that I have a heart for children, and my heart breaks knowing that there are so many children out there with so little while here I am sitting in my air-conditioned home with plenty of food to eat, safe drinking water, and a roof over my head. God has blessed my family very generously and he has always provided what we need. I am glad to say that my boys have never had to go without, but I know that's not the case in other parts of the world. As Americans, we are spoiled! I feel that it is time to give back to God and give generously as he has done for me!

Ten years ago this November, I was introduced to Operation Christmas Child, and even though I helped pack boxes, I didn't exactly understand it. Three years ago, the children's Sunday School classes decided to take on Operation Christmas Child as a project!! I was so excited! I offered to help pack boxes. That first year, we packed 40 boxes. The second year, we packed 80 boxes. And last year, we ended up with over 120 boxes!! We had a lunch after church and opened up the packing party to anyone in the church who wanted to be a part of it. This year, we will also be having a packing party after church and inviting the entire congregation to join us in packing boxes and praying over them.

After packing boxes last year, I thought a lot about the children who would receive those boxes. 122 kids were going to be receiving a gift box full of little toys and essentials and lots of love from our church family. Samaritan's Purse offers every child who receives a shoebox a chance to learn more about Jesus. The children are given Gospel storybooks with their shoeboxes. They are invited to a twelve lesson discipleship program where they learn about Jesus and his immense love for them. They learn who Jesus is, what it means to follow Him, and how to share the message with others. After they complete the program, each is given a certificate and a New Testament in their own language. This may not seem like much to us, but to God, it's huge. "'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me'" (Matthew 25:40) These children are getting MUCH more than just a shoebox full of gifts. They are getting the hope of eternal life with Jesus Christ!

For many of these children, life is rough. A lot of them live in orphanages or without homes. They come from war torn and deadly disaster areas, but with a small shoebox gift, we can show them that they are not forgotten! That they are loved by a God who loves them unconditionally! For some children, these are the only gifts they will ever receive. What better gift than one that comes with the knowledge and hope of an everlasting Savior!

I urge everyone to prayerfully consider giving to this ministry in order to bless children around the world and introduce them to God Almighty who will never leave them or forsake them! Please check back here often for frequent updates on Operation Christmas Child!

Also, check out the "Suggested Items" tab at the top of this page for ideas of what to pack in the boxes and what not to. Packing Day is right around the corner, Sunday, November 13th! Mark the calendar!

We Have Plenty of Toothbrushes!

We now have over 200 toothbrushes!!!!! YAY! We have enough to put in all of our boxes and some left over, so we can put multiples in some boxes for the kids to share with their friends or family members! Lets bring in some toothpaste to go with the toothbrushes!

Overstock.com had 144 Medline brand individually wrapped toothbrushes for $9.99 with $1.00 shipping. It cost less than 8 cents per toothbrush! They are perfect for the boxes. they are white and shorter than a normal adult toothbrush. They will work great in the boxes for ALL ages! And they have a little heart engraved in the back ;)

They also have 5" combs in a pack of 144 for $4.69 today if anyone wants to pick some up! (normal shipping is $2.95)

And if we were doing a lot more boxes, I would pick up the case of 8,000 (yes you read that right!) small boxes of kleenex for only $59.99! If anyone did want to grab one, we would be set for kleenex in the boxes for years! It's a great buy!

Essentials- Off To A Good Start!

When it comes to essentials, we are off to a good start. We have about 20 tubes of toothpaste, 60 toothbrushes, and about 50 bars of soap!! We would love to include at least one of each of these in EVERY box, so lets get collecting! Sometimes, we take these things for granted, but for many of the children who get these boxes, the whole family is sharing ONE toothbrush! and since they don't have toothpaste, I have heard that some use SALT instead!! It is far from ideal, and packing these essentials is one way to help out these families! Also, consider washcloths, floss, deodorant, kleenex, bandaids, combs/brushes. All of these I am sure would be much appreciated by the children and their families. I think it is very important to help provide for some of their basic needs when we bless them with their shoebox gifts.


Dollar Tree sells 5pks of kids toothbrushes with caps on them for $1.
Walmart sells 18pks of washcloths for around $3.50-$4
Dollar General sells 10 pks of Ivory Soap for $3.50

Let me know if you come across any other great deals for the boxes!

OCC Kick off!

We kicked off collection officially this morning with a video. Those smiling faces are so precious!! There is a display up at the back of the sanctuary with more information about Operation Christmas Child as well as a list of suggested items to bring for the boxes. Feel free to pick up a sheet to take to the store with you. (The collection bin is in the ramp room!)

Also, there is a box on the display for monetary donations. Please prayerfully consider donating at least a few dollars to help us get to our goal of $1050, so we can send 150 boxes! It is $7 for each box to pay for shipping and The Greatest Journey discipleship materials used to teach the childen about Jesus! Well worth the money to save the life of a child for Jesus!

We have 150 shoeboxes ready to pack!

We have 150 clear plastic shoeboxes to pack!! These were found at Kroger in Lincoln for 15 cents a piece!!!! So, we now have all 150 boxes ready to decorate and pack. These boxes were on clearance for 90% off. If you are planning to pack a box (or more) with your family this year, there were still about 30 left at the Lincoln Kroger on the clearance tables outside. They are not marked but ring up as 15 cents! Other Krogers are also clearancing these out, so you may find them in Bloomington too. These are a great gift themselves as it gives the kids a place to keep their things that is safe from rain and such. Many of them live on the streets or in orphanages and do not have much except for these little boxes of gifts to remind them that someone loves them and they are not forgotten. Let's fill these 150 boxes with lots of toys, tools, personal care items, and prayers to show them that God loves them and to give them hope!

Too Much Parade Candy?

The Atlanta Fall Festival Parade was this weekend and they threw out A LOT of candy. My boys certainly got their fair share... and then some! So what do we do with the two giant bags full? I let the boys save a small bit because we don't let them eat candy very often. The rest goes into baggies and is placed in the Operation Christmas Child boxes. Any hard candy, gum, tootsie rolls, suckers, or other candy that won't melt can be put in the boxes. We do this at Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Easter too! And we still have more candy than my boys will eat in a year!

So, if your kids got a TON of candy at the parade and you don't know what to do with it all, let them pick out some of the candy that they don't like as much and allow them to fill a ziploc baggie to put in the shoeboxes. Sandwich or snack size ziploc bags work great. Chances are, they probably got so much that they won't even miss it!

Pencils! Pencils! Pencils!

Often times, we can take for granted something as simple as a pencil, but for some of the children who recieve Operation Christmas Child boxes, pencils are not so easy to come by. Some of these children are not even allowed to go to school unless they have a pencil!! That just blows my mind! I feel like it is something small we can add to the boxes that could be HUGE to the children that receive our boxes. It could mean the difference between getting an education or being refused an education because they don't have a writing utencil.

I urge you to consider picking up a package of pencils this week! We would love to have AT LEAST ONE pencil in every box, but it would be so awesome to put several in each box. That way they have plenty for themselves or to share with their friends or siblings. We have a few packages that have been put in the collection bin already, and I would love to see more! Dollar General has 10pks of pencils .50 this week, and Dollar Tree has 24pks for $1 all the time! I am sure lots of other places still have them really cheap right now too. Please consider picking up some pencils (or searching your house for some unused ones!)

Seeing Red! Current Clearance Toys for Boxes

One of the best ways that Dan and I have found to make our money go farther for Operation Christmas Child is to hit sales especially clearance sales. The first few years our church packed OCC boxes, we went shopping right before packing day at Dollar Tree and spent $20. We got 20 items. This year, we have been hitting up clearance sales all year and our $20 bought so much more!

Just this past week, we headed to Walmart in Lincoln to see what they had on clearance and ended up leaving with a pretty good haul. They have a ton of clearance items that are great for Operation Christmas Child. Here is a picture of what we picked up. We got a total of 21 items for 50 cents a piece. We got beach balls, jacks, sticky hands, finger bowling, and sidewalk chalk. They also had jump ropes and playdough on clearance. If you head to Lincoln Walmart, you may want to grab a few things. At .50 each, you can get some great items for the boxes. Think about how much joy they will bring to a little boy or girl!

You may also want to check out Dollar General in Atlanta. They have a bin of clearance toys for about .50 each too. Every so often they will mark the bin an extra 50% off making the toys .25!! Last time they marked it down, we picked up 64 items for $18 including tax!

More Than Just a Shoebox!

It's that time of year again! It's time to start collecting for Operation Christmas Child. We have put out the bin in the ramp room and we encourage everyone to start bringing in items as they purchase them!

Those who know me, know that I have a heart for children, and my heart breaks knowing that there are so many children out there with so little while here I am sitting in my air-conditioned home with plenty of food to eat, safe drinking water, and a roof over my head. God has blessed my family very generously and he has always provided what we need. I am glad to say that my boys have never had to go without, but I know that's not the case in other parts of the world. As Americans, we are spoiled! I feel that it is time to give back to God and give generously as he has done for me!

Ten years ago this November, I was introduced to Operation Christmas Child, and even though I helped pack boxes, I didn't exactly understand it. Three years ago, the children's Sunday School classes decided to take on Operation Christmas Child as a project!! I was so excited! I offered to help pack boxes. That first year, we packed 40 boxes. The second year, we packed 80 boxes. And last year, we ended up with over 120 boxes!! We had a lunch after church and opened up the packing party to anyone in the church who wanted to be a part of it. This year, we will also be having a packing party after church and inviting the entire congregation to join us in packing boxes and praying over them.

After packing boxes last year, I thought a lot about the children who would receive those boxes. 122 kids were going to be receiving a gift box full of little toys and essentials and lots of love from our church family. Samaritan's Purse offers every child who receives a shoebox a chance to learn more about Jesus. The children are given Gospel storybooks with their shoeboxes. They are invited to a twelve lesson discipleship program where they learn about Jesus and his immense love for them. They learn who Jesus is, what it means to follow Him, and how to share the message with others. After they complete the program, each is given a certificate and a New Testament in their own language. This may not seem like much to us, but to God, it's huge. "'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me'" (Matthew 25:40) These children are getting MUCH more than just a shoebox full of gifts. They are getting the hope of eternal life with Jesus Christ!

For many of these children, life is rough. A lot of them live in orphanages or without homes. They come from war torn and deadly disaster areas, but with a small shoebox gift, we can show them that they are not forgotten! That they are loved by a God who loves them unconditionally! For some children, these are the only gifts they will ever receive. What better gift than one that comes with the knowledge and hope of an everlasting Savior!

I urge everyone to prayerfully consider giving to this ministry in order to bless children around the world and introduce them to God Almighty who will never leave them or forsake them!

Please check back here often for frequent updates on Operation Christmas Child! Also, check out the "Suggested Items" tab at the top of this page for ideas of what to pack in the boxes and what not to. Packing Day is right around the corner, Sunday, November 13th! Mark the calendar!