Chris and I volunteer at an afterschool tutoring program once a week for under resourced children in the community. We help with tutoring and then lead a “large group” time that really felt like pure chaos last night! The kids were incredibly wild and so we threw out the original lesson and spent the majority of the time singing, “Go Bananas–Go Go Bananas,” playing “Simon Says,” and other physical games which forced kids to move and get some energy out. We finished with a mad-lib of “The Night Before Christmas.” I think there was a mention of, “when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a furry sleigh and 42 tiny porcupines.”
Literally the last 30 seconds of our time Chris together said, “I have something to tell you–this Christmas thing–there is a REALLY crazy story about it–not just the Santa stuff–but there is more–and it is CRAZY and we are going to talk about that next week!” That was it. Two girls came running up to me and said, “I think I know what the crazy story is about…Christmas is God’s birthday.” Another boy said, “my mom reads to me from her Spanish Bible and it says that Christmas is about Jesus.”
Yep. It is.
Why don’t we act like it? Why do we get so hung up in the tree trimming, the party going, the present buying, and the turkey stuffing that we actually miss the simplicity and purity of the whole thing?
I don’t want to miss it! The crazy story of God’s love. The crazy story of a God who put skin on. A God who wanted to relate and understand life, pain, friendship, betrayal, hope, laughter and love from our point of view. Love came down because He would rather die than live without me (and you.) I don’t want to miss the celebration of that crazy story.
This Christmas I want to re-gift a gift that was given to me. Ray Seigler was our mentor, friend, and employer throughout our 20s. He sent Chris and I a set of readings so that we might be able to take a few moments each day of December to reflect on this crazy story and this crazy love. I realized that the readings might be a gift to others–one that would be worth sharing! Consider it an early Christmas present from me. I pray that He might show up for you in December as you reflect on the meaning of this month. I pray that it would be a sweet time, a slow time, and an intimate time…just you and Jesus.
Here are Ray’s suggestions for your reading time:
Read one each day December 1st through Christmas Day. If you miss a day, don’t make it up. Just enjoy today’s reading.
Set aside a time when you are most likely to be alert and paying attention. Allow at least 15 minutes…some may want longer…it is up to you.
The whole point of the readings and setting aside time is to have a more personal encounter with Jesus this Christmas. The readings lead us from the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus, through His birth, in to the comments of the Apostles about Him.
Before you read, ask God to guide you, and to speak to you personally in your reading.
Read through the passage once…then read through it again more slowly, maybe two or three times, to let it sink in.
Ask yourself:
What does this say about Jesus?
About me?
About my relationship with Him?
Relax and enjoy…God wants to be with us more than we ever thought about wanting to be with him.
December
1 Isaiah 9:2-7
2 Isaiah 7:14
3 Isaiah 35:1-7
4 Isaiah 40:1-5
5 Isaiah 42: 1-18
6 Isaiah 53:1-12
7 Luke 1:26-33
8 Luke 1:34-38
9 Luke 1:39-45
10 Matthew 1:18-21
11 Matthew 1:22-25
12 Luke 2:1-7
13 Luke 2:8-14
14 Luke 2:15-20
15 Matthew 2: 1-12
16 Luke 2:21-32
17 John 1:1-5
18 John 1:6-13
19 John 1:14-18
20 1 John 1:1-4
21 1 John 1:5-10
22 1 John 4:7-11
23 1 Peter 2:21-35
24 Hebrews 1:1-4
25 Philippians 2-5-11
May You Be a Blessing and
May You Have a Meaningful Month!
Jenni
Month: November 2012
The GIFT Doesn’t Matter…So Get Over It!
Don’t get me wrong.
I LOVE a thoughtful gift as much as the next girl! But as we have simplified over the past 6 months I am acutely aware that THINGS don’t matter.
So please do not spend the next 27 days obsessing over what to buy your mother-in-law or your children for that matter!?!
As I have purged I have asked the question: “When is enough, enough?” We live with so much more than the rest of the world and we rarely feel satisfied or content. In reality, we have plenty. Without a single present under the tree. Plenty. So the first thing I suggest is being creative with your gifts…
Recently I heard: “something you want, something you need, something you wear, something you read.” I like it. Others give 3 gifts representing the 3 wise men who brought gifts to Baby Jesus. They were WISE men. And if it was enough for Him, it is probably enough for my kiddos!
There is a sale in our ballet studio right now and I bought Kylee’s leotard and tights for next year. The saleswoman (who might have felt sorry for my child who was getting the “needed” items for instruction next year as a Christmas present) suggested that with the leotard I make a gift card for her to go to dance camp this coming summer. It is something she will beg to do–why not make it a special gift?! I love it…done.
As for the folks on your list that are hard to buy for? We all know it really is not about “the gift” but about the thought and love behind it…
Get creative! Consider going global…
(Sevenly ) is one of my new favorite sites. It is a little like TOMS where it is a “gift within a gift!”
Give a COW for Christmas?? (World Vision Christmas Gift) allows you to give amazing gifts to families in need all over the world in the name of the person you giving to!
This is an AWESOME MINIMALIST LIST with 36 additional suggestions on keeping it simple…and not about the STUFF.
May You Be a Blessing and May YOU BE A GIFT!
Jenni
7 Ways to Get Out of Your HEAD While Running!
I might be one of the “headiest” runners on the planet.
Don’t get me wrong…I do run, but I rarely experience the pure joy and euphoric bliss that surrounds a long runs’ reputation. I find it repetitive, exhausting, and hard on my joints. Science continues to prove that steady state running certainly is not the most efficient or effective way to exercise, lose weight or even maintain weight.
Yet I run because I know that it has awesome heart health benefits. I run because in balanced doses it builds bone density. I run because (to quote my favorite trainer) “athlete’s run.” I run because I train my clients to be athletes. I run because I need to be able to get away from an attacker–or to rescue one of my children who is beyond arm’s reach. I run because my body was designed so uniquely that I am able to run…so I run because I can.
Inspiring right? Well truth be told, I am far from the world’s most inspiring runner and I find my head tripping up my feet. Most days I need external motivation to get myself in the mood to run, never mind actually put my peds to the pavement.
So any excuse my clients use to discuss why they do not run–I have already formulated and thought through. While going for a run today I realized that I might be able to shed some light (or hope) on some of the things that have helped me to push through my headiness and simply RUN. Here are a few “get out of my head hints” to help you choose mind over matter and embrace what your body was designed to do!
The KEY is to create an environment that forces you to say, “YES” to a run. Below are a few suggestions on how to get out of your head and on to the road!
1. Set a Goal. Choose a local 5k or 10k to complete. Or choose a race distance that you have run before but plan on decreasing your time or increasing your speed for the new race.
2. Find a visually interesting spot. Run near water, trees, or a place that is new or has interesting things to view. If you are sucking in smog or looking at the same neighborhood you drive through every day it could be what is setting up some mental road blocks.
3. A Rockin’ Playlist. Earbuds and some great jams go hand in hand with a great run. Find some really motivating tunes that will carry you through the first mile or two and remember…
4. The first mile is ALWAYS the worst. Period. Go slow…one foot in front of the other and tell yourself that it is a warm up. Ignore the discomfort and push through–it does get better.
5. Create New Mantras. Often “heady” runners have bad tapes that play over and over again. “I can’t…I hurt or I am going to get hurt…I am tired…I can’t run that far…I can’t breathe…I am not built to run…” Those need to be replaced with, “I am strong, fast, and more than capable to complete this run. I am an athlete.”
6. Fuel Properly. When I am not hydrated or haven’t eaten well and fueled properly before my run I literally feel like I am running on empty. To avoid the empty tank and feeling crumby on a run…fuel properly.
7. Find a FRIEND. Better than any other motivator…I have found that another runner who shows up and holds me accountable to both complete the run but also pushes me REALLY helps. Find your runner girls…get out of your head and get running!
May You Be A Blessing and May You RUN!
Jenni
Wanna Be An Elf or Need Some Elf-spiration???
Be prepared to laugh and receive some “elf-spiration” once you watch Sprinkle and Dinkle get in the Christmas spirit! **
Friends have asked if they can still be involved in the Watoto Christmas project…and I HAVE THE ANSWER!
Some donated boxes will likely contain “unauthorized” gifts*. We will have to replace certain items in the boxes with other items.
Enter YOU.
This week I am going to be taking donations of gently used (or new) items that could help fill “incomplete” boxes.
Have items to share? Here is the general guidelines for what we are looking for and the age/gender breakdowns. (I excluded the little ones–those boxes seem to come in complete and FULL…the older kids and moms are the ones who seem to need some assistance.)
- 11–16yrs: comic books, novels, board games, card games, jigsaw puzzles, hair clips, yo-yos
- 17yrs+: caps, designer T-shirts, watches, wallets, purses, novels, jewelry, lotions, nail polish
- Mums (widows/caretakers): lotions, body scents, scarves, shower gels, hand creams, journals, devotionals, jewelry, purse, nail polish
Please DO double bag any liquids using Ziploc bags.
*Please DO NOT INCLUDE: War-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; ANY food, medications or vitamins; breakable items; aerosol cans; hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, etc. as they are already provided through Watoto sponsorships.
I will be receiving donations through December 2nd.
Please contact me directly or via:
hopeforwatoto@gethope.net (attention Jenni Cockerham)
No donations…but still want to serve?? I HAVE OPTIONS!
Please consider writing a handwritten letter. This can be from YOU or your children or both! Many boxes we have received so far do not have letters! Please specify what gender/age group on the envelope! (2-5, 6-10, 11-16, 17+, Mum)
You can also help with our sorting project on December 3rd:
**
Thank you for being willing to consider sharing out of the overflow of what God has given you!
Jenni and Laura Peters
(attend West Cary?–Laura can give you more info as well!)
Living Outside the Lines
There are many written and unwritten laws and lines that tell us how to behave and how not to behave. Grafiti is an illicit activity, one that is outside the bounds of the law.
Graffiti is often frowned upon. This book celebrates graffiti and living outside the lines. It tells stories of lives blending together to make beautiful art. It does not stay within the bounds of the social “law” or the four walls of your home. It speaks of lives mingling with other lives and it all being quite messy. It speaks of brokenness and of God’s redemption.
Graffiti: Scribbles from Different Sides of the Street is a short read and for this week only a FREE read! 44 pages long with tales of two lives intertwined and how God makes us all wonderfully uncomfortable so that we can better know Him and his heart. The holidays are a wonderful time to become inspired as to how you might share your life with another. May Graffiti be the perfect catalyst for your journey!
For the next week this book will be FREE to those who click here:
http://www.graffitithebook.com/
May You Be a Blessing and May You Be Blessed!
Jenni
Hope For Watoto…Christmas Style!
The SILENCE is being broken.
I am only going online for work purposes…and somewhere in between trying to honor and respect my “7” girls and also recognize that Greater work needs to be done I wanted to share with you the information about Watoto Christmas boxes this year!
Last week we began distributing Christmas boxes for the children of Watoto! (http://www.watoto.com/) We have already had an overwhelming response! The boxes are going to be filled with toys, games, books and other special items for ALL the children and moms of Watoto. Because the people of Uganda speak English–the boxes can be filled with a personal letter from YOU!
Here is a link to more information!
http://www.gethope.net/events/watoto-christmas-boxes-12-2
We have a few more boxes left at our Cary and Holly Springs campuses…so please grab yours this weekend…or email me and I will save you one! (By the by, Chris is speaking this weekend in Holly Springs so it is a GREAT weekend to come visit us!)
We are so very excited to share this opportunity…here’s a little more about our trip to Uganda!
May You Be a Blessing and May You Be Blessed!
Jenni
100 Cups of Coffee 