MIA from my kids' history books!

Amy Carmichael. William Carey. David Livingstone. Familiar with these names? Did you study them in your history class when you were in school? If your child is in public school, their historical education will not cover these folks, either. Who are they, anyway? Were they army generals, people who brought about a political revolution, spies, leaders of ancient civilizations, or those who presided over vast changes in the social landscape of their country?

These people and others like them are every bit as important and perhaps more important than many of the people who fill our history books, yet their memories exist in relative obscurity. They are the people who have, in many different contexts around the world, put their safety, security, and sometimes very lives on the line to minister to others in Jesus' name and to be part of spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth. They are missionaries of the past who now dwell at home with their heavenly Father.

Not only are their stories worthy of our attention, but the life and spiritual lessons that can be drawn from their experiences are breathtaking. It is up to us as parents to introduce these amazing role-models to our children.

There are some great missionary biographies available both online and in stores. Right now, I bet you are thinking, "ZZZZZZZZZ. That will put my kids to sleep, and me, as well." Not true: These incredible stories deliver more excitement, drama, suspense, and interesting characters than even the best episode of The Bachelor, 24, or Law and Order!

If you are enthusiastic and entertained by missionary stories, then likely your kids will be as well. In some cases, they can be even more captivating than series like the Magic Tree House, Harry Potter, or Diary of a Wimpy Kid, because these stories are about REAL people, REAL dangers, REAL adventures, and REAL heroism! This summer, our family is going to have fun "getting to know" about several missionaries from the past--I hope you will consider doing this with your own family.

Here are some resources I have found to get you started:

http://www.christianhof.org/ -- a website showing pictures and presenting brief biographies of many missionaries throughout history.

"Heroes for Young Readers" series (YWAM Publishing) These books are simple with great illustrations and written in rhyme form. They are geared towards children ages five to ten.

"Hero Tales" by Dave and Neta Jackson (Bethany House). Each volume contains 15 key Christian heroes, including a short biography and three extra stories for each hero. This book is aimed at children ages 6 - 12 and is meant to acquaint children (and parents!) with historically important missionaries and also to teach valuable spiritual and life lessons.

"Heroes of the Faith" (Barbour Publishing) Written by various authors, this series contains biographies of various missionaries as well as other men and women not thought of as "traditional" missionaries, like Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, and C.S. Lewis.

"Men and Women of Faith Series" (Bethany House) This excellent collection of books is geared toward older readers--7th grade to adult.

"Trailblazer Series" If your child likes action, suspense, adventure, and a thrilling plot line, these books are terrific! They are geared for children ages eight to thirteen and are perfect for children to read to themselves.

Of course, there are a number of individual missionary biographies, too many to list here (such as "Through the Gates of Splendor" by Elizabeth Elliot).

I suggest you borrow or purchase a book about a missionary and dive into it with your kids. The books by themselves are wonderful, but they additionally provide so much in the way of jump-starting conversations about taking risks for our faith, trusting in God to provide, keeping an eternal perspective, and many other topics. They may even ignite a spark within our children's own hearts to serve the world on God's behalf someday.

Our kids need some new heroes--let's give them some that are worthy of their interest and respect. Here's to great reading, great life lessons, and a great awakening to the importance of taking the gospel of Christ to then ends of the earth!

"God had an only Son and he made him a missionary."--David Livingstone

Pinatas, Origami, and Heroes

As I wrote in my last post, it has dawned on me that my children need heroes beyond those featured 24/7 in the mass media and social networks. Certainly there are many people, in many capacities, who qualify as heroes. Those who put their lives on the line, such as police officers and firemen, as well as those serving in the military, are heroes. People who foster and adopt children from abuse and neglect are heroes. If I may be so bold, I think moms of young children are heroes for just surviving each day. I could go on and on...

The heroes I want to focus on right now are those who have invested their lives in spreading the gospel to the nations, especially missionaries living on the foreign mission fields. These include both past and present missionaries. So, the question has become, "How do I teach my children about these great people of God?" This post will be about current, living missionaries, and then I'll tackle the subject of missionaries from the past in my next post.

I began making some first attempts at teaching my daughters (ages 5 and 7) about missionaries when they were about three. It occurred to me that in order to understand the magnitude of what these missionaries are doing, they must have an understanding of God's love for the world. I talk to my children about how God is not just the God of Coppell (our little suburb) he is the God of the whole world! He created every person on the earth, and it is his desire that persons from every nation, tribe, people and language bow down around the throne of God in heaven(Rev. 7:9).

We look at a world map and I will ask them, "does God just love people on one side of the world?" "Does God just love people who have skin like us or speak the same language as us?" They shout, "No, Mommy!" I will then ask them, "who does God love?" "Everyone in the whole world!" Does God desire that everyone in the world know about his son Jesus and that he is their Savior?" "Yes, Mommy, yes!" Ok, I don't always get an enthusiastic response, sometimes they roll their eyes. But regularly reminding them of these truths does seem to get through sometimes.

I explain about the song "Jesus Loves the Little Children (all the children of the world...)" I tell them that their are people who have devoted their lives to loving little children all over the world because they are important to Jesus, he loves them, and wants them to know about Him.

We try to pray for missionaries that we know. As the Mission-Minded Child states, "We need to remember that the prayers of a child--even our children--can change lives and impact nations." Their pictures are posted near our world map so we can remember to pray. We also pray for missionaries and residents of countries that are currently in particular turmoil--such as Libya. I remind my girls that anytime there is a country with uncertainty, upheaval, and unrest, God is moving and it is important to pray that through this trial, many will come to see and know Christ.

We have tried to have a few missionaries over to our home when they are in America on furlough. There is no substitute for sitting face-to-face with people who are living in different cultures among different peoples and serving them while sharing the love of Jesus Christ. My girls' eyes grow wide when they hear about all the exotic foods (squirrel stomach?) and exciting adventures that these missionary families have. Our family gets to see others model first-hand what it means to be truly sold-out to Christ and live a life fully committed to him.

Ann Dunagan shares that they often have missionaries stay in their homes for a few nights. Their older children clean their rooms and wash their sheets and agree to sleep on the floor in their little brothers' room (with a smile!) in order to make room for the visiting missionaries. Her children have all kinds of stories: "When people from Africa or India come over, they usually think my bedroom is like a royal guesthouse! It reminds me of how much I have to be thankful for and how much I usually take for granted. Sometimes our visitors have never seen dishwasher, or a grocery store....International guests have stood watching in amazement through an entire washing machine cycle--when the lid was up!"

So, find out from your church who some of your missionaries are, and start teaching your kids about them, supporting them through prayer, mail, and e-mail, and consider welcoming them into your home (for a few hours or a few days) when they are visiting the States. Other ideas to engage your children in learning about missionaries serving in different cultures:

• put together a world map puzzle
• let your children dress in international costumes
• try to eat with chopsticks
• listen to international music
• buy a pinata and have a Mexican-themed party
• learn to draw a few Chinese characters
• learn to draw the flag of the country of a missionary you support
• check out a library book on origami are and experiment with Japanese paper-folding
• collect international postage stamps send a quick and encouraging e-mail to a missionary. (better yet, send a handwritten letter or small care package!)
• visit a local travel agency (or one on the Internet) and browse through international travel packages
• visit the children's section of your local library and check out several books about a particular country
• watch a TV show or special about another country

(*excerpted from "The Mission-Minded Child")

The world is full of great role models for our children, if we will just look for them (because they are not going to be featured on Entertainment Tonight, People magazine, the Drudge Report, or Facebook. I know, I've looked ;). Missionaries are a particularly valuable role model for my children, because my heart's desire is that Mika and Macy will grow up to be equipped to whole-heartedly fulfill God's call on their lives, whether across town or across the globe.

NEW heros anyone?

Who do your children look up to? Who do they want to be like? Who influences their behavior? Who do they think is cool?

These questions are important, because their heroes and idols will captivate their hearts and minds. Often, they imitate the way they talk and sing, and will aspire to be like them.

I know that my girls want to grow up to be Belle, Cinderella, or one of the other Disney Princesses, because they have been steeped in "princess culture." They have watched all the movies numerous times, they have all the princess costumes so they can role-play as princesses, they sing the princess songs from the movies, they ask me questions about the princess' lives, and they have the princess dolls. There are probably no less than 100 items in my home that display the Disney princess brand--everything from band-aids to toothpaste, to clothes, to toys, to fruit snacks.

I don't think all this is necessarily bad. I liked the princesses when I was a young child, and I still enjoy the movies I watch with my girls. It is just precious when they "get dressed for the ball" and seek out my husband, requesting a dance and asking him to be their "prince."

As they get a little older, the princess world will probably fade away, and other people will take their place. For example the new "idols de jour" for tweens are Hannah Montana, depicted by Miley Cyrus, and Justin Beiber. (Of course, this applies primarily to girls; having two daughters, I only know about girl stuff).

Of course, as kids get older, their heroes can go from relatively harmless to those having values that are diametrically opposed to ours. Lady Gaga, the Jersey Shore cast, rock stars with opulent lifestyles, and athletes who abuse substances and brag about the number of people they sleep with are a few examples.

I cannot shield Mika and Macy from the people that our culture exalts as heroes to be captivated by, interested in, and possibly emulate, but I can at least give them some alternatives, some people who truly are heroes in God's eyes. These can include anyone, of any profession, who is living their life for God.

One of the best examples I know of "a true hero" are missionaries, especially those serving God on the foreign mission field. These heroes are unlikely to ever be on reality TV or have a sitcom made about their lives. They will never have a large following on Twitter or have a Facebook page with tens of thousands of members. They will not be endowed with a celebrity iPhone app that bears their name and likeness.

They will not have a blockbuster movie made about their lives, and they will not have hundreds of licensed products with their names and faces plastered on them.

Their greatest reward will be in heaven, for eternity. One thousand, ten thousand, ten billion years from now, they will be reaping the benefits of living a life faithful to God, often in very difficult conditions and sometimes sacrificing their very lives for the purpose of bringing the glory of God to the ends of the earth.

Ann Dunagan, author of "The Mission-Minded Child," says that "We need to instill in our children an admiration for servants of God who lived for His purposes instead of their own." So, although there are many positive role models for my children, immersing them in the lives of missionaries seems like a good place to start.

However, before I can teach my girls about missionary heroes, I have to do some reflection and soul searching. I asked myself, "other than a few missionaries that our church supports, how many missionaries can I name?" I thought for a few minutes, and could recall three: Billy Graham, John Wycliffe, and Jim Elliot.

I try to tell myself that I am so often consumed with the needs of my family that I don't really have time to learn about missionaries and the work they are doing (or have done) around the globe. But then I am reminded that in the last few weeks, I have learned about the latest celebrity divorces, the life perspectives of Cher and Jane Fonda, my favorite singer's sold-out tour, my Facebook friends' opinions of the Black-Eyed Peas performance at the Super Bowl, and the possible political ramifications to the GOP if the national debt ceiling is raised in March.

All that is required is that I turn off Oprah and Fox News, put down People magazine, and investigate some of these missionaries. I want to learn about people who do not hold anything back and are not motivated by fame, glory or money, but instead, remained faithful to God even if it cost them their lives. Resources to learn about missionaries abound, so it will not be difficult to find information once a put my mind to it.

Only when I develop a passion for missions and see missionaries as heroes worthy of my respect will I be able to teach my children about them. Mika and Macy will not learn people like David Livingstone or Amy Charmicael from public school, their friends, TV shows, music, or movies. If they are going to learn about these missionary heroes, it will have to start at home.

So, I'm off to read some mini-biographies about missionaries. Some ideas for giving my children an alternative to the world's heroes will be coming in another post.

"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among the nations." Psalm 67:1-2

What do Sex, Slavery, and the Super Bowl Have in Common?

The SUPER BOWL IS COMING TO ARLINGTON! I remember bursting with pride on the exciting day in 2007 when the news came out that my hometown was playing host to the granddaddy of all sporting events, the Super Bowl. Finally, the world was going to see what a great town Arlington is!

I began to think about what the Super Bowl would mean for Arlington, and for that matter, all of North Texas. Obviously, it will be an enormous boon to the economy, which we can definitely use. In addition, as the eyes of the world are upon us, they will see that we Texans are not a bunch of ranchers sporting cowboy hats and six-shooters. Most of us don't live on large swaths of land featuring oil wells and tumbleweeds. We don't all drive pick-up trucks and eat barbecue at least once a day. Our town is diverse, friendly, hospitable, and fun. And even though I'm not attending the game, I get excited when I think of all the immense energy that will vibrate through every crevice of the Metroplex when the AFL and NFL champs arrive in town to do battle. Yea!!!

I recently came off my Super-Bowl high about two weeks ago when I was smacked in the face with this unbelievable fact: the Super Bowl (where ever it is held) is sex trafficking's biggest weekend. Now, from what I hear, there are plenty of prostitutes already in Dallas. It boggles the mind that there will be ten thousand or more additional sex workers brought in specifically for the Super Bowl--and many of them will be under-aged children who are forced to work as sex slaves.

I shake my head in horror and disgust when I watch a TV show or read an article about the selling of boys and girls in filthy brothels in places like Cambodia or the Philippines. I tell myself that we in America are far more cultured and refined; sure, there is plenty of sex sold between supposedly willing adults, but the buying and selling of children so they can be raped by the highest bidder is extremely rare. WRONG.

Why all the trafficking of children during a massive sporting event? Apparently, the Super Bowl is ripe for this kind of exploitation for the following reasons: large numbers of male tourists travelling without family, lots of drugs and drinking, and revelers with money to spend. Add to this the fact that 40,000 people come to the Super Bowl host city who don't even have a ticket to the game--they just love the party atmosphere.

According to the Department of Justice, "Children trafficked into prostitution are often found around major sporting events. Since children are often more vulnerable, they are easy to move and in high demand, they make ideal victims to travel to major sporting events." Online sites like backpage.com make it easy to "advertise" children; customers can scroll through page after page of exploited children as though they are choosing a consumable product from a catalog. Many pimps and traffickers will rent homes or apartments near the event to establish a brothel to satisfy the seemingly insatiable demand for sex with underage minors.

I have to admit, when I hear about things like this--the evil underbelly of one of our most cherished cultural and uniquely American events--I want to pretend it does not exist and hope it will go away on its own. I do not want to even consider the unspeakable atrocities perpetrated against innocent ones who are made in God's image the same as my own daughters. But in my heart I know that turning a blind eye is not the answer; only when it is exposed and dismantled will there be healing, restoration, and justice.

But what can be done? Obviously, part of the answer lies with law enforcement. I am glad to see the Texas Attorney General, the FBI, and the Metroplex police forces are taking this issue seriously and training and dispatching extra staffers, analysts, and officers to deal with this problem.

Also, I came across an organization called Love 146 (http://www.love146.org/) who is doing all they can to prevent this type of atrocity from happening at the Super Bowl and to rescue children who are brought to Arlington and surrounding areas for the event. You may be curious how Love 146 got it's name. I read the story behind the name on their website and it is so disturbing to me that I'll omit most of the details and simply say that the number "146" was pinned to a little girl's dress in a Cambodian brothel where an undercover sting operation was taking place.

Both Love146 and Traffick 911 are planning a number of events prior to the Super Bowl. These include a screening of "The Playground" (a movie about child sexual exploitation), a community prayer service, a tailgate party to raise awareness of the issue, fliers posted in high-risk neighborhoods, and billboards posted around the Metroplex. Both groups will continue to be active after the Super Bowl, involved in the restoration of children who have been rescued.

If you live in the DFW area, please consider attending a Prayer and Awareness Event at Irving Bible Church on January 28, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. (http://www.irvingbible.org/).

Really, I think the absolute most powerful weapon against the horrors of child trafficking is prayer. Prayer can be done anywhere and anytime--prompts like a billboard or TV commercial advertising the Super Bowl can remind us to offer up a prayer for any young victim whose health and life is at stake as she is being prepped to be trafficked and abused during the Super Bowl.

A few prayer thoughts that came to my mind:

1) pray for a spotlight to be shined on this type of evil--making brutalization that thrives on secrecy more difficult.

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." John 3:19

pray for freedom from those held in bondage

[Jesus said] "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has send me to proclaim freedom of the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed." Luke 4:18

3) pray that justice will be manifested in the lives of the pimps, the customers, and the victims.

"It is not good to be partial to the wicked or deprive the innocent of justice." Prov. 17:5

4) pray that these precious children will come to understand God's love for them.

[Jesus said] "Let the little children come unto me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Mark 10:13

5) pray that a canopy of angels surround the Metroplex during the Super Bowl and that the forces of evil will be brought to ruin and destruction.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Eph. 6:12

For more information, see http://www.love146.org/ or http://www.traffick811.org/.

If you happen to encounter anyone you think could be a victim or to report suspicious behavior, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-3737-888.

SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT in six minutes! Many are disappointed they won't be at the event, and others are going to show up at the venue and beg to be allowed entrance, even if they have to sit on the floor. There's a lot of buzz on the Internet. Facebook updates spring up about who was able to obtain a ticket and who wasn't. There are numerous pleas for extra tickets that people might have to spare.

Certainly I must be talking about the Super Bowl, a Bon Jovi concert, or the "game of the year" between two college rivalries with a slew of die hard fans. Actually, the above scenario played out recently with people trying to get into church to study the Bible!

David Platt is pastor of a church at Brook Hills in Alabama. He has travelled all over the world, including to many places where sharing the gospel will get you killed. He has met with house churches in secret. These brave and devoted followers of Christ will gladly sit in a dark cramped room for 12 hours at a time because they are so excited to hear the Bible taught and have such a passion for God's word.

So, David Platt got an idea: what if he designated six hours on a Friday night (although he never finishes on time) from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. to gather and study a portion of the Bible in depth and also pray for the persecuted church around the world? There would not be a meal served, socializing, or entertainment. It would be called "Secret Church," after the many house churches he has visited around the world. Would anybody come?

Yes! Over a thousand came that first night. Before long, Secret Church was standing room only. At one point, so many thousands of people showed up for the quarterly event that many had to be turned away. So the church resorted to giving away free tickets so everyone with a ticket would be guaranteed a spot.

The latest Secret Church was held in November 2010, and tickets "sold out" on the Internet in six minutes. The 2500 free tickets, plus several hundred for an overflow room were gone quickly. A sell-out to study the Bible on Friday night? What could possibly going on?

David Platt believes that "Biblical literacy is a precursor to Biblical transformation." He is intent on teaching the Bible in a way that is meaningful and practical and that will ultimately change people to become more like Christ. He is also passionately committed to taking the gospel to the nations and supporting the persecuted church.

It is so exciting and refreshing to hear about people being so serious and interested in prayer and Bible study. The "Secret Church" page on Facebook is replete with those saying they have extra tickets they cannot use and others trying to be the first to snatch them up. The vast majority of those with extra tickets give them away, but a few are even selling tickets to Secret Church!

I definitely believe that those who have spare tickets should not sell them, but this does bring up an almost unheard of scenario: people actually scalping tickets for a Bible study!

This is made even more remarkable by the fact that Dr. Platt's teaching is deep, hard-hitting and convicting; much of it is counter-cultural. He does not pull punches and is not afraid to offend if he feels he is truthfully speaking from the Word of God. (As my friend Karin likes to say, "sometimes I need to be offended, because otherwise, I won't ever change.")

What this tells me is that people are hungry for truth from the Bible. They do not need their ears tickled by watered down, feel-good drivel. They do not need to hear a lot of opinions from the pastor. They do not need for their pastor to apologize for the Bible because there are some passages that are difficult to accept or understand, or because they are controversial. They do not need another self-help, "10 ways to be a better person" style sermon.

The result is that more and more people are coming. Many (including me) have heard the teachings from Secret Church on the church's website. The next time Secret Church is held, there will likely be live streaming video available for those unable to attend personally.

Of course, there is a danger here. Though Dr. Platt approaches his teaching humbly and constantly aims to deflect any attention from himself and onto the Bible and Christ, there is no question that he is a gifted and anointed teacher and many people are drawn in because of him. If they ever had a "guest speaker" for Secret Church, it is unlikely the crowds would be as large or the enthusiasm so intense. Also, I'm sure his theology is not 100% perfect, because no one's is.

Still, I am heartened that he has created a lot of interest in serious study of the Bible. He and a handful of other prominent pastors in America have decided to be unafraid in their preaching. Whether 1000 people or 10 people show up, they are committed to teaching the Word unapologeticlly and with zeal. I hope this will give more pastors the courage to speak the truth, and not to base their teaching on concerns about church growth or political correctness.

In our culture, we hear a lot about celebrities who can sell tickets quickly. For example, last year Taylor Swift sold out her show at the Staples Center (20,000 seats) in ten minutes.

The venue for Secret Church (about 3,000) is small compared to the Staples center. Yet it is HUGE when you take into consideration the lackluster commitment that many Christians have to serious Bible study. Now, there is a stampede for tickets to an event where attendees spend six hours with an open Bible in their laps. Who knows, maybe someday sports and entertainment arenas will be filled with people who want to pray and learn from the Bible. That would be awesome, indeed!

For more information on Secret Church or to listen to the teaching, visit http://www.secretchurch.org/.

Advent Conspiracy

Listen to me: I know how to keep Christmas sacred! I have three nativity sets displayed in my house, a gold-plated "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" pin, and Christmas praise music by Maranatha playing in my minivan. Oh, yeah, I even show up to church service each Sunday in December AND on Christmas Eve. What more could Jesus want from me?

Well, he wants my heart. I may think I have that one covered since I gave my life to Him and became his follower long ago, but does the way I "do Christmas" reflect spiritual transformation, or are my celebrations awash in materialism and consumerism with a little "Jesus stuff" thrown in here and there for good measure?

I am teaching my daughters that Jesus is worthy of all their love and devotion and of supreme importance in their lives. But when Mika and Macy see me running like a little hamster in an elf hat on a red and green wheel, spinning furiously, trying to keep up with everyone else and then dragging myself off about midnight on Christmas Eve, frazzled, frantic, frustrated, and fried, what am I really teaching them?

After much thought and some soul searching, I found Advent Conspiracy (http://www.adventconspiracy.com/) and, in the words of Oprah, had an "ah-ha moment." They are about getting back to basics at Christmas, and their goals are simple:

Worship Fully

Spend Less

Give More

Love All

Obviously, implementation of these goals is going to look quite different in each person's/family's life. Let me give you just a few ideas that my family has:

We will be putting fewer gifts under the tree for the girls this year. They will each receive three gifts from us, plus a few things in their stockings. (This is in addition to gifts they will receive from other family members). We will focus on giving Mika and Macy our "presence" instead. "Relational giving" means we will spend time playing in the park, going to the movies, reading their favorite Christmas books, helping them bake and decorate sugar cookies, building forts in the front room, and watching them act out the story of the first Christmas. Money we save will be given to those who are less fortunate than we are.

After estimating that we spend approximately $150 on high-gloss photo cards, our Christmas letter, and postage, we decided to forgo paper greetings in favor of an e-card. Now, I am aware that everyone we know waits breathlessly at their mailbox to receive our Christmas card filled with a cherry-picked collage of pictures of our adorable kids and seemingly perfect family (not), and our witty, rhyming letter recapping the Jarrell's year. Yes, for our family and friends, receipt of our Christmas card/letter is the highlight of the season, and many will be crestfallen that we won't be sending them out. (yeah, right).

In any case, when we realized we could donate the $150 to Water is Basic (http://www.waterisbasic.org/) and help to provide clean drinking water for people in Sudan, we decided this was a better return on investment in the long run.

Jesus was a servant: he came to serve. So, what better way to honor him than to serve others with a heart full of gratitude for the his extravagant gift to us, over 2000 years ago? We are planning several volunteer projects that we can do as a family.

Amazingly, and I really can't explain it, but when our family takes the time to love and care for others who are less fortunate, it seems like this time is multiplied back to us! Also, the love we share greatly increases the joy and peace we feel in our hearts. It is a win-win proposition!

We don't have this all figured out; we are just trying to find some ways to tweak our Christmas celebrations and traditions to reflect the heart of our Savior. There are moments I think we go too far, moments I think we don't go far enough, and moments I feel that we're in the right spot for us.

Next year, we will probably re-evaluate again. We may decide to send out Christmas cards in 2011. We may decide three gifts for the children is too many. We may change the types of volunteering we are involved in, or what causes we donate money to.

Whatever we do, I hope that, in the words of Advent Conspiracy, we can remember that "Christmas can (still) change the world!"

Hard Candy Christmas

Pretend you are in a Christmas time machine! We are headed to the year 1945! Destination: a one room house in the Smokey Mountains, where a little Dolly Parton and her 11 siblings are overwhelmed with excitement at the thought of having a store-bought gift under the tree. Let's listen in:

"Somehow Mama and Daddy always managed for each of us to get one store-bought gift. Regardless of what it was, it was a thing of wonder to be revered, looked at with slow eyes, felt with tender hands, and relished for its newness. Best of all was that "it's really mine" feeling that could carry you around on a cloud for days, or until it was replaced by that "it's really broken" feeling.

The boys' gifts usually included fireworks, and they'd be outside announcing that fact to the world as soon as a match was found. For today, tin cans would become space capsules, finger-formed dams would be blown, and many a German matchbox would no longer threaten Allied troops...

We girls usually got a little pink plastic doll with its own white cloth diaper held in place by a tiny gold safety pin. That may sound really cheap, and I'm sure it was. But for us, just the fact that it was plastic made it different from the ordinary things we saw in the holler. There was no way this could have been homemade. Unless you're home happened to be a sweatshop in Taiwan.

Those little plastic dolls instantly became the focus of whatever motherly instances the Parton girls had. Of course we all had one, and they basically all looked alike. If you looked closely enough, and of course we did, you could see little imperfections in the plastic that identified each doll. We "mothers" would get to know our dolls intimately. Inevitably, some body's would get lost or eaten by a cow or thrown down a well by an ill-tempered brother; sometimes there would be a "baby snatching."

A fight would usually follow, consisting more of accusations and name calling than anything else. "That's my doll," the rightful mother would cry. "See, it's got two little extra globs of plastic on it's left ear." On a good day, though, each mother would care for her own plastic treasure, and all would be well with the world.

We would scavenge to find things to serve as a crib and bedclothes. The more industrious ones would even fashion clothes for the doll. I always liked mine just the way it arrived on Christmas morning, in its special cloth diaper with the shiny gold pin."

Wow! Dolly's family may have been poor, but the children were rich in appreciation for even the smallest gifts, and they used so much creativity in their play.

Certainly, I am grateful that I can buy my girls more than one dollar store toy for Christmas, but I feel like by giving them so much, they have come to expect it as "their right," and often don't truly appreciate all the gifts we put in front of them. I would love for our house to have fewer toys. I'd like to find a balance between Mika and Macy having nothing and a having everything, like owning a few toys they really treasure and appreciate, instead of a house full of cheap, imported, lead-laced pieces of junk that probably cost pennies on the dollar to manufacture. Easier said than done, right? I may never figure out how to tame the "toy beast" in our lives, but I can smile when I think about little Dolly Parton, clutching her tiny store-bought doll with so much wonder and delight.