Thursday, July 24, 2008

Thursday Thoughts










Hello!! Late in posting today...but I am finally posting!!

Been busy trying to get a couple of scrapbooks for my dad and my brother's birthdays!! I wish that I had thought about this before..much earlier since we leave a week from today!! Dad (as you know) will be 90 and my brother will be 60..both in the same month!! We are celebrating both of them. Ron is coming from Arizona back to Illinois for his and Dad's birthdays. If I had thought about this earlier I would have made them each a nice scrapbook but as it is I just bought two blank ones and did the front pages of them. This way they can keep their pictures and their cards in these. I only hope that they like them. You know when you get a certain age and are a GUY it is really hard to buy for them.

Today I picked up the kids at VBS. Both of their parents are working today and this is when "Gma Sandy comes in HANDY!!" As always I got there a little early and watched. I tell you our church really puts on a great VBS!! I picked up the kids and took them home for lunch. After lunch we got back in the car and went back to church and went through an exhibit that is set up there.


Step into Africa

World Vision has set up the nicest exhibit taking you on a trip through Africa with the children that actually live there. They tell their own stories. They told about their lives living with AIDS and about losing their parents to it! It was very fascinating and quite the experience!! We were each given an IPOD to listen as the children talked to us. We moved from room to room as the IPOD told us too!! I think it was very good for the kids to see how kids live in another country and in a completely OTHER world. They were very good and very quiet and listened intently!! I have some pictures that show you how good they were. It was dark in there so hard to get good pictures but i tried..





Garrett is looking quite
intently at the display, while Madison is sitting on one of the stools that they asked us to sit while in the hut!! Our boys that we followed were Emmauel and his brother, Fred!! They told their story about losing their parents to Aids and then having to leave their home and go out on their own!! It was good for the kids to see how other children HAVE to live and a good time for them to learn just how much they really have!! They came away with a new perspective!! I am glad that I took them.



We came home and watched an old VHS tape of them as babies!! It held their interest for awhile but now they are snacking!! Garrett just cannot get enough food it seems and Madison is growing so fast that she tells me it makes her legs hurt!! She is getting so tall!!

Hope all is going well in your world today!! WE all need to be SO THANKFUL that we have homes to live in, food to eat and are keeping COOL with air conditioning. We have so much to be thankful for, don't we!!??

FLIP FLOP

Thought for the day: "Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than by the things you acquire." We certainly learned that today!!



13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sandy I am sure the men in ourlives will love what you are doing for them. They will have many memories and that is really the most important thing i do believe. Hard to buy for men and neither of them need much, so think that was a very good idea. Will help you with the cost and want to put some of Pris's money in it too, she wanted to help in some way. Will talk to you later about that. Time is flying and Jon will be here soon, can hardly wait. Made some krispy squares for VBS and Jon too and also making Jon a Cherry Delight, that will make him happy. Love Mother & Dad

Betty said...

Hi Sandy,

What a nice idea for your Dad's and your brother's birthday. That will be something they can keep for a long time and even pass on to other family members later in life.

Your grandkids are really into the Africa scenery at VBS. That seems like a good thing to show the children.

Carole Burant said...

I have no doubt that your dad and brother will love the scrapbooks. Like you, I tend to always think of doing something like that at the last minute! lol

How wonderful for your grandkids to learn how some kids have to live and how very lucky they are with what they have. xoxo

Traveling Bells said...

Scrapbooks are a treasured gift, in my humble opinion! Even guys can use them. Love your thought for the day...soooo true!...hugz

Denise said...

Oh that is a I Love You gift...My favorite kind...... what a wonderful idea..... I too leave things to the last minute! but how sweet....... and Yes my friend we are blessed and we have no idea as to what extent...... We need to keep our vision toward the Lord.......

hugs

Denise said...

Such a precious gift, they will really enjoy that.

Puss-in-Boots said...

I'm sure the scrapbook will be greatly appreciated Sandy, because of the time and thought to put it together.

It's so sad that these unfortunate children have to live that way. There is so much in the world for everyone and it seems terrible that these third world countries cannot share in it. But, it's greed and politics from those in charge, isn't it?

Melli said...

Oh I think the memory books for your men is the BEST idea! That's the one thing that everyone can enjoy! Keeping those memories together for them is wonderful!

I know your church is doing a SPECTACULAR VBS! Mine can not do anything on nearly so grandiose a scale as yours! But we have a church in the area that does "Rainbow Land" every year - MY kids attended it when they were small! That's how long they've been doing it -- and it is THE.MOST.SPECTACULAR VBS ever!!! It's amazing! They do a full scale production - and rework a different play every year - one year it was Peter Pan, another it was Little Mermaid -- THIS year they did ZORRO! And they always make it come out Christian!!! I think every kid in the county attends their VBS! LOL! WE can't compete with them! WE were happy to have our 85 kids! We're small ... but we're fun!

I LOVE that World Vision set up! They are such a great organization... they're the other one that many families in our congregation "adopt" children through. My Lesli is through Compassion International -- but they are both such great organizations! I'm glad you took the kids back up there too!

Maggie Ann said...

Happy Birthday to your loved ones! You are right, the older men get the harder it is to buy for them I have found. You've hit on an excellent gift with the scrapbooks. Everyone loves pictures like that....and praise the Lord for VBS...who knows the fruit it will yield in young hearts to love God and live for him, and be saved.

Anonymous said...

I saw that VBS on the news! What church is that? Hope you're enjoying working on the scrapbooks. Have a great weekend!

Susie said...

Hi Sandy,
Those scrapbooks will be a wonderful reminder of these milestone birthdays.
Hearing how those unfortunate children must live gives all of us an appreciation for what we have here in the "land of plenty"
hugs

Cal said...

When I was in a conference in California last February, World Vision had the display set up for us. You are right. It is great.

Cal

Nancy said...

Your dad and brother will love the scrapbook and what a thoughtful gift it will be.

That display sounds really neat and it's great the kids can learn from it.

Have a great weekend!