Happy Christmas Shopping

I had the privilege of taking part in a "Happy" tradition this week. For decades, George "Happy" Irby, a Columbus Club employee, saved his tips to buy gifts for underprivileged kids and needy families in town. When others caught wind of it, he began to receive donations for his fund, and a community-wide charity effort was born. By the time of his death at age 94, the Happy Christmas Fund was supplying over 400 gifts each Christmas. Members of Happy's family partner with Columbus Air Force Base employees and volunteers each year to purchase, wrap, and deliver clothing items to children in need.


When I heard about the effort, I approached my children with the notion of giving up a couple hours of sleep to get to Wal-Mart in time for the 6 a.m. meeting to kick off the shopping spree. They were in! When the appointed day arrived, we all got up, dressed, and headed out the door. After a brief instructional meeting, we set about the task of shopping for nearly 400 children. We were given slips of paper, each with a child's name, gender, and clothing size(s). We picked out socks and underwear and then used the remaining funds (up to $40 per child) to purchase pants and tops. My girls turned out to be super shoppers, and we quickly lost track of how many girls and boys we shopped for. We estimate that the 4 of us took care of shopping for 60-70 of the children on the list.

Within 3-4 hours, all of the slips of paper representing real children with real needs had been processed. Nearly $15,000 had been spent on clothing items. Our feet were hurting, our tummies were hungry, but our hearts were full of blessing for having been used by God to be just one small part of the blessing that is the Happy Christmas Fund: one man, with one vision, undaunted by circumstances, reaching out for over 5 decades to hundreds and thousands of needy children and families. Happy Irby left a legacy of selflessness and sharing so strong that his vision carries on, even after his death.

The Power of One Day

Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere.
Psalm 84:10a

Our entire 2010 has been shaped and affected by one day; on August 2, at the 14th Medical Operations Squadron Change of Command Ceremony, my husband took charge of a group of 100+ individuals at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. Before that day we focused on leaving San Antonio, and after that day, we were in the process of adjusting to a new life. As difficult as it was to leave a home we loved, repair and pack up a household after six years and move on to an unknown place, knowing that God was with us made it bearable and even beautiful. There was never any doubt in our minds that God was orchestrating the events surrounding the move, yet we continually had to rely on Him for strength, stamina, perseverance, and perspective. Over and over, we had to lay our concerns at His feet: How can we get the house ready for the market? How will we be able to keep it in "show condition"? Will anyone want to buy it or will we have to rent it out? Should we even be trying to sell it since we might be back in SA in a couple of years? What about the asking price? So many questions, so many concerns. In order to keep from being overburdened, we had to lay them continually at God's feet. We turned to Him daily for strength.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
Psalm 84:5

As we set our hearts on the pilgrimmage God laid out for us, we gained strength for the journey. Our house was made ready, our things were sorted, packed, and moved. Then our things were unpacked, sorted, and given new spots in our new home. We said many sad goodbyes to friends and co-laborers in San Antonio, but we've met new friends and co-laborers in Mississippi. There are happy effects of moving as well, and God has provided for us in ways we did not expect or even imagine.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
Psalm 84:11

While we may not be blameless, when we walk the blameless path the Lord lays out for us, He bestows favor and honor, and He does not withhold anything we need. I praise Him for that and I am blessed because of it!

LORD Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.
Psalm 84:12