Banking It For Lottie

Although it arrived several weeks after Christmas, Nicholas eagerly ripped open the gift just delivered to him. The torn paper revealed a bank that counts coins as they are deposited. Immediately, Nicholas gave the jar a purpose: to hold his Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. And almost as quickly, he began filling it with coins.

One hundred percent of money designated for the Lottie Moon Offering supports Southern Baptist missionaries living across the world telling others about Jesus. Mike and his parents were some of the recipients of this fund for many years while missionaries in Rome, Italy.

The tradition of collecting money for this offering is not new for our family. About eight years ago, we declared a small baby food jar as our Lottie Moon bank. It quickly became one of our standard holiday decorations, as necessary an adornment as the stockings on the mantel. The little bank held coins from Thanksgiving to Christmas, when they were then placed in the offering plate at church.

Last year, however, Nicholas was not satisfied with the amount collected. Therefore, as soon as he received the new bank, he determined to save coins for Lottie Moon all year long. Month after month, he faithfully filled the jar with coins found in parking lots, given by relatives, and received as change from his purchases.

When he bought his brothers’ Christmas gifts, he received around seventy-five cents in change, only to then realize he had been overcharged. When the wrong was corrected, he received close to another seventy-five cents in change. Even though the mishap resulted in an abnormal amount of coins, he refused to withhold money for himself. Every quarter, dime, nickel, and penny went into the bank, just as they had for the past ten months.

Generosity is contagious. Brandon determined to put a day’s wage from his bimonthly job towards Lottie Moon. Zachary gave a portion from his own bank as well. Their benevolent spirits encourage us as parents, who tend to see both the best and worst in our children.

Nicholas modestly presented his donation at church today with a sense of satisfaction and peace; he had fulfilled his personal commitment and seen our own family contribution to this worthwhile offering increase.

His bank is now empty, but his goal remains unchanged. The next coin he finds, receives, or earns – as well as all others collected throughout the upcoming year – already has a home in his coin-counting jar!

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity.”
2 Corinthians 9:7a

Hot Chocolate Inheritance

On cold, December nights when there are no holiday parties, basketball practices, or other seasonal activities to attend, we take advantage of treasured family time together and watch our favorite Christmas movies while indulging in mugs of hot chocolate. Without failure, a son or two or three will declare:

“Mom, you make the best hot chocolate!”

Ahh… these seven words bring a smile to my face and satisfaction to my sentimental soul!

My homemade hot chocolate recipe is one inheritance from my dear mother-in-law, whose 70th birthday would have been today. She passed along to me her simple, yet tasty cocoa instructions which I have been using faithfully for seventeen winters.

Long gone are the days of opening a little packet and adding hot water. Our sons have now been exposed to enough varieties of hot chocolate to know that none compare in sweet, chocolaty flavor to ours.

Whenever the boys compliment me on my hot chocolate, I seize the opportunity to tell them a little more about their Grandmother who has been in Heaven for over fifteen years. And then I agree with them; it is the best hot chocolate!

I take pride in our tasty treat not because I am a great chef or a super mom – I’m not - but because sharing one of my much loved mother-in-law’s “sweet” traditions with my own sons makes me feel a little closer to her.

Oh, how I yearn for her compassionate and loving presence on earth, her godly wisdom, her sweet smiles and gentle hugs. But she is in our hearts and on our minds throughout the holidays and all year long, including every time we sit down and enjoy a delicious mug of warm cocoa!

Time has changed packaging sizes on some products, requiring slight adaptations to the recipe, but this is the original version:

Irene’s Hot Chocolate Mix:

One 32 oz. can of Nestle Nesquik
One 16 oz. jar of coffee creamer
One 1 lb. box of powdered sugar
One box of dry milk that makes 8 quarts

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Store in a gallon-size container. For each cup of hot chocolate, fill mug about ¼ full of the mix. Add hot water and enjoy!

“A good man” - and woman – “leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” Proverbs 13:22a

Our Unspoken (Until Now!) Christmas Tradition

‘Tis the season for traditions! Perhaps no other time of the year hosts such an abundance of holiday rituals as the month of December. Some of our favorites include decorating the tree, watching holiday movies, hanging ornaments on the advent calendar, baking once-a-year goodies, attending various festivities, and, of course, rising unusually early on Christmas morn for a day full of family fun.

In the midst of a multitude of traditions, one has crept into our home quite unexpectedly and with little fanfare – the tradition of placing the first gift under the Christmas tree. No one anticipates who will be the recipient of that first gift, but all are eager to buy, wrap, and place a gift under the tree before any other family member.

It began with Mike who, as soon as the tree was up, the decorations were in place, and the empty boxes were returned to the garage, would sneak out to his car and reappear with several wrapped gifts for me. After a few years, I began purchasing at least one gift before we decorated in order to be able to reciprocate, yet failed to succeed in putting the first present under our tree.

Brandon eventually caught on to his parents' game. Last year, as soon as the skirt was in place, Brandon ran to his room and reappeared with the first wrapped gift to be placed under the decorated tree, taking everyone by surprise.

This year, I observed the scheming weeks before the tree was up. Well before Thanksgiving, my enthusiastic sons each used their own money to buy a gift for a brother. Brandon, the first to make his purchase, convinced me he must wrap his gift to Zachary in an attempt to hide it from his mischievous youngest sibling. His brothers unknowingly, yet just as cleverly, followed his example and sought out paper, scissors, and tape to prepare their packages.

So what happened this year? As boxes of decorations were being brought into the house, Nicholas inconspicuously placed his wrapped gift under a blanket near the bottom of the steps. When the last ornament was hung and the tree skirt was neatly wrapped around the stand, all three boys raced away. Nicholas’ extra preparatory step of having the gift nearby enabled him to reappear first, place it beneath the tree, and be declared this year’s winner!

Without a doubt, my sons love getting gifts at Christmas. In fact, if forced into a confession, each would probably admit that their favorite part of the holiday is seeing all of their new toys and gadgets on Christmas morning. Therefore, I have whole-heartedly embraced our undeclared (until now!) Christmas tradition that involves tremendous eagerness to be the first to give a gift rather than receive one!

“God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7b