tammymelchien.com

Merry Christmas

I hope you and your family have as much fun as ours this Christmas!

Contagious

Most things are contagious.  One person sings a catchy tune and it is stuck in your head for hours or even days.  Another person sneezes and the next thing you know you're in bed with a fever.  Your friend gets a new gadget and suddenly you are overwhelmed with the desire to have one for yourself.  We are always catching things from one another.

I think generosity is in the air.  Of course this is the season of "goodwill towards men," but I'm sensing (or maybe hoping) that it is something more than that.  At CCC, we've been talking a lot about generosity.  About celebrating generosity.  About practicing generosity.  About experiencing generosity.  Maybe I'm just more atuned to it, but I feel like I'm experiencing generosity everywhere.

Last night I sent an e-mail to about 15 people about a family I knew in Kids' City that had a financial need.  Today I collected around $1500 in checks from people who wanted to help.

I've been overwhelmed by the generosity people have showed me this Christmas season with their unexpected gifts.  I feel so loved and appreciated by the small bundles of candy, cookies, and gift cards that have been pressed into my hands.  I even received a crock pot and 2 cookbooks from people who read my blog and know that I want to learn to cook!  How fun!  Thank you for your kindness.

I feel the desire to be generous.  Probably the highlight of my Christmas season so far are the ways I've been able to help others who could use a little generosity.  It's amazing how fun giving away can be.

And how contagious.

I hope "goodwill towards men" can become a way of life not just a season.

Conversations with Santa

My sister sent me this e-mail about my 5-year-old nephew Joe...

We were in downtown Akron last night at the "German village" and the kids were doing a craft. Santa (I think he was the real one) walked up behind Joe and said "Merry Christmas".

Joe, in his matter-of-fact tone, said, "Did you get a letter from Joseph Reeves?  That's me."

Santa: "Yes, I did.  I never promise to bring what's on your list, but I will do my best."

Joe:  "Okay, thank you." 

Santa: "You're welcome and God bless you."

About 30 minutes later we were outside and Santa walked up and said, "Hi Joseph!  I'm following you to make sure you're being a good boy."

Joe, thinks about that for a minute and says, "I don't know if my room is clean or messy, but tomorrow I'm going to make sure it's very clean."

My 5 year old brown-nosed Santa!

Warm Fuzzies

I spent part of yesterday and today writing out Christmas cards for the people that report to me on our Kids' City team.  Tonight is our CCC Staff Christmas Party and I wanted to have some words to give them (and of course a little chocolate too!).  I can't get over how grateful I am for this group of people.  They are simply amazing.  Dedicated.  Selfless.  Hard working.  Fun.  Egoless.  Caring.  Supportive.  Entertaining.  The list could go on and on.  We are co-workers but when I think of them, I think more about them as friends.  We are friends on a mission.  And I'm so glad I get to be a part of that.

2007

My internal clock is a bit behind.  I keep writing "November" on checks and forgetting that I really need to get my Christmas shopping done.  But 2007 is coming to a close whether I realize it or not.  I'm thinking a bit tonight about what this year has been...

• My grandmother died.  The last remaining grandparent on both sides of the family has gone to Jesus.  Her death was expected and a blessing for a family who didn't want to see her suffer.  Still, a little strange to realize an entire generation in your family tree is now over.
• I saw my family more this year than any year in the past decade.  My sister and I took a vacation together.  I flew my mom out to Chicago a couple of times.  A family get-a-way for my parent's 40th Anniversary.  I think all in all I will have seen someone from my family 8 out of the 12 months this year.  That's been great.
• This was a year of reconnecting with old friends.  Spent a few days with Lora Hobbs.  A weekend with some old college pals.  Visited Chris (Hurley) Miles and the Hipplys on a trip to Ohio.  Saw some old friends from Lincoln, Julie and Greg, at a conference.  Met up with my college-job boss, Shelly Ryan, on a trip to Phoenix.
• Covered 2 full-time jobs at work for an entire year.  To be honest, this kicked my butt at times.  But I still absolutely love serving at CCC.  This place is such a gift.
• Our Kids' City Director's team blossomed.  Maybe it's just because the core of our team has been together for 3 years now, but it seemed like the chemistry and depth of our relationships grew to a really beautiful place this year.  Our team meetings are my favorite time of the work week.
• I've been to... Ohio 4 times, New Jersey, NYC, San Diego, Phoenix, Hollywood, Orange County, Orlando, Indiana, Kansas City, Springfield MO, Knoxville...and I'm going home for Christmas!

It's amazing to sit back and think about all that has transpired in just one calendar year.  It makes me think of next year and what I want the "themes" of the year to be in December 2008.  It will be here before you know it.

Generosity

The past 2 weeks at CCC we've been talking about generosity.  I know some people cringe when the topic of money comes up at church, but I always find these talks quite motivating.  Learning to be more generous is one of the clearest ways to grow as a Christ-follower.  It's so tangible.  I am giving or I'm not.  I'm spending money on myself or I'm giving it away.  I'm meeting a need or I'm making excuses.  Looking at how I'm spending money always helps me gauge where my heart is.  If it's really true that "where your treasure is there your heart is also" (which, by the way, is true), I can tell where my heart is by where I am prone to put my treasure.

We were challenged this week to reallocate some of our income so that we can become more generous people.  We were asked to consider the barriers in our lives to being more generous.  And then to think about where we would like to be when it comes to the generosity factor.

For years I've had a goal to make it to a place where I"m giving 25% of my income away.  I haven't made it close to that yet.  In fact, I've gone a little backwards over the past few years.  I think I'm currently somewhere around 14%.  But in my heart I know that for me, personally, being generous means beginning to move in the direction of the 25% again.  So what to do?

I need to learn to cook.  That's what came to me when I was sitting in the service.  I think the biggest place I could reallocate money right now is to cut down on the amount of meals I eat out (which is a lot).  Part of that pattern is about convenience (I'm on the go a lot).  But a big part of it is I've never been a whiz in the kitchen.  OK...that's an overstatement.  I've never even been a novice in the kitchen.  I think I'd eat home more if I actually could produce meals I'd like.  Especially if I can make them in under 30 minutes.

So I need to learn to cook so that I can be a more generous person.  Anyone want to teach me?