Giving Christmas Away

Not many things in life are more satisfying than giving to someone anonymously. Giving in this way is its own reward. Giving without any expectation of reward. Except that I do expect a return on the sowing of my seed "to the universe". Somehow the joy I receive just in giving is one part of the reward, yet, I am sure my own experience of Christmas each year is the more blessed because of it.


In South Africa (especially Johannesburg) many people close their businesses early in December and travel to other parts of the country (or the world) to spend Christmas with family. Which is possibly why these "Christmas events" happen during the month of November, whether Christmas parties for children, office Christmas lunches and so on. The rest of the world "does" Christmas only in December. Christmas displays are already everywhere in the shops in South Africa... and we don't mind. Personally I am happy to have Jesus' Christ's name in "Christ"mas displayed everywhere for longer. It's just great that He is remembered by everyone whether they consciously  it or recognise Him or not.

Each year, Acts of Love (click on the name to be directed to their Facebook page) arranges an event for children from local orphanages: a Christmas Fun Day where they are entertained and spoiled and  each child receives a wonderful gift. The gift is in the form of a Christmas Box filled with delights, treasures, perhaps a few practical items (toiletries and/or items for school), clothing, toys, sweets, ornaments, etc. The whole event is extremely well organised and the Acts Church members are invited (for a small fee). Of course the costs for the orphans/underprivileged children is provided/covered by the local congregation. Anyone wishing to provide one (or several) Christmas boxes one gets given a name, age, gender and "suggestion" list of what items to fill the box with. Last year I went shopping prayerfully, as if I knew the girl and found myself gravitating towards certain colour themes in the items bought. I am sure the Holy Spirit directed each purchase to give the girl more joy.

Acts of Love Christmas Box Project

If you would like to get involved, find a similar project in your area. If you live near Midrand, (Johannesburg, South Africa) get in touch with Acts of Love via their Facebook page. Here is a link to the Christmas Event this year: Acts of Love Christmas Fun Day. Or you could get hold of Acts of Love via the Acts of Love website. It is wonderful that although this ministry is linked to the Acts Christian Church the group has had the most amazing response from the local Midrand community of all faiths and cultures - Muslim, Hindu and Christian. It is a wonderful outreach project. In 2010 more than 800 Christmas Boxes were distributed by Acts of Love to children in local orphanages.

Practical Love

Recently our Acts of Love Group started a project to provide teddy’s to the youngest orphans as part of our Christmas in a Box program. Last year Acts of Love distributed Christmas Box gifts to over 800 orphans in the Midrand area. If you want to become involved with this particular project you can find the details on Facebook here: Acts of Love. I was motivated to knit a Teddy for this project when I heard it reported that on a recent visit to a particular orphanage, one of the Acts of Love co-ordinators described how a 3 year old girl in the orphanage picked up a brick off the ground and crooned to it, playing with the brick as if it were a doll. Heartbreaking. So a few of us felt inspired to knit at least one (more for the more productive knitters) teddy for a needy child.

Trauma Teddy will give a little one so much love!

Trauma Teddy Pattern

This pattern has been adapted from a pattern designed to distribute to child trauma victims. Teddies can be made in a variety of styles. The pattern describes a teddy with pants and a shirt, but the pattern can be varied. The important thing is that the teddy has a personality of its own! 

Double ply wool. (No mohair or angora).

Needles: No 9 (3.75 mm) or no 10 (3.25mm) needles. (Loose knitters use No 10) 

Legs and Pants
Leg 1
• Cast on 12 stitches
• Knit 24 rows
• Change colour for pants
• Knit 8 rows
• Leave stitches on needle
  
Leg 2
• Same as Leg 1

Pants
• Join both legs by knitting across both legs
• Knit 14 rows to finish pants

Shirt
• Change colour for shirt
• Knit 12 rows

Sleeve
• Cast on 12 stitches at beginning of next 2 rows
• Knit 18 rows
• Next 2 rows cast off 12 stitches (this forms the arms, 24 stitches remain)

Head
• Knit 34 rows. Cast off.


Hands
• Using same colour as for face and leg, cast on 10 stitches, knit 10 rows, cast off (x2)

Repeat this procedure to obtain the other side of the Trauma Teddy
(I did fewer rows, I made the legs shorter. Fine as long as both sides match)

Finishing
• Sew on face.
• Join up leaving a gap at top of the head for filling.
• Fill with filling.
• Sew top of head together.
• Gather around the base of head to form neck.

• Pinch corners of head and sew to form ears.

What is the Glory of God?

The best definition I have heard was by Dr. Michael Eaton, who has been called by many people “the world’s greatest living theologian”. I feel privileged to have been able to listen to him in person. I was working at Carmel Christian Holiday Resort when he was the keynote speaker at one of the Conferences there. You can download an 8 part teaching series by him on the subject of “Glory” here. What the Glory of God is the outshining of God’s character. The radiation of His character: His goodness, grace, favour, mercy, His Name, loving-kindness, His Will, His sovereignty.

The time is coming when the earth fills up with awareness of God's glory as the waters cover the sea. (Habbakuk 2:14)

There are two ways of obtaining Glory. You can glorify yourself. Or you can let God do it. The Glory of God will not stick around where there is too much sin. And yet sin is burned up in the Glory! When Isaiah was faced with the Glory of God, he said, I'm as good as dead!

Every word I've ever spoken is tainted—
   blasphemous even!
And the people I live with talk the same way,
   using words that corrupt and desecrate.
And here I've looked God in the face!
   The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!"
Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with the coal and said,

   "Look. This coal has touched your lips.
   Gone your guilt,
   your sins wiped out." (Isaiah 6:5-6)

One of my favourite songs at the moment on the Glory is by Jaeson Ma. I love the lyrics, especially the bridge:

I’ve been waiting my whole life

for this one special moment

i got just to be with you

For me the song really points to purpose. We were designed to glorify God and love Him forever.