Dear Friends and Family,
It’s hard to imagine that the Christmas season is already here! It seems like it’s only been a couple of months since we packed up last Christmas. However, it’s here and it’s time once again to think about Christy’s Stocking! It’s both exciting and difficult for us to think that this will be our third annual stocking delivery. Even more difficult is the thought that we will be celebrating another Christmas without Christy. Our hearts are not healed but we will celebrate again this year with love and joy.
Once again we are asking for your help to fill Christy’s Stocking with goodies for families who are suffering and in need. Each year we have delivered an overflowing stocking to Children’s Hospital and we hope to be able to do the same again this year. Your donations of gift cards, children’s books and DVD’s will be used to bring smiles to the faces of children who are not only needy, but facing the holiday in the hospital. Your gift will help put a smile on the face of a child who desperately needs something to smile about.
As in past years, we are seeking gift cards from restaurants (fast food or sit-down), gas stations, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Kroger, Meijer, etc. Also children’s books and appropriate DVD’s for children. Please remember when making your selections that the hospital has children of all ages, from infants to teenagers.
Many of you have asked about filling in the “To” & “From” information on the gift cards. If you wish to do this we have always written on each card – “To: Someone Very Special” - “From: Christy’s Stocking”. We try to be sensitive and stay away from “In Memory Of” since many of the families who benefit from your donations have a child with a terminal illness.
In an effort to make things as easy as possible for the accounting staff at Children’s Hospital would you please include with your gift - your name, complete mailing address and the value of your donation so that the hospital can mail you a receipt, which you can use for income tax purposes. Please note that your donation conformation letter will be addressed to you from The University of Kentucky.
Donations can be mailed to:
Christy’s Stocking
c/o The Wells Family
104 Millhouse Drive
Nicholasville KY 40356
Please feel free to drop off your donation, or call and one of us will gladly pick it up from you. We will be delivering Christy’s Stocking to Children’s Hospital on December 20th, so we would appreciate receipt of your donations before that date.
Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for each of you. Your willingness to come along side us in keeping Christy’s spirit alive brings us so much joy! Thank you for helping us honor the life that Christy lived so beautifully. Her love of children, especially those hurting, can continue through your efforts.
Merry Christmas,
Chris, Julie & Kyle
Josh & Kristen
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A Place for You
Over the past couple of years I’ve been asked to write a few devotionals for booklets that have been printed for various women’s events at my church. I stumbled across one today and thought I would share it with you. I’m not sure when I wrote this but I think it must have been leading up to Easter.
A Place for You
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4 (NIV)
In April of 1980 I was a young woman about to go through a life changing experience. After 39 hours of labor I gave birth to a 7 pound 6 ounce screaming bundle of joy. As most mothers know there were nights without sleep and days that seemed to last forever, and those were only the first couple of years. Christy grew into a typical teenager, full of excitement over a cute boy one minute and devastated by a bad hair day the next. She graduated from high school and moved out for college. Then she met her prince charming. They married and started their life together living in seminary housing. God called them to a small country church where Christy flourished, she always felt most comfortable when she was surrounded by ‘home folk.’ Life couldn’t have been much better as Chris and I were anxiously awaiting news of grandbabies to spoil. My only prayer was for the arthritis that had ravished Christy’s body to be miraculously and wondrously healed.
Then, on October 11, 2008 at 8:45pm, Christy left us for the place He had prepared for her. The place where she is miraculously and wondrously healed! The place where she will forever be joyful in the presence of her Lord. You see, Christy knew the Way. She knew him intimately and loved him fully. Our earthly lives have been forever changed by this tremendous loss, but we certainly have great hope. Our hearts will never cease crying for Christy’s earthly presence, but we can look forward to a future and the promise Jesus gave us. He was speaking to us as well as to his disciples in the 14th chapter of John. Our hearts must not be troubled for He has prepared a place for each of us who are called to be sons and daughters of God.
Father, I thank you so much for the gift of Christy and the 28 wonderful years you shared her with us. Thank you Jesus for going to prepare a place for us. For the promise of coming back for us so that we can live our eternity in your presence. Amen.
Hau’oli La Ho’omakika’I
Me ke Aloha,
Julie
A Place for You
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4 (NIV)
In April of 1980 I was a young woman about to go through a life changing experience. After 39 hours of labor I gave birth to a 7 pound 6 ounce screaming bundle of joy. As most mothers know there were nights without sleep and days that seemed to last forever, and those were only the first couple of years. Christy grew into a typical teenager, full of excitement over a cute boy one minute and devastated by a bad hair day the next. She graduated from high school and moved out for college. Then she met her prince charming. They married and started their life together living in seminary housing. God called them to a small country church where Christy flourished, she always felt most comfortable when she was surrounded by ‘home folk.’ Life couldn’t have been much better as Chris and I were anxiously awaiting news of grandbabies to spoil. My only prayer was for the arthritis that had ravished Christy’s body to be miraculously and wondrously healed.
Then, on October 11, 2008 at 8:45pm, Christy left us for the place He had prepared for her. The place where she is miraculously and wondrously healed! The place where she will forever be joyful in the presence of her Lord. You see, Christy knew the Way. She knew him intimately and loved him fully. Our earthly lives have been forever changed by this tremendous loss, but we certainly have great hope. Our hearts will never cease crying for Christy’s earthly presence, but we can look forward to a future and the promise Jesus gave us. He was speaking to us as well as to his disciples in the 14th chapter of John. Our hearts must not be troubled for He has prepared a place for each of us who are called to be sons and daughters of God.
Father, I thank you so much for the gift of Christy and the 28 wonderful years you shared her with us. Thank you Jesus for going to prepare a place for us. For the promise of coming back for us so that we can live our eternity in your presence. Amen.
Hau’oli La Ho’omakika’I
Me ke Aloha,
Julie
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