Christmas Greetings!
Christmas Greetings!
Being BUSY, as we celebrate Christ, has become the status quo since Thanksgiving. Hoping you soon have the opportunity to stop, relax, prop up your feet, grab your favorite beverage and re?ect on the memories of the past four weeks, the past year, and time to ponder 2012. 2011 has been an incredible year, in spite of my Dad’s death, all the changes, circumstances, trials and adventures. My palate has been filled with forgiveness, humility, patience, and above all, truth. My cup runneth over with love, grace, thankfulness, and an abundance of faith. “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed.” (Psalm 27:13)
Christmas Day, “The Holy Day”, was the day God gave the World the greatest gift, His Son. Jesus’ birth was for everyone, regardless of wealth or status in society. I no longer focus on gifts and gift giving. My focus is on the Christmas Spirit, the love
of Christ being shared with those I come in contact with daily, family, friends, and seniors without family and/or an advocate. I have learned over the years, it’s not about me. It’s about God and asking, “What would Jesus do?” It’s easy to say “yes” to things without your calendar. Consider taking control of your life with an organized calendar–writing down all personal/family obligations, work schedule, school obligations, and the activities of the church for 2012. Once you have written down these things, “don’t change these for worldly opportunities”. When asked to do something, always say, “let me check my calendar”, and if available, say, ”Yes, Lord Willing” (James 4:15). There’s someone at every turn who needs a smile, a handwritten note, a hug, a word of encouragement, assistance or our time. It’s up to us, to “open our hearts” as Mary and Joseph did so long ago, and to give “freely” of our “limited time” and “endless love” as Jesus did. “That’s being sacri?cial!”
As I’ve enjoyed the quietness of the evening listening to Kenny G’s (instrumental) ”Miracles, The Holiday Collection” while writing this letter, I ?nd myself thinking about the words that are missing in the songs. I think of all the possible gifts I can give Him. All we do should be about Him, not about ourselves.
“TGIF: Today God Is First. Let Go. Let God!” God is in control. Since God is in control, why do we ?ght, hurt or ignore others in our relationships? Our Siblings,Parents,Church Family, Spouse,Signi?cant Other or Friends? We should love as Christ loves, even in the midst of life’s trials & dif?culties. God could be pruning you, as He is pruning me, through our daily activities & the trials we may be facing; pruning us for something larger than we can imagine for His Kingdom. ”God is in control”! Whether we join Him or we resist Him, His will shall be done on earth, as it is in heaven. As 2012 unfolds and the mysteries are revealed, I have chosen to believe, stand ?rm in my faith, and continue to give Him my heart, my time, love, and my service. How about you?
Christmas is about rediscovering “the thrill of hope”, the words we hear in ”O Holy Night”. Focus brie?y on the words of this song, on God and His gift that set us “free”, the perfect gift: Jesus Christ, His SON, “from the Cradle to the Cross to the Resurrection”. “WOW!” “A thrill of Hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn”. The weary world does rejoice my friends, just as the song says, because “Hope in Christ” provides us with joy and purpose. The Hope of the Prophecy having been ful?lled, brought us our Eternal Father and Prince of Peace. There’s never been & never will be, a more perfect gift here on earth; therefore, we should LOVE and LIVE today, as if there is “No Tomorrow”!
A Christmas letter would not be complete without mentioning Missions. A “thank you” to everyone who took part in the missions programs of your church, community, school, wherever you served the Lord in 2011.
Missions is not only about doing ministry projects for others; it’s about providing the gospel & the love of Jesus Christ through song, word, prayer, and action through the daily activities of our life.
Jesus instructed us in “The Great Commission” to “do missions outside our comfort zones”. “Thank You for having served HIM through the ministry opportunities & especially those done anonymously.
“Thank You” to each of you who have helped me and my family this year as We Celebrated Dad’s life and told Dad “until we see you in heaven (not goodbye), for those who have been praying and helped Chloe with speech, for those who helped Mom following Hurricane Irene, and for those who helped openly & anonymously with gifts of cards, visits, food & love this year. “Thank you” sounds so weak but it’s truly from the heart and your gifts were all answered prayers from God. I know you will receive rewards in heaven because the scriptures tell me so. (Matt. 25:35-40).
2012 & All its “Mysteries” will soon be knocking on our doors; but for now, I am living by faith and “savoring the miracles of this Christmas season”.
“May the God of Hope, ?ll you with all the Joy and Peace in believing, that you may abound in HOPE by the Power of the Holy Spirit.” My wish for you and your family in 2012: ”A New Year of Hope, Peace & Love!”
Treasure life,
Yvonne 12/2011
Let’s WHIP Cancer, together!
October is breast cancer awareness month. Celebrating 25 years of Awareness, Education, and Empowerment!
A “Virtual Whip Cancer Fundraiser” has been set up @ www.pamperedchef.biz/yvonnescookingshow –virtual–means you go to the website, order, pay, and have the merchandise shipped directly to your home –up to 25% of your purchase will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
It’s a great time to be shopping early for Christmas.
At the website, click ordering with a show, option 1; then type in Help in first block, Whip Cancer in second block and it should take you there. All orders and all credit/debit cards will be processed on the last day of the month @ 2pm. All orders are to be shipped directly to your home.
Whipping Cancer, one product at a time!
NCPBL Partners with Tastefully Simple to Raise $$$ for Students
Shop Tastefully Simple Products
conveniently online,
have them delivered to your home
and help your NCPBL Chapter’s all at the same time.
· Need help with your holiday shopping? WE HAVE GIFTS UNDER $30!
· Don’t have time to create that special menu item for that fall gathering or holiday party? CHOOSE FROM THE TASTY APPETIZERS TO LUSCIOUS DESERTS THAT ARE EASY TO PREPARE!
· Looking for something new this holiday season? SHOP OVER 25 NEW FALL-WINTER PRODUCTS!
· Don’t have time to run around? TASTEFULLY SIMPLE DELIVERYS TO YOUR HOME!
· Most important…WANT TO HELP YOUR NCPBL (www.ncpbl.org) CHAPTERS? SHOP HERE… www.tastefullysimple.com/web/pfogarty
Operation Bandana, Supporting Our Military
Operation Bandana is a nationwide ministry, supporting our military men and women who are home and abroad serving our country.
A simple tangible item, the Psalm 91 Bandana, sent to them provides comfort, encouragement, peace and strength through God’s Word. They are also tangible items our men and women in the military can see as support and appreciation from the very people they are determined to protect. With God’s word printed on the bandana, the hope is there to make a kingdom difference in the lives of these men and women. These bandanas at a bulk rate of $3.50 each, serve many practical purposes for the military personnel such as a sweat cloth worn in and outside the helmet, a tourniquet, a cloth to wipe the sand from the eyes or glasses while also providing the word of God to believers and planting seeds to the unbeliever; providing them with one extra piece of armor, the armor of God.
How can you become involved in this ministry?
We are asking businesses, churches (regardless of denomination), individuals, youth groups, Scouts, a school or a classroom, etc to please join us in our effort to get a bandana in the hands of each man and woman deployed.
Decide to support out military, have a yard sale or doughnut sale, etc. to raise money, place a jar in the office or cafeteria to drop change in, yes it will add us and send us your donation in a check or money order made out to “Operation Bandana”.
September 11th is upon us once again. This is a great way to remember fallen Americans, by giving a gift of bandanas in memory of those who “gave all” on American soil.
“What better time to give a donation to Operation Bandanas than the month of November as we remember our veterans on Veterans Day. A gift to “Operation Bandanas” in honor of or in memory of a veteran, both past and present, would be a fine tribute to them. Perhaps your church and/or missions organization would promote our mission throughout October and November, receive an offering on the Sunday preceding or following Veterans Day. And as we celebrate Thanksgiving in November, giving a gift of thanks to those serving in uniform would be appreciated more than we’ll ever know.”–Mary Gray, founder of Operation Bandana.
Operation Bandana began in November 2006, initially to cover troops from Ft. Bragg, N.C. by a military wife and mother, Mary Gray. As the bandanas have gone out and word about this effort has spread, many soldiers, soldiers’ families and chaplains from other military installations have sought out the Psalm 91 bandanas through this effort. The mission has expanded to cover all of our military. The demand is far exceeding the supply. Your donation to this mission-so every military man or woman, who wants one, can have one–could make a difference.
I received a phone call Thursday evening, August 19th, 2010 (yesterday) from a soldier who recently returned home wounded in Afghanistan. He called wanting a phone number to personally thank Mary Gray for beginning this project. He said his bandana was what he believed to have saved his life. He was wearing it when shot. He said it is now covered in his blood. This young soldier from Camp LeJeune, NC wanted us to know how much the bandanas meant to the soldiers. We’ve received many letters and Mary’s received letters and calls but it was the first phone call I had personally received from a soldier. His call wanted me to shout to the world–We Need Bandanas! I did thank him for risking his life for me, my family and for protecting America.
For more information, on Operation Bandana, please contact Inez Owens
919-738-1209 oiowens@bellsouth.net or Yvonne Deatherage at 252-560-4073 yvonne@getyvonne.com.
Donations for the purchase of the bandanas will be greatly appreciated.
Bulk rate:$3.50 per bandana.
Donations: Checks are to be payable to: Operation Bandanas
Mail checks and/or forms to: Yvonne Deatherage, POBox 181 Pink Hill, NC 28572
Order forms can be downloaded here on our site–copy and paste—or one can be emailed to you.
Operation Bandanas Order Form
OPERATION BANDANAS
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Neuse Baptist Association
WMU Mission Project
Church, Business or Organization
_____________________________________________________________
Contact Person
_____________________________________________________________
Day Phone ____________________________________________________
Evening Phone_________________________________________________
Email Address__________________________________________________
Mailing Address________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Shipping address (if applicable)_____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
________________Bandanas @ $3.50 = _$__________________
Personal signing or personal shipping
include shipping fee of $5.00 _$5.00_____________
total ___________________
Check all that apply:
_____________ Personal (Ship back to contact @ address above)
***be sure to add shipping and handling
************Be sure to check how many of each you want sent to you-
bandanas are colored according to the branch of service*********
_______ Air Force ______ Army ______Marine _______ Navy
________________Send Completely Packaged to Seymour Johnson AFB
________________We would like to sign the note cards that go in our packets.
The notecards will be sent to your address, you will sign the cards, and return
them to the Fayetteville address so they can be placed in the packages with the
bandanas. ****(Add an additional $5 for shipping and handling)*****
________________We would like to package our own bandanas.
The notecards and bandanas would arrive unfolded at your shipping address.
You would need to fold bandanas, put the bandana and cards in a ziplock or
Glad Sandwich bag. You would then need to ship them to the base.
_______________We would like to go to Fayetteville, NC to volunteer to fold
bandanas as a ministry project. Please contact us with available dates.
Make Checks Payable to : Operation Bandanas
Bulk rate: $3.50 per bandana
Mail Checks With Completed Form to:
Yvonne Deatherage P.O.Box 181 Pink Hill, NC 28572
For more information:
Inez Owens
919-738-1209
oiowens@bellsouth.net
Yvonne Deatherage
252-560-4073
yvonne@getyvonne.com
Operation Bandanas
The Neuse Baptist Associational WMU will be sponsoring “Operation Bandanas” as a missions project this year. We will be working with Mary Gray, the Founder of Operation Bandanas (a non-profit organization based out of Fayetteville, NC) and the Chaplains at Seymour Johnson to placing Psalm 91 Bandanas in the hands of the men and women deployed from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. These bandanas at a bulk rate of $3.50 each will serve many practical purposes for the military personnel while also providing the word of God to believers and planting seeds to the unbeliever. providing them with one extra piece of armor, the armor of God.
Operation Bandana began in November 2006, initially to cover our troops from Ft. Bragg, N.C. by a military wife and mother, Mary Gray. As the bandanas have gone out and word about this effort has spread, many soldiers, soldiers’ families and chaplains from other military installations have sought out the Psalm 91 bandanas through this effort. The mission has expanded to cover all of our military. The demand is far exceeding the supply.
Why Give Psalm 91 Bandanas? They are given to provide comfort, encouragement, peace and strength through God’s Word. They are also a tangible item our men and women in the military can see as support and appreciation from the very people they are determined to protect. With God’s word printed on the bandana, the hope is there to make a kingdom difference in the lives of these men and women.
How can you become involved in this ministry?
With Seymour Johnson being in our own back yard, the ladies of the Neuse Baptist Association wanted to be sure bandanas are in the hands of the men and women being deployed locally. We are asking businesses, churches (regardless of denomination), individuals, youth groups, Scouts, a school or a classroom, etc to please join us in our effort to get a bandana in the hands of each man and woman deployed from SJAFB. Support the men and women who are defending us by providing them with this small token of kindness.It’s so simple. Decide to support out military, have a yard sale or doughnut sale, etc. to raise money, place a jar in the office or cafeteria to drop change in, yes it will add us and send us your donation in a check or money order made out to “Operation Bandana”. We can send you the cards that are included with each bandanas so that you can add a personal note on the card and then we will see that those cards are included in the bandanas you have purchased.
“What better time to give a donation to Operation Bandanas than the month of November as we remember our veterans on Veterans Day. A gift to “Operation Bandanas” in honor of or in memory of a veteran, both past and present, would be a fine tribute to them. Perhaps your church and/or missions organization would promote our mission throughout October and November, receive an offering on the Sunday preceding or following Veterans Day. And as we celebrate Thanksgiving in November, giving a gift of thanks to those serving in uniform would be appreciated more than we’ll ever know.”–Mary Gray
We are partnering with Mary in her efforts but for the bandanas to be sent to SJAB, we have compiled a form that can be obtained by visiting getyvonne.com or by emailing one of the people at then end of the article as we will be responsible for insuring the bandanas are sent from this base. When ordered straight through Mary, the bandanas will be sent to her waiting list and not through our SJAFB project.
For more information, on Operation Bandana, you can visit the website: www.operationbandanas.org. but to help with our project, please contact Yvonne Deatherage at 252-560-4073 or through email yvonne@getyvonne.com.
Donations for the purchase of the bandanas will be greatly appreciated.
Bulk rate:$3.50 per bandana.
Donations: Checks are to be payable to: Operation Bandanas
Mail checks and/or forms to: Yvonne Deatherage, POBox 181 Pink Hill, NC 28572