A day at the zoo

A few weeks ago, my folks came to Denver for a visit. We had a great time together, and I was once again reminded of the sweetness of parents becoming friends and confidants, while still filling the roles of Mom and Dad. It's pretty amazing. I think I have the greatest parents in the world and am glad for every moment I get to spend with them.

Here's Dad and Mom Wiest at Snooze, a superb breakfast joint in downtown Denver.

It was free day at the Denver Zoo, so we went and enjoyed seeing all the animals. I also did some, ahem, research for my novel. Maybe my next novel should be about Italy...

In this photo, the zookeepers are cleaning one of the elephant's feet because elephants are quite susceptible to foot infection. Who knew?


When my novel -- which takes place in a zoo and has several elephant scenes -- gets published, maybe this could be the author photo.

It's shoe box time!

Right now, people all around the world are packing shoe boxes with small toys, clothing, candy, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other fun things. Eventually, those shoe boxes will be distributed in more than 100 countries, quite possibly becoming the only gift poor children will receive this year. Here at Operation Christmas Child, we are hoping for at least 8.2 million shoe box gifts to be distributed because that means 8.2 million children and their families will know God loves them.

While all those people are packing their shoe box gifts, busy, busy workers are setting up six Operation Christmas Child Processing Centers around the nation. I work at the Processing Center in Denver, Colorado. This is what our warehouse looked like just a couple weeks ago.

But then people and supplies and lots of boxes started arriving. The people used the supplies and the boxes to help us become a Processing Center.

The people also built towers with the boxes...

Soon hundreds of thousands of volunteers will walk in the doors of our warehouse to help us process hundreds of thousands of shoe boxes. Those hundreds of thousands of shoe boxes will be loaded into semi trucks and driven to Mexico and Central and South America. Local ministry partners in those Latin American countries will then give the boxes to hundreds of thousands of really excited kids.

And that -- roughly -- is how Operation Christmas Child works. Your little shoe box joins dozens, hundreds, thousands, and millions of other little shoe boxes to eventually reach one very special little boy or girl. It's pretty amazing.

It's shoe box time, folks! Fill 'em up and turn 'em in by Monday, November 23. Many thanks...

For more information on how to pack a shoe box and where to drop it off, please visit www.samaritanspurse.org.

Washington Park

I finally made it to Denver's highly recommended Washington Park a few weekends ago. Had a lovely stroll, shot some photographs, and enjoyed watching dog walkers, cricket players, and Frisbee throwers enjoying the outdoors.

Confession

Confession: I fell into a classic ministry trap this last week. I became too busy doing God's work to spend time being with God and watching Him work.

It's easy to do. Ask any pastor, camp counselor, missionary, or church secretary. And it's hard to remedy -- or at least to realize you need a remedy before frustrations and screw-ups litter the path behind you.

So, to those I've wronged this week -- by snapping impatiently, or worse, slandering under my breath -- I am sorry.

To those I've called on for help and encouragement this week -- thank you. Your prayers and uplifting texts and phone calls have ushered me into the place I most needed to be: God's arms.

To God: Thanks for the lovely walk this evening. I need you desperately. Operation Christmas Child is swinging into high gear right now, and I and all my co-workers need to be on our knees before we even attempt to walk, or talk, in the realm of ministry.

Now, fill those shoe boxes folks! We're ready for 'em!

For more information on Operation Christmas Child, visit www.samaritanspurse.org.