And the Party Goes On!

The ratio is 5:5.

That would be 5 days and 5 Christmas parties.

And the week's not over yet!

Yesterday evening, our Kids Klub Christmas celebration included a re-enactment of the first Christmas. We encountered a bit of difficulty with our acting contracts and had to use a few teen girls to play men's parts (therefore, please try to envision Mary and Joseph below, not Mary and Sherry). Some of Emily's little kindergarteners and first graders were sheep, and she made them the cutest masks to wear.

There were angels, shepherds, wise men, and the innkeeper and his wife, too. As evidenced by the broom in her hand, the innkeeper's wife in the play was a fastidious, tidy type.

In December, the children's memory verse has been: “The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God's salvation," from Luke 3:5-6. God came--in baby form. Jesus came--in human form--to save and deliver and get us off the crooked, bumpy path that by nature is our default mode.

Hallejuah, what a Savior!

That news is cause for a smile...and a party, of course!

Meet the friendliest hot dog makers in Maricopa County.

Staff & Volunteer Christmas Party

This little munchkin slept through a great party.

Aim Right'ers young and old came together for a Christmas party on Sunday evening.












Darrell & Julie provided an amazing buffet of scrumptious food choices.

When it was time for some white-elephanting, Ro was the lucky recipient of this fantastic shirt. Now all he needs is a ticket to Hawaii.

Julie received a stuffed animal blessing.

"Oooh...just what I wanted -- a shower curtain with flowers!"

Stephanie received a gift with great versatility. For those days when you have self-control, pop in the exercise video. For the days when you don't, break out the box of chocolate-covered cherries!

With that, I'm think I'm off to hunt down some chocolate!

Bike Party 12.12.09

As I wade through a weekend of 128 photos, how about some of this year's Bike Party? To the 10 children that Aim Right is able to invite each year, it's simply a Christmas party. However, to our staff, it's known as the Bike Party, because we know that each child who attends will go home with a brand-new bicycle, courtesy of Phoenix philanthropists!

There are always a few celebrity figures at the Bike Party. The emcee was Brad Cesmat, sports reporter for Channel 3.


Melissa Peterman (a.k.a. Barbara Jean on the show "Reba") was there to give hugs, take pictures, and say a few words.

This policeman and his sidekick gave a traffic safety lesson.

Local businessman and philanthropist Jimmy Walker is the mastermind behind this party for underprivileged children throughout Phoenix.

The Phoenix Suns gorilla came to make the little girls squeal and entertain the crowd with his antics.

There's always a variety of health food at the party....cotton candy, popcorn, sno-cones, hot dogs, chips, and soda (all organic, of course).

There are rides and games.

Oh, I forgot about Mickey! Another celebrity!

A highlight of the party is playing in the SNOW pile -- yes, that white, cold stuff that isn't native to Phoenix.

Finally....the take-home surprise!

Each child's family also received a food box and turkey, courtesy of St. Mary's Food Bank. What a blessing!

Team FUN 12.11.09

Team FUN met on Friday evening to learn about respect.

Let's take a peek:

This year's Team FUN leader is Nathan "Wally" Wagler. Wally recently completed a one-year internship and has chosen to live in the area and continue to volunteer with Aim Right.

Kurt Warner's First Things First Foundation provides the cool binders and Bibles.

Cookies Galore!

Cut-outs and crinkles, bars and stars, sugar-sprinkled and frosted, crumbly and soft....you want it, we've got it!


Yesterday afternoon, we received two HUGE boxes of homemade Christmas goodies, donated by ladies from Scottsdale's City of Grace church.

The cookies arrived just in time for Kids Klub!

Yum-O!

I snuck into the youngest class for awhile. They were busy writing "Happy Birthday, Jesus" on cards and making cotton ball sheep.

My class of 3rd and 4th graders was surprisingly a girls-only class yesterday evening. There were quite a few giggles as the girls acted out some of the Scripture we read about Jesus' birth. You can tell that Mary took her role quite literally:

At the close of Kids Klub, we sent the children home with bags of goodies to share with their families. The Projects were aglow with the signs of Christmas.

There are readers...

There are readers
who use a finger to precisely follow the text.

There are readers

who love to help a friend with a hard word.

There are readers

who balance

sucker sucking,

stuffed animal holding,

hand folding,

and....well....reading.

There are readers

who love to read and learn together,

who enjoy absorbing the truth in community.

There are readers who love to open God's Word.
(Granted, it helps that the publisher of this children's Bible chose to include some cool graphics!)

A. W. Tozer said, "The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts."

Oh God, lead these young readers and seekers to YOU!