Jen and Rick Endsley Family

We really enjoyed the opportunity to focus more on others this Christmas and not the consumerism that typically comes with Christmas. It seems that every year we try to scale down Christmas as our family grows because it seems like a good time to calm down and focus on just spending time together. This year each child received only 2 presents: one, a set of pajamas; the other a small gift for under $20. This helped them focus on the meaning of Christmas because they weren't worried about what they were getting. We opened our door to one of Ariel's friends whose family is struggling. She needed a welcome place for multiple weeks to eat a good meal and to feel a part of a family. I once apologized to her for the noise of the little kids at the table but she said that she loved coming to our house to eat with our family. Her family never eats together (her parents do not cook but snack) and she missed being at a kitchen table with happy faces, albeit 8 happy and hungry faces. She enjoyed watching the Christmas from Temple Square program and spending time discussing Jesus Christ. Her family is not active in any religion.

For the past 6 years we have done Christmas Mouse, which is where we choose 4 families with young children (mostly non-member families who are either are new to the area or who are struggling financially) and "visit" their home for 10 days, bringing a special gift with a rapping on the door. We've also taken food to The Gospel Lighthouse Mission, a soup kitchen in Dayton. We decided not to do those this year but to give additional money to our Stake for the Dayton Branch unit, which takes care of so many who are struggling in the downtown area. We also gave bills of various denominations to our kids to take to the Salvation Army kettle and to personally thank the bell ringers for the service they are providing. We encouraged our kids to perform acts of kindness for each other and spend time doing something another wants to do like play a board game with someone who is younger. Before and after Christmas we discussed how we are a family of plenty in things and number, so we could bless others with our belongings. The kids were willing to go through their clothing, finding clothes that were in good condition, and donating it to the local Goodwill along with some of family belongings that would directly benefit the local Bellbrook Family Resource Center that works with children and teens living in our city's government housing project.

Like John and Jessica, Rick and I are thankful for the year round services we volunteer for as we see them benefit others. This year ends my 8 years of being on the Bellbrook Soccer Association board and Rick finished his third and last year. We are thrilled when we stand out on the soccer pitch and see the kids laughing, enjoying themselves. It was only 5 short years ago that Rick and I developed a grant program, soliciting money from local businesses to pay for fees and equipment for low-income families. To some, the game of soccer may seem frivolous but we've been told that crime is lower during the soccer season because the kids in the government housing have something to keep them occupied. We've been blessed with 6 great kids who are willing to spend cold and hot Saturdays and evenings helping set up nets and goals (yes, even Thomas helps out). I've also been working on the Family Search Indexing program, transcribing census records so that people can have their Temple work done for them as well as working on our family's genealogy records to provide Temple work for our own loved ones.

This tradition is definitely a keeper. We look forward to doing it again next year and with different projects.

Thanks,
Jen Endsley