Saturday, December 19, 2009

December Events





Here are a few pictures of us at the Christmas tree farm...


And Tyler and Emily singing at a Northern Lights Chorale concert....
(Emily sewed her own dress - isn't it beautiful?!)







...and our family at a wedding reception.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Merry Christmas From Our Home to Yours

Merry Christmas 2009 from the Stitt Family!
Our family is doing well and hope that you are well also!

Tim is thankful for his employment and position of leadership at Spectrum Industries. He leads a men’s small group Bible Study, and is serving this year on our church’s Board of Elders, which is proving to be very eventful as our church is undergoing a senior pastor transition.

Paula continues to enjoy her ministry at Kentwood Community Church as Asst Director of Music Arts, and is fortunate to be the home school teacher for Tyler and Emily. She is very thankful that her dad, Paul Davis, is doing much better following a stroke in November 2008. Her Mom & Dad are both quite well, and living in Florida.

Tyler, age 17, is preparing to graduate from High school this spring. He is currently in the decision-making process of where to attend college and what to study. Tyler is a worship leader for the High School ministry at our church and enjoys playing alto sax in a jazz band. His other musical interests are guitar, piano and singing; he is a member of the Northern Lights Chorale. This past year he went on 2 missions trips: one to Arizona and the other to Zambia, Africa.

Emily, age 15, is in her junior year of High School. Extra-curricularly she continues sewing classes, is on the varsity basketball team, and is very involved musically with singing in the Northern Lights Chorale, playing piano, guitar and violin. This past spring she traveled to Arizona on a missions trip, working on a Navajo reservation.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Tim, Paula, Tyler and Emily Stitt



*photo taken 8.15.2009

Saturday, December 5, 2009

What a Difference a Word Makes....

Have a nice day!
Have a great day!
Have a super day!

These are phrases I am very used to hearing, aren't you? I hear them about as often as I hear the word, "Hello". At nearly the end of every transaction at a store, bank, or doctor's office....usually you hear these sentiments in one form or another. It seems that the phrase is stated so automatically that it is sort of simply another option for saying "Goodbye".

At the McDonald's nearest our home I often go through the drive through to order a Diet Coke to drink while I'm grocery shopping. I did so today. There is this one gal who works there taking the money at the drive-through. She is a lovely young woman whose country of origin, I am guessing, is India. Each and every time she encounters customers she accepts the money then smiles pleasantly and says "Have a blessed day!" There is something so refreshingly unusual and encouraging about the word "blessed".

I was thinking about this in greater detail as I left her and her cheery self and drove on to the next window and retrieved my Diet Coke. I realized that her 'blessing' on me had caused me to smile.... and given my spirits a lift.
And then I thought of the great number of people she 'touches' with a blessing each day! What a difference this McDonald's worker might be making in many people's lives. And she may never even know! It's possible that there are many people depressed and discouraged, sad and downhearted, but her "Have a blessed day" comment lightens their load and brightens their day.

Also, I realized that she didn't "bless" me because I had done anything nice to her; all I had done was place my order, reach out my arm and hand her the money. Yet, she was ready to give out a blessing to me, as she does to every driver who passes her window during her 8-hour shift. She's a giver not a taker; a risk-taker not merely a responder.

Isn't it great that there are still people like this in the world?
We all have such great power in the words we offer people.
In this world where slang is king and curses abound, let's offer a change in atmosphere. And like this young lady at McDonald's, let's choose our words purposely. One postive word spoken from the heart at the right time in the right place can make a huge difference!