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The Story of St. Nicholas

12/2/2023

Featured in Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop:
Fizzing Christmas Trees experiment

You probably have many wondrous Christmas traditions. At the Fizzlebop home, we exuberantly celebrate Advent with various activities, we open special pajamas on Christmas Eve, we make fizzy Christmas trees like you just did, and we celebrate Jesus’ birthday with a birthday cake! We also have a tradition called St. Nicking, where we leave gifts anonymously (which means secretly) on the doorstep of someone who needs a little extra at Christmas.

Have you ever heard of a man named St. Nicholas, also known as St. Nick? St. Nick lived a long time ago (around AD 280) in a place called Asia Minor, which is part of modern-day Turkey (the country, not the bird). As a boy, he traveled widely with his parents and saw many magnificent things, but sadly both of his parents died in an epidemic (which is an out-break of sickness), leaving him an orphan. Nicholas inherited his parents’ fortune, and as a strong Christian, he lived out Jesus’ teachings on generosity.

We can learn what Jesus had to say about being generous in the story of the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17-31). Have you read that part of the Bible? If not, turn there now and check it out!

Jesus told the rich young man, “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

What the young rich man found to be a huge obstacle, Nicholas followed with all his heart. He gave generously from his inheritance and often gave anonymously. Not only did Nicholas want to give as Jesus had commanded, but he didn’t want to be praised or glorified by doing so. He knew that all he had came from God, and therefore it wasn’t really his at all.

To me, St. Nick is such a marvelous example of what Christmas is all about. When God gave us his Son, he gave the greatest gift he could. Jesus gave his life so people could be saved. It’s a free gift for anyone who chooses to follow him. Can you see how St. Nick’s selfless giving pointed toward what God and his Son, Jesus, both gave freely?

This Christmas, consider how you can give generously and anonymously to someone who needs to feel God’s exuberant, overwhelming love. I promise you’ll feel fizztastic inside, because when we do what God asks, we are filled with wondrous joy.

Prayer Time

As a family, pray for friends, family members, and people in your community who might need a little extra support this year. Ask God to reveal needs to you throughout the Christmas season.

Devotional Questions

What traditions does your family have at Christmas?

Are there any new traditions you’d like to start this year? (We have some suggestions here)

What is a way you can celebrate Jesus’ birthday by showing his love to someone in your community?

Speaking of Saint Nicholas Checkout this New Christmas Book

Can two girls secretly fill a neighbor's Christmas with joy?

Two sisters set out on a wintry adventure with one important goal: give Mrs. Umberoach a wondrous surprise for Christmas Day. But what will the girls find when they arrive to deliver their surprise at the mysterious house at the end of the street—the one where kites go missing and strange rumors abound? With the help of their mom, the sisters discover the joy of giving instead of receiving and that friends, indeed, are everywhere if only we look.

St. Nicking at Night is an adventure about seeing past appearances and loving your neighbor as yourself. Combining the anonymous giving spirit of Saint Nick with the three gifts of the magi (wisemen), your family will discover a new way to celebrate Christmas with an exciting new tradition you'll want to continue year after year.

Buy the book

Create a New Family Tradition

What is Saint Nicking?

A fun way to show God’s love to someone in need.

How do we start?

Ask your church or a local shelter to find a family in need. Learn the names and ages of each family member. If possible, find out clothing sizes, interests and specific needs.

How does it work?

Plan a Saint Nicking party as a family. You can also invite others to join the fun. Assign one member from the family in need to each family who wants to help. With a list of suggested items in hand, everyone heads out to shop. When everyone finishes shopping, the wrapping party begins. You can turn on Christmas music and enjoy cookies and hot chocolate as gifts are being wrapped. Now it’s time to deliver the presents. The key to a successful Saint Nicking is to deliver the packages without being seen (like Saint Nick). You can send one car to deliver the gifts. You could also wear fun disguises. Or you could ask your church or local shelter to deliver the gifts anonymously. Finally, imagine the joy of the family who receives gifts picked just for them! And pray for them to have a wondrous Christmas!

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What do you want to be? Part 4

12/1/2023

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Part 3

Interviewing for Focus on the Family was an exciting experience, and though the job I applied for had not been something I expected, nor was it in my degree field, it offered an opportunity to grow, and to trust God.

So I interviewed and ultimately came work at Focus on the Family, as an application support specialist. In my role I had to learn whole new skill sets and begin to understand information technology. One huge benefit of that role was that I got to know lots of people at Focus on the Family, and work with lots of departments. This made getting integrated far easier, than a job that may have been more isolating. Plus I also got to work at a ministry that truly changes lives.

While I started in IT, that's not where I ended up, and over the course of about 7 years I had the opportunity to work for a brand and indeed set the course for its future. That brand was Adventures in Odyssey.

One year into the role at Focus on the Family I had the opportunity to become the product marketing manager for kids and family products, which included Adventures in Odyssey.
My very first task was to launch the new brand look of Adventures in Odyssey, a new look for the characters, and a new logo.

See the cover where we revealed the new look of Eugene and Connie, you could actually see Eugene's eyes. And also see below for the old Adventures in Odyssey logo and the new one. (Sometime I'll go in to more detail about the brand revision process, in fact I am experiencing that again with The Action Bible at David C. Cook)

Through my new role as Product Marketing Manager (Kids & Parenting) I began to get into my degree field of marketing, and learned about managing an expansive multi-million dollar brand, content marketing, working with talented storytellers, and collaborating with partners like Tyndale and Christianbook.

My role continued to change and expand, and soon not only where we releasing new Adventures in Odyssey albums and episodes, but launching new book series (The Imagination Station) and repacking older titles.

Side note is that I got to write Imagination Station #5, Showdown with the Shepherd, as well as the outline for Imagination Station #10, Challenge on the Hill of Fire.

Signed Copy

Another fun note is that my favorite episodes from Adventures in Odyssey while growing up were Camp What-a-Nut (1 & 2). In my role, I was responsible to lead the design of the Album covers for Adventures in Odyssey, as well as all the repacks, bringing them into the new brand look and feel.

So I had the opportunity to make a change to my favorite album, one that I felt quite passionately about. So I changed the cover for Album #2 as well as the title to reflect what I thought was a better encapsulation of the album. Working with Gary Locke I directed him to to feature my favorite moment from Camp What-A-Nut, where Whit and Donny have to escape a bear by climbing a tree.

This post has already become too long, so I guess i'll continue the next part of my time at Adventures in Odyssey in Part 5. Stay tuned!
*PS this is also when I became a published author with Taken, Showdown with the Shepherd, and HowlSage all in the same year! I'll be sure to cover that as well in a future post.

Do you listen to Adventures in Odyssey? Let me know your favorite episode in the comments below.

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The Story of St. Nicholas

Featured in Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop:
Fizzing Christmas Trees experiment

Prayer Time

Devotional Questions

Speaking of Saint Nicholas Checkout this New Christmas Book

Create a New Family Tradition

What do you want to be? Part 4

Follow me

Join Phoenix eNews

Share a Joke.

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The Story of St. Nicholas

Featured in Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop:Fizzing Christmas Trees experiment

Prayer Time

Devotional Questions

Speaking of Saint Nicholas Checkout this New Christmas Book

Create a New Family Tradition

What do you want to be? Part 4

Follow me

Join Phoenix eNews

Share a Joke.

Archives

Categories

Featured in Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop:
Fizzing Christmas Trees experiment