Monday, November 05, 2007

Encouragement to Iraq

As you know, my brother is in Iraq for the next 14 months and I’m looking for some fun and creative ways to encourage him. My plan is to write to him every week and include an encouraging Bible verse or quote on an index card (with fun colors of course!) My parents and I sent a package last week with a lot of things he requested and a few fun things. Dave and I put in a dozen or so packets of fire sauce from Taco Bell (he puts hot sauce on everything), some candy, a note from each of us, some family pictures and pictures with his cat that I took before he left. I also found a couple of those little rubber poppers that you turn inside out, lay on a solid surface and then they pop up in the air – remember those? I’d like to keep sending him small packages, but I’m not very creative and need some help thinking of ideas of things that would be fun, but not just junk that he has to figure out what to do with (though the poppers probably fit into that category!) One of the things he requested was some healthy snacks – any ideas of things that aren’t too heavy, aren’t perishable and would mail well would also be appreciated.

Please continue to pray for him – that God would protect his mind, body and spirit, that God would be his strength and his vision, and that God would show him in this time the plans He has for his life.

4 comments:

Julie said...

My sister bought us packages of dried fruit from Sam's. The kids love them :) They're called "Crisps" made by Bothers-All-Natural.

Jackie said...

You're welcome to stop by my blog anytime you wish! I love comments!
I'll be praying for your brother...I'm very thankful for his service to our country. My brother in law served two tours in Iraq. He loved getting letters! As for healthy snacks...I have no idea. I haven't been to Wal-Mart in over a year! :-D

Rebekah said...

You can make your own apple chips that are really light, so would be good to mail--just slice the apples really thinly, dip them in water with a bit of lemon juice in it (I'm pretty sure that this just keeps them from turning brown), then sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar (or not) and bake them at 200 degrees for 2-4 hours. You don't have to peel or core the apples (the peel is actually my favorite part of the chip). This is, of course, if you need a slightly time-consuming distraction--you don't have to pay attention to them while they're baking, so you can finish your thesis then! :)

Anonymous said...

World Market has about a whole aisle's worth of small, travel-sized weird food items... things you wouldn't typically find other places. Another thing that you could send him (although it might not hold up well if there is a lot of heat in the shipment process) is limited addtion candy bars. I don't know why, but I always get so exicted when I see a spin on an old candy bar... like triple chocolate Kit Kats instead of regular... or dark chocolate raspberry M&M's or whatever. What about something really silly like a thing of pickup sticks? Do you remember that game from when you were little? Or jacks or marbles or those magnent things that you play with... something playfully silly that might turn into a time-passer for him and his friends.

I also sometimes turn my letter into a puzzle by decorating it and cutting it up. I don't know. As I brainstorm I never know if my ideas are stupid or not. (heh, heh... sorry)... Miss you. Andrea