Community Wish Tree takes on a new and unique way of celebrating Christmas

Grand opening is 4-6 p.m., December 3

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Susan Seabold has a vision of a world where children learn to be doers and learn about inner strength – a vision for making the world a better place through teaching kindness and love to one child at a time - a vision for a world where help is only a whisper away. And she plans to build that world one step at a time – starting in the heart of Sparta.

On Dec. 3, Seabold will host an open house for her new facility, called simply THE BLDG, which is located at 10 W. Bockman Way, right across from Liberty Square.

“When I purchased the Luke’s Vacuum building, it was a huge faith step. We were placed in a life position where God was telling us to leave the comforts of our known and the things of the past and to move into this new thing He was doing,” Seabold said. “The new thing He was doing was nothing new at all! I had an existing organization design business called SimpleHome and had done some home renovation work… but this building was a mess.

Seabold talked about layer upon layers of roofs, none of which were working, the floors caving in, and nothing but vacuums and vacuum parts as far as the eye could see that she needed to sort through to even begin to see some shape of reality for her vision.

“But I knew I was supposed to do this. I knew God had called me to this. And I knew that He would use this building to do great things in and for the community. This was His building, ” Seabold said. “Even though this path wasn’t the easiest, I knew He was leading me to the fullest, best life possible, and sometimes that means you get to face a few challenges to get there. I said yes to God, turned the key to the front door, stepped in, and immediately thought what have I done!”

Seabold said she didn’t know where to begin, so she began by praying for help and strength – the very things she hopes to bring to children in the community soon.

“I couldn’t do this alone. As I leaned into God, He was with me guiding and directing every step of the way. And each and every day, I was given exactly what I needed. Be it materials, people, strength, grace… he provided,” Seabold said. “It took about a year’s worth of hard work and digging out, but that dusty, old vacuum shop is now bright and shiny. I just kept turning to the verse Job 5:9 that says, ‘He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.’”

The next question for Seabold was how to introduce THE BLDG to the Sparta and White County community. With a vision that the location will be a place to teach about living a life based on faith, to living a strong but kind life, Seabold wanted the introduction to be meaningful and memorable.

“As the Christmas season neared, it came to me, what better way to celebrate all God’s goodness and faithfulness to His promises than a Wish Tree in the place where so many wishes, prayers, and cries for help had been answered,” she said, explaining the Wish Tree is not an Angel Tree and this is not a project that will result in physical gifts going out or ending up in homes. “We will be making ornaments and writing our wishes and prayers on them. Praying as we place them on The Wish Tree and giving these wishes 100 percent to God. Trusting in His faithfulness to provide all we need in His perfect way and in His perfect time. Placing all our hope in Him to accomplish His plans and purposes in our lives… not relying on people to provide or our own strength to make these things happen.”

The grand opening for THE BLDG, complete with the Community Wish Tree, will take place on  4-6 p.m., Dec. 3, coinciding with the annual Tree Lighting that will be taking place on Liberty Square. After the initial evening, the Wish Tree will be open 4-6 p.m., on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays throughout the Christmas season.

“We will have a Community Christmas Party on Christmas Eve,” Seabold said. “We will have holiday activities and lots of Christmas treats alongside the ornament making each week as well as a hot chocolate bar, because you can’t have Christmas without hot chocolate! Everyone is welcome - big, small, older, younger. We all have wishes, dreams, prayers, desires, and this is an opportunity to hand them over to God and let Him go to work.”

Seabold said that after THE BLDG’s initial holiday season, she will focus on beginning a kids’ club that she intends to call The ThroughGoers.

“Go through it, not around it, and come out the other side stronger,” she said as she outlined the motto and purpose behind the club. “Opening the eyes of a younger generation to God’s goodness and the miracles that surround us daily as well as instilling the importance of living an upright, virtuous life through fun activities and service opportunities.

“I am hoping to get to work on a community garden and teaching seed to table classes in time. The kids would help to build this garden literally ground up. So many great lessons to be learned in that process.”

Seabold said THE BLDG will continue to host community events throughout the year and will also function as a rental event space in the future.

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