Pulling My Heart Strings

They just tug at my heart strings. Knowing that one person, with the Lord's help, can make a difference in a young life, it's hard to stand by and do nothing. This Sunday three more children found sponsors and three more lives found new hope. I know that Compassion doesn't save children, but our God can use Compassion to save children. Our God can use you and I. I am baffled at how God chooses faulty and fallible people as a conduit of His love. Tonight I shared with Joshua how his Grammy is now sponsoring Fredik. This fact makes me so happy. Josh was so curious as to who Fredrik is and what he looked like. We talked about how Fredrik lives in Africa and how he has black skin, which inspired a conversation about how the people in the world all look different, and how God loves all of us. By the end of our conversation, Josh decided that he wants to go see Fredrik, in addition to visiting Viki, our other sponsor child from Indonesia. I love his young, innocent heart that loves without question and believes the impossible. No wonder the Lord says to have faith like a little child. (Luke 18:17) Anyway, I still have 19 more child packets for children who are waiting for a sponsor of their own. If you have been thinking or praying about sponsoring a child, I am more than happy to give you more information and let you look at the packets I have. I'll be sending them back to Compassion International later this week, so don't wait too long!

Or... you could sponsor Sintayehu by clicking here.

1 John 3:17-18 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

A Big Kid Party

On Tuesday there was a party. It was a kid party. A big kid party. *To the tree, to the tree!* (I was having story time flashbacks. Guess what story?) See all those little graduates? Some had finished preschool, some kindergarten and some had spent the last year as "Boogie Babies" and are ready to move on into preschool this coming year. So yes, we made a lot of graduation hats. There was a graduation song, diplomas, and LOTS of kid games. Some children forgot how to stand nicely in line, but all children remembered how to play the candy hunt game. There were smiles and laughter and proud moms and dads. After all, who doesn't love a big dog... er, kid party?

Time for a Baby Squeeze

Wednesday was my day off and though I would usually spend it trying to catch upon housework, this past Wednesday was not to be spent that way. My good friend Stephanie had had her second baby in April and I had still not been to visit. I needed to go have some baby time. So Josh and I made the two-hour drive to see baby Olivia and her big brother Tyler. We arrived just after 11:30 and Josh got right to work playing with Tyler, who turned two in May. I peeked at the baby and had a very nice visit with Stephanie, in spite of it being laundry day. (I need to invite someone over on laundry day. Then maybe my laundry would actually get folded!) We spent about five hours visiting and Josh and I left in time to eat a late dinner at home. I know I always say this, but even though we live two hours away, it's no excuse to not get together more often! I hadn't been down to see Steph since last August and that is too long. We'll have to make a point of seeing each other at least every other month. Don't you think so Stephanie?

How to Realize You Are Just One Person

I know my last post made it seem like I wanted lots more to do, but maybe you need clarification. There is currently a LOT on my plate. I don't really need any more to do. But I do want to make more of a difference. I want the things that I do to impact lives for the better. To spread the Good News farther. To effect. To draw people to Christ, because in the end, He is all that really matters. I want my life to reflect that fact. And is busying myself by doing Bible Club, Compassion events, helping decorate for Vacation Bible School, cooking class at Daycare, and hostessing at the CK really reflecting Christ's love for those around me? Am I really able to be a conduit of His grace and mercy when my mind is occupied with thoughts of painting Western scenes, how to make styrofoam swords for defeating the throes of sin, finding sponsors for 22 needy children across the globe or teaching children how to make chocolate chip cookies? It's 12:30 at night and I can't sleep, probably from drinking coffee at 4:45 pm, but possibly from trying to keep everything straight in my brain. When does a girl possibly have time to keep her house clean, her garden free from weeds, to practice the piano more than twice a week so she doesn't feel like a fool come piano lesson day, work more than three days a week, make sure her family eats supper AND gets time to spend with her, AND read the Bible and pray every day? Thankfully the Lord has given me a little alarm clock named Louis, who scratches at my door at 5:15 every morning and finally I realized it was a call to rise early to read and pray, after it happened consistently for over two weeks. Also thankfully, if I get up that early, spend 30-40 minutes with the Lord, I still have time to go back to sleep before I really need to get up to get ready for work. What does God really want from me? Obedience more than sacrifice... How do I know which is which? What is He calling me to do and what have I just taken on because I wanted to? If I knew how to discern, I could pour myself more fully into what He has truly called me to do.

Okay Lord, what is it YOU would have me to do?

More?

My heart yearns to do more. Does everyone feel this way?

Read this post.

Eight is a Good Number

I have a "Praise the Lord" moment to share. Even without any presentation or announcement made from the pulpit, eight children were connected with sponsors today. The Lord is good. I still have 22 children who are waiting for sponsors in my possession and I will be praying over them, that the Lord will guide me as I seek sponsors for them. This past week, we had prayed that the Lord would be working in people's hearts even before they came to church and I saw our answers to prayer today. Several people said they had been thinking about doing something like this, one had just received a promotion at work, and one, a girl in high school, said she had always wanted to sponsor a child. So praise the Lord! Eight children... Finding hope in the Lord and love from half a world away.

*Sponsor Fredrik today by clicking here.*

Lord, Help My Unbelief!

Tomorrow I am running a Compassion "event" at church. I was given permission to have a table with child packets and information about sponsoring children through Compassion International. When I registered with Compassion, I was asked how many people go to my church and I put down 301-500. I received my box of information last week and was overwhelmed with the number of child packets they sent me. (Child packets are children waiting for sponsors.) There were 30 packets from all over the world, each little face staring at me from the page. I think my heart started pounding a little faster and a little harder as my nerves wound tight... "How am I supposed to find sponsors for so many kids?" Forgive me Lord, for thinking it is my responsibility, for forgetting that is You who provides, who draws hearts and holds all things in Your hands. I am just the facilitator. Where is my faith? A friend who prayed with me over these kids the other day, prayed that there would not be enough child packets to supply the demand come Sunday after church. I need more faith like that. Would you pray with me over these 30 kids, that the Lord would provide for them, and maybe that they could be sponsored tomorrow? Would the Lord open your heart to them as well?

He Dreams Dreams

He's so weird. Who else would question their wife's use of the bathroom in the middle of the night and still not get it when she says her bladder is full? Oh yeah... He would. The one who dreams dreams and catches things falling from the ceiling in the middle of the night, shouts at snakes that are not there and insists that someone is "there". I have stopped playing along at night and now just tell him how it really is and that he should lay back down and go to sleep. And for Pete's sake, if I have to go pee, do I really have to explain it to him? Yeah, I do. Cause I love him.

Happy 23rd Birthday!

We had a party last night. Someone we love turned 23. Did you have a good 23rd birthday Gramma Jo? Hope you had fun!

Bible Story Time

Josh was running a mild fever last night and it was still hanging on this morning. I had been looking forward to church this morning, but not wanting to expose the other kids in Sunday School to any sickness, he and I stayed home this morning. Not going to church doesn't mean that we have to miss out on Bible story time though. Can you guess what story I told Josh this morning? He even sang the song that went along with it. Find the story and read it yourself in Luke chapter 19.

By the way, can anyone recommend a particular Bible story book for young kids? I don't want it to be too watered down, but understandable too. Any help would be appreciated.