Minivans Are Hot

Generally I try to avoid letting the kids watch too much television.  They watch the most TV in the mornings as our afternoons are usually filled with russian lessons, cleaning up, playing outside, etc…

When I do let them watch morning TV, I try to limit it to cartoons as it’s so much easier to turn it off after 25 or 30 minutes.  However, Landon has recently decided he enjoys watching TV with one particular movie being his very favorite.  And because he’s so dang cute and I really, really have a hard time saying no to him when he scrunches up his face and says, “Pweas?” then flashes his huge grin that dissolves me into a puddle of goo, I decided I couldn’t say no again.

So Tia and Landon are currently sitting on the couch watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.  Or “Cwoudy with da chance of da meatball” as Tia calls it.

When I pushed play Landon jumped up and down and clapped his hands yelling “Beatball, beatball, beatball” then hugged my leg and said “I Yub You” before settling on the couch to watch.  Uuummm…so I’ll give him anything he wants for the rest of his life if he keeps doing that.

He’s gonna be rotten.

The thing is, I actually really love this movie myself.  I think it’s hysterical.  Everytime I watch it I laugh out loud, particularly when the kids quote the lines along with the movie. Fuh-hu-nny.

So that’s it…that’s all I’ve got today.  I give in to nearly every one of Landon’s requests, I would give him my heart just to hear him say “I yub you,” and I love the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Bet you’re glad you stopped by here today, eh?

Well, so I don’t completely waste your time, I will send you here where you can read up on the bloggers who are currently on a Compassion International trip in Kenya.  I’ve already been challenged and encouraged by a couple of the posts I’ve read this morning and it’s only their first day there.  If you’re not already sponsoring a child, I would encourage you to consider Compassion.  What they are doing for children and families suffering in poverty is nothing short of a miracle.  For 37 dollars a month, you can completely alter the course of a child’s life.  Just think about it.  And read their posts.

Also, my first post for STL Family Life will be up and running shortly is now up and running!  So check it out this afternoon.  Thanks everyone and enjoy what is shaping up to be a beautiful day.

Spring is almost here, yeah!

The pictures and projected death toll numbers coming out of Haiti are staggering.  As many as 50,000 feared dead and more than 3 million stranded or injured on an island that was known for poverty before the earthquake hit.  But relief and aid is on the way and for that I am grateful.

You’ve no doubt heard or seen of the numerous trustworthy and reliable organizations that you can donate to and know without doubt that your funds will be used well and fair.

Organizations like the Red Cross have already sent in teams to help with medical needs and to distribute much needed water and supplies to the survivors.

You can also give to Compassion International and World Vision, both of whom already have teams set up in Haiti and are quickly assessing the needs and distributing care and funds where needed.  Both of these organizations are stellar, are prepared and will effectively use the funds they raise for the relief of the island of Haiti.

There is one other organization I’d like to make you aware of if you’re still undecided.  I’ve written about IsleGo Missions before as they are an organization founded and run by my aunt and uncle out of Orlando, Florida.  For a detailed description of who they are and what they do, read my previous post or visit their website.  My aunt and I communicated tonight about what IsleGo is doing to respond to the tragedy and rather than try to reexplain what she told me, I’ll just paste her email here:

 ”As to Haiti, yes IsleGO is taking donations, people are already sending them. Dusty has a huge network base and we also have a partner in Haiti, a hospital that is about 30 miles outside of Port au Prince. This afternoon we sent 40,000 baggies of rice. Each bag has enough to feed one person, in the bag there is rice, spices and nutrients and all they have to do is boil water for have food. We are working on another 100,000 bags to get ready for delivery within the next few days. Dusty is already getting info on putting teams together by February. Anyway, to answer your question, yes we are taking donations. Thanks for asking. Checks can be made payable to IsleGO Missions.”

There is a link on the IsleGo site that leads you directly to PayPal if you would like to donate that way.  If you would rather send in a check, leave me a comment and let me know and I will get you the address, or you can contact Dusty and Corinne Cooper personally through the IsleGo site.

No matter what organization you choose to donate through, I urge you all to give something.  This is a massive devastation and it is within our power to help those who are suffering desperately.  So I implore you to click on any one of the above links and take a few minutes to give out of the abundance with which you have received!

May you all have a blessed weekend.

I’ve written about Compassion International before, and they are a large organization, so what I’m going to tell you may not be new information, but it is information that bears repeating.

I love this organization.  They are well run, well led and are really making a huge impact worldwide in children’s lives.

I’ve been to areas of the world where poverty runs rampant.  I’ve seen children living in conditions that are heart-wrenching, filthy and, seemingly, destitute.  I’ve looked into the eyes of children who have nothing and I’ve listened to their sweet voices, all inflected with the same innocence that my own children possess.  Here or there, rich or poor, children are still children and they need love, care and…well, compassion. 

So what exactly does Compassion International do?  I’m so glad you asked!  Because that’s why I’m writing up this little feature.  To tell you what they do…

The better question to ask, though, is probably what doesn’t Compassion International do?  From their Child Survival Program, where they provide prenatal care to pregnant mothers and offer preventative medications to children to give them the healthiest life possible, to their Child Sponsorship Program, where they offer children the funds to receive educational, spiritual and vocational training so that those same children can grow into self-sustaining adults, to the Leadership Development Program, which allows those excelling in high school who have a desire to pursue post-secondary education the opportunity to do so through help in funding - through all of these amazing programs, Compassion is changing the world.

Have any of you ever looked into the eyes of someone who has lost hope?  Have you ever seen the hollow chasm of a lost future?  It’s so easy to forget that there is a world of desperation out there.  But, through organizations like Compassion International (and another group that I’ll tell you about in a couple of days…oh, I can’t wait!) there are simple and easy ways that you and I can help be a part of this global impact. 

Do you realize what I’m saying?  With minimal effort, you can restore hope to a child who’s lost the spark?  It takes a few short minutes to sign up and requires a fraction of a fraction of your monthly income.  And just like that, a life is changed. 

The Stuart family have been a child sponsor for a couple of months now and I will testify to the fact that it is immensely fulfilling to know that 6-year-old Jonri in Indonesia now has opportunity that he did not have before.  I love hearing our kids pray for him at dinner time.  I don’t love them fighting over who gets to sit “next” to him (his picture is on the fridge) but I’ll take it because it means they’ve embraced the concept.  It’s very sweet to watch them get the idea of blessing others out of the abundance with which we ourselves have been blessed. 

Another thing about Compassion that has impressed me is their spectacular use of social media.  The internet is used to bring so much pain, so much destruction, so much hurt to the world.  But Compassion is using the internet to the glory of God.

Through their Compassion International Bloggers, Compassion is reaching a whole new world and generation with their mission for changing children’s lives.  They are using new media brilliantly and with great intention.  And, by doing so, they have expanded their message tenfold.  And I believe God is blessing the ministry because of their faithful obedience to Him.

To get more information about Compassion International and child sponsorship, visit their website.  You can also follow them on Twitter at @compassion or follow Shaun Groves (@theshaungroves), who is their Blogger Relationship Manager and fields the blogger trips to compassion sponsored areas.  The next trip they will take is to El Salvador and two of the bloggers going on that trip are Kelly and Dana, two fantastic bloggy ladies who will do a spectacular job of spreading Compassion’s message even further. 

(Incidentally, Shaun and I are both graduates of Baylor where we both participated in Baylor Religious Hour Choir.  Shaun graduated a few years before me, so we never met, but this practically makes us related, so I feel like I can write about him as though he’s my BFF – even though he doesn’t know me from Adam.  Is that kind of creepy? No?  It’s fine you say?  Great – so go visit my BFF, Shaun’s site, and learn more about him and about Compassion!)

Compassion International is a great organization to be involved in, if you are looking for a way to live out your faith tangibly.  If you’re still not sure, jump over to their site (I’ve left you about a thousand links in this post so you should be able to find your way over there for more information).  

Or you can keep checking back all week this week to find other people and organizations that you can be involved in.  But, no matter what, may you all leave your computers encouraged to know that there are ways that you, too, can make an impact on the kingdom of heaven – both great and small! 

May you have a blessed day…

The title comes from the movie, Newsies, spoken by the adorable Christian Bale as Jack Kelly.  Just a little useless entertainment trivia for you – I’m full of that sort of information.  Today, I am feelin’ all hoity toity.

I’m sitting in the cafe at Lifetime Fitness with my little HP Mini 1000 feeling like a rock star diva while sipping on a healthy smoothie.  The internet is down at our house and so I came here to get away from the kids to get some work done.  I really think I might cry when I have to send this computer back.  It’s so fun! and, unfortunately, I did not win the laptop on the Momlogic contest, so all hope has flickered out – at least for the near future. *sigh*

Honestly, though, while I’m a little disappointed, I’m not all that upset.  I have spent some time the last few days reading posts like this, and those stories do amazing things to one’s perspective.

Lee and I are very blessed. Blessed beyond measure, really.  When I look back and see the way that God has provided for us in the past, in times when it didn’t seem that we were going to make it, I am humbled.  Because even in those moments, we were surrounded by good things.

We have so much.  We have our own health and the health of our children. We have amazing parents and siblings, such a godly network of family, that surround us with love and joy.  We have a home and working cars and more food than we need (much more food than we need)!  I mean, it’s just so much.

And it’s time to share.  I grew up with parents who gave and gave and gave.  My parents opened their home to anyone who needed it.  They gave money where it was needed. They sacrificed time for the benefit of others.  And I married a man who loves giving as much as they did.

Over the years, however, I am ashamed to admit that Lee and I got lost in our quest to make and earn and acquire and we forgot the simple joy of giving.  This past year, we went through the Crown Financial Ministries class and were reminded, once again, of God’s desire for us and the way we use our finances.

So we began praying. And the Lord laid people on our hearts and we, grudgingly at first, gave.  And it was a wonderful feeling.  So we gave a little more.  And it  was even more fun.  And we realized that giving really is more fun than receiving, as cliche as that may sound.  And so, we’ve been impressed to give just a little more.  And we’ve been praying about where we should give.  And after reading the stories and seeing the photos from the Compassion bloggers, the Lord answered that prayer.

If you haven’t read any of the stories from the Compassion trip to India, I highly recommend it.  It’s astounding the power that ministry is having all over the world.  Lee and I are excited to sponsor our own child through Compassion.  We’ve been praying about it for several months and we finally feel like the time is right.

And I am so very excited about it…