Intentional Shopping

 

I've received a large number of body butter orders this week.  It turns out several bloggers have featured our organic whipped hair & body butters on their blogs.  What a fun surprise!  A big thank you to Ashlee, Sharla, Lovelyn, Lora, & Kristen for encouraging families to check out our products! :)  It's a great way for me to pass the time while we wait to find out if the little one we're matched with will be joining our family or not.  It's been a hard wait this week, so I'd appreciate prayers for that.

As we look forward to our day of thanks tomorrow, and the shopping that traditionally begins right after that, I am thankful that our family keeps it simple.  Both sides of the family exchange a bare minimum of gifts, and keep the focus on the reason that Christmas exists -- to celebrate the birth of our Savior!

This year, I've been reminded that the shopping that we do has the potential for feeding into the consumerism that surrounds us, or making a difference. 

If you are looking for opportunities to shop with a purpose this Christmas, check out this post, by Lovelyn.  Every idea posted is an opportunity to invest in helping women in other countries support their families, assist an organization that cares for orphans, or add to the adoption fund of a family bringing a new little one home.  I will be checking our budget soon.  There are some awesome products listed, and I can't wait to buy a few!

If you didn't find everything you need there, check out Andrew and Lora's blog, Vitafamiliae.  They said, "Every shop on this list represents a family or ministry raising money for adoption and orphan care. This Christmas take your gift-giving to the second power by buying gifts from these families."   Be prepared to enjoy a lot of browsing and find some very unique gift ideas.  There are almost 60 links here!

Then, since by this point you're staying up until 1am anyway, take a few more minutes and check out on of my fav blogs, Rage Against the Minivan.  Kristen says in her Gifts that Give Back post, "In a season marked by giving, I love the idea of giving back to our community and our planet. A few years ago, my family decided to forego gifts for the adults, and give donations in each person’s name instead. It’s been so fun thinking of each family member and finding ways to honor each of them with a unique donation.  Here are some great ways you can do your Christmas shopping and give back at the same time."

If you know of any other great lists, please let me know.  I'd love to post them here!

Trust

  

Creation Groans from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Trust is believing that GOD will tell us when our family is complete.  

It is believing that His plans for our family are good, even if they challenge us. 

Trust is leaning on the knowledge that He will provide.  

It is asking Him for the courage to follow wherever He takes us.  

Trust is teaching our children that God is good, all the time, and that WE are part of the answer to the orphan crisis. 

Every one of us. 

No matter what role He gives us. :)

Orphan Sunday

 

For God So Loved - OS from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

beautiful hair & a special opportunity

Last week, my friend Cate braided Destany's hair for me.  I'd been stalling -- for quite some time -- because it's not so easy to lean over to twist and braid those beautiful curls these days! 

Destany had a wonderful time hanging out with their family, and we are both loving the creative style Cate did!  She has three daughters, so she has more practice at braiding than I do, and braids much more quickly than me.  Now I have the luxury of re-braiding a section at a time to keep her hair looking neat.  What a treat.  Thank you, Cate!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Incidentally, Cate and I met on an international adoption hair care website with over 2,000 members.  At the time, we lived less than two miles apart.  To meet another family that loves the Lord, is passionate about adoption, and lived just down the street.....well, let's just say we both knew it was no coincidence! 

Not too long ago, I posted about the desperate need for godly families to love and support our modern-day orphans and widows -- including through adoption.  I also talked about how Andy and I long to support other adoptive families in their journey to bringing more children into their home.  Well, here is our first opportunity! 

Cate and Sean are selling some beautiful pendants on their blog, to raise money for their next adoption.  I would love it if you would check them out!  It is such a privilege to be able to support them as they begin this journey again.  Their three daughters, who came home as toddlers and preschoolers, cannot wait to have a baby in the family.  And we can't wait to see who God brings to their family!  We love you guys, and will be praying for you all along the way.

Can you imagine...?

Can you imagine a world without orphans?
(According to UNICEF there are 143 million orphans in the world.)

Can you imagine a world where foster care was only a temporary solution, and not a way of life for thousands of children?
(In the US, there are close to 750,000 children in foster care at any given time. More than 120,000 of these children are currently waiting for adoptive families to give them a chance at a new life.)

Can you imagine if every Mama who chose life for her unborn child, but was unable to raise him or her, had someone waiting in the wings who wanted to adopt that child?
(It is a myth that it’s impossible to adopt an infant in the US.  In reality, there are many babies that adoption attorneys and agencies struggle to find a family for – for reasons such as a lack of birth family health history, poor prenatal care, or the child's ethnicity/race.)

Can you imagine how things would change if God’s people stepped up and cared for the widows and orphans – something we ALL have been called to do?
(If only 5% of the 2 billion people world-wide who call themselves Christians adopted a child, 100 million waiting children would have a home.  If the others committed to supporting those who actively minister to widows and orphans, the impact would be incredible!)

Oh, how this grieves our hearts...that there is a ready solution, yet very little being done.  Why do so many feel they are exempt from being a part of that solution?  Not everyone is called to foster or adopt, but we can ALL do something.

Please consider praying with us about this.  Please consider loving and supporting a tired foster family, helping an adoptive family that is raising funds to bring a child into their home, or adopting a child into your own family.  Please consider our modern-day widows, who need our loving support as they raise their children alone.

Love is an action word.  Let’s act!  Let’s make the choice to not let fear, the unknown, finances, etc. stand in the way.   We are meant to be Christ’s feet.  We are here for a reason….  And we are privileged to be able to serve our Lord this way.

What are some ways that we can support today’s widows and orphans?  Do you know and love an organization that reaches out to orphans and widows with the love of Christ?  Please tell us about them!

If you are a foster family, how can we support you? 

Do you know of a family that is saving to adopt, and would welcome us coming alongside them?

~*~ Please share your ideas in the comment section. We'd love to hear from you! ~*~

 If you want to do a little more reading about this issue, and feel challenged to do more, check out these blog posts:

Love is an Action Word by Courtney, at Storing Up Treasures

Abortion, Racism, and Adoption by Cate, a friend of ours

How to Blow Away One of the World's Darkest Clouds, by Tiffany, at The Lighted Path