No Ornaments for Adoption in 2014

I am sad to say that I will not be doing Ornaments for Adoption this year. It has been one of my favorite things to do on my blog for the past 2 years. I expanded my blog in order to have opportunities to help others. So, I was so excited when the idea for Ornaments for Adoption came to me and even more excited when it was successful.

*Crafting on a Saturday*

I struggled with the decision of whether or not to do it this year with a baby coming in November. My first reaction was no, it'll be too much. Then, I saw the ornaments in Michael's and I remembered how much I loved it and I started thinking about how I could still do OFA this year. I even worked one weekend on updating the website and making some ornament samples. I was going to try doing pre-orders for cheaper to encourage people to get their orders in early. However, after working that weekend, I remembered how much work goes into OFA. Then several weeks flew by when we were very busy. So, I decided that it just wouldn't be a smart decision for me to take on too much.

I would like to give a brief update on past OFA families.

 

The Brocks from 2012 adopted a beautiful baby girl in April of this year.  She's about 6 months old now. I enjoyed attending a shower for the Brocks before the baby arrived and it's so good to see them almost every Sunday in church.

The Thigpens from 2013 are officially on a waiting list and at last update were number 32 on that list. This means there are 31 families ahead of them waiting for referrals. I would imagine this time has to be one of the hardest in the process, so I'm sure they'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

If you missed Ornaments for Adoption over the last 2 years, I'd encourage you to make up for there being no OFA this year by going back and reading the OFA posts from the last 2 years. There are many encouraging stories from adoptive families, people who were adopted, and people who advocate for adoption.

I hope to be back next year with Ornaments for Adoption being bigger and better than ever!

My Alternative to the #IceBucketChallenge

Well...it finally happened. I'd kind of hoped it wouldn't so I could just stay quiet about the whole thing. However, since I've been challenged to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge I knew I had 2 options - ignore it or accept it (with a twist) and explain my reasoning for the twist.

I know from reading similar articles and posts that what I'm about to say may make some people angry or upset and I've seen ugly comments people have left on similar posts and articles. I'm not here to argue with anyone. These are my beliefs and I hold firm to them. I'm going to try to state them as gracefully as possible.

I'll admit...I didn't like this Ice Bucket Challenge thing from day one. I'm not a jump on the bandwagon type of person. Please know, I'm not against advocating for a cause or donating to charity. Giving is one of my spiritual gift and I love doing it. One of the missions of my blog is to use it as a way to help others. In the past, I've shared about numerous causes that I support. One of the biggest things I've always advocated for on my blog has been adoption. We even started the adoption process about a year ago. I know I haven't written about many of these things in a while, but I've been lax on the whole blogging thing for most of this year due to a lot of personal factors and finding out we are expecting.

Just because I haven't been sharing about it, doesn't mean I haven't been doing things. We still support 2 children through Compassion International. We support a local missionary who is currently serving in eastern Europe. We also give to families that we hear about who are raising funds for adoption and I'm in the process of trying to figure out if there's any way I can make Ornaments for Adoption work this year considering Baby Hall is due in November. I don't say this to brag on us, but to brag on what the Lord has blessed us with that we are able to give. I'll also admit that this giving is not as abundant as we've done in the past and if nothing else, this challenge has challenged me to fix that (which I'll explain more of later).

Please don't get me wrong here, I don't think there's anything wrong with donating to ALS research. It's a terrible disease that I can't imagine watching a loved one go through. I know many people get passionate about it when people don't want to participate because they have experienced this firsthand. However, there are a lot of terrible diseases in this world that need money for research. Watching a loved one suffer through cancer, Pulmonary Fibrosis, and Alzheimer's isn't easy either, but those are all sicknesses that loves ones of mine have suffered through and passed away from. I don't think it's fair to consider research for one disease more important than another. All diseases are difficult for the one dealing with it as well as the ones caring for them. In a perfect world, scientists and doctors would find cures for all of these things.

So, I said all that to say that there are a lot of worthy causes out there and you can't support them all. I'm all for donating money to help people in need; but I, personally believe you should donate to causes that you feel led to donate to, causes that mean something to you, and causes that you're passionate about. I don't believe you should donate to a cause just because someone "challenged" you to or you feel guilty about it if you don't or you want to do "what everyone else is doing." I'm more likely to listen to a person share about a cause if they have a story to share, a personal connection to it, or are truly passionate about it.

 *Another reason I won't donate to the ALSA is because I don't believe that the way they're conducting research fully lines up with my beliefs. I know there's a lot of gray areas that can be argued and I am wrestling through my thoughts on it all. So, I do encourage you to research a charity or organization before you donate to them to make sure you truly know what you're supporting. I won't go into further details because they can be found here or here.*

So, in light of everything I just shared, I won't be donating to ALS research. Instead, I'm going to share with you what I will donate to and why.

• GI Motility disorders research- My husband suffers from Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome (along with all the sensitivities mentioned in the linked article). Like the article states, this keeps him from working regularly, adds up in medical bills, and affects our quality of life. Not a lot is known about FAPS. I can't tell you how many doctors we visited before we finally found one who put a name to his condition. I also can't tell you how much time and money was wasted on doctors treating his symptoms in a way that actually did more damage than good. There's also not a very definitive treatment for it. Sometimes, I feel like the treatments he is on are helping things and other times I feel like things are just getting worse. I would love for researchers to find a cure or effective treatment for FAPS so that my husband's suffering can end and so that our daughter doesn't have to experience watching a loved one go through this. (You can read more of our experiences here, here, or here.) I'm specifically looking into donating to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders or UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders which works closely with Lee's doctor. 

• Mercy for America's Children- I'm pretty sure at some point, I've mentioned this organization before. When we started our adoption process, this is an organization we were working with. We have also done some volunteer work with them and plan to continue that in the future when our lives are a little more settled. They specifically work to advocate for children in foster care and assist with foster care adoption. We have been meaning to set up monthly donations to them for some time now, but haven't gotten around to it. So, this challenge is challenging me to set that up so that we can support their work.

I'm not going to call out anyone specific and "challenge" them. Instead, I challenge everyone reading this to find a cause or a few causes that really mean something to you and donate to them, advocate for them, and support them. If that cause is ALS, great! If not, find an alternative. 
 
Oh...and also...in case you didn't figure it out already...I won't be pouring ice water on myself. Sorry not sorry...I'll eat ice cream instead. #icecreamchallenge

A Call to Action

Happy Friday friends!

My life has been SO busy lately. I have barely read any blogs. I've checked my email, but not had the state of mind to properly reply to much of anything. I haven't even been posting on my own blog. Between work and personal life, I've been quite busy.

So, I'm doing something I rarely do. I'm writing a post the night before I post it. I normally like to have my posts scheduled out in advance, but I'm not having time to write the things I'm scheduling. So, I'm being a little more spontaneous.

I've seen this story of 15 year old Davion circulating around the internet lately. I don't know why, but I often avoid these viral stories. However, I decided to read this one Thursday morning and I was quickly sobbing. This story BREAKS MY HEART. Not just for this young man, but for all children who are without families. I hope if you know nothing else about me from reading my blog, you at least know of my heart for children, particularly children who are orphans or in foster care.

Image via Melissa Lyttle, Tampa Bay Times

Later on Thursday night, I was reading a post from Light Breaks Forth on this subject and a thought came to me. So, I decided to write up my own little post.

This applies not only to this article, but to so many heartbreaking articles that are shared by thousands of people on social media. For example, I've also been seeing this video posted a lot lately. Before I say this, please understand that I think social media and the internet are powerful tools. It allows you to have a voice to advocate for things near and dear to your heart. It's an easy and quick way to share something with many people. I hope you are using your social media influence to spread good rather than to spew negative. Getting the word out and raising awareness about things is important.

However, action is also needed to truly make a difference. Posting an article on the internet is easy. It doesn't cost you anything. There's no sacrifice. If all we ever do is post articles, videos, etc. nothing would ever become better. We need to be out there MAKING a difference.

So, if you're spreading the word about these and other wonderful, touching stories, are you also doing something to help these situations? Adoption isn't the only way to help children like Davion. Not everyone can adopt. I get that. If you can't or don't feel called to adopt, you can donate to someone who is.

I'm currently selling ornaments to help the Thigpen family.
The Ornaments for Adoption family from last year, the Brocks, are in the final stages of raising funds for their adoption through a puzzle fundraiser and selling jewelry.
This family is raising money for their second adoption.
This family is also doing a puzzle piece fundraiser for their African adoption.

These are just 4 families I happen to know of right now. There are so many more out there. Adoption is expensive and it can't be done without help from people like those of you reading this right now.

Giving of your money requires sacrifice, but isn't it worth it so that children like Davion can have a family?

If you don't want to give to a family, there are many organizations out there that help advocate for children in foster care. A WONDERFUL organization I support in my state is Mercy for America's Children.

You can help support children who are orphans or in poverty in other countries through organizations like Compassion International.

Many foster care organizations take donations of bags for these children to have something other than a trash bag to carry their belongings in.

On the other hand, maybe you do feel that tug on your heart that you could provide a family for children like Davion. Maybe if you're not ready for a total commitment, you could open up your home as a foster parent. If you're not ready for the responsibility of children, you could always become certified to babysit for children who are in foster care or you could become a mentor for a child in foster care. You could volunteer for an organization in your area that supports foster children or maybe a pregnancy center that gives support to women who find themselves pregnant unexpectedly.

The point is....opportunities are out there to DO something. Posting and sharing on the internet is a great thing. I find out a lot of stuff from people's posts. I share a lot of stuff that I'm passionate about on my blog and social media sites. However, it's not enough.

Please don't fool yourself into thinking that by sharing stories you're doing enough. None of us can do "enough" until there are no more children left without families.

Princess with a Purpose

My favorite thing to share about is ways to help others. Before I get too far into this post, I want to make sure you've seen my new Ornaments for Adoption page. OFA 2013 will start in 3 week! So, help me by starting to spread the word and by grabbing a button below. Also, if you have a shop, small business, or are just crafty I'd love to have you help out by donating something to be given away as an Ornaments for Adoption buying incentive. Message me if you're interested.

While I'm on the subject of OFA, did you see my post over the weekend about the exciting news from the Brocks (the family from last year's OFA)?

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<a href="http://ornamentsforadoption.weebly.com/" title="Just a Small Town Girl "><img src="http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q580/mdhall88/ofabutton1_zpsc0a53448.jpg" alt="Just a Small Town Girl " style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Now on to introducing you to a princess. Brooke is a girl I know from my hometown. She is a true beauty on the inside and out. She is part of a unique organization called Princess with a Purpose.

Brooke is a 20 year old student at the University of Mobile where she's studying sociology and social welfare. She is from Headland, Alabama. Some of her favorite things include Disney movies, pageants, chocolate, reading, and enjoying sunshine.









I asked Brooke a few questions to help us learn a little more about Princess with a Purpose and what we could do to help out this cause. 

What is Princess with a Purpose?
Princesses with a Purpose is a non-profit organization started by Miranda Bryant and Kaci Pedersen to share hope, love, and magic to both children and adults. Those who are a part of the organization become fairytale characters and visit numerous places such as children's hospitals, carnivals, nursing homes, etc. 

How did you get involved with Princess with a Purpose?
I heard about PWAP through a friend of a friend at the University of Mobile. I fell in love with the idea and found the organization's Facebook page. I asked if there was any way I could be a part of the organization even though I didn't live in Georgia (the organization's headquarters). They asked for an audition video and fortunately I made the team! I have only been able to do one event in Georgia, but I have done events on my own in my area in Alabama. 

What are some of the specific things you have done with this organization?
I have visited the USA Women's and Children's Hospital in Mobile, Alabama twice; and I attended the Chocolate Festival in Mobile, which promotes awareness and raises funds for victims of domestic abuse. I have also visited an assisted living home in my hometown of Headland, Alabama. 

Describe a typical day of "princessing."
Princessing begins with a mental preparation. Before I go, I make sure that I know my princess information such as my kingdom, my prince, and animal friends. I also ask God to give me the ability to bless a child that day and the attitude of a true princess, which includes kindness, a genuine heart, and love. I actually want to begin every day that way. Next comes the dress, the wig, and the makeup. I want to look like the "real deal" as much as I can. I drive to my event and get ready for the thousands of stares I will receive. Many times we have room visits, where I chat with a patient, take pictures, and give hugs. In cases of a carnival, I mainly take pictures with the children. 

What has been your favorite moment of being a princess?
During my most recent visit, I had one girl give me a tiara she had colored ahead of time and she sang me a beautiful song. Before I left her room, she said "I will pray for you." How I need prayer! This young girl was sick and she still had a heart caring for others. That is what being a princess is all about. It blessed me so much and reaffirmed my calling to be apart of PWAP. 

Is there anything we can do to help out this cause?
Like the Facebook page and get the word out! Donations are accepted, including money and items that could be given to someone in need. You can find out more information by visiting their website. 

I don't know about you, but I LOVE this idea. Maybe you have a talent for acting and singing and would like to find out how to be a princess (or prince) in your home state. Maybe you live in Georgia and want to join their Georgia team. Maybe you live in a state with princesses and princes and would like to have them at your next event.  

Created for Care

I recently came across this blog: The Created for Care Blog. It's a blog whose purpose is to encourage and inspire those seeking adoption as well as spread the word about adoption.

The authors of this blog are the people who are living it out. Anyone can submit posts to be featured on the Created foe Care Blog. I have found a lot of great adoption blogs to follow through reading Created for Care's posts. I plan to submit a guest post when I start up my second year of Ornaments for Adoption.

Another great thing about Created for Care is that they host retreats for adoptive moms to have a chance to meet other adoptive mothers as well as to relax and be encouraged. I hope to one day be able to participate in one of their retreats.

I'd encourage you if you are an adoptive family, plan to be an adoptive family, or are just interested in learning more about adoption please check out their blog.

Also be on the lookout for Ornaments for Adoption to be starting up the first week of October. I will be writing more about that soon to see if any of you would like to help in any way.

All Girls Allowed

I follow an adoption blog called Give 1 Save 1 Asia and the other day they shared a post about an organization called All Girls Allowed.

I began to do some research on this organization and the facts I read broke my heart. Of course, I knew about China's one child policy, but I didn't know it was to this extreme. Women are not seen as valuable. So not only are they only allowed to have one child, but they also want that child to be a boy.

Here are some of the shocking facts:
-The One-Child Policy went into effect in 1980. Since then, 37 million girls have disappeared and 336 million forced abortions have been performed. This is more than all the people killed in all the major past genocides of the past century combined.
-Chinese women must apply for a birth permit in order to start a pregnancy. 
-Suicide is the #1 cause of death of young women in China.
-It is estimated that by 2020 (that's ONLY 7 and a half years away), there will be 40 million more men than women in China. That's the same amount of men under 20 currently in the United States.
-If a family does choose to keep an illegal child, that child will not have the correct documentation papers. Without these paper, they can't go to school, get married, or even ride public transportation.

These facts and more can be found on the All Girls Allowed website.

Reading these facts reminded me of a book series I recently read called The Shadow Children. This series is about a place where it's illegal to have more than 2 children. Yet, there's a large number of people who are hiding their additional children illegally. These children's lives are not valued and the series is about them fighting for their freedom. In this society, every person has an ID card. If you don't have an ID card, you don't have any rights. There were a lot of similarities to this book and China's policies.

This organization is fighting against this.  They hope to expose the injustice of this policy, rescue girls and mothers in crisis, and celebrate the value of all people-including females.

I want to help by spreading the word. I encourage you to check out their website, like their Facebook page, and follow them on Twitter.

If you can do nothing else, would you at least be willing to share this post to help spread the word about this injustice that is taking place in our world today?

A Tale of Two Birthdays

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…"

 (A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens)

Dickens starts his famous novel with very opposing ideas. In the same way, our lives look very different from people who live in other parts of the world. Let me tell you of a day that this became startlingly clear to me. 

Allan's Birthday

My husband and I sponsor a sweet little boy in Ecuador through Compassion. He writes us the sweetest letters and I'd love to get to meet him one day. We can't send him presents, but we can send extra money at his birthday if we wish. 

After his birthday one year, he wrote us a letter thanking us for the money we sent. He then told us how he'd used the money to buy himself a pair of shoes. He included a picture of himself proudly holding his new shoes. As you can see from the picture at the beginning, these aren't the newest and coolest tennis shoes. They are practical black shoes. Shoes that most kids would have to be forced to wear. This is what he bought with his birthday money.

An American Child's Birthday

Shortly after reading Allan's letter and looking at the picture, I got on Facebook. One of the stories on my home page was a new album that had been uploaded with pictures from a child's birthday party. This party had it all. The theme could be seen throughout from the decorations to the snacks to the entertainment. A place had been rented. Food had been perfectly prepared and arranged. Decorations had been made and put out. A form of entertainment had been paid for. Presents were stacked high from the child's family and friends. I don't have to give too many details because I know you've seen these pictures too. The party I'm describing could belong to any American child on any given day.

Two Different Lifestyles
Allan's story is not unique. We also sponsor a girl named Malaiyarasi and her letters after her birthdays are similar. She uses the money to buy herself a new dress or her mom a new pot. This goes on while I sit around and listen to people I know discuss what they'll get a child for a birthday party they've been invited to. They usually end up deciding to just buy something for the sake of buying a gift and because they don't know what else to get.

What a waste of money! What do you get a child who has more than they'll ever need? A toy they'll barely touch. I know from my own childhood we had more toys than we could ever play with. What's the point of that? Couldn't that money be better spent on something else. Why do we ask people to buy gifts for children who already have more than they need while there are children in this world who DON'T have the basic necessities of life?!? There's something wrong with that.

Envious Lifestyles

Not only are Americans in general spoiling their kids more and more while children are dying daily by the thousands, but this type of lifestyle lends itself to a lot of envious feelings. Even though I don't have children of my own, I sense that these parties are a competition for many parents. Who will have the best party? Who will have the most original theme? Who will have the cutest decorations? Who will have the fanciest cake? Who will have the most fun entertainment? Of course, not only will the people who attend the child's party know what the party was like, but pictures will also be posted on various forms of social media. If you're crafty enough, you may also blog about your party ideas in hopes that they'll become popular pins on Pinterest. That way, some other parent can be "inspired" to step up their game for their child's next birthday party.

In Conclusion
Please understand that I'm not saying that I think it's bad to celebrate a child's birthday. I think it's important to let a child know that they are loved and special. It's also important to let them know that you value the day they came into the world.

What I am asking is, what are you teaching your child is valuable? Are you teaching them that the world revolves around them? Are you teaching them that they need a lot of stuff to be happy? Are you teaching them that it's important to impress others? Would you consider finding a way to celebrate your child's life and help children that are less fortunate?

Similarly, I thought this article was really good about discussing"first world problems."

Let Freedom Ring

Posts about our military and country have been popular this weekend. As it should be. We should thank the men and women and their families who serve our country every day. We all know that freedom isn't free. I am very thankful for the sacrifices that have been made by countless people throughout our history to allow me to enjoy the freedoms I have.

Freedom is an interesting thing to think about and if you study our country's history, even just a little bit, you will see that it has been denied to many groups through the years. I teach North Carolina history so the Cherokee Trail of Tears and Greensboro Sit-in are two major events we talk about because they took place in this state. These are examples of groups of people being denied freedoms. It saddens me to teach these events. It saddens me even more to know that these things took place. These things are part of my country's history.

The saddest thing of all is that in these modern times where we like to brag about being the "land of the free," there are people who are not free. 150 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln ordered the Emancipation Proclamation granting freedom to those who were enslaved.

Today, however, there are millions who are still being forced into slavery. Even in our FREE country! Children, men, women-no one is exempt. You may even be unknowingly contributing to it.

So I encourage you as you reflect on how thankful you are for your freedoms and the people who have made it possible, please remember that freedom is not something everyone can currently claim. I'd encourage you to educate yourself then spread the word. If you are a blogger or user of social media, you have a powerful tool at your disposal. Lastly, would you consider taking action to help make freedom possible for everyone?

Check out these helpful resources:

END IT Movement

A21 Campaign

Abolition International

Slavery Footprint

Not for Sale

A Mother's Love

This is the story of a woman you'll never meet....

who lives in a country you'll never visit...

who's experienced things you can't imagine.

This woman finds out she's pregnant. Maybe she's married, maybe not. The details aren't important. The fact is she's now a mother.

The father of this baby is no longer around. Maybe he never was. Maybe he died of one of the many diseases that plague third world countries.

Despite the circumstances, this woman loves her child and will make whatever sacrifices are necessary to be able to raise it.

This proves to be harder than she thought. She can't get a job. She has no education and there's no work available. She could resort to prostitution, but that would be no life for her child. She steals what she can for their survival, but fears what will happen to her child if she's caught.

Soon, she and her baby are so sick that they're both on the verge of death. She does the only thing she thinks can be done to give her baby a chance at life. She leaves the baby at an orphanage. There her baby will have food and shelter. Maybe someone will come along and adopt her baby. Then her baby will have a family and security. Things she was not able to give.

She will spend the rest of her life wondering what happened to her child.

*   *   *

As someone who hopes to adopt one day, this story breaks my heart. I made this particular story up, but things like this happen. It's one thing to adopt a child whose parents are dead or whose parents willingly gave it up or whose parental rights were terminated because the child wasn't safe in their care. It's another thing to think that you could have a child that someone unwillingly gave up. A child whose parents saw no other option. This was the only way their child could survive.

This is the sad reality of poverty. While some parents leave their child because they cannot care for them, there are many others who fight for their child's survival every day. Most of us can't even begin to imagine what this is like. 

We live in a world of convenience and comfort. We've never gone a day without a meal, clean clothes, entertainment, and a place to sleep at night. We can't imagine what it's like to have no hope.

There is good news, though. There are people out there doing things about this problem and you can be a part of it. One organization that is helping keep families together is Compassion.

If you'd like to help a mother living in poverty be able to raise a healthy child, you can visit Compassion's website and consider making a monthly or one time donation to their Child Survival  Program.

*Note: The pictures used in this post are from my trip to Tizimin this past summer. These women and children do not represent what was mentioned in this post, but are simply being used to show mothers and children living in poor conditions and poverty.* 

To Those Forgotten on Mother's Day

People have been celebrating mothers throughout history and in every culture. Mother's Day as we know it was started by a woman named Anna Jarvis. Anna Jarvis worked for this day as a way to honor her late mother. Her mother, Ann, gave birth to 11 children, but only 4 of them lived to be adults. Anna viewed this holiday as a way to show gratitude and give honor to the woman who gave you life. She fought to keep the name Mother's Day instead of Mothers' Day. In her eyes, it was not a day to celebrate all mothers. It was a day to celebrate YOUR mother.

Sadly, like any other holiday in our culture, Mother's Day quickly became commercialized. The way Mother's Day began to be celebrated bothered Anna Jarvis so much that she actually began fighting against this holiday. (National Geographic, SCFI)

For many women, this holiday brings up very painful and bitter feelings. Feelings that are often misunderstood by people who've never experienced any of them. Mother's Day was set up to honor a bereaved mother, yet bereaved mothers are usually forgotten on this day.

In 2010, the Sunday before Mother's Day was set apart as Bereaved Mother's Day. This day was set up to raise awareness. However, I want to recognize the forgotten mothers right here during the traditional Mother's Day.

For those of you struggling with infertility, I'm sorry you have to watch friend after friend and family member after family member get pregnant and give birth while you wait for your miracle. I'm sorry that you are embarrassed and feel like you can't talk about your struggle with anyone. I'm sorry that you have feelings towards those who are mothers that you're ashamed to admit or voice.

For those of you who've had miscarriages, I'm sorry that you experienced that moment of joy only to have it taken away from you. I'm sorry you have to watch your friends or family members or even just acquaintances have their babies. I'm sorry you feel like there's something wrong with you or wonder whether you could have done something different. I'm sorry you had to watch your due date come and go without your baby.

For those of you who've lost a child, I'm sorry you had to experience what I'm sure is one of the most painful things in the world. Whether your child lived a few hours or into adulthood, I'm sorry you will never be able to celebrate a(nother) birthday with them. Maybe you don't get to see them graduate, get married, or have kids of their own and I'm sorry. It's not fair for a parent to have to bury their child.

For those of you who gave your child up for adoption, I'm sorry that for whatever reason you weren't in the place to be able to raise your child. I'm sorry you have to wonder about whether or not you made the right decision. I'm sorry you don't get to watch all their milestones as they grow up. For some of you, I'm sorry you don't even know where they are or what they're doing. For others of you, I'm sorry you have to watch them grow up from a distance with the occasional picture and email update.

For those of you who've had an abortion, I'm sorry that you felt that this was the best or only decision you could make. I'm sorry that you could be living with regrets or wondering what if. I know that this was not an easy decision and it's one you will have to live with for the rest of your life. I'm sorry that people are judgmental and you've been hurt by their comments.

I'm sorry for those of you who are single at an age when you thought you'd be married and have at least one kid. I'm sorry you have to be around all your friends and their families. I'm sorry you feel like you're never going to have the things you want.

There are many complex situations out there and I know that I have not touched on all the possibilities of situations or feelings. Whatever your situation may be, I want this post to honor you.

If you don't find yourself in any of these categories, if you didn't have any trouble having children and they are all with you today, or if you haven't made the decision to try and become a mother or you never plan to, please realize that you know someone (probably multiple people) who are hurting this Mother's Day. Would you reach out to show them love? Would you write them a card? Share this post with them? Invite them over for dinner? You don't have to understand their feelings. You don't have to know the "right" things to say. They just need someone to be there for them. Don't let them be forgotten this Mother's Day.

If you would like more information, to help raise awareness, or if you need a community of support,  Still Standing Magazine is a great resource I'd encourage you to check out.

Are You REALLY Pro-LIFE?

Photo used with permission from Jessica Motley Photography

Contrary to what you may be thinking, this is not a post about pro-life vs. pro-choice. 

Rather this is a post for those of you who call yourself pro-life to consider whether you're truly pro-life or are you simply anti-abortion.

My Stance

I'll open this post by stating that I am pro-life and thanks to some new insight I'm working to live up to that name. However, I don't believe that any of us can say for sure what we would or wouldn't do if put into a certain situation. I haven't walked in the shoes of a woman who's had to make such a difficult decision. Please know that if you have had an abortion, I'm not here to judge you. My heart goes out to you as I'm sure it's something you will never forget. Also, if you are pro-choice, I completely understand the reasoning behind that stance. I would hope that even if you are pro-choice, you can find some inspiration in this post to help make the world a better place.

A Lesson in Prefixes

I teach 4th grade and one of the things we have to teach our students is the meanings behind prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Words are really fascinating. But..I'm getting off topic. What's the difference between being PRO-life and ANTI-abortion? The prefix "pro" means you are FOR something. Therefore, pro-life means you are FOR life. The prefix "anti" means you are AGAINST something. Hence, anti-abortion would mean you are against abortion. Some of you may still be thinking what's the difference? I will get to that in just a minute.

My Revelation

Recently, I was reading a book called Orphan Justice which is an amazing book about orphan care. It covers a wide range of topics that affect orphans from human trafficking to HIV/AIDS to abortion. I had just begun the chapter on abortion when the author, Johnny Carr writes "Much of the Christian response to abortion has been political with the hopes of reversing abortion laws to save the lives of innocent children. But what if Roe v. Wade is overturned? What then?" (Orphan Justice pg. 146) I sat there for a minute and it was like a light bulb went off above my head. WHAT THEN? Who would have cared for those approximately 54 million aborted babies? (Answers in Genesis) Even if some of those women chose to raise their babies, I'm sure millions would have still been given up for adoption. 

The Truth of the Matter

There are about 400,000 kids in the foster care system at any given time. Of those children, about 130,000 of them are waiting to be adopted. (Children's Bureau and Adopt America) About 200 million people in the United States claim to be Christian. (Christianity Today) I know that some of those people are too young or too old to adopt or be foster parents. I also know that some of those numbers are paired up because the husband and wife are Christian. However, if Christians were truly living out what we claim to believe, there would be a lot less kids without families and a lot less kids without people loving and caring for them until they can return to their families. If we want people to stop having abortions, we need to start caring for the children that have been given a chance at life. 

 

On the other hand, how do we handle it when a woman chooses to keep her baby? Too often we sit in our pew on Sunday condemning them in our mind when they show up unwed and pregnant at church. Then, we gossip about them later. We think we're better than the woman and her children behind us in the grocery store line who gets out her food stamps. We look down on the kids at school who are on free or reduced lunch. We can't believe a mother would let her 6 year old come home after school to an empty house because she has to be at work.

I have barely scratched the surface of what could be said on this topic. This list could include anything from people with special needs to human trafficking to racism. But I'll stop there for today. Just know that there is a lot of injustice out there. People's lives are being put in danger or taken every day. If we're truly pro-LIFE, where's our outcry for those people's rights? Can we really be pro-LIFE if we don't think ALL life is important?

Prefix Review

Remember how we discussed the difference between pro-life and anti-abortion earlier? Too often the world hears all about what Christians are against. Why don't we start showing them what we're for? If you are truly pro-life, find a way to help better the lives of those in your community. Could you volunteer to help mentor at-risk kids? Could you host a baby shower for a young, unwed mother to be? Could you babysit a neighbor's child in the afternoon because she has to work multiple jobs just to pay the bills? Could you volunteer at a pregnancy support center? Would you consider opening your home to children in foster care? If you can't be a foster parent, would you consider becoming certified to babysit foster children to help foster parents get a much needed break? Would you consider adopting a child who is in need of a family? Overall, can we show a little more love to the world?

I Have a Dumb Phone

I guess a dumb phone would be any phone that's not a "smart" phone. If so, that's what I have.

Yep, there it is. Nothing fancy. It makes calls and it texts. It can even take pictures and videos. But that's about it.

Do you want to know why I have a dumb phone?
 

                                    Allan                                                                   Malaiyarasi

 

Ornaments for Adoption

Hill Family Adoption

Give 1 Save 1

 Clark Family Adoption

friends doing short term mission work

Love Help Teach

Children's Hunger Fund

Now, please don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say. I'm not trying to brag on myself or say that if you have a smart phone, you're a bad person. 

Would I like a smart phone? Sure. They make things so convenient. They also have a lot of cool features.

However, God has changed my life and it is no longer mine. I can't live my life for me. God is love and we show our love for God by loving others. More often than not, this requires sacrifice.

At this point in our lives, my husband and I sacrifice the convenience of having smart phones in order to be obedient to His word.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" -Matthew 25:34-40

Do we still have a lot of technology and unnecessary things? Yes. There is always room for improvement; and as I recently read 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, I am more aware of and try to not have so much excess in my life. The less excess we have, the more room we have for God and for loving and helping others.

For you, it may not be a smart phone, but is there something you could give up in order to help those around you? Maybe it's giving up cable. Maybe it's going out to eat less. Maybe it's not going shopping every weekend. 

If God asked you to give up something you want, something that "everyone else has," would you be willing to do it? It's not easy and it's not possible in our own strength. However, I guarantee you that if you are growing in your relationship with Him, those things won't seem so important anymore.

  ^"If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" -1 John 3:17

Give 1 Save 1

Look over there ------------------>

Do you see those buttons? 

Those are causes I support and want to share with you. It's a new feature here and I want to be sure I not only post the buttons, but let you know what these causes are all about. 

If you missed it, I shared about the 5 Coat Project last week.

This week I want to let you know a little bit about Give 1 Save 1.

Give 1 Save 1 is a set of blogs that shares information about adoption as well as shares adopting families that you can help.

Right now, they have a blog for domestic adoption as well as families and information about adopting from Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Each week, they introduce a new family that you can help. They only ask for at least $1. ONE DOLLAR! Anybody can give that to help give a child a family.

New families get introduced on Mondays, so I'd encourage you to go check them out and consider donating. 

If adoption is something you're interested in, you can also find a lot of great information throughout the week. I've learned a lot by following these blogs. 

I hope you'll check out the 5 Coat Project if you didn't see that last week and I also hope you'll consider supporting Give 1 Save 1.

Have a great week!

5 Coat Project

You may have noticed that I've added some new buttons over there on my top right hand side bar. These are causes that I support and I want to raise awareness for. 

Today, I am so happy to be introducing you to the 5 Coat Project.

 Before I tell you what this is, I have to tell you about the young woman behind the project. 

When I was in college, I grew some very strong friendships with 6 girls from my church. I was the oldest in this group and Jenna was the youngest. 

(Got to love the windblown hair look-I have devil horns.)

I always admired Jenna's passion for the Lord. She didn't just talk about loving God or believing in God. She was out there serving Him. I should have known she'd do amazing things.

I went to a smaller college in Alabama called Troy University which is where Jenna currently attends. She is working with some Christian ministries there to make the 5 Coat Project a reality. I'm going to let her answer some questions to tell you more about it. 

1. What is the 5 Coat Project?
5 Coat Project serves as a coat drive organization for remote areas of Alaska. We send coats to areas that don't have easy access to shopping centers, yet have the coldest winters. We also strive to raise awareness about human slavery around the world. There are currently 27 million people still trapped in slavery and we believe that until everyone knows about it, it will never have a chance of ending.

 First coat from the 5 Coat Project

2. What got you interested in this cause?
I became interested in this on my first mission trip to Alaska this past summer. I fell in love with the people and felt the need to make a difference.

 Jenna with 2 girls who went to Alaska with her.

3. When did the 5 Coat Project start and what have you done through it so far?
The idea started last fall. We kick started everything this April with our first event at Charles Henderson High School here in Troy. We are in the process of going through paperwork to achieve our own non-profit status, but until then Momentum Ministries is our sponsoring organization. 

Games at a Spring Fling Event

 Music at Spring Fling event

4. What can we do to help?
To help we are always taking donations to help ship coats to Alaska. It is a very expensive process. Many people have also become interested in hosting their own Spring Fling or Summer Splash where part of admission is a coat. It is just a fun carnival that can be planned in ones hometown for a great cause! Another way to help is to check out http://enditmovement.com/ and pledge to help us end human slavery! Check out the facts!

 5 Coat Project Booth

 A 21 Campaign which fights against modern day slavery

5. Where can we find more information?

You can find more information at fivecoatproject.blogspot.com. You may also like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Facebook and Twitter get updated the most.

 Project Leaders

Please go follow 5 Coat Project on Facebook and/or Twitter to stay up to date on this great cause. If you go follow, tell Jenna "hi" and that Megan sent you.

Also, watch my side bar for causes I support and my posts for explanations and more information about these causes.