Words for my granddaughter

                                                           I came across this on blog
                                                            (very inspiring blogger)
                                        and since my granddaughter likes Audrey Hepburn
                                               and the words made me think of her.....


“For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.


For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.


For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.


For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.


For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.


People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.


As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.”


Audrey Hepburn

Wordless Wednesday

New Look

                      I owe my new blog design to Jen at The Art of Living (Creative Blog Designs). 
                                                                    thanks Jen
                                                                       love it

Cousin's Day Out

Dylan had a fun cousin day last week. 

              

After Gigi made a few tries at lining them up

we were successful

(In our family, successful means everyone looking in the general direction)

Love these cuties

Check out this giveaway!

Laura Kelley at Pitter Patter Art is having a "3 month waiting" giveaway.  She is such a talented artist who shows her love for God through her beautiful art.  Check out her giveaway!

Sweet Valentine

As I mentioned in a previous post, we were saddened to learn that our sponsor child, Dege, was no longer able to come to TOG.   You can read about the details (of which there are few) here.

We asked Children's Hope Chest to find us a new sponsor child as soon as possible.  We were so happy to learn that less than a week later we have a new little girl just in time for Valentine's Day.

                                                             Let me introduce Mulualem
                                                                         "Muri"
                                                                Our sweet Valentine


Jessica and Nick will be visiting Trees of Glory very soon and will hopefully get to meet her.  I'm looking forward to hearing all about her and hoping to see pictures.

Thank you Karen for thinking of us when you got her referral.

Happy Valentines Day

                              FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
                                         THAT HE GAVE   
                                               HIS ONLY                           
                                             BEGOTTEN
                                                     SON
                                                          THAT WHOSOEVER
                                                    BELIEVETH IN HIM
                                              SHALL NOT PERISH
                                    BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE
                                                   (John 3:16)


This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.        (John 15:12)

                                                               





    

Dege

I haven't posted about this earlier because it's taken me a week to process it.   I was so very sad to learn that my sponsor child, Dege, will not be returning to Trees of Glory.  

I received an email stating "Whenever a child stops attending the care-point, the staff tries to follow up to find out what they can of the situation.  In this case - they were not able to find out much beyond that he is no longer able to attend.  The staff at Trees of Glory was working on getting an updated photo of him after they had delivered the care-package you sent - and his mother explained that he was no longer able to attend."

I can only imagine what situation his mother must be in that she choose to take Dege out of Trees of Glory.  A place where he receives food, clothes and an education.  My heart breaks for Dege as well as his family.  But selfishly, it breaks for me.  I feel like I've lost a family member.   I have prayed for Dege everyday since he became my sponsor child in July of last year.  I have a picture of him on my dresser and at my desk at work.  Originally I put them there as a reminder to pray for him but it quickly became a sure way to put a smile on my face with thoughts about him.

             It is amazing how much love you have for someone you've prayer about for 219 days. 

                                            When I looked at his sweet face
                                                              I would
                                               wonder what he liked to play
                                            what his mom and siblings were like
                                       was he the oldest, youngest or in the middle
                                                       what did he like to eat
                                                           did he like school
                                             was he making lots of friends at TOG
                                was he friends with my family's sponsor children there
                            

We were so happy to receive a letter from Dege a few weeks ago.  He was happy to be going to school and was so happy to receive his care packages, especially the pictures of our family.  He asked us to "please pray for him that he would do good in school".    We were so looking forward to meeting him one day.

I will continue to pray for him for the rest of my life and  I hope that in the short we had him as our sponsor child, we were able to let him know that we loved  and prayed for him and more importantly, that God loves him and that he is very special.

I have become very attached to Trees of Glory care-point and I will continue to work with them to raise money and  go there to help someday in the future (hopefully this year or next). I've asked for Children's Hope Chest to find us a new sponsor child as soon as possible.  It's been a blessing to our lives.
                             (Please click on the link to find our more about sponsoring a child.)

When you pray for someone daily, that person becomes more attached to your heart.  I will be more steadfast when I'm in prayer for my loved ones as well as those I'm not so thrilled with.  Maybe that's the point. 

                                                         Lesson Learned

Wordless Wednesday

One Day - One Lunch Project

February 3rd is One Day-One Lunch Project.    Amy from Building the Blocks  inspired by her daughter, Addisyn,  (who has spent the last 100 days eating a small bowl of soup for lunch and sending her lunch money to feed orphans) has challenged us to the One Day-One Lunch Project.  Americans spend an average of  $2.00 to  $8.00 a day for lunch.  Instead of spending money on lunch tomorrow, please consider donating what you would have spent to Lifesong for Orphans to feed the children at the Adami Tulu Preschool.  It only takes $3.00 to feed an orphan for 1 MONTH.  Stop by Amy's blog to read more about it.

"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."
~ Mother Teresa

Online donations: http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html
**indicate for the Adami Tulu Preschool.

Mail checks to:
Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744
For the Adami Tulu Preschool

Wordless Wednesday

Urgent Prayer Request!

I wanted to ask for urgent prayer requests today. 

First,  for a little girl named Kate that I have been praying for this past year.  She is fighting a fierce battle with brain cancer and she and her family just got bad news with her latest MRI.  They need your prayers now as her parents and the specialists decide what is out there that can offer them any hope.  Please pray for God's healing grace.

Second, please pray  for and pass  this information  to anyone you know who may be interested  in adopting older children.  There are two children in Ethiopia (a brother and sister) that have been waiting for a family for several years.  They are  "K" who is 11 and  "M" who is 9.   How must it feel  after  being there so long seeing all of the babies and young children being picked but no one chooses them.  They have zero Foriegn  Fees and zero Agency Fees.  I will  be fowarding an email to those on my list.  My niece, Jessica, is also advocating for these sweet children and she met them when they were in Ethiopia.  Please visit her post for more information.

Finally, Linny (she is such a spiritual inspiration to me) at A Place Called Simplicity knows a minister in Egypt, Dr. Sameh Sadik "Sam" who is asking for us to pray for Egypt.  I listed his requested prayer below.  To learn more, please go to Linny's link.
                                                           

                                                                  Prayer for Egypt:


Lord we ask you to Block further violence and crime in Egypt that no more lives will be lost! Give us peace and order in Egypt. Lord, we appeal for your Hand to intervene and pray that Egypt will institute a democratic government and leadership to allow freedom and lift the Christian persecution. Lord, we ask you to turn the eyes of all people to you! May Jesus be revealed your people, for you are our answer in the time of trouble. Lord, we have Hope in you as the Author and Finisher of our faith!




Thank you