Skin Like a Baby's

So, the mister has severe eczema. And yesterday, I thought that he was having a good day. His back was pretty red...his face just a little red...and although he had scratches healing and quite a bit of cradle cap, his head looked pretty good. He went to his well baby check up and had a different doctor than usual. He was sitting in my lap in just his diaper when the doctor walked into the exam room. The first thing out of his mouth was, "Wow...that baby needs some cream." I told him that I agreed and that what we had been given for him so far had not worked. I also mentioned that the mister was having a good skin day.

So the doctor told me that he wanted the mister to see the dermatologist right away.....within the hour, if possible. He got dermatology on the phone and he was approved for a walk in appointment. One nice thing about having appointments on base is that everything is right there. So dermatology was a hop, skip, jump away.

I was given a HUGE tub of a steroid cream to use for 5 days. The use of steroids does scare me, but I was assured that it would be okay and that it is only used for these 5 days. We also use it in the future during flare ups. He was also given a medication, in cream form, to use after the steroids, to keep control of it and keep his skin looking good. I was then ordered to lather him in the steroid cream in the morning and evening. Throughout the day I was to put vaseline all over exposed areas like his face, head and neck.

So, I did as I was told. Today, after just one application of steroid cream and several vaseline applications, our mister looks AMAZING. His skin is so clear and soft. I promised GG some pictures. So, here he is. Click them to view hem larger.

Yes, there is some food on the side of his mouth, but ignore that. Instead, look...look..do you see his tooth???!?!?!?!?!?



He's a bit greasy from all of the vaseline.

Invisible Children Screening

So as my faithful readers know, I have been working on trying to set up a screening out here to show the film, Invisible Children. I was also trying to do it in conjunction with the IC tour team that will be out in our state in April. That way they take charge of showing the film, answering questions and providing some fun goodies.

So, I had been emailing a gal at one of the event centers out here on using their conference room / theater that holds 200 people. NOrmally it would cost almost $400 to have it there, but I just received an email informing me that they will allow us use of their facility free of charge.

So, I am excited. Now, it's time to start working on promoting it. WOO HOO!

Sewing Seeds

Wow, have I blogged a lot today, or what? So, in regards to the post below, I am not beating myself up for not going to Africa right now. I guess I was just trying to share how strongly it is on my heart right now. And lately, the kids in Africa seem to come up all the time. The organization I have been sponsoring a child through had problems with the orphanage they were helping to support. It was an issue with one of the children molesting other children. Through lots of prayer, they decided to work with a different orphanage and have focused their attention on one out in Northern Uganda. So, crazy..how I get to now sponsor a child in Northern Uganda. Anyway, that's just one example.

So, I know that right now I am not supposed to go to Uganda. I do have that tug to help...A STORNG TUG. But God has also given me something else to devote my time to right now, and that is my young children. I DO KNOW, or at least think I know...that I will go to Uganda someday and help one on one with the kids....but until then, there are so many other things I can do to help.

I was just surfing blogs this afternoon, and I came across a site with a great cause. Randi's daughter is headed to Kenya this June on a Missions trip to an orphanage. Randi wanted to help and has decided to take on a project enlisting people to help her to sew skirts for the little girls in the orphanage. The skirt itself looks like it would be pretty easy. And I have 2 friends who may be able to teach me how to make it. Plus, I have ALWAYS wanted to learn how to sew and now I have a great project nudging me. So, I am highly considering taking part in it. And how blessed I will be to know that some little girl in Kenya will be receiving my skirt...smiling over it...wearing it...dancing in it...singing in it. So, yes, it's things like this that I can do to help.

The picture posted below, will take you to Randi's site. And if you are interested in making a skirt, all the information you need can be found there.

A Whirlwind of Thoughts

During nap time, I put in a dvd documentary that Christian singer, Sara Groves, made. It shows her bringing a van and trailer load of diapers to a town in Louisiana after Katrina hit. It also shows her on a trip to Rwanda.

Whenever I watch something where someone is out there on the field helping...I burn to be doing the same. I had signed up last year to go on a missions trip to Uganda, but I didn't raise the money that I needed and so I shrugged it off as something I'll try to do again someday. But, how can you forget about something when it is so sooooooooooooo heavy on your heart? I have a lot of praying to do. I know it's too late to go on the same trip I was going to go on, because the money for the plane tickets was already needed to be turned in. But, I am sure there are more trips out there.

Steve gets his bonus in March and it is definitely enough to pay for myself to go on a trip to Uganda. But we were going to try to save that money and then use our tax money to take a trip to Disneyland with the kids and buy a few items.

And it's like...I almost feel selfish in a way that THAT is what I am choosing to do with the money. So, I have some deep thinking to do.

And I know that we DO need to save. So then I was thinking back to my fundraising efforts. Did I try hard enough??? No, I didn't. So, what if I found another trip and fundraised again...and really, REALLY fundraised, would it make a difference? What if I only needed to use $700 of our bonus that we get....because I raise almost enough? I dunno. It's so hard to explain this to someone who may not have the same yearning in their heart as I have. I mean, really and truly...it is beyond tugging at me. It is pulling me with such force!!!

Anyway, Sara Groves said a few things in her documentary that I wanted to write down. And I would like to share them with you.

She quoted Gary Haugen From International Justice Mission who said...
"In times of great trial and when disaster strikes I used to ask, where is God? But now my plea has changed. Instead of asking, where's God? I ask, where are God's people?"

And Sara was talking about how she used to want to shelter her kids from seeing so much of the world's evil. She felt as if she were hugging a wall. But now she feels like she doesn't want her kids seeing her hugging a wall. She wants them to see her with her head back, running!

She said..."I want the wick to be gone. I want the wax to be gone. I want to have burned down to the ground when my story is over."

Another thing that got me thinking during the film, was a part where she was talking to a gal in Rwanda about the music in Rwanda. The kids would sing songs and dance. Now this is Rwanda folks, they have been through genocide and its affects. Their music is about life, family, children and play. She then asked Sara what her music is about? Of course being a Christian artist her music is about similar things. But what it got me thinking about was mainstream secular music. l mean look at Rwanda...look at all they've been through and what they sing about. Then you have America, the land of opportunity. We have so much and what is the majority of our music about?????? Money, sex, partying, drinking, affairs, loneliness, depression.
Really makes you think!!!!!!!

V is for Volcano

So, the day care kiddos are learning about the letter V this week. So of course we HAD to make a volcano. I used the directions I found online to make an Erupting Playdough Volcano.

They LOVED it and kept asking to see it again and again. I promised them we'd make another one on Friday, because I was getting tired of having vinegar all over the place it was time to move on to something else.

Anyway, I tired to get some pics of the miss when she first reacted to the eruption, but it was hard...since I had to go from pouring to shooting.

When we first began, she was a little apprehensive.


But soon she was giggling and asking to see it again and again.




But she never did let go of that finger, did she?

Why I blog

So, Iris tagged me with a meme to list off 5 reasons why I blog. So, here goes:

1. I originally started somewhat blogging three years ago. My hubby was sent to Korea for a year and I added a blog to my daughter's website. It was mainly used to show daddy pictures of how his little girl was growing.
When my hubby came back from Korea, we moved away from our family and closest friends, so I continued using the paid tripod site to post pictures of the little miss and write updates for all those we moved away from.
But then a friend of mine began to use blogger, so I jumped on the bandwagon. My blog was still used primarily for family, but I soon discovered blog rings, like Christian Women Online.
I began visiting other blogs out there and realized that I could do more with my blog than just journal day to day activities and post pictures. Although, this is still a primary goal of my blog, since it is used to keep family and far away friends caught up on my life. I reliazed that I could also blog about my walk with God. And maybe inspire others the way I was being inspired by so many blogs I visited.

2. The second main reason I blog, is because I express myself through writing. I do like to talk, but when it comes to really sharing myself, I do that best non-verbally. I am not a phone person, I am an emailer. And I open up best through the written word. So, a blog is wonderful for me.

3. As I touched upon in number 1, I like how blogging gives me an opportunity to talk about my faith, especially to those readers I have who I know aren't saved. I also am awed when someone tells me a post touched them. I think that's great! I know I am touched daily by many blogs that I visit.

4. I stay home all day long with the kiddos and run a day care out of my home, so this little blogdom gives me a link to the outside world. Plus, I learn so much from other SAHM, WAHM blogs that I read. Some of you are INCREDIBLE women.

5. Finally, I blog because it's fun. I look forward to posting and I must admit, I am quite addicted to it.

So, there you go. Now, I am supposed to tag you all..So.....I tag Dana, Janean, Jen, Barbara H and Yolanda

Psalms Sunday - Psalm 8

New King James Version (NKJV)

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.


Psalm 8

To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath.[a] A Psalm of David.
 1 O LORD, our Lord,
         How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
         Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
         
 2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
         You have ordained strength,
         Because of Your enemies,
         That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
         
 3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
         The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
 4 What is man that You are mindful of him,
         And the son of man that You visit him?
 5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,[b]
         And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
         
 6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
         You have put all things under his feet,
 7 All sheep and oxen—
         Even the beasts of the field,
 8 The birds of the air,
         And the fish of the sea
         That pass through the paths of the seas.
         
 9 O LORD, our Lord,
         How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

How magnificent is our God!!!!! I am sure we have all had those moments where we are just truly in awe of His creation. The evening sky where I live is breathtaking. You can see so many stars. My daughter loves when we leave the house at night and she can look up at the moon and the stars. There was one time when I was rushing her into the car and she informed me that she needed a minute. "I am looking at the moon and stars mommy." I looked over at her and she was standing so still...neck back...eyes wide open...staring.

I love how this Psalm has us focus for a moment on just how amazing God is. And I love how it brings us to that realization that He chose to create us, to be with us, to love us, to send His son to die for us. And who are we compared to God? And why oh why do we try to be our own God?

With all He has done for us. With all He has provided for us. Why do we not give Him every moment, every breath? He has given us dominion. It is a gift. Are we using it properly?

Let us be reminded to focus on God, to praise God always for all He has given us and for His amazing and breathtaking creation. Praise Him for the morning's painted sky. Praise Him for the freshly fallen dew. Praise Him for each unique snowflake lining the window pane. Praise Him for the bright full moon and the starry night sky.

And then look at your own life. Look at how you spend your time. Look at how you give for Him. How are you choosing to use your gift?

Photo Time

So, it's time to make G.G. and grandma's day. Here are some pictures. Click on them to view them a tad larger.

Here is the mister man after falling asleep the other night. He's so stinking cute.


And here he is feeding himself for a little bit.


Now, I have been trying out various things to keep the kiddos busy. First, we covered the table in shaving cream. That was a hit and kept them busy for 45 minutes. But, it was a pain to clean.


A couple of days ago, I made some file folder games. I printed them out, laminated them and then glued them into file folders. The few that I most recently made, were made in a hurry..so they aren't very pretty. I am going to make tons more though and take my time...make them look nice. I will then keep them all in a box. The kids play with them individually and they love them. So, here's some file folder game action.


It also helps to rip one out while trying to cook dinner. It keeps the miss busy.


Well, that's all I have for pictures for now.

Sound Byte Saturday #1

For Sound Byte Saturday you can post a video or audio clip on your blog to best sum up your mood for the past week as a Sound Byte Of The Week, or just for Saturday as a Saturday Sound Byte.

Basically, post anything that has sound like video, music, or even your own homemade sound bytes. If you want, you can explain your choice of Sound Byte, or not... and let us figure it out for ourselves.

Okay, so this is my first Sound Byte Saturday. I had a pretty uneventful...normal week. Thursday night was Bible Study, and once again, it was GREAT! And when I came home from it, I immediately sat down and watched Grey's Anatomy. It was the episode I had been waiting for all week long. And it was good, predictable, but good. And so today I chose some clips from the last half of the episode for today's sound byte. The second clip is the point Thursday night where I lost it. The minute long moment that Izzy and Denny shared. INCREDIBLE. Enjoy! And thank you for visiting my Sound Byte Saturday.

This clip is about nine minutes long


This is the 60 second Izzy/Denny tear jerker

And since we are on a Grey's kick....

Here's a really really good Meredith and Derek video montage that I found set to the song, Keep Holding On.

You'll have to click on it a couple of times to be routed to where you can view it.

Blog Surfing Friday

So, I don't have many to share today. I didn't do much surfing this week. But I do have two very thought provoking posts to share.

This post asks what if we were on God's Site Meter?
- For those of you not familiar with Site Meter, it is a site that keeps track of your blog's visitors. It lets you see when they visited, where they are from, how long they stayed on your site...things like that.

And then this post by 3 Forward 2 Back, makes some VERY IMPORTANT points.

Enjoy!

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
Where on your body do you have a scar, and what caused it?
I have a chicken pox scar in the middle of my forehead. When I had the chicken pox as a child, I had them BADLY!!!! They were everywhere. And I have a permanent, pretty reminder.

Soup
What is something that has happened to you that you would consider a miracle?
Getting to know Jesus as my personal Savior. Especially while growing up in the home that I did with parents who were non-believers.

Salad
Name a television personality who really gets on your nerves.
Joan Rivers

Main Course
What was a funny word you said as a child (such as "pasketti" for "spaghetti")?
I can't think of any words. I do know, however, that I'd sing along with my mom to the slow rock 80's songs and always had some weird versions of what I thought the lyrics were. I know I used to sing some pretty funny things.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I have always thought ______ was ______.
I have always thought chocolate was delightful!


Visit More Feasts

This Makes Me Excited

So, I happened to catch a few seconds of Nightline tonight and they were interviewing Ryan Gosling about his Oscar nod. But when I happened to pay attention to it, I caught a glimpse of the Lord's Resistance Army and listened to him speak about a young girl who had been attacked. The children of Northern Uganda are so pressing on my heart and by the time I realized what he was talking about, they were already discussing some other topic. But I did catch that he was working on a film about the LRA. I looked up information about it online and found this:

"Where’s Ryan Gosling? The Oscar-nominated "Half Nelson" star was a surprise entry on the Oscar slate. But he's been pretty much MIA from the campaign circuit. He wasn't even at the prestigious and essential campaign stop -- the Oscar Nominees Luncheon -- this week. Even Peter O'Toole showed up for that. Doesn't Ryan want to win?

According to Bonnie Abaunza of Amnesty International, Ryan is in Uganda scouting locations for "The Lord's Resistance Army," a film about child soldiers in East Africa. Gosling's producing the film, co-writing the script, will direct and star in it. With him in Uganda are child soldier expert Jimmy Briggs, author of "Innocents Lost," and John Prendergast, D.C-based senior advisor to the International Crisis Group. He’s the guy who took Angelina Jolie on her first trip to the eastern Congo in 2003 and helped George Clooney recently appear at the United Nations to seek help for Darfur's thousands of dead and millions of displaced civil war victims.

While there, they visited some hospitals and aid centers funded by Nic Cage's $2.5 million contribution to help rehabilitate child soldiers. Yesterday morning, Bonnie got a frantic call from Ryan, Jimmy and John asking for her help.

At one hospital, the trio met a 3-year-old girl whose village had been attacked and destroyed by the child soldiers in the Lord's Resistance Army.

"She had been thrown into a fire to burn to death. But she managed to wriggle out. The child soldiers grabbed her, wrapped her in a rug and threw her back in. But she managed to crawl out again, stay hidden in the brush and survive. She was just 18 months old. She’s still alive but is horribly burned. The carpet is embedded in her head. She has a cerebral infection and is in terrible pain with every movement and every breath,” says Abaunza.

"She cannot grow because her skin is so scarred. The brave little girl needs more help than the Doctors Without Borders can provide and her only hope now is to get to the U.S. and be given long-term treatment at a Burn Center."

Ryan, Jimmie and John are determined to get her out of Uganda and flown to the U.S. for specialized care and Bonnie is trying to arrange airfare and medical care as fast as she can. So if you wonder where the Oscar-nommed actor has been during the fabulous frenzied awards season, that’s what he's been up to. Freaking inspiring, isn't it?"

I am thrilled to read this....THRILLED. I am so glad to see a Hollywood star working hard to bring this issue to the mainstream. GOOD FOR HIM!

A Parent's Reward

I really enjoyed this Video, so check it out!

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that I am feeling better and that everyone in my household appears to be healthy.

I am thankful that my hubby got off work early on Tuesday, so that he was able to help out with the kiddos in the afternoon.

I am thankful to hear praise reports often of the miracles God has done.

I am thankful for my friends and family.

My Tag Cloud

It's All Meaningless

So, I am better...thank you for your prayers. I am just very tired. I need to catch up on sleep, that's for sure. The little mister slept all night long, but I for some reason got a second wind late in the evening, so I ended up going to bed very late. So, yes, I am SLEEPY.
I don't have much to yap about today, so I did some silly, meaningless quizzes and here are the results:

You Are 2: The Helper

You always put on a happy face and try to help those around you. You're incredibly empathetic and care about everyone you know. Able to see the good in others, you're thoughtful, warm, and sincere. You connect with people who are charming and charismatic.

What Number Are You?

You Are a Boston Creme Donut

You have a tough exterior. No one wants to mess with you. But on the inside, you're a total pushover and completely soft. You're a traditionalist, and you don't change easily. You're likely to eat the same doughnut every morning, and pout if it's sold out.

What Donut Are You?

You Are An ENFJ

The Giver You strive to maintain harmony in relationships, and usually succeed. Articulate and enthusiastic, you are good at making personal connections. Sometimes you idealize relationships too much - and end up being let down. You find the most energy and comfort in social situations ... where you shine. You would make a good writer, human resources director, or psychologist.

What's Your Personality Type?

What color do you see the world in?

Pink: You see the world in bright pink. The world is a happy, happy place! You love all people and things!! Life is great! You're just like a happy child. Spread the cheer.
Made by Sara
Take this quiz!








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Sick Again

Well, I am sick again. I actually closed day care today. The parents were very understanding. I think I got 3 hours of sleep last night. The mister just wasn't wanting to sleep at all and I was up very often with a stomach bug. Ya know, I think I have been sick more times in the past several months, than my daughter has been in over a year.

One of my day care kiddos stayed home yesterday because she had a stomach bug, so I wonder if maybe her brother had it..but wasn't showing signs yet. Maybe he gave it to me. Or maybe it was something I ate. Who knows.

All I know is I currently don't feel well at all.....very VERY crampy. :o(

I've been trying to get the miss to understand that I don't feel well, but she isn't liking it very much that I want to lay down. She keeps informing me that the sun is up and that I need to also be up. The mister has been pretty good though. At least he doesn't seem to need to be held much today. Because holding him against me hurts my poor tummy.

I have yet to eat anything and I am starving, but afraid. I think I'll try a banana or a piece of bread.

I really do like the quote for In Other Words today. So, if I start feeling better, I will write my post for it today....later.

Quick Invisible Children Update

As I talked about earlier, I am trying to do a screening out here of the film, Invisible Children. Their Mountain West tour team will be out in my area in April. Tiffany and I are going to see if our pastor will show the film one night. I am also working on trying to secure a larger location where I can try to get some of the public to attend.

There is an event center with a theater out here, I emailed them to see if we could use their center. Of course we can, but they do charge $150 per hour with a 2 hour minimum. Invisible Children asks that we do our own fundraising for the venue, if it is one that charges. I have emailed the gal at the center back to see if we can get some sort of a discount since we will be fundraising to use their venue for the screening. So I'll see what she says.I am prepared to hear a big fat NO however.

I just talked to a gal from Invisible Children who works in their San Diego offices and was able to get some information from her on setting up the screening.

I am very excited to be putting this together and I hope that it can all work out.

If you guys have any fundraising suggestions, I am all ears!!!! I don't know many people out here and am not involved with any groups out here. So, it'll be just little old me....and Tiff!

Amazing Worship

Psalms Sunday post is below.

I wanted to quickly write about this before I forgot to.

This morning at church, an older couple sat in front of me. The husband had been battling cancer over the past year and just found out that it is completley gone. He has been healed.

It was incredible watching them in worship this morning. We were singing praises to God, but this couple was singing the words with every fiber of their being. The wife kept taking a kleenex out of her pocket to wipe tears of joy from her eyes as we sang words like... "You are so good, God. You have saved us. Hallelujah."

I kept watching them from behind and smiling at them. I wanted for just a moment to be them, to be at that instant incredibly in awe of the work God had done in my life. And then I realized that I should be worshipping God in that way each and every time. I shouldn't need to wait for a miracle to happen before I pull out a kleenex to wipe tears of joy from my eyes.

I want to always praise God for just being God. He has saved me from sooooooo much. He DIED for Me.

"I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praises to the name of the Lord Most High." Psalm 7:17

Psalms Sunday - #7

Psalm 7 (New International Version)

A shiggaion[a] of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.
1 O LORD my God, I take refuge in you;
save and deliver me from all who pursue me,
2 or they will tear me like a lion
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

3 O LORD my God, if I have done this
and there is guilt on my hands-

4 if I have done evil to him who is at peace with me
or without cause have robbed my foe-

5 then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let him trample my life to the ground
and make me sleep in the dust.
Selah

6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger;
rise up against the rage of my enemies.
Awake, my God; decree justice.

7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you.
Rule over them from on high;

8 let the LORD judge the peoples.
Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity, O Most High.

9 O righteous God,
who searches minds and hearts,
bring to an end the violence of the wicked
and make the righteous secure.

10 My shield [b] is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a righteous judge,
a God who expresses his wrath every day.

12 If he does not relent,
he [c] will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.

13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.

14 He who is pregnant with evil
and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.

15 He who digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit he has made.

16 The trouble he causes recoils on himself;
his violence comes down on his own head.

17 I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

In this Psalm, David is dealing with rumors that are circling around about him. And sadly they are being believed. David is hurt by the fact that he is being blamed. But instead of trying to seek revenge, instead of standing up for himself, he humbles himself. He looks deep within his heart to try to see if there really was something he may have done to cause it. He looks to see if maybe there is something to be guilty about.

And he knows that God will bring about the truth. He knows that God will look after his sheep when the lions come to devour them. And he knows that God will deal with handling judgment.

It is not our place to bring about judgment. There is only one judge. It is important that we just focus on ourselves. I have day care kiddos that I watch that like to tattle on everyone else. And I am constantly telling them to not worry about other people and to just worry about themselves.

We need to take that same advice.

Look at the sin in your own life and deal with it severly. Sin in your life can cause others to stumble. It can cause others to sin. And it becomes a vicious cycle. Humble yourself...look to yourself continusously. Focus on how you can do a better job at showing God's love to everyone you meet.

Prayer Request

I just emailed an event coordinator out here in regards to seeing if I can have a screening of the film, Invisible Children, at their event center/ theater. It can hold up to 1,000 people. So if they are moved by the story of the children and allow me use of their space, I would have such an opportunity to share the story with so many. Of course, I'd have to find a way to get 1,000 people there and only in a month's time. The Invisible Children Mountain West tour team will be out here in my city in March. They work along with those who are hosting screenings to provide resources and to be there to explain more about it and answer questions. So, I just emailed a gal from there as well to find out if I do secure the location, how do I go about getting 1,000 people there.

Anyway, I ask right now for you to pray for the heart of the wonderful event coordinator who will be reading my email. Pray that their heart will be touched by the story and that they will be more than willing to allow me use of their space free of charge.

Thank you!

TRI

TRI

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Two Weeks Of Sacrifice

I recently came across information regarding Blood:Water Misson headed up by Jars of Clay. and I want to do something to help them and I WANT YOU TO HELP TOO. And it will be easy! First, here's a little background information behind Blood:Water Mission, taken from their website.

"When Dan Haseltine, Jars of Clay's lead singer, visited Africa in 2002, he had to struggle to accept what he saw. Poverty and physical and social suffering in Africa shook him, challenged him, and changed him.

Haseltine returned overwhelmed by despair, transformed by hope and called to action. He came back with a vision for clean blood and clean water in Africa -- blood free of the HIV virus and water free of parasites and bacteria that cause AIDS patients and others undue suffering. He and his band mates envisioned this orphaned continent to be transformed through the installation of Christ's sacrificial symbols of blood and water.

Jars of Clay's main audience are the church and young people across the nation. The band knows that both populations are uniquely equipped to respond to world suffering and injustice. The band members saw a shining opportunity for people to offer Gods hand of mercy in the broken places. They believed that through bringing the crisis to the minds and hearts of Americans and through presenting opportunities to make a positive tangible impact in Africa, lives would be transformed both here and there.

This, then, is the Blood:Water Mission, committed to clean blood and clean water to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic, to build clean wells in Africa, to support medical facilities caring for the sick, to make a lasting impact in the fight against poverty, injustice and oppression in Africa through the linking of needs, talents and continents, of people and resources."


Would you like to help? "You can do so without dipping into your savings, without affecting your contributions to churches and other charities."

Starting Saturday, February 24th, I am asking you to join me in Two Weeks of Sacrifice to raise money for Blood:Water Mission. Here's how it works....

• Make water your only beverage for just 2 weeks.

• For those 2 weeks, take the money you would usually spend on soda, juice, sports drinks, coffee, milk, etc., and collect it in a your favorite mug or cup.

• When the 2 weeks is over, contribute the funds to Blood:Water Mission. Send your check to the address below.

• Please include a remittance/feedback form with your contribution

WHERE TO SEND FUNDS:

Collected donations for the 1000 Wells Project should be sent to:

Blood:Water Mission
P.O. Box 682545
Franklin, TN 37068-2545

Feedback forms can be found here.Also there is a tally form to keep track of how much you aren't spending on beverages.

I am including a mister linky at the end of this post. If you think you can sacrifice your favorite beverages beginning Saturday, February 24th and ending Saturday, March 10th, please sign up on my linky and post the two weeks of sacrifice image on your blog. Please tell as many as possible about this campaign. At the end of the two weeks, please comment me on how much you saved up for Blood:Water Mission. I will do a tally of all those involved and see just how much our two weeks earned to provide clean water for those in Africa.

The code for the image is:

<a href="http://butterflykiss21.blogspot.com/2007/02/two-weeks-of-sacrifice.html"><img src="http://i5.tinypic.com/359w9xd.jpg" border="0" width="120" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Thank you for joining me in this effort to help.

If you are interested in learning more about Blood:Water Mission, you can watch this video.


Again, if you want to take part...put your name in the Mister Linky Below. Thank you!!!

Sympathy...Is Just Sympathy

I have had two children in very nice hospitals, where I received wonderful medical care. With my little mister, I stayed in a room with two beds, so that my hubby could stay the night and be comfortable. I received three very yummy meals a day through the hospital food service and even got to take two snacks at the nourishment pantry because I was a nursing mom.

When my little miss fractured her skull, we were seen immediately by the Emergency Room staff. CT scans were taken, and she was admitted and watched overnight, in a room that again slept all three of us. We had food service and movies played on the television for her enjoyment.
She was even given a donated teddy bear to comfort her.

I sleep in a house with heat, so that I can be comfortable even when it is 3 degrees outside. I have a cabinet stocked with snacks. I eat three meals a day. And on nights when I don't feel like cooking the food I do have, I can order pizza or jump into my SUV, drive to McDonald's, order some cheeseburgers and waste money.

I have a closet full of clothes and my children have more clothes than they ever could need.

I have a telephone and can communicate with friends and loved ones in a matter of seconds.

I have a television set that brings me hours of entertainment while I sit, watch and waste time.

I have much and I waste much. We all do. In fact, if you are on here reading this right now, even though I am glad you are, aren't you in a sense wasting time?

I take so much for granted. I complain when gas prices rise, but my goodness, I own a car!!! I should be grateful.

When the lovely employees at the nearby Taco Bell mess up my order again for the thirteenth time, I get a little annoyed, but Geez oh Pete, I still have food to eat, even if it is the wrong order.

I clean out my fridge every week or so and throw away so many rotting leftovers. So much food. Again, I am wasting.

Back in October I believe, I watched clips for a film, Invisible Children, and was moved...MOVED...I vowed to help. I began working on helping, but nothing ever happened. I got too caught up in the busyness of my life. Christmas came along and I had presents to buy and travel plans. My kids had taken up a lot of my time, it's understandable, I mean I have a life I am living...responsibilities. I have mouths to feed, bills to pay and so many constraints on my time.

So, I keep on living. I stress about patting my little guy's back at midnight.....wishing he'd fall asleep, while laying beside him in my Queen sized bed wrapped up in sheets and a comforter.

I spend my Saturday busy doing laundry in my washer machine. I vacuum my carpeted floors. I pick up the tons of toys that my children have and don't really need. Days turn to weeks and before I know it, those children in that film I saw a few months back don't even cross my mind anymore.

I mean, I've been busy..I have two young kids and the winter has brought about many colds. I've had sick children that have needed my care. I have taken them to the doctor with a same day appointment and have given them their prescribed medication that I was able to have almost immediately upon leaving the appointment. And I have been there to comfort them while they have felt under the weather. So, that's all so important, so of course, I haven't given the Invisible Children a second thought.

But I don't want to be THAT person. I don't want to be the one who feels sympathy for lives others are living, yet does nothing about it. I don't want to be that person who wastes time, money and energy on silly luxuries like cheeseburgers and cable television.

But, I am. And sadly, I think a lot of us are.

I have a clip in the post below about an organization, RENUH, that is trying to help restore the hospitals in Northern Uganda. And at the bottom of this post, is the entire Invisible Children film in case you are wondering what it is that I keep referring to. You should watch it, in its entirety. Or at least the last 25 minutes, if you don't have the time to spare for the whole thing. I am sure you have much to do today.

I just feel that I am supposed to be doing something more than having sympathy. And I feel that so far I haven't done a thing to help. I mean I have blogged about it several times and brought it to several people's attention. But I haven't really, REALLY helped.

Yet, I keep on living my life in the home that I own...eating the food that fills my fridge and spending time planning dance classes for my daughter.

And while my life keeps moving on, a child in Northern Uganda is going days without a bite to eat, sleeps on the ground outside because he has no home and washes the only shirt he has in a bucket. Oh and while doing all of this, he is worried that at any moment the Lord's Resistance Army will kidnap him, brutally beat him and force him to kill tons of children, some of whom may be friends or family.

And while I sit on my couch with my popcorn watching an On Demand movie, a diabetic patient in the Gulu hospital has been waiting all day for treatment from a doctor who will never show up.

While I walk around the mall with my miss and take her into Build-a-Bear, a mildly sick child seeks care at the Gulu hospital and walks by the TB ward that is only closed off by a tarp, thus exposing him.

While I wash my sheets and wonder what to do with my daughter's old toddler bed, a young mother gives birth on a hospital bed covered with the blood of the last three patients.

And right now, I sit here in my plush robe, typing away on a computer using my internet that I spend $60 a month for...wasting time and wasting money.

But, I have sympathy.


"Sympathy is no substitute for action." -- David Livingstone, missionary to Africa

Be Moved

Thankful Thursday

I am sooo thankful that my hubby had off from work yesterday. I was able to use nap time to get my hair and makeup ready for the dinner last night. And he was also home to help with the day care kiddos while I got my dress on and stuff. So, that was wonderful. Had he not been home, I would have had 20 minutes to get ready.

I am thankful that we were able to attend last night. It was a great, GREAT time.

I am thankful for the two gals that watched our kiddos and Tiffany's kiddos last night, so that we were able to have an evening together without the kids.

I am thankful for my hubby praying for me this morning. I have been in a funk...a pretty grumpy mood...from not getting enough sleep last night. The day care kiddos have been crazy this morning. I told my hubby how I was feeling and he embraced me and prayed for me and I am so thankful for that.

I am thankful for my new Chris Tomlin cd that I received as a prize last night. There are some great worship songs on that cd.

I am thankful for my daughter's hugs and kisses. She makes me feel like I am doing everything right, even on days where I feel I have failed.

Valentine's

Well, our Valentine's dinner was wonderful. The food was yummy and we had a great time. We played some games. They did a version of the Newlywed game. They picked couples at random, and we weren't the contestants, but it was still hilarious to watch. we were all cracking up. They also played a sort of name that tune type of game with love songs. They spoke words to songs, not in any sort of rhythmic pattern, and then you had to raise your hand and shout out the title. And, I won that game. Some were shocked that I knew some of the older songs. One couple said...she's a baby. LOL. There were some older couples there. But I won Chris Tomlin's new cd. So, I was very happy. And then Tiffany and Levi won for most romantic proposal. Anyway, it was a fun evening. Here's a pic.



Oh, and G.G., the miss says...Thank you for the card and Happy Valentine's Day G.G. and Papa.

In Other Words

I remember about six years ago, I was driving home from work. It had been a long, tough day and I was tired. I was at a stoplight, kind of in a zone while trying to recover form the sensory overload that was my day, when I looked up at the sky and saw it. It was a rainbow like I had never seen before. It was a full rainbow that seemed to cover the entire sky. It was breathtaking. It was gorgeous. And right then and there, I praised God for the beauty of His creation. And for the rest of the evening my mood was changed.

When I read today's quote, I immediately thought of a rainbow and of one of my favorite quotes, "it takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow".

The plans God has for us, the matters of our souls, the work God has for us to do, will be as magnificent as a full rainbow draping the sky after a storm. But there can't be a rainbow without the rain clouds. And in our life, those dark clouds will come. They will call for us to rely on our faith. They will shape us and change us for God's purpose.

But my oh my, while the rain is pouring down, it can be so hard to remember that a rainbow is on its way. Especially if it has been storming for a LONG time. And how tempting it is for us to no longer wait for God's timing. How easy it is for us to think we know what is best and to try to create our own sunshine.

But those present comforts are just that, present. They don't last long and they don't sustain us. With our own hands, minds, wants and desires, we can probably create a rainbow for ourselves, but it won't be the one that captivates us, that leaves us in complete awe as we praise God for His work.

And, I don't know about you, but I think I'll wait for THAT one. I want God's rainbow after my storm.

Being A Little Boastful

So, I have been working over the past few days on a blog design for Dana over at Rare and Beautiful Treasures. She wanted her blog to fit around her Bible verse. So, I designed her blog for her. And I love how it turned out. And I am really getting the hang of this stuff and now have some ideas for mine, to change it up just a tad.
Anyway, go check it out.

And, again, I'd be happy to help design yours, if you'd like. It's fun and I learn new things each time.

Weekend Update

Psalms Sunday post is below. :o)

Well it's been somewhat of an eventful weekend. With everyone being sick lately, the past few Saturdays have found us lazy, lazy. So, yesterday, I decided we should get out of the house. We headed to Woodland Park to take the miss to the dinosaur museum. She seemed to have a pretty good time. She kept saying, "wow", over and over again. It was cute. She had fun with the hands on things....fossil rubbings and digging for bones and such.

But, she was terrified, TERRIFIED..of the T-rex. I wanted to get a picture of us, next to him...but she freaked out.

She was a bit traumatized and for awhile, stayed like this.....

All in all, she seemed to have fun. It was a neat, little place. And it really was little. We were only there for maybe 30 minutes. On the way out, she got some rock candy and some dinosaur money, so she was all smiles. And the mister was all smiles as
well.


I have been working on a header image/template for a gal. It's been fun. While working on it, I had one of those A-HA moments and headed on over to edit my own template. And, I was able to fix a problem in my template that has been annoying me for 7 months now. When you click on a link to one of my individual posts, script used to flood my header image, but not anymore, it's all fixed. YAY! You know you wanna see, come on, just for kicks, click Here.

The mister is doing well. He went to the doctor on Friday to get some oral nystatin for his thrush. And, since he has been on it, I have noticed that his eczema has improved substantially. On friday, his entire back was red, dry, bumpy. His face was covered in red patches. This morning, the skin on his tummy and back is red free and so smooth. And his face is clear. Coincidence??? I have begun to think not. I looked a little online this morning about the relationship between nystatin and eczema and have found some sites that discuss how eczema can be caused by yeast. And nystatin treats yeast. So, I will definitely be researching this further.

Finally, folks, my little girl has been melting my heart. Her new thing now is to let me know that she misses me, when I am asleep or at the store. She tells me that she is sooo glad I am here. This morning, she asked me for a kiss and a hug. And while we were hugging, she told me that she was glad that I am her mommy. TOO CUTE, I tell you what.

Well, that's it for the update. Oh, wait, I lied..... One more thing.

Last night, I did something that I haven't done in 7 months. I slept in my own bed, on my side of the bed, without a little body next to mine. My arm wasn't angeled just right to allow for a little head to rest in the crook of it. I was able to stretch out instead of taking up a little sliver, while my mister slept at an angle, kicking me in the belly. Yep, he slept in his crib last night...all night long...and didn't cry once. And I got sleep. It was wonderful!!!

Psalms Sunday #6

Psalm 6

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[a]

A psalm of David.
 1O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
       or discipline me in your wrath.

 2 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint;
       O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.

 3 My soul is in anguish.
       How long, O LORD, how long?

 4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver me;
       save me because of your unfailing love.

 5 No one remembers you when he is dead.
       Who praises you from the grave [b] ?

 6 I am worn out from groaning;
       all night long I flood my bed with weeping
       and drench my couch with tears.

 7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
       they fail because of all my foes.

 8 Away from me, all you who do evil,
       for the LORD has heard my weeping.

 9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
       the LORD accepts my prayer.

 10 All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed;
       they will turn back in sudden disgrace.


I have been there before, so full of anguish, so full of sorrow. And it hurts everywhere, emotionally and physically. What brought me there? Sin in my life did. Selfishness in my life did. When you give in to the sin around you and begin to live your life for the world, it causes pain, such pain to the Spirit and to the body. And like David, I knew that I needed to return to God. I needed to no longer immerse myself in the sin of the world. I knew that God heard my prayers for help. I knew that God forgave me, loved me and would begin to comfort me. And that was what I was reminded of this morning, when I read Psalm 6. What did it show you today?
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I will see you again next week for Psalm 7.

Blog Surfing Friday

It's been a trying week and I searched the blogdom world for some posts to make me laugh. And that is what I will mostly be sharing with you today.

Crazed mom of three has been dealing with sickness and kids too, so I enjoyed reading This Post. I stayed on her blog a little longer and came across This one as well that I felt I could relate to. The picture she posted on it, cracked me up.

And then Callapidderdays' talking to herself post had me laughing because I relate to it.

But then folks, I found this AMAZING GEM that I, at this moment, really needed to read. And Tiffany, if you are reading this, please go read it too. SERIOUSLY!!!!

When You Gather In His Name

It's been a tough week....and I am oh so tired. I want a vacation to just sleep. LOL! Tuesday night, our little mister started throwing up at around midnight. He was very phlegmy and horribly congested. He was having a hard time breathing. At first we thought he might have the flu, but we also thought that he was just so congested that his body was just trying to get rid of it. We gave him some decongestant, but he ended up throwing that up too. I tried to elevate his head with some pillows, but it wasn't giving him much relief. So for awhile, I slept sitting up, holding him upright.

In the morning, we went and got some Pedialyte just in case, but he ended up keeping down the jar of bananas I gave him and a bottle of water. By mid-afternoon, he was so hungry, I gave in and gave him a bottle and he was fine. He was pretty fussy though and just wanted to be held most of the day, poor guy. Then last night, we were up until 4:00 A.M. with the little man. He just couldn't seem to get comfy and he cried and cried. And I HAD to get up at 5:30, so again it was another night of no sleep.

Today, he just didn't seem right. He cried while eating and again just wanted to be in my arms all day. I was thinking that maybe he was getting a tooth or something. Well, at 4:30 this afternoon, I figured out what was wrong. His tongue was covered in little white patches, it looked like dried up formula. But then I saw them on the inside of his mouth too. I knew right away that it meant thrush. Poor guy. So, I'll be taking him to the doctor tomorrow.

So tonight was my Bible study night and Tiffany and I lead the worship for it. Plus, it was my night to bring treats. But, Tiffany came down with the flu, so I'd be the only one doing music. Since I was so tired and had a sick mister, I decided to go, but just to bring treats and sing, then I'd head back home. I brought the little man, because he was less likely to fuss if he was with me than he would staying at home with daddy, with his momma nowhere to be found.

After the songs and before I headed out for home, the Bible study leader and all the other gals prayed for the little mister. He was fussy right beforehand, but when our leader placed her hand on him and began to pray, he instantly stopped crying. She prayed for his health and for his thrush to heal. She also prayed for control of his eczema. She then prayed for strength for me and the hubby....and for patience during the late nights. She prayed for my health as well, since I am getting over being sick. I was so glad that I decided to go. I know that those prayers will help. So far, he's been sleeping pretty soundly, which is great.

The power of prayer, I tell you what!!!

An Offer for YOU!!!

Okay, so when I first started using blogger, all of the html and css coding stuff confused the heck out of me. And, when it came time to find a template, I hated the ones that blogger had. I would visit so many blogs and they all had such cute banner images..with pictures and Bible verses or quotes. Since then, I have gotten much more familiar with html and css and have made my current banner image. I can't do really awesome stuff, but I can do somewhat cute things...and I'd like to keep learning and I love being creative....so if you have a basic blogger template...and would like me to work on a banner image for you, let me know. I'd be happy to create one for you and hopefully code it correctly so that it can display on your page properly. I have made some for a friend in the past and the image never showed up. So, I can't make any promises that it will all work out well...cuz I'm a newbie at all of this...but I'd like to try. So, comment here if you'd like me to try to make some cute banner for you. I'll email you and we'll start from there. Oh, and I won't be charging for this or anything. I am just doing it for fun. :o)

The Dress

So, a few posts ago, I talked about my hunt for a dress for Valentine's Day. Hubby and I are going to a catered dinner hosted by the church, and, well, we don't get to go out much. And, this is a chance to be able to get all dolled up...another rarity lately. So, tonight, I found a perfect little Valentine's dress....
and a cute necklace. I did originally want something with red in it, but I found this one to be fun.

And then, I borrowed a pair of shoes from the mom of one of my day care kiddos. And the picture may not look like it, but they do match the dress.
I know it's silly to share these photos...but 1) I don't shop for myself much. 2) When I do, it's hardly ever at the mall, which is where I went tonight. and 3) I haven't bought a dress or jewelry in a long while. So, this is an event for me. HA! Anyway, just wanted to share.

Where I'm From

So, I was surfing blogs to find entries for the Hidden Treasure awards and I came across a fun little Where I'm From poem posted at Mississippi Girl.
You write the poem using a template that can be found here.

I spent a couple of hours on it. It was a lot of fun. I hope you enjoy it. And hey, why don't you make one too?!?!?!

Where I'm From

I am from the small room with the angled ceiling where the window looked out directly to the moon. Where I could holler to my neighbor friend whose bedroom lined up with mine.

I am from the Fisher Price record player that I used for hours as I sang and danced in my room. From the Care Bear movie soundtrack, Annie soundtrack and Sesame Street albums that I knew entirely by heart.

I am from the little white house with the blue shutters placed in the center of a huge, green yard where deer sometimes visited while running through the adjacent woods.

I am from the rose bushes, violets and buttercups. From the delicate lady's slippers that I lovingly piled in a bouquet for my mom, only to discover that they were protected and not to be picked.

I am from Tetley tea with milk, hours of Scrabble and Rummy playing, bowls of Maine blueberries drowning in milk that were only consumed on the back porch. I am from school closures on winter storm mornings, barbecues in the backyard, dancing in leg warmers with my mom to Flashdance and many visits to the nearby lake.

I am from the dark eyed and high cheek-boned, fulminating and animated Devito's, Desersa's and Lewis'.

I am from the emotional, passionate arguments and the ferry rides to our loud family get-togethers. I am from a true New Yorker who taught me that you HAD to be thick skinned and independent. And from a devoted Red Sox fan whom I spent many evenings with searching through stacks of baseball cards to find Mike Greenwell and Wade Boggs.

I am from the belief that my mom really did have eyes in the back of her head and from the many warnings that it was important to have on clean underwear in case we were involved in a wreck.

I am from an appreciation for education. One who needed to earn high grades. From a father's Ivy League dreams. Who gave his bright daughter Wesleyan and Harvard notebooks at the age of seven.

I am from one raised Catholic and one sort of Protestant who decided to join the nearby picturesque, small town church because it was the right thing to do.
I am from the church children's choir and occasional Sunday School class. However, as a family, we just played church and the beliefs weren't a part of our every day lives.

I am from a small New England town in Connecticut, Sioux Indians, Italian immigration to Ellis Island, homemade spaghetti sauce, chicken parmigiana and broccoli rabe.

I am from trips after school to the special restaurant, where I would eat ice cream in a dixie cup with a wooden spoon. From car rides with my dad where we would laugh as we sang Dan Folgenberg, Neil Diamond and Don McLean classics on the top of our lungs.

I am from the alcoholic grandfather that I never really knew. They say I got my voice from him.
From the grandmother my mom tried to keep me from, who I am finally getting to know, now that I am grown.
And from an entire family on my dad's side that I will never meet. They abandoned him and his siblings when they were just young kids.

I am from scattered photos housed in boxes and torn albums. Ones that truly do speak a thousand words and tell me the stories that my disease stricken mom's crippled memory is soon forgetting.

I am from a respect for all that my parents have been through in their lives, a longing to know more about my mother's young adulthood, and a strong desire to make sure memories are preserved for my own children.

Not what the doctor ordered

So, when you are already tired and have 5 kids under your care, it isn't smart to accidentally take the nighrtime drowsy, so you can rest, tylenol cold medicine. My eyes are starting to feel heavy. Time to blast some upbeat music or something...AAARRGGH!

So, I got stuck in a dress last night and had to have it cut off of me. So sad, it was such a beautiful dress. I am trying to find something to wear to the catered semi-formal Valentine's dinner that our church is hosting. I honestly don't have a thing to wear!!!! We have an awesome resale shop out here that caters mainly to those in Juniors clothing and they only sell really nice stuff that isn't over a year old. So, I thought that I would definitely find a dress there. No luck!!!!

They had this one dress that was really pretty and PERFECT. It was dressy, but not too dressy. I loved it and it fit well. It was just a little too low cut in the front...for me. When I first started to put it on, the zipper broke. The little part that you use to pull the zipper up, came right off. I was still able to put it on, but it was tough. Taking it off was another matter. I couldn't get the zipper to budge at all. I finally peeked my head out of the dressing room and asked one of the employees for help. She tried for awhile and couldn't get it either. She had another gal try, but the zipper wasn't going to budge. They finally decided that with the zipper broken, they couldn't sell it anymore, so they grabbed some scissors and cut it off of me.

We were all sad to cut it. We all agreed that it was a gorgeous dress.

Anyway, that's my story. I am going to go for now and try hard not to fall asleep.

What have they done to Your Word?

I saw this video over at Everyday Mommy and I HAD TO SHARE IT!!!!

Slide Show from Camp

Last month I went on a ladies retreat with my church. Our Bible study leader, Sharon, had a slide show of the scrapbook a few of the girls made for our trip. So, here it is....I thought I'd share it with you.

Quick Pics

Just some pics taken during the Superbowl Party today!








We aren't Bears fans. The jersey was a baby shower gift for the little miss. We never used it for her, but held onto it. It came in handy today! He's so cute!!