Monday, November 19, 2012

Changing

As Thanksgiving is almost here, I am thinking about all of the things I am thankful for.  Life has been hard and I am not where I want to be, but I have so much to be thankful for.

Most of all, I am thankful for a great God that is faithful and good.  Time and time again in this journey, He has proven himself more faithful than I could ever imagine.  There is always enough.  We always seem to manage, have food, clothes, rent.  When this world tries to bring us down, He remains the same.  Always good, always faithful.  When I am ready to give up, He picks me up and pushes me on.  He gives the boys just the right words to remind me why I need to keep fighting.  Why it is worth it.

Yesterday was one of those days.

I was talking to the boys on the phone and mostly they were telling me about their exams this week and how they want to go visit their families after exams are over.  There are still a few boys that haven't returned to their families yet.  One boy, Jacob, hasn't returned yet.  He didn't want to go the last 2 times the other boys went.  He wasn't ready and we didn't push.  The boys know that when they want, they can return to their families.  So we waited.

Yesterday, Jacob was telling me about his training and how much he likes it.  He was happy for his new boots and for everything he was learning.  He agreed it was a good choice for him and he thinks he will be happy to be a mechanic.

Then...

He asked me if it was ok if he would go and visit his step-mom.  He told me he knew that he wasn't nice to her and needed to go and beg forgiveness and apologize for his actions.

I couldn't have been prouder of him at that moment.

He is changing.  So are all of the boys.  They are slowly becoming the men God created them to be.  They are healing and accepting responsibility for their actions.

And it is all thanks to God.

 Philippians 1:6 (The Message)
There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

Jacob cooking at our old house

Friday, November 16, 2012

Desperate

The other day I got an email telling me a woman I had never knew left me $5.5 million dollars.

Of course I realized it was a scam.  I had gotten a lot of those emails before.  I actually stopped using my Yahoo account because every day I would get a crazy number of those emails.

But for a moment....

I so desperately wanted it to be true.  I wanted to be that lucky.  I wanted to believe in the impossible.

$5.5 million dollars would change my life.  It would change the boys lives and so many more.

I didn't dream of a mansion.

I didn't dream of a fancy car.

I didn't dream of extravagant vacations to destinations far away.

I dreamed of Uganda.  I dreamed of being reunited with kids that I miss so much it hurts.  I dreamed of being able to tell other kids that they no longer had to sleep all alone on the streets or wonder where their next meal is coming from. I dreamed of telling people that they finally have a job and their kids can return to school.  I dreamed of home.

But mostly I dreamed of the boys.  Their faces.  Their smiles.  Our hugs at their airports.  Our family finally being together again.

I so desperately wanted it to be true, I almost responded, knowing it was a scam.

Since then I have been thinking.

How many times do we do something knowing it isn't right, it isn't God's plan for us?

All the time.

What would have happened if I would have answered that email?  They would have taken what little I do have and life would be a mess for me and the ones I love.

Same thing happens when we don't follow God's plan for us.  We so desperately want what we want sometimes and ignore what He tells us and life becomes a mess.

We fight for the one that we know isn't right and then end up heartbroken and mad at God.  But He showed us all along but we didn't listen.

We take the wrong job, hate every minute of it, our lives are miserable, but we insisted on taking it even though God showed us a different way.  We get angry.  But we didn't listen.  Whose fault is it?

At times, we get so caught up in what we want, we ignore Him and His perfect plans.  We don't wait on Him, we take things into our own hands.  And every time, it ends up badly.

I still desperately want that email to be true.  But I know $5.5 million is nothing compared to what He has in store.

I dreamed the other night about a project I eventually want to start.  It was beautiful and I can't wait until I finally can.  But I know this isn't the time and I still need to wait.  His plan is perfect and when He is ready, it will all come together.



Light Gives Heat

Since the holiday season is quickly approaching, soon we are all going to be consumed with finding the perfect gift for everyone we know.  This holiday season, I challenge you to find gifts that are beautiful and wonderful but also that give back.  There are so many great companies out there that make great gifts and also pay their workers fair wages, have safe work environments, and are really making a difference in the communities where they work.

One of my favorite new(to me) companies is Light Gives Heat, www.lightgivesheat.org.  They work in Uganda and are doing amazing things with women in Jinja.  They employ around ninety women making beautiful jewelry and bags.  


Check out this video about them,

LGH: WHO WE ARE from Light Gives Heat on Vimeo.

then go to their website and get a really cool gift for someone.  You won't be disappointed and you will be making a difference!

Some of my favs

 
I actually have this one and get compliments on it every time I wear it.  A woman even asked me to take it off so she could feel it because she couldn't believe it was paper!



Happy shopping!


Friday, November 9, 2012

A picture...

Image detail for -STREET CHILDREN « Fight Slavery Now!


Isaiah 1:17 (ESV)
Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression, bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.



Still wondering?

Psalm 146:9 ESV 
The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

Still not sure?

James 1:27 ESV 
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.





They are our responsibility and there are millions of them worldwide. Won't you prayerfully consider partnering with us to do more?


Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Time

I was talking to a friend from Uganda today and he asked me what I thought were the biggest cultural differences between the US and Uganda.

Of course the first thing I told him was time.  We are so strict with it and it is really rude to be late, you can even get fired for it and in Uganda it is merely a suggestion.  Nothing is ever on time.

His response, "We joke that it is because you all are really 8 years behind us and we are just waiting on you to catch up."

I had never heard that before and laughed so hard.

Now it all makes sense.

Happy Wednesday!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Beats for the streets

A friend (David), that I met in Uganda when he was on a mission trip, just started a really cool business.  The best part of his new business is he is using it as a way to support causes and organizations that he cares about.  And we get to be the first!   For every SIR Case he sells, he is giving a portion to LOT 2545 to help us care for our boys and he is calling the project Beats for the Streets.  Just love that name!!!!

How awesome is that?  I know some of you out there are music lovers and this is definitely a must have!

Now the details...

It is called SIR Case.  "SIR CASE (Suitcase In Rhythm) is a modern day boom box. We take vintage cases and pair them with up-cycled speakers to create functional art."

The result is awesome!





And they sound as good as they look!



Check out their Facebook page.

You won't just be supporting a great guy with his new business but also the boys in our home.