It's Orphan Awareness Day!

Hi friend!

Did you know that today is Orphan Sunday?

If you didn't know don't feel bad?
I just was reminded earlier this week by someone that posted on good ol' Facebook.
Is that where you get a lot of your information,  too?

I'd like to share a video {someone posted on Facebook} about what this day is about.

When I watched it earlier today I'm sure I spotted a picture of Andrea Roberts and her son Reece. Andrea is the lady who started Reece's Rainbow.

It was two years ago that God started to speak to my heart about helping orphans. Up until then I never gave it much thought.

It all started when a friend's daughter became an Angel Tree Warrior for Maribel during Reece's Rainbow's 2010 Angel Tree event.

Sweet Miss Maribel stole my heart! Honestly, if I was younger and my circumstances were different I would have gone and brought Maribel home myself. Oh yes I would have!

However, I know I'm not supposed to adopt. It's not God's plan for me and hubby.  So relax, that's not what I'm getting at for you either. I don't believe that we all should run out and adopt or be foster parents.

BUT - we can all do something. And if you're a Christian I believe God's word is very specific in telling us we are to help orphans.

So, friend, please take a few minutes to watch the video today on Orphan Sunday.

I pray you will view it with an open heart and mind and will consider what it is God wants you to do to help.

Click HERE to watch the video.

Thanks friend! and Happy Orphan Awareness Sunday!
 
BTW ~ We're Angel Tree Warriors this year for Tobie!

My God-sized Dream

Yikes! This is a scary one friend. Not my dream.... the topic.... and even scarier is putting it out there. I mean will others think my dream is crazy?

However, I've just started to link up on Thursdays with Bonnie at her Faith Barista Jam and "My God-sized Dream" is the topic for this week.

I thought about just writing something general about how our deepest desires may just be a God-sized dream planted in our heart by God himself.

Or I could have "called in sick" and not even posted.

Since, I'm not one to shy away from a challenge, I'm gonna give it a try. Plus, I really like the fact that when I write and share with you here in bloggy land it seems that by the time I hit "publish post" I see things differently and clearer.

Here I go - I'm jumping in on this week's Jam session!

My God-sized dream plain and simple: I have a dream to sell items that I quilt - on Etsy - to make money - to help orphans. 

Simple enough?  Well, yes and no.

In the last couple of years we've tried two different home based businesses. Both of them in the end have cost us more than we've made. So, I just don't have a lot of confidence in making extra money outside of a "regular" job. {which I already have}

What it comes down to is I have a desire to help orphans and those who are adopting. I even have a plan on how to make the money. It's the actual success of it all working out that I feel will be very God-sized. And makes me say "Yikes" for the second time in one post.

My plan is to sew and sell Raggedy items. There will be rag quilts, rag pillows, inspirational wall hangings and coasters. Maybe even window valences. I've also started creating a pattern for a raggedy teddy bear. Too cute!

I already have an Etsy site. {easy} I already have a second blog about my desire to help orphans. {easy}  I've even made two quilts and two wall hangings for gifts. {easy and fun}   I guess now I really need to get sewing. {easy and time consuming} And then putting items on Etsy. {should be easy} And letting family and friends know. {easy} And then waiting {hard} to see if it's gonna "happen" - if my God-sized dream will become a reality.

Just wait a minute. Back-up.

Let's focus on that one "hard" thing :
Will it work out?
Is God putting this desire in my heart?
Will all of the work bring me to my goal of helping orphans?
Will I be able to persevere and not give up?
Will anyone even want to buy anything?


Now I see it! Do you? It's not the waiting that's so hard! It's the possibility of failing. Again.
{wanna say "yikes" one more time, but I'll refrain}

I don't want to put all that time, effort and hope in this God-sized dream and have it fail.
Yea, well what can I say? Us perfectionist type people don't like to get it wrong.

But, I figure now that I realize what I'm really scared of I can deal with it a whole lot better. One more step in growing my faith and trust. And that's a good thing.

And if by chance it doesn't work out I guess there will be a lot of Raggedy gifts under the Christmas tree this year. Oh dear! That just gave me another idea - a Raggedy tree skirt. How cool is that!?