Bon Voyage!

So, the day is finally here for us to leave on our missions trip to Uganda! The time has passed so quickly! I don't know that I'm really ready spiritually or mentally but I'll have a lot of time to think on our two-day flight there. I get a little teary eyed thinking about everyone that has helped me get to this day - from a sweet friend that hosted a garage sale to help me raise money, to the donations collected from our homeschool co-op, to the friends that ordered crafts from me, to the childhood friend and the college roommate who both sent me checks out of the blue. God is good and He definitely provided.

I'm really looking forward to the trip but the day or two before I leave is always the hardest. Of course, I'll miss my friends but I'm reeeeeeeally going to miss my family. Next to God, they are my life, my purpose, my reason for living. I imagine we'll all be pretty busy the next few weeks, the time will fly by & we'll be together again very soon.

So that's all for now. I hope to have internet while I'm there but if not, I'll update when I get back. You know I'll have lots of pictures to share!

God bless! :-D

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

 

War Dance - Documentary

According to Wikipedia... "War/Dance is a 2007 American documentary film written and directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine and produced by Shine Global's Susan MacLaury, a professor at Kean University, and Albie Hecht. It was nominated for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and received the Emmy Award for Best Documentary and Best Cinematography in 2010.

The film centers on three children - Nancy, a 13-year-old choir singer; Rose, a 14-year-old dancer; and Dominic, a 14-year-old xylophone player. They are members of the Acholi ethnic group, living in the remote northern Uganda refugee camp of Patongo, which is under military protection from the Lord's Resistance Army, a terrorist group that has been rebelling against the government for the past two decades. In 2005, the camp's primary school won its regional music competition and headed to Kampala to participate in the annual National Music Competition. War/Dance focuses on three of the eight categories: Western choral performance, instrumental music, and traditional dance, where the students perform the Bwola, the dance of the Acholi. Over the course of three months, the film's creative team observes the three youngsters as they prepare for the event and gain their confidence enough to have them discuss the horrors they have experienced and express their individual fears, hopes, and dreams."

A Grateful Leper at Your Feet

I heard this song today and the words brought tears to my eyes. I know I'm a sinner and my eyes have definitely been opened to those who are hurting in this world. But one phrase really got me - "Help us to remember we are all the least of these." Wow. I've always thought of "the least of these" as someone "less fortunate" than me. Someone who is homeless, widowed, orphaned, poor. I certainly don't think I'm better than anyone else but that phrase reminded me that I'm also "the least of these". I don't deserve God's grace, kindness, and mercy but He came to save me anyway. Thank you, Jesus. I am a grateful leper at Your feet.

 

"Jesus, Friend Of Sinners" 

 Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away 

We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing 

Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see 

The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me 

Always looking around but never looking up 

I'm so double minded 

A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided 

 Oh Jesus, friend of sinners 

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers 

Let our hearts be led by mercy 

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors 

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours 

 Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who's writing in the sand 

Made the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands 

Help us to remember we are all the least of these 

Let the memory of Your mercy bring 

Your people to their knees 

Nobody knows what we're for only what we're against when we judge the wounded 

What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did 

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners 

Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers 

Let our hearts be led by mercy Help us reach with open hearts and open doors 

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours 

 You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast 

For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came 

Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast 

But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet 

 'Cause You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever 

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever 

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever 

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever 

 Oh Jesus, friend of sinners 

Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers 

Let our hearts be led by mercy 

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors 

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours 

 And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast 

You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

Vision and Hope of PHW

Here's a couple of videos about the orphanage that we'll be working with this summer...

Project Hope Worldwide's Vision...

Calo Me Lare (a.k.a. "Village of Redemption)...

 

Garage Sale Update

So our garage sale was this past Saturday and I could not believe all the donations that friends and even people I didn't know gave to help me raise $ to go to Uganda. It was AmAzInG! My sweet friend, Nicole, had it at her house and her garage was literally overflowing with donations. We were steady with business the entire time. And by the end of the sale, we made $1,600!!! WA HOO! <Happy Dance! Happy Dance!>

Girly Me Missions had their booth there and raised $160! And a sweet little friend of Abby's had a bake sale at her own garage sale and raised $100 for me! That was like giving me a million dollars, I tell ya! Such sweet and giving girls. I love them all and appreciate all their hard work!

When we were singing worship songs at church yesterday, my eyes were filled with happy tears as I thought about how generous and giving everyone was for little 'ole me and great and good God is. I am completely humbled and give all the glory to God.

So after church I attended a meeting about our upcoming Uganda trip and had to pay the rest of my balance. I asked how much I owed and guess what the total was?!?! $1,600!!! Oh, that just gives me chills! I still need to earn about $400 more to not be out of pocket any money but I have faith that will come.

I'd like to thank everyone that had anything to do with our garage sale. You are so appreciated and may God bless you in return!

Garage Sale Fundraiser

My sweet friend, Nicole, has offered to hold a garage sale at her house and all the funds will go towards my trip to Uganda this summer. I am overwhelmed by the generosity of so many people who have given donations and helped price items for the sale. Nicole's garage is overflowing so now we just need shoppers! ;-)

Saturday, May 5, 2012

8 am - 2 pm

10203 E. 101st St. North
Honey Creek Neighborhood
(just west of Bailey Elementary)

Owasso, OK

It's a great weekend to have the sale because the weather will be perfect and her neighborhood will also be having a neighborhood garage sale which always brings out lots of people.

My girls and some of their friends are part of a ministry called Girly Me Missions. They will also have a booth there selling hand-crafted items and baked goods. Such sweet girls with big hearts!

Here's a sneak peak of some of the items we'll have for sale...

Please come and see us! We're sure to have what you are looking for! ;-)

The Countdown to Uganda Is On!

(I made this video after I returned from my December 2010 trip to Uganda.)