Warriors without Lights

One Million Lights is an organization I just came across just the other day. Here is a short video about it:

Video: A Million Points of Light | Tony Sehgal

After I watched the video and found the website, I came across a project where they had partnered with Compassion International in Kenya. I got so excited about the thought that possibly Purity was also helped. Here is the story below:

Warriors without Lights

The communities with whom we worked in Kenya, are made up almost entirely of Maasai people. They pride themselves on being fierce and strong. We admire their “can do” attitude and hard working lifestyles. From our first distribution in this region, we know how much of an impact the gift of light can be for this truly beautiful region of the world. With the help of our partner, Compassion International in Kenya, we sent 1000 solar lights to students in five schools. Special thanks to the students of Oak Knoll Elementary School in Menlo Park, California, who raised funds for this project! The students of these villages have been waiting for nearly a year for clean, safe light. Our lights have made it to a neighboring village, and these kids have seen how life-changing they have been for their neighbors. They are ready for their clean, safe solar light!

Yellow & Breathe Deeply

 

I had the chance to sit on my garden bench recently and enjoy the pretty day. It really is so good for my spirit! Here are some of my musings:

 

Yellow

Not all the beginning of winter is gloom.

The fig leaves are a bright yellow 
especially when the sun puts lip gloss on them.

And they are happy in their color change

for now they have a chance to float on air

like the yellow butterflies in my garden;
the ones they have been watching in envy.

Since my home has yellow siding to contrast its bricks

and the yellow sun in the cloudless sky

tosses yellow beams of happiness

which collect on the ground all around me,

...if I had the power to name today...

" Yellow "  it would be.

 

Breathe Deeply

Breathe deeply...sometimes I have to remind myself.

Just like I have to remind myself to rest my pen

or set the laptop aside

to let my eyes soak in my surrounds like my lungs tug in the air.

 

I don't want to miss the butterflies flit

or the way the grass does lyrical hip hop in the breeze.

Some leaves still cherish their tree and sing their finale song

- shall I not pause to listen and give ovation?

I've let my body grow too stiff,

so I'll stand and 'branch out' with the tree - it's a good teacher.

My trees purge what they no longer need.

I must do the same!

I don't sit out here near enough.

Lord, it's you that meets with me here on my garden bench;

refreshing and strengthening me.

I taste the bread and sip the juice

while you fill our garden with healing angels.

...And I do feel better.

 

A Young Man from Tanzania

Meet Chidodolo!

This is a young man that I just began to sponsor, Chidodolo Willium John. This is how they wrote his name and since they kept addressing him as Chidodolo even though it looks like a last name to me - lol, I'll just go with that for now. Anyway, he is from Tanzania west of Dodoma. And yes, as you can probably tell, he is older - 18 years old. But I've been praying about sponsoring a 'boy' and specifically praying for one that would have a great impact on his community. Then I saw this huge smile and personality in the midst of a hard life and I thought - him.

Funny enough, I was on the phone with mom showing her a few of the ones I was thinking of sponsoring and she accidentally selected Chidodolo and put him in her online cart without realizing it. "Ah mom, it's saying now that he's been sponsored already..oh well, that so great for him!"

When she realized 10 minutes later that he was actually in her cart, I knew by the reaction of excitement in my spirit that he was the kid. Also, I happen to laugh with joy each time I see his happy face and his full length picture.  

So what I've learned about him so far is that he carries water for the family, cares for the other children and washes clothes.  He participates in bible class, choir and camp at the compassion center. In school, his performance is above average. Soccer, singing and running seem to be his favorite activities. His mom is sometimes employed as a farmer which would help her to earn the equivalent of $6 per month. *yikes* My sponsorship helps support the center's provisions of bible teaching, medical exams, school tuition and supplies, tutoring, field trips and recreational activities.  

I can't wait to write him, learn about him and his family...and tonight, the prayers officially begin!

The Next Mile: in my health

Today I'm in a lot of pain. It woke me up at around 3am last night. This morning as I walk to the coffee pot, each step with my right foot shoots a sharp pain into the right side of my lower abdomen. I'm exhausted too.

About two months ago I called the local pharmacist to ask questions about a prescription pill I've been taking for a few years (about 7yrs actually). It's been an amazing medicine - called Seasonique - yet even so it's been my suspicion that its side effects might be attributing to my hypersomnia. But each doctor I mention it to has blown me off and said that the hypersomnia side effect would have shown up 7 years ago but not now.

Yet our bodies are ever changing and some thing that might have been fine 7 years ago might not be ideal for my body now. So I called the pharmacist since I've learned over the years that they 'know' medicine a bit better and doctors...well, not so much...and asked his thoughts. He said, "Well, it's probably not the cause, you've been taking it so long, but it does contain hormones so it's always a possibility."

And after two years of searching for answers THAT was enough for me. I decided to quit taking it and see what happened. I knew it could take about 2 months for it to work out of my system so I decided I'd check my progress at the end of November and go from there.  The good news is I'm noticing my hypersomnia is getting better. Even though I still sleep about 9-10 hours at night, my daytime sleepiness is much less! woo-hoo!! Amen for progress.

The flip side? Now that I'm not taking the medicine that helps with my Endometriosis, (click the medical term to read about that) my pain is returning and getting worse as the weeks roll by. I don't look forward to having this pain again. Would I rather be a 'sleeping beauty' than be in tears and doubled over? Maybe. But I must say what a blessing it has been to live pain free for so many years! Now it's time for my yearly exam anyway so I'll call my other doctor and set an appointment to talk about what is next. It might be time for surgery.

That thought makes me sad because who knows what they will have to remove to get the endo but I read a scripture this morning in my Coffee & Cozy and am going to make it my focus today:

" ...but the cheerful heart has a continual feast." Prov. 15:15b

If I'm cheerful today it's because there is progress with my hypersomnia - it's going away! Also I've not been off the medicine long enough for the full pain of my endo to return yet, next I have a new step and direction to explore and so I am deciding to have a cheerful heart at this moment and feast even though everything's not 'perfect.'

Thanks for reading and going on this journey with me. I'll keep ya updated. :)

Thanksgiving Box for a Family in Need

"Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?"

This verse, written by James in chapter 2:15-16 always moves my heart. This year, as in previous years, I have a collection box of food items in my office which I am typically able to pass along in secret to a family in need. Often I buy the turkey and my coworkers contribute the rest. The people I work with have SUCH generous hearts that there is usually much more food than what is needed for an average Thanksgiving meal! Yay. 

The same morning I was praying to God about this year's Thanksgiving box, He also put it on my heart to have some kind of blanket or coat drive for December. So I'm praying and planning for that as well. Do you or your family have anything you are doing for those in need, or those who are under-served, or the forgotten during the winter/holiday season? I hope you'll share your ideas and plans with us!

My prayer is that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, quality time with family or friends, and much rest and relaxation.

May God bless you!

Themed Letter: Under the Sea

I've been in a 'writing' kind of mood lately so even though it's only been about two or three weeks since my last electronic email letter to Purity, I thought it would be nice to send her another handwritten and arranged package.

I went to a local dollar store and found some stickers that matched paper in a correspondence kit Jill, over at the blog Daily Bread, sent me. I decided to have a 'Sea' themed package for Purity. Included are my handwritten letter on 'sea' paper, sea animal stickers and coloring pages plus a learn to draw page of a starfish.

There are two items though that I'm the most excited about which are the 'Friends' picture of Purity and I together and the mazes. Our pictures are laminated on orange paper because orange is her favorite color. On the back I wrote the quote "Friendship is a sheltering tree." The mazes are exciting because of the font I found called "Mazey." You can get it on the website FontStruct. This is a FREE font you can download. You just need to have the caps lock on and the font size high then you can type any word and this brilliant font creates a long custom maze! I highlighted the words mine spells (which doesn't solve the puzzle because the 'halls' that make the letters aren't the complete path to make it from start to finish). I hope the maze will make her feel special and be fun for her to work on.

As Kate Elwell, blogger over at Kids enRoute, mentioned on my previous post, getting these children's letters has a way of lifting your spirits when you are low. Also, as I create little packages to send Purity I'm able to cast aside all the drama that comes along in my own life and focus on what's important. Loving others.

The Incomplete Picture: When God is Late

I stumbled across this message a few Sunday's ago and it was so good for me. Have you ever asked the question:

Why doesn't God do something about that?

Well, whatever 'THAT' is, in your personal life, it can be huge in affecting your faith. This message goes over the story of Lazarus dying, why Jesus let him die and how through its example you can hold strong in your faith. The take-aways:

1. God can do something.
2. Sometimes He waits.
3. And I can trust Him in the meantime.

Here's the message, Enjoy! Your Move by Andy Stanley: When God is Late.