A Speck

I was watching TV the other night and they showed a picture of earth from space. It made me think of all the people who live here. Billions of us

We are all different yet we are the same. We laugh, cry, get mad, we love, we hurt, our hearts break. We have dreams, hope and desires. I would be so bold as to say we all have regrets. We've taken to many trips around the same mountain and are ready for a change. We are trying to survive in a world where many have become arrogant, self gratifying, selfish and rude. It is overwhelming at times. Yes when you look down at earth from space we are nothing but a speck.
That's is space's view.

From Gods view we are so much more! We are His children. He loves us more than we can imagine. He gave us life here on earth and His desire is for us to live with Him forever in heaven! How do we get there? We just have to believe in Him and ask Him into our heart. No burnt offerings, no idols to worship, no cults. Just believe He died on the cross for our sins.

What I find so amazing is the fact He is a gentleman. He doesn't force you to believe in Him. And even though He created this earth and everything and everyone on it He will leave you alone if you ask Him to and if you ask Him back into your life He will forgive and forget and love you as if you had never left Him! What more can anyone ask for?

I don't know about you but if I am going to live on this earth I want to be more than a speck! Come on, invite Him in! He's been waiting for you!

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

Muffin Top

No, I am not talking about the muffin you eat. It's the mysterious little roll or big roll that

appears around your waist. Apparently it doesn't matter what size you are the roll appears on most women.

When did this enigma begin? Looking back it seems the muffin top became an issue when the jeans began fitting below the waist! Ironically I didn't have a muffin top until a couple of years ago after I lost 30 pounds. I was finally able to wear those cute jeans that fit below the waist. I was so excited...until I saw this roll. What the heck??? It seems the jeans push all of our extra skin up and out...yes that is what we will cal it extra skin! Small, large, fat or skinny, short or tall the muffin top has no boundaries. And oddly enough it seems most women don't seem to care that they have this roll and their stomach falling out over their the top of their jeans and their tight shirts can't hold them in.

And one more fashion Faux paux...the butt crack. It now seem to be OK for women to show their butt cracks. This to we will blame on the low jeans. Yet again most women don't seem to care. You know they have to know it is showing! Surely they feel a draft. Yes it's true the show of the butt crack no longer belongs to just the plumber.

Remember the pants that use to fit around your waist? Sometimes I wish they would come back in style but then I remember they just made you rear look big! As long as padded shoulders don't come back in style I guess I will live with the muffin top!

Unworthy

That is how I feel right now. Extremely unworthy to do what God has called me to do. Tonight as I was going through the list of children we have who need sponsors I realized 51 have sponsors and 103 still wait. Almost 2 years since this program began and we still have 103 kids waiting for someone to spend a measly $30 a month to change their lives.

Don't get me wrong I am honored to have been chosen to do this. But having 103 kids waiting and some of them getting read to age out is unacceptable.

I'm also mad! People think nothing of buying $30 worth of beer, pop, coffee, cigarettes, or get a pedicure or manicure...I could go on and on but if I approach them about sponsorship I get this "I really can't afford it right now. Things are tight.'' Really?

See the young man pictured above? He has nothing. I mean no food, no bed...nothing. He is 13 and he has waited over a year for someone to step up and say "You matter and I am going to help you."

I have 102 more waiting. All ages, boys and girls. Some who need surgery. Some who are starving. Try and go to bed with that on your mind and heart every night and see how you sleep.

It would take $37,080 a year to sponsor the remainder of these kids and if I had it I would, plus the $36,960 it would cost to feed them and their families ($3o or $2o a month looks much better!)

I often say "God if you give me the money I'll do it." But I know that's not how it works. We are all suppose to help.

Those who do sponsor understand this and I love them! Don't get me wrong, I totally understand we all have our passions, our gifts, the things we want to fight for. But what are we willing to give up to make these things possible?

Do I feel unworthy? Yes. But for whatever reason God believes I along with the help of some amazing friends can do this.

I am human, I am tired, I am overwhelmed, I am aggravated. But this I know:

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Standing at a Crossroads

I am standing at a fork in the road. A crossroads if you will. I am a wife, a mom, a grandma, a sister a friend. But more than anything I am a child of the one true God. And He is calling me and I desire to obey Him.

When Mike and I founded the Hug Away Foundation our desire was to help families with adoption and go to the orphans of the world and love on them, feed them, give them hope and tell the about Jesus, always glorifying God in all we do. We began in 2008.

In the beginning we were able to offer some grants to a few families but after a year donations dropped and it seemed Hug Away would be no more. I was depressed and felt like a failure. One night I remember praying and I said "God you opened this door and only you can close it." A few days later a friend called me and said she had a good friend from Ethiopia she thought I should meet. When I met him and heard his story I knew that God was telling me "this door is staying open."

Since that day God called us to begin a child sponsor program in Ethiopia and Project Hunger no More. The list of children and families in need continues to grow. And this is why I am standing at a crossroads.

Besides taking care of my family, I work part time and run Hug Away. I know, that I know that I know God is getting ready to do more amazing things through Hug Away and I need to commit more time to the foundation. We use any donations we have for rent of a small office and expenses. Everything else goes to sponsorships, Project Hunger no More and grants if there is anything left over.

Leaving my job, even if it is part time is a unsettling thought. I don't make a whole lot but what I do make helps with the bills. I have tried to think of ways to make money at home but I would be right back to square one. The fact is running Hug Away is becoming a full time job, one that I am passionate about and I love.

I was thinking about me trying to come up with ways to make all of this work when I thought "hmm...why don't' I give this one to God." So I did! And as I wait at this crossroads I know that some amazing things are going to happen! All I need is the faith of a mustard seed and that I have.