Amazing Faith

I have been listening to Steven Curtis Chapman's new album for the past few weeks. I can't believe I just said that because the first time I listened to it I cried so hard my head ached for the rest of the day and I swore I would never be able to listen to it again. But somehow I did. And then again. I still cry, but not so much that I'm incapacitated. And now I am able to hear the words more. I think of all the emotion packed into those songs, all the moments, all the ways God has spoken to their hearts. And then I think that this album of songs can only begin to scratch the surface. The complexity of emotions that they must be feeling can't possibly be captured in such human terms. But of any album I have ever heard I believe wholeheartedly that God is speaking through it. I believe He is using this music, this family, this tragedy. I saw Steven Curtis on GMA a while back and I just was humbled all over again at his faith and his willingness to be so vulnerable in front of the world so that God could be glorified. If you have experienced loss, if you have wondered if God is able to get you through it, if you have wondered if God even exists, I encourage you to listen to this album.

You can go here to read about it in his own words:
http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/music.htm

Merry Christmas!

I am sitting on the couch blogging from my new laptop. It is so fun. I guess my old desktop will now become the kids school work computer. And I get to be out where the action is and still feed my addiction. What a beautiful thing. We had a big snow last week that sort of hung around, but I don't think you can call this a white Christmas - it rained all day. Very yucky weather. And yet by the end of the day I think everyone in the family had uttered the words, "Best Christmas Ever". Apparently fun and family and new toys trump bad weather. I leave you with pictures.










Some of the morning unwrapping frenzy.

Sydney dressed as Sally for the Charlie Brown Christmas play at church.
Part of the baking frenzy that took place the first week the kids had off school.

View from my kitchen window. It is always a sunset, but I swear every night God paints it new and special just for me(: It is one of my favorite things.

FIVE FOR FIVE #4

Welcome to Day 4 of our Five for Five campaign for World AIDS Day - a chance to give $5 a day for 5 days - each day funding a different project serving orphans living with HIV!

Today's project is "TLC Orphanage" in South Africa. TLC was founded in 1993 and has served over 600 babies through the years. They generally have up to 60 children in care and currently are caring for 11 positive children.
All "5 for 5" donations received today (December 4) will be designated toward TLC's education fund, financing schooling costs for their positive orphans.

Give:

Five For Five #2

Welcome to Day 2 of our Five for Five campaign for World AIDS Day - a chance to give $5 a day for 5 days - each day funding a different project serving orphans living with HIV!

Today's project is "AHOPE for Children" in Ethiopia. AHOPE Ethiopia provides two children’s homes exclusively for the care of children infected with HIV, with a capacity of about 100 children total. The Child Development Center is a community outreach program that provides services essential to enable a destitute extended family to keep its orphaned children at home. The first Child Development Center was opened in September of 2007 in an impoverished neighborhood of Addis Ababa. It has the capacity to assist 100 children and their guardians and is designed as a model that is suitable for replication in other needy areas as funding allows.

All "5 for 5" donations received today (December 2) will be designated toward AHOPE's Child Development Center - enabling extended families and communities to keep their orphaned children at home.

FIVE FOR FIVE #1

Welcome to World AIDS Day and the start of our Five for Five campaign - a chance to give $5 a day for 5 days - each day funding a different project serving orphans living with HIV! .

Today's project is "Agape Children's Home" in Thailand. Located in Chiang Mai Thailand, the Agape Home for babies with HIV/AIDS opened in May 1996 as a response to the plight of children impacted by the spread of HIV/AIDS across Thailand. All of the children who come to the Agape Home to live are, or are at risk of being, HIV positive. Many of them have already lost their parents to AIDS, and there are no other options for their care.
All "5 for 5" donations received today (December 1) will be designated toward Agape's current building project - a village of smaller homes where children will be able to live in a more family-type situation rather than in one large facility. .

Go here to learn more:

http://www.fromhivtohome.org

Or go here to donate now:

https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=26-2319340