Big Sunday

I love every Sunday. Some Sundays are just a bit more... well, big. This Sunday is one of them for two reasons.

1. Children's HopeChest will be in town to kick off our Orphan Care Launch. We have been connected with a carepoint in Mpholi, Swaziland. We have 140 kids that need sponsorship. And we're gonna get it done. How can I be sure? Because that's just the kind of church we are. All in. Press on until we get there. I have seen it time and time again. And I love it.


2. Kendric and KaiaRose will be dedicated on Sunday. Each time a child dedication has been done, Keith has been on call and at the hospital. This Sunday, he is again scheduled to be on call... but a buddy has taken that call for him. So since we don't want to wait until they are teenagers to dedicate them... we are thrilled to get to do it this Sunday.

3. I lied. There are 3 reasons. I get to spend time with some sweet, sweet friends!

Started Your Christmas Shopping?

Did you think I was done talking about shopping with a purpose? Yeah, not so much! As we draw closer to the day we celebrate Jesus' birth, I want to encourage you to find ways to spend less. Don't like that idea? That's okay. Spend the same amount you usually do... just spend it for good! Make your dollars count! Aunt Carol doesn't need another $20 set of bath gels... she probably still has a stash from last year. You can buy her a beautiful bracelet from Water for Christmas. She will have a unique gift that supports clean water. How cool would that be?!?!?!

Uganda Adoption Article

http://tr.im/EMCU

Water For Christmas

Water4Christmas Kick Off...JOIN IN THE FUN!!!! Today!!

You remember Brandi talking about the AMAZING Water 4 Christmas team? Jody, Amy, Cassie and the rest of the girls in Iowa. LOVE these girls and their passion for water. Well....it's that time again!
You ready to kick off the Christmas season? yes, I know it's not even Thanksgiving...but it's time to bring some Christmas HOPE to the people of Liberia who desperately need water. In all of our holiday preparations...for both Christmas and Thanksgiving the one thing that stands out in American holidays is the presence of FOOD and lots of it. Can you imagine if your one wish for Christmas was clean water so that maybe, just maybe your little girl would live past 5.

Give. Today. $10. Pass it on...its a one day push!!!! Don't wait. Feel free to copy and post this or I've included the email from Jody beneath. PS check out their site and especially their etsy shop for some SUPER cute Christmas gifts...make your $10 donation...then go buy your first 10 Christmas presents and make a difference!!!

It's time again.
We just uploaded pictures to this page of some the faces who received the gift of clean water this year due to the efforts of those who bought Water For Christmas in 2008.

Thousands have been helped, their lives changed. But we're not done...

Last year, we encouraged people to give $10 on Friday's.
This year, we are only doing it only once. One day. 24 hours.
So this Friday, November 13, we are raising our voice and buying Water. Encouraging everyone to let their first gift of the season be life.

We would love for you all to join us. $10 will give one person clean water for 10 years. Collectively, the impact could be huge.

As always, all donations go directly to charity: water, are tax-deductible, and 100% goes directly to water solutions.

http://water4christmas.com/Events/First%20Gift/First_Gift.html

First Gift. $10 viral campaign. NOVEMBER 13. Consider yourself invited...

Thanks much--

Reagonomics 101

Posted by guest blogger, Keith.

I was not a contributing member of society when Reagan was in office. On the contrary, I was trying to survive junior high. Still, I am a subscriber to the trickle-down theory that Reagan espoused. Not just economically, mind you, but in the family and church as well.

If I come home from work cranky, everyone becomes cranky. If I come home from work happy, everyone is happy. If the pastor of your church stands up on a Sunday morning and spends 20 minutes talking about the heart of God for orphans and that we WILL do something and he DOES expect adoptions to take place, there will be change. It starts at the top, and moves down to the bottom. We were immeasurably blessed that our pastor came to us. No convincing needed. Soap-box issues are great, but there is power in the voice of the pastor to move and mold his flock like no one else can.

Our pastor did that. He quoted James 1:27 and said (paraphrased) "I know some of you well and you do the last half to keep ourselves undefiled, why do we ignore the first half to take care of the widow and orphan?" Good question. There are a lot of churches that pick and choose the best parts of scripture to create a warm, fuzzy vibe. We all know that's not right, though. So how can we ignore God's call to the orphaned and fatherless? Our church isn't anymore.

Words can't express how we felt last Sunday as our pastor called for committment to adoption and orphan care. He challenged. He quoted scripture and statistics. He moved his flock.

My advice to those of you who want your church to start an adoption and orphan care ministry: Talk to your pastor. Change his heart and the rest will be downhill.

Orphan Sunday

Tomorrow is Orphan Sunday... if you don't know what that is.... check out www.orphansunday.org.

I don't know what you are planning.
Us?
Amazing day ahead!
Our church is kicking off our adoption and orphan care ministry. It's gonna be sweet. Not a little sweet.... rather really super duper sweet!

Then we get to end the day with 'Live From Nashville'. A live stream concert by Stephen Curtis Chapman. Music, speakers passionate about orphan care, a children's choir.... it's gonna be good! So if you live where I live... head on over to 1st Pres downtown at 5-7!

Adam Cunningham

A while back we called Adam (woke him up actually) and asked him to write us an adoption song. And write a song he did! Sheesh! Tears a flowing! While we were in his neck of the woods, he gave us a performance during church. I don't know who cried more, me or Adam. Or the lady behind me......

You Made Me Your Own

Feeling like I don't belong
to anything or anyone
am I not good enough
for anyone to love

Every single day that passes
I'm well aware that my chances
go from good to bad
to find a mom, to find a dad

Then, someone told me bout the father
and someone told me bout the son
I got down on my knees right there
and now i am one

And you made me your own
you gave me your home
and the love that i need
you made me your own
you gave me your home
and now i am complete
you made me your own

I'm looking for someone to love
asking praying God above
why it's not fair
I just want someone to care for

When they call out in the night
sing a lullaby til it's alright
and kiss away your fear
I will be right here

Well, now you came in a different kind of way to me
but i will love you more than that you see
the father brought me into His perfect family
now I can see

And you made me your own
you gave me your home
and the love that i need
you made me your own
you gave me your home
and now i am complete
you made me your own

You made me your own
you gave me your home
and now I am complete
you made me your own

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
You made me your own

Ala-Bama

The Pack is going on a road trip.
The Pack is invading a friend's home.
9 kids.
4 adults.
15 hours in the car.

Can't. Stinkin'. Wait.

Christmas Shopping Anyone?

Aprons for Africa Who doesn't love an apron? Several styles for the whole family! All profits go to... you guessed it, orphan care projects in Africa.

Water for Christmas sells the most beautiful ornaments, coffee cozies, burp cloths, hair bows, bracelets...all profits used to build fresh water wells in Liberia, West Africa.

Saints Coffee How many of us buy coffee, mugs or tumblers for teachers or friends? Buy coffee here, feed an orphan for a month.

Sseko Designs was created to help bright young women continue their education. The Ugandan school system is designed with a nine month gap between secondary school and university. These nine months are intended to allow time for students to earn money for tuition before continuing on to university. However, in an impoverished and male dominated society, many of these young women struggle to find fair work during this time.

Sseko Designs hires recent secondary school graduates for this nine month period to live and work together, while earning money that will go directly towards their university education. These women will not make sandals forever. They will go on to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, writers and teachers that will bring change and unification to a country divided and ravaged by a 22 year-long war.

Sponsor a child through Children's Hopechest. This is a fabulous gift from your family to your family. Every child needs the confidence to fly and a safe place to land.

Nothing But Nets provides mosquito nets to malaria filled regions.

Chirstmas Lists

Every year, as soon as the kids see the Christmas hoop-la in the stores, they begin compiling their Christmas Wish Lists. They get excited. You can see their little personalities in their list making.

Kendric and KaiaRose are cutting and gluing machines.
Briley wants the same thing every year...a video game, an xbox live account and a trip to Oregon.
Grant starts listing tons of stuff, then feels bad that he asked for so much. So he throws it out, starts over finding the three top things he really wants. Then he throws that away and his list ends up being what he wants to give others.
Clark has categories, color coded lists and he actually just asked this morning for graph paper so he could work on his list some more today.
Elena wants a hand made blanket with matching pillow, cute hair accessories and a new pair of shoes.

Each family has their own traditions. Please don't think I think you should do everything the way we do. I don't. But just like when we as the church agree about biblical foundations...Jesus died on the cross for our sins and three days later rose from the dead....we have personal or family convictions. Personal, meaning... what you think is best for your family. These just don't match up family to family, nor should they. Nor should we only be friends with people who we match up with. Come on people, live a little! Agree to disagree! Major on the majors, minor on the minors (another Josh Lindstrom golden nugget of truth).

Our traditions?

Each child receives three gifts. We don't break the bank on the three things either. Elena is simple. I get her fabric the day after Thanksgiving at 50% off ($8). Kmart has a goody bag of hair accessories which includes no less than 10 hair items...most of which glitter and or sparkle ($3). Shoes? I don't know. But I know they'll be on sale. And I know she is 8 years old. And I know I don't spend more than 20 bucks on anything we wear. Kendric will cost more money than Elena. He loves music. He needs to quit swiping my ipod. We're gonna get him some mp3, music playing something or other this year. Do we love Kendric more because we spent more money on his three things? No. Does everything have to be "fair"? Nope. If we can spend less than $30 for Elena's Christmas and she is perfectly happy and content...why in the world would we spend more?

And speaking of spending more... I would like to challenge you to agree on this next part. To do Santa, to not do Santa? Who cares? Figure out what works for your family. But let's agree on this next part. We, as Americans, spend WAY TOO MUCH FREAKING MONEY ON CHRISTMAS GIFTS. There. I said it. And I might just feel so strongly about it that I might even say, I think Jesus would throw me an "Amen".

Someone living within a mile of you can't pay the electricity bill.
Someone living in your city went to bed hungry last night.
Someone living in your state is so broken they don't know what to do next.
Someone in America doesn't know how to make it til payday on the $2.38 they have left.
Someone in our world just took their baby to an orphanage because they don't have the money to take care of the baby... yet they love that child just as much as you love yours.

I am not suggesting we give our kids nothing. I am suggesting we get creative. I am suggesting it's okay to hurt a little in the process. A slight discomfort might just teach us, and our children, something.

I am suggesting we spend this Christmas season doing the following:
Worship fully
Spend less
Give more
Love all

Please join the conversation. Don't know how? Meet you back here tomorrow with some thoughts and ideas. For now...watch this.