Well who knew???

Back in September 2011, I posted some of my nephew's amazing artwork. Recently, my sister (his mother) at age 51, discovered she also has an amazing gift for art. It's never to late for God to reveal more of what He has in store for you. We need only to be still enough to listen.

Letter to my 3 sons...

Guys. I Love Your BAND! You guys are so talented!!! I'm so proud of you for pursuing your dreams! I noticed on your site that you give half the money to a cause close to your heart. (That's my kindhearted, others-oriented, precious children!) It just so happened this morning that I was praying about a certain cause God placed on my heart. It's called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.). It's a disease that the medical field won't acknowledge, so these patients aren't getting the care they need. They are so ill that they can't fight for their own cause and need others to give them voice. Drew, I gave you a poetry book that a girl with this disease wrote about a year or 2 ago. The proceeds for that book went to her medical care. Thought you guys might want to check her blog out! Here's a couple of links...

http://www.jkrowbory.co.uk/2012/12/8-years/

http://www.jkrowbory.co.uk/severe-me-and-me-–-my-story/

God says we are to be a voice for the voiceless, whether it be the orphans, elderly, sickly, poor, abused, marginalized... It can be overwhelming to think of how many in this world need someone to stand up for them. God doesn't expect for us to take on the problems of the whole world, but each of us to just do our part. Seek God's guidance in what he asks of you. It may be to just love the people God puts in front of you every day. Listen to His voice. He will speak to each of our hearts. Let that be the voice that you allow to influence you beyond any other.

Love you!!!

Mom

(One of my sons responded to my email and asked for a link where he could donate to her cause, to which I responded...)

Son, not sure how to donate to her medical care except to buy her book that I found on this sight... http://lifestream.org/blog/.  The blog writer is Wayne Jacobson. He uses his gifts to do many things, one being to draw attention to certain causes that God invites him into. I love that he never uses guilt to compel his readers to give. Some of his readers may feel led to donate to her cause, others may have influence in the medical field and will read the article and speak up on behalf of all the people with M.E. that are ignored and overlooked and maybe even shift the thinking about that disease so that people acknowledge that it's real and they get the help they desperately need. There are tons of ways to love one another besides just giving money. 

I wasn't necessarily asking you guys to donate to her particular cause, but just wanted to encourage you to always listen to what Father puts on YOUR heart and follow where He leads you. If I gave to every need that tugged at my heart, I would be broke. Sometimes all I can do is pray for them, other times I feel compelled to help in some small way... whether it's bringing a meal to a sick neighbor, or helping them take down their Christmas decorations, or buying a book to support a cause, or adopting a child (or 2), or making a point to not be so preoccupied with my grocery list that I forget to go over to the sickly, elderly gentleman who always sits in his wheelchair just inside the door and touch him on the shoulder and smile into his eyes and say, "Hi, it's always good to see you here"... I think God's spirit prompts us towards some of the tasks he has for us that will spread His love in this world and bless our lives as well as others.

Love you,

Mom

One Thousand Gifts...

This is a beautiful video sent to me by a friend...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhOUaszMGvQ&feature=player_embedded

A letter to my sisters and me from my parents...

TO OUR PRECIOUS FAMILY,

WE THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR CREATING THE MOST WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS FOR US. WE ARE STILL RIDING HIGH ON TOOOO MANY AMAZING MEMORIES TO COUNT. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY THE MOST AMAZING INDIVIDUALS AND WHEN YOU ARE ALL TOGETHER IT IS LIKE HEAVEN ON EARTH. TRULY!!! MY HEART SWELLS AND I CRY WITH HAPPINESS  JUST THINKING ABOUT IT. I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN. . .' GRACE' IS UNEARNED FAVOR'. AMAZING GRACE IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE TO US.   YOU NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE AND DELIGHT US.  GOD HAS BLESSED US BEYOND MEASURE. 

BEFORE EACH OF YOU GIRLS WERE BORN, I LITERALLY ASK GOD... " GOD IF YOU ARE BLESSING US WITH ANOTHER DAUGHTER, PLEASE  MAKE HER LIKE THE OTHER IN ALL YOUR LOVING WAYS....BUT MAKE HER DIFFERENT SO SHE CAN BE ANOTHER AMAZING INDIVIDUAL."  HE ANSWERED THESE PRAYERS BY GIVING US THE MOST  ASTONISHING  FIVE DAUGHTERS WHO GAVE US  ASTONISHING SONS AND  ASTONISHING GRANDCHILDREN. THIS IS GRACE BEYOND MEASURE.

I HOPE YOU ARE EACH VERY PROUD TO BE YOURSELF. WE ARE SO VERY PROUD OF YOU. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO BE YOUR  MOM AND DAD. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LOVING WAYS TO EACH OTHER AND TO US. IT IS SAID THAT VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE. WE ARE AN AMAZINGLY SPICY FAMILY AND WE LOVE IT. DON'T EVER CHANGE...JUST CONTINUE TO GROW IN WISDOM AND LOVE THE GOD THAT ANSWERED MY PRAYERS. HE WILL LIFT YOU ABOVE ANY CIRCUMSTANCE AND GIVE YOU HIS PEACE THAT PASSES  ALL UNDERSTANDING. HE IS AMAZING AND HE TOLD US...'IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATIONS. BUT, BE OF GOOD CHEER, FOR I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD'. 

LOVE, MOM & DAD