Black Friday...and an Alternative Idea

Today is Black Friday, and regardless of the economic recession, retailers across the nation are expecting to do some major business.  In fact, for many retailers, the only way they move out of the red and into the black at the end of the year is all because of today. 

Remember that post I wrote earlier in the month?  Yes, I'm talking about the one where we learned that Americans spend an average of 450 billion dollars each year on Christmas- the one where we learned that lack of clean water kills more people every day than any other cause and that the estimated cost to make clean water available to everyone worldwide is 10 billion dollars.

Does that information shock you?  Concern you?  Convict you?  Now is your chance to do something about it; you don't have to commit to something major.  Start small.  Maybe buy one less gift- or just spend less on gifts in general- this year.   

I know many people feel pressured to buy presents for family and friends; especially if your family is expecting presents, it can be difficult for them to understand why you decided against purchasing Christmas gifts this year.  I also understand that many people simply love to give presents at Christmas; after all, I am one of those people.  I absolutely love purchasing gifts for loved ones and am positively obsessed with wrapping said presents (side note: if you live near me and want me to wrap your gifts, I would love to do so; just bring me the gifts and supplies and I will wrap to my little heart's content).  I enjoy watching my family and friends open their presents (at any time of the year).  I know about the pressure we all experience during the holiday season to shop, shop, shop and buy, buy, buy.  It's hard not to become a little cynical during this time that is supposed to be filled with joy and hope.  Often, we find ourselves rather materialistic instead.    

But there are still many ways through which you can make a difference.  Instead of purchasing yet another material present, consider donating to a non-profit or a cause in honor of someone; check out Heifer International, World Vision, and Global Giving for some ideas (after a lifetime of collecting stuff, parents and grandparents typically love this idea).  Visit your local fair trade store to buy unique gifts made by artisans and farmers around the globe who were offered a fair wage in return for their craftsmanship or food products; if your community does not have a fair trade store, you can shop at the Global Exchange, an online fair trade store. Purchase meaningful gifts through companies which support social and economic justice; my personal favorites are t-shirts from SpendYourself, beaded jewelry from Bead For Life, and all of the beautiful pieces available at Build A Nest.  Involve your family by purchasing food for a needy family or serving together at a local soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or other non-profit serving individuals in need.  There are so many chances for you and your family to make a difference.

I have found that when I purchase a gift from one of these stores, non-profits, or organizations and include a brief card with the gift explaining how the money earned from the selling of the gift will help people in need, the recipient of the gift is more touched and appreciative.  Remember, you don't have to do anything drastic; you can do something small.  Just realize that the something small you've done may make a drastic difference in the life of someone else. 

Oh, This is Very Very Bad

While I was at Target over the weekend stocking up on Mint M&M's, available only during the Christmas season, I happened to see these:

My thoughts when I spied the bag: "Cadbury at Christmas time?  'Solid milk chocolates with a crisp sugar shell'?  Wait a minute...that sounds like Mini Eggs...MINI EGGS?!?  Wait, are these supposed to taste like MINI EGGS?!?!  I must buy these, eat them, and report to Mother immediately."

You see, my family absolutely loves Cadbury's Mini Eggs.  Loves.  Once Christmas is over, we cheer ourselves with the thought that the Mini Eggs will be filling the store shelves soon.  When I was a freshman in college, my mom sent me a card with a forty dollar check.  I kid you not, on the inside of the card she wrote, "Your brother and I were just sitting here eating Mini Eggs and felt sad for you because you're a poor college student who probably doesn't have any money to spend on Mini Eggs.  Use this money to go buy some Mini Eggs then." 

Forty dollars to purchase seasonal Easter candy for one person?  Yes, friends, they are that good.  So when I saw the Cadbury Christmas candy, which I have dubbed Cadbury Christmas Balls, there was no debate.  Those suckers were in my shopping cart faster than you would believe.

And incidentally, the Christmas Balls do taste like Mini Eggs (although I must admit, they definitely aren't as pretty as the Mini Eggs).  Of course, I called my mom to report this new wonder.  Not unexpectedly, she flipped out: "Well, I'm on my way to Target right now, and I will have to look for those."  She found them and proceeded to do exactly what I did earlier that day: she continued to eat so many of them that she got a stomach ache.

So even though I am thrilled with this new product, its appearance is also very, very bad.  Because I have no will power.  Absolutely none.  Sometimes, I'm sure the fruit of the Spirit that is self-control simply should not apply to chocolate.

A Pick Me Up

Sometimes when I need a good laugh, I'll pop over to YouTube and watch the classics.  In my previous post addressing the greatest viral videos, I completely forgot to mention this honorable mention.

A few years ago, a banned commercial for the XBOX 360 made its way onto YouTube. I think the commercial aired a few times on national television, but was then pulled.  In reality, it's a lot cleaner than the other commercials out there.  The producers of the commercials held auditions in order to cast the large number of people needed for the shoot.  See the final project below:



The banned commercial owes much of its success on YouTube to another video related to the commercial- see what happens when a crazy old lady auditions for the commercial:



If you need a pick me up as you muddle through until Thanksgiving, just think of the crazy XBOX lady. I guarantee she'll put a smile on your face.

The Blind Side

We rarely go to the theater to watch newly-released movies, but my friend Audra recently posted this on her blog.  Audra and her husband began the adoption process over a year ago and recently decided to pursue adoption through the foster care system.  Now they are attending foster care classes every Saturday so that they can adopt a sibling group currently in foster care.  Please pray for them as they continue their journey.

A while back, I saw a different trailer for this movie that didn't give many hints as to what the movie was; it looked like it was just another football movie, and I didn't have any desire to see it.  But after watching this trailer, I am hoping my husband takes me on a date to see it soon. 

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

This semester, I took Discipleship I and II through the Seminary Wives Institute (SWI) at Southern.  SWI is a program for wives of seminary students; there are numerous classes offered in order to help prepare the women for their role in ministry alongside their husband. 

I will admit that I was hesitant about taking classes through SWI because I did want the classes to be watered down in comparison to what Isaac was taking at Southern.  I didn't want to just be a wife taking these cake classes; I wanted to take the hard-core classes.  Basically, it was a pride issue; I knew lots of other women who were in seminary (either by themselves or with their husband), and I didn't want to be seen as less spiritual.  The Lord provided some major lessons in humility, and I realized that taking classes at seminary doesn't make someone more spiritual by any means.  And in the end, I wouldn't trade the group of ladies in my Discipleship class for anything.  I have learned a great deal from them throughout the semester, and it was very encouraging to be around other women in similar situations.  Truly, I am looking forward to continuing in the SWI program.

Discipleship is a required course for the program; we met in small groups, lead by faculty wives, each week to discuss the course material, go through the reading, and also enjoy good discussions (which were sometimes very spiritual and sometimes not so spiritual, but are always informative and interesting).  For this particular course, the required reading was Dr. Donald Whitney's Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, one of the most well-known books on the topic of the disciplines.  Dr. Whitney is currently a professor at SBTS.

This book is one of the most challenging and convicting books you will ever encounter.  Whitney discusses ten different disciplines: Bible intake, prayer, worship, evangelism, serving, stewardship, fasting, silence and solitude, journaling, and finally, learning.  He is sure to begin the book by discussing the purpose for practicing the disciplines: godliness.  Practice of the disciplines is not to lead us to legalistic tendencies, but rather to help us grow closer to the Lord and to grow to be more like Him.  While we may think that some of the disciplines are 'outdated', Whitney clearly makes the case for the establishment and practice of each and every discipline outlined.  Indeed, the chapter on fasting was one of the most interesting and convicting chapters.

What I really like about the book is the practical application.  Whitney does not just simply explain the disciplines and their historical roots, he discusses why they are important for believers to practice, the benefits of practicing them (as well as the consequences of not), and examples of how believers can incorporate the disciplines into their lives.  In addition, Whitney does not set forth an unattainable lofty goal; rather he encourages the reader to begin slowly, setting realistic and attainable goals in terms of beginning the disciplines in his or her life.

If you let it, this book could change your life.  I recommend getting your hands on it as quickly as possible and reading it.

The Liturgical Year

When selecting my new book to review for Thomas Nelson, this one caught my eye. The Liturgical Year by Joan Chittister goes through the liturgical calendar, explaining the historical significance behind each event. I am becoming more and more interested in liturgy and how to incorporate it more into our concept of family worship, and I thought this book would provide some guidance.

Unfortunately, the book did not provide much practical advice. I wasn't looking for a how-to book, but discussing how to incorporate the liturgical calendar into our daily lives was barely mentioned. In fact, the book was rather scattered; there didn't seem to be a consistent thread presented. Instead of approaching the liturgical calendar systematically, Chittister begins with Advent, but then introduces other chapters not concerning the next feast, but joy and human time versus liturgical time.  Then she bounces back to discussing the events of the calendar again. The discussion of the historical significance of each event was not always clearly articulated either. In addition, the first few chapters can easily been condensed into one or two; Chittister seemed to be repeating the same ideas for several pages.

One thing not advertised in the summary of the book is that the author is a Benedictine nun, and therefore the book has a decidedly Catholic slant. She briefly explained the Marian feasts- more or less by listing them out in one of the final chapters. Interestingly enough, there are sixteen events (some of them optional) on the liturgical calendar dedicated to Mary; that is definitely more events than Jesus has.

One of the things about the book that really bothered me was the focus on what we do in order to remain faithful. Yes, there was discussion of Jesus and the salvation through Him, but the focus seemed to be more on completing the spiritual checklist that is the liturgical year in hopes that doing so will make us faithful and happy. But is happiness really the point of faith in Christ? Decidedly not. And reducing our lives to a spiritual checklist is well on the path to legalism and an unfulfilled life in Christ. We must use the liturgical year not to give us a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction that we've done "the right thing", but to draw closer the Almighty One, the Living God, the Light of the World.

Despite the numerous drawbacks to this book, there were wonderful nuggets scattered throughout the pages. When remembering a time in her childhood when a teacher explained that Lent is the time to sacrifice something in order to give to others, Chittister writes, "It was a child's catechetical exercise, yes, but it carried with it spiritual messages enough to last a lifetime. Clearly, we were being put on notice. There were things in life, other people in life, for which each of us was responsible, however young we were and whether we had any association with them or not. There were things in life so important, it seemed, that we would need to give up some things for ourselves in order to take care of the needs of others. And it all had something to do with God" (emphasis mine). What an absolutely beautiful explanation of our call to care for others!

When introducing Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, Chittister dedicates an entire chapter to the subject of suffering. She has this to say: "Suffering, we learn as we go, is the price we pay to bring life to fullness, both for others and for ourselves. It is not to be desired in a neurotic kind of way, but it is definitely not to be denied. For when we refuse to suffer, we refuse to grow...The problem is that we resist suffering with might and main. There is a natural inertia built into the human condition that seeks the comfortable, the familiar, and the secure. We want to shape life to our specifications and fix it there. We want stability...To live for the lesser things of like is to risk not really living at all."

Finally, Chittister says this about the concept of celebration and religion: "One of the interesting things about religion, about Christianity, is that in a society full to the brim with excess- a glorifier of excess, in fact- religion has come to be seen as one of life's greatest restrictive factors. Religions, this society assumes, exists to say no to the good things in life. It damps the human need for pleasure and destroys the joy. But nothing could be farther from the truth." At this point, Chittister goes on to say that life is inherently good. I both agree and disagree on this statement, depending on how it is interpreted. If the statement implies that life, as a creation of the Mighty Creator, is inherently good, I agree. The Lord Himself saw "that is was good" according to Genesis. And anyone who has experienced the true joy of life- with both the highs and lows- can readily admit that "Life is good." However, if the author is implying that life is inherently good because people are good, I'm going to have to disagree with her. Yes, life is good, but we are not good. Each and every believer of the Lord Jesus Christ will attest to that fact; we are made right through His blood, but we are not inherently good. In fact, we are just the opposite; we are inherently evil.

Because of some obvious doctrinal issues, I couldn't fully accept the book in its entirety. Even though Chittister tried to remain neutral, the Catholic overtones were both distracting and confusing to me, as I do not have a strong Catholic background and therefore lack a good deal of knowledge in that area. However, perhaps someone who identifies more with Catholicism would understand and enjoy the book more than I did. I was most disappointed in that there was not more practical application of the book, but am thankful for the few statements which I have mentioned above.

A Contest You Don't Want to Miss

You might remember that SpendYourself, a non-profit company our friends started this year, was our family's Focus of Month in June.  Since then, SpendYourself has released two more shirts, with another one coming very soon, and- dare I say it- there are rumors of hoodies, long sleeve shirts (about which I would be particularly excited), and maybe even other articles of clothing.

SpendYourself released their Kisumu shirts in conjunction with International Justice Day in July.  Shortly after that, the team began to focus on the sex industry- both domestically and internationally- and released the Scarlet Hope shirt.  You can read about both of these shirts and the other products available and the stories behind them at the SpendYourself website.

The purpose of SpendYourself is twofold: to not only raise money for these particular causes, but to also raise awareness of social justice issues around the world.  When you purchase a shirt from SpendYourself, you are not only helping to financially sustain that project, you are telling the story of the people and helping to restore their dignity. 

In light of the understanding that each time you wear a SpendYourself shirt, you are helping to promote dignity and social justice, as well as maybe even showing others how they can help do the same, SpendYourself announced a few days ago a contest- one you do not want to miss!

SpendYourself will be giving two people free project shirts for an entire year!  This contest is not simply about winning absolutely awesome T-shirts; think of all the opportunities you would have to share about the many projects SpendYourself highlights.  Think of the difference you could make- just by wearing a T-shirt and telling a story- their story. 

I absolutely love this company- and the people behind it.  Check out the post Lee wrote about how to enter the contest; it ends November 30th, so jump to it, kids!  Feel free to pass along this information and repost on your blog, too.  Let's spread the word that we can spread hope!

Winnie-the-Pooh

I am ashamed to admit I had never actually read the original Winnie-the-Pooh book.  Seriously.  How did I never encounter this book as a child?  I am going to have to broach this subject with my mother- let's hope I don't need therapy after learning why we never read A.A. Milne's classic.

Is it ridiculous that a full-grown adult still reads children's books?  Not just young adult literature, but actual children's books?  Whenever I see a Berenstain Bear book, it's a lost cause; I am faithful to Mama, Papa, Sister and Brother Bear- even after more than twenty years since our first introduction.  The American Girls books?  Don't even get me started.  I have to steer clear of their section in the bookstore or else I will be sitting there for hours reading every last one of them.  And Dr. Suess?  Pretty sure I can recite One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish in its entirety.  And yes, I still read How the Grinch Stole Christmas every year- even if it's just to myself.

And I know there are others like me out there.  Don't deny it.  There is something wonderful about reading children's books as an adult; it doesn't matter if you've read the story hundreds upon hundreds of times in your life or if you somehow never got the chance to experience the magic of the story as a child.  For me, Winnie-the-Pooh was one such book.  I don't feel the need to give you a synopsis of the book because it really isn't one story; it's a collection of short stories involving our favorite Pooh Bear and his friends Piglet (my personal favorite), Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Eeyore, Owl, and of course, Christopher Robin.  I will, however, mention one thing I learned and include one brief excerpt.

First, what I learned was this: children's books have a remarkably calming effect, even if the characters are in danger at that particular moment.  Case in point: last weekend, my husband went out of town and I was left all alone.  I'm not a particularly fearful person, but I do fall victim to having an overly active imagination.  Thursday night, as I was enjoying the hilariousness that is 30 Rock, a trailer for that new movie about aliens came on the television. 

And I didn't mute it in time. 

My eyes were glued on the screen, and I started freaking out.  Not freaking out like jumping up and down and screaming, but I sat there on my couch and stared at the images flashing before my eyes as my imagination began to produce evidence that one of these horrific aliens was waiting in my bedroom to abduct me.

Not cool.  I turned on as many lights as I could, got settled into bed, and immediately grabbed Winnie-the-Pooh.  All I have to say is thank you A.A. Milne for saving my sanity that night.  I was transplanted into Hundred Acre Wood where I could laugh at the silly old bear and his adventures with his friends and his obsession with his honey.  Reading the stories made me feel innocent and naive again- what a remarkable experience.  And obviously, there was no alien lurking in my bedroom and I did not get abducted by aliens, for which I am very thankful.

My favorite part of the book is the following exchange between Pooh and Piglet:

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh.  "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what 's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Indeed, Piglet.  Indeed.  What exciting thing will happen today?

(I only hope that exciting thing is not an alien abducting yours truly...)

Rebecca and The Handmaid's Tale

I chose to read Rebecca because of its place on both the BBC Big Read Top 100 and the I'm-not-so-sure-exactly-where-this-list-originated-but-it-seems-to-be-everywhere-list.  I checked it out from our library with no clue as to what the plot of the novel is or its significance in terms of literary achievement.  I was scared it was going to be some crap romance (not that romance in and of itself is crap, but the romance genre often is little more than crap), but I figured that it couldn't simply be crap and also be chosen as one of the best-loved novels of the British people, so I decided to go ahead and take the plunge.  The result?

I.love.this.book.  I think I read it cover to cover in less than three days; I'd get home from work and simply bury my nose in this book- it was that good.  Maxim DeWinter has been a widower for almost a year when he meets the young, naive, and quite shy narrator of the story while in Monte Carlo.  In a very short amount of time, the two are wed, honeymoon in Italy and return to his English estate at Manderly.  But upon their arrival, our narrator finds the adjustment difficult; the servants are style loyal to Rebecca (Maxim's first wife), and the neighbors always compare her to Rebecca.  Rebecca is every day implied, but never absolutely discussed.  The following weeks reveal to our narrator the true character of several key players, and one tragic event leads to the discovery of a horrendous secret. 

I can easily see how this book ranked as the 14th-most beloved novel of the British people.  DeMaurier's ability to engage the readers in her story is exceptional; her writing style flows easily, and the readers find themselves so engrossed in the story that they look up after what seems like only a few minutes to discover they've been reading this exceptional novel for more than a few hours.  Read this book- you will love it, I'm sure.  I recently checked out the film from the library as well, but the DVD was so badly scratched that I couldn't make it through the entire film...but from what I saw, the film does a good job of telling the story.

A while back, I heard a few people talking about Margaret Atwood and her genius work that is The Handmaid's Tale and when I saw the book on the list-of-unknown-origin, I was reminded I still had not read it.  So of course, I went to the library.  Side note: every time I think about the library, I am sad for my friend Tracie...you see, she does not have a library within 45 minutes of her home- and that one, as I understand it, isn't very good at all.  So I am making a determination to be positive about the Louisville library system, even if they don't have a few of the items I want...

Back to Atwood and her novel.  Her story is a classic presentation of the future as dystopia.  Much like other famous futuristic novels like 1984 and A Brave New World, Atwood describes a world of potential futures- one in which women are reduced utterly and completely in their status as individuals.  They are divided into few specific groups which each have strictly regulated codes of conduct and roles in the society.  The novel is set in the near future, and radiation poisoning from nuclear plant meltdowns have left a vast majority of the population sterile and unable to produce children.  In order to ensure their survival, the nation of Gilead has forced those women who have birthed as least one child into the role of handmaid; there only job is to reproduce (although they do not necessarily do this easily or successfully).  Each handmaid is assigned to a Commander, a high-ranking official in Gilead's regime, for a specified period of time.  Her name is completely stripped from her; if she is assigned to a Commander with the given name of Fred, the Handmaid's name is simply "Offred".  If after one year she is moved to a Commander named Glen, her name then becomes "Ofglen". If conception is not successful during her tenure at the Commander's household, the Handmaid is transferred to another Commander to pursue the same goal, and another Handmaid is assigned to the previous Commander.  You can imagine the complexities that arise when individuals have no personal liberty.

My summary is definitively oversimplified, but I think it would be best for you to read the book in order to fully understand the plot and message Atwood conveys.  Though there is definitely some mature and awkward content, as well as some language, I generally find that for the most part, I enjoy futuristic novels explaining the impending dystopia of our society (not that I am necessarily a 'doom and gloom' kind of gal- I just find them rather interesting).  I also think I will read more of Atwood's work, as I have heard so many good reviews.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

In many people's opinion, the day after Halloween officially ushers in the Christmas season. I know some of you are firm believers in waiting until after Thanksgiving to begin listening to holiday music and enjoy Christmas cookies, but you can't help but notice the slow takeover of Christmas commercials on the television and radio, as well as the onslaught of store sales offering early Black Friday specials this year.

My mother instilled in me a genuine love for the Christmas season, and anyone who has ever been to her house the first weekend of October knows the joy of eating the first Christmas cookies of the year (she refrains from decorating completely until the day after Thanksgiving, however, so give her some credit). Mom always talked about the joy of the Christmas season, and I always think of a line from one of my favorite movies, Home Alone: "This is Christmas- the season of perpetual hope."

Hope.

When we think of Christmas, do we think of hope? Do we ponder incarnation of God Himself? Do we contemplate that the Glory of Heaven was born in a manger and worshiped by wise men and shepherds? Do we remember the life He led and the death He endured for our sake? Do we rejoice in the knowledge that He is risen indeed, that Death is defeated and the battle won? Do we think of the hope the Lord has given to us?

Turn on your television, take a walk around your local mall, look at the people cramming purchases into their car, and you'll understand the answers to these questions are often a resounding No. But we can change that- we can change Christmas from the over-commercialized and consumer-driven mega production it is; we can allow it to become the season of perpetual hope once again. Check out last year's video from Advent Conspiracy and imagine (truly imagine) what Christmas would look like- for your family, for your neighborhood, for your city, for the world- if we imparted hope to those without hope this year.

I Have Nerdy Friends...

...and I am so thankful because then I can be my true nerdy self!  My wonderful friend Emily was an English major in college, and she is just as obsessed with books as I am.  I am already borrowing books from her, and I know I've got a few stashed around here that she wants to borrow from me.  I love getting to talk 'bookspeak' with people without feeling like a big dork. 

Last weekend, Emily and I went to the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort and had a blast.  Apparently, it's one of the largest state book fairs in the nation.  We enjoyed perusing the aisles, making our 'swoop' through all of the books, chatting with the authors, and laughing at some of the characters we saw there.  Emily got a few books (I refrained, but was however sorely tempted), and we had some great discussions.  But perhaps the most defining moment of our 2009 Book Fair adventure was my exclamation of, "Emily, the Berenstain Bears!  Oh my gosh, look at Mama and Papa Bear! Oh, we have- we just have- to get a picture!  Can we please?"  And at that moment, we fairly attacked the Bears to procure proof that we have, indeed, meet Mama and Papa Bear.

Yeah, we're not sure why Madeline (whom some little girl was actually calling Raggedy Ann) decided to impose herself into our Berenstain Bear memory, but Emily didn't have the heart to throw her out of the picture...

Orphan Sunday

According to the 2006 UNICEF report The State of the World's Children, "Millions of children navigate life without protection from deliberate harm. These children become invisible when they suffer abuse and exploitation in hidden situations and go uncounted in statistics. Even children we see every day can become ‘invisible’ to us when they are neglected or ignored."  This report also found that 143 million children in the developing world- one in every thirteen- are orphans.  That's just in the developing world.  No matter what the reason behind these children's entrance into a life without mother and father, we are called to care for them.  James 1:27 tells us, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

Today is Orphan Sunday, an event where across the nation and beyond, individuals, families, and congregations are learning more about how we can defend the fatherless and care for the orphan as we are called to do.  Numerous agencies and churches have held their own Orphan Sundays over the years, but this year, they are uniting their efforts to put forth a clear message: "Orphan Sunday is your opportunity to rouse church, community and friends to God’s call to care for the orphan."

I have several friends who are heeding that call in the most tangible of ways: they are physically caring for these orphans.  Some are pursuing adoption (or have already adopted) through domestic and international means; others are dedicated to providing foster care to as many children as the Lord will place in their home.  Their stories of dedication, determination, and patience (the adoption process can be rather arduous and long) are ones that please the Lord and inspire others to obey the Father's call to defend the fatherless.

Dr. Russell Moore is the dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and has been involved in the campaign for orphans for a long time.  He adopted two children and wrote the book Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches.  He says this about Orphan Sunday: "Orphan Sunday isn't about charity; it's about the mission of Christ. I pray that every Gospel-transformed congregation will observe Orphan Sunday, calling all Christians to our mandate to image Christ by caring for his little brothers and sisters, the fatherless of the world."  The history of Orphan Sunday reflects the same thoughts (from the Orphan Sunday website):

Many churches and organizations have hosted “Orphan Sundays” over the years. With a nationwide Orphan Sunday, the Christian Alliance for Orphans and the Cry of the Orphan partners seek to add a unified voice and coordinated effort to the many worthy efforts that preceded this year.

The seeds of this united Orphan Sunday come especially as a gift from the Church in Africa. While attending a church service in Zambia, an American visitor was struck by the pastor's passionate call to care for orphans in the local community, which had been ravaged by AIDS and poverty. Members of the church faced deep need themselves. But as the service ended, one after another stepped forward with money, food and other goods-some even taking off their own shoes and placing them in the offering for orphans.

The visitor, Gary Schneider, was so impacted that he began to help Zambian leaders coordinate Orphan Sunday efforts across Zambia. These efforts spread to the U.S. in 2003 with help from Every Orphan's Hope and other organizations. (Orphan Sunday is licensed to the Christian Alliance for Orphans as a registered trademark of Every Orphan's Hope).

The Christian Alliance for Orphans honors the church in Zambia for the gift of Orphan Sunday. We pray the Church in America may be as faithful to reflect God's heart for the orphan, both near and far.

There are hundreds upon hundreds of ways through which you can change the life of an orphan.  Will you heed the Father and care for His children?


Orphan Sunday from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Your Chance to Make A Difference

Today I received a message from a college friend; Kristen is finishing her graduate degree in photography and graphic design and has also gotten involved with the refugee community where she lives.  She is working on her thesis, which is a web design and multimedia production for a non-profit organization assisting Bhutanese refugees.

Kristen has befriended a family from Iraq and has learned about some of the difficulties refugees often encounter when they resettle in another country.  Refugees come to the United States (or to the other country in which they are resettling) with very few possessions and little to no money.  I have seen families of seven come with only four small bags; literally they come with little more than the clothes on their backs.  Once they arrive in the States, most refugees qualify for some public assistance (health insurance, food stamps, and cash assistance), but these benefits are time-limited and do not necessarily cover all of the costs of living.  Monetary income is often a great concern for these individuals and families. 

One of the things rarely covered by any form of public assistance is dental care; because refugees usually (but not always) come from areas where medical treatment is sub-par or even non-existent, many arrive here desperately needing both medical and dental treatment.  Unfortunately, there is often little we can do to help resolve specific dental issues. 

One of Kristen's refugee friends knows this situation first-hand, but Kristen is determined to do something about it.  Here is the message she sent to several friends of hers:

If you've seen the news recently, I'm sure you're well aware that more than 130 people died at the hands of suicide bombers in Baghdad, Iraq just over a week ago. As I sat beside a friend and watched some of the footage last Sunday night, I wondered what it would be like to see those images from his perspective. You see, I've never walked the streets of Baghdad, but he has. In fact, Baghdad, Iraq, is the place he calls "home."

H was a professional in the city, and as such, became a prime target for insurgents. On his way home from work one evening, he was abducted, brutally beaten, and eventually left for dead. Through an incredible series of events, he was found by U.S. troops and was able to move with his family to the U.S., where he, his wife, R, and their three young daughters now live as refugees. I can't imagine being forced to leave behind friends and family in exchange for safety, but this is the reality in which they live.

While they are thankful everyday for the opportunity to raise their three little girls here in the United States, they are finding it difficult to make ends meet as he is unable to work due to his injuries, and R serves as his sole caretaker. After living in the States for one year, R is in dire need of dental care which is not covered by Medicaid.

For the next few weeks, I will be selling hand-crafted earring holders to raise the money necessary to cover the dental expense (approx. $2,100). If you or anyone you know is interested in purchasing an earring holder for a suggested donation of $20 (plus shipping if needed), one hundred percent of the proceeds will fund the dental work needed by this family. (If you do know of others who might be interested in your area, it might save on shipping to send a couple together.) The earring holders are beautifully crafted, hand-made, and they make great Christmas gifts!

I will be taking orders for the next few weeks, and will get the holders out in time for the Christmas season. I can't thank you enough for taking the time to read and consider this note. If you know of anyone who might be interested in purchasing an earring holder, please feel free to forward this message.

Here is a picture of one of the holders:

If you are interested in purchasing one of these earring holders to assist the family in need, please contact Kristen at kristenhillerATyahooDOTcom to order one (or more) and learn about more ways you can help this particular family.  Even if you are unable to purchase one of these holders, please consider passing on this message to others.

Five Cities That Ruled the World

When it came time to selecting another book to review for Thomas Nelson, I jumped on this one. I love, love, love history. I have always enjoyed American history (particularly the Civil War era and our role in World War I), but over the past several years, I have become more interested in the ancient world of the Romans and Greeks as well; this book therefore seemed like a natural choice.

Douglas Wilson's Five Cities that Ruled the World attempts to take the reader on a journey of history, focusing on five specific cities. The premise is that these five particular cities (Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and New York) have profoundly affected and shaped not only the world of its time, but also left an indelible mark on global history. While there was definitely some interesting information relayed throughout the book, the journey seemed rather choppy and well...incomplete. The topic itself is quite a bit to cover in less than two hundred pages, and I found some of the content lacking.

I'll admit; I was a bit cynical going into the book because of the five cities Wilson chose to examine. I do believe that Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and New York have all been incredibly important pieces of the global historical puzzle, but I couldn't help but notice the significant lack of cities from the East, not to mention the complete absence of cities in the Southern hemisphere. Truthfully, I believe our historical education can be lacking; we discuss certain events ad naseum but barely mention an entire half of the globe.  I firmly believe that in order to truly understand the importance of certain historical events, we must have a better grasp of world history. And the last time I checked, the world included the continents of Africa, Australia, and South America, as well as the rest of Asia. Perhaps Wilson's choice of these five cities simply reflects our Western education, and I can't very well fault him for that...necessarily.

Another aspect of this book that was more annoying than anything was Wilson's attempts at humor. Let me put it quite simply: it did not work. I felt his puns and quips were more of an after-thought, as though he did not believe anyone would be interested in reading this type of book unless it was funny at parts. His writing would have been clearer and much more effective if he had simply stuck to the good, meaty content instead of muddling it up with snide remarks.

Though this book began with an excellent concept, the research and content needs to be flushed out more to truly understand and appreciate the value of what it written on the pages. There needs to be a better justification for the selection of the cities as well. However, this book may serve a purpose in piquing someone's interest; perhaps readers of this book will learn to love history and appreciate the lessons to be learned from the past.

November's Focus: Heifer International

Oh boy.  This month, we have chosen one of my all-time favorite non-profits for our focus.  Heifer International is a "non-profit, humanitarian assistance and sustainable development organization that specializes in providing livestock and related services to limited-resource families worldwide".  Heifer's mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to also care for the livestock involved.

Heifer International began over sixty years ago when Midwestern farmer Don West was rationing out milk to hungry and thirsty children during the Spanish Civil War.  West was serving as a relief worker and was forced to decide which individuals would and would not receive the rationed milk- basically determining who would live...and who would not.  

He realized what would most benefit these children and their families was not simply another cup of rationed milk, but a cow which would continue to produce the needed milk.  Upon returning home, he founded Heifers for Relief, dedicated to ending hunger permanently by providing families with livestock and training so they could "be spared the indignity of depending on others to feed their children”.

Heifer International has since expanded into other sustaining programs and initiatives dealing with a variety of issues including agro ecology, gender equality, HIV/AIDS, microenterprise, and urban agriculture.  You can click here to see an interactive map to learn more about their programs throughout the world.  Heifer International has an excellent history of success in their endeavors and has changed the life of thousands upon thousands of individuals through their various programs.  Check out their website for more information; it is chalk full of great stuff!

Heifer also makes it easy to support them; you can click here to see their gift catalog.  We have used this catalog numerous times in the past.  Instead of buying another unnecessary (and often unwanted) material gift for friends and family, you can purchase something in the Heifer catalog in honor of that individual.  Last Christmas, we bought a flock of chicks and a trio of rabbits in honor of various family members.  My mother-in-law cried when she opened the card.  Knowing that the gift meant for her was going to change the life of a family meant so much more than a random gift we could have purchased at the mall.  And really, so many people simply do not have any room for more stuff anyway.  Why not give them a blessing this year instead?

Happy Birthday to My Husband

Happy birthday, Isaac!  You are my favorite.

Doesn't he look at home in the wadi?  Don't forget to send him some birthday greetings today!