Thursday, April 22, 2010

Saving an even more precious resource

Dear Friend,Pledge now

What do children mean to you?

Catherine P. of Hoboken, NJ put it perfectly when she signed the Childhelp Pledge earlier this month: "The most treasured resource on this Earth is our children. Period."

We couldn't have said it better.

Do you Agree with Catherine? Then Please sign the pledge below.

The Childhelp Pledge is not a commitment to give money, nor is it an especially large commitment of your time.

It's a commitment of one moment -- a moment of silence in recognition of the five children who will die today as a result of abuse or neglect.

Pledge now:

http://www.childhelp.org/MomentOfSilence

Thank you,

Sara and Yvonne
Childhelp

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Laundry Detergent

A Great Way to SAVE some Green!
Check out this video on making your own laundry soap or forgo it all together! I have even more recipes for laundry soap but since I just came across this short video I thought it would benefit someone today.
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=19060710
Someday soon I will post my recipe for homemade cleaning products, including one that disinfects without the harsh chemicals---and YES it really cleans and saves you money! What more could you ask for?

Monday, April 19, 2010

Yummy!

I just got this recipe off of Mary Jane's site. It sounds yummy and relatively FREE, since I have a plethora of violets and dandelions---I also may substitute wild onions for the shallots (I have more than enough of those too) I'll let you know.
http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/recipe-project/recipe-20100419.asp
I am also hoping to post my yogurt recipe. It is so good! We have smoothies everyday. I even sneak baby spinach into all of them and the kids (and Adults never know!) Well, I guess they do now huh?????
Here is another
recipe for homemade Ranch Dressing with no MSG or chemicals.
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk (can use low fat)
1/2 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/4-1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp ground pepper. (I use a little more)
It also calls for 1/8 tsp of salt but I leave this out.
In a large bowl whisk together all ingredients.
Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving. I never remember this part! :)
I don't know how long it lasts because our family puts it on everything! Even burgers! Yum! Yum!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Thank you

I wanted to cover all the bases here. I just posted this on our adoption blog but just in case this anonymous person does not read it I wanted to post here as well

I don't know who anonymously donated the ticket for my husband to join me tonight at "Hope in the Dark" but "I want you to know whoever you are that you have renewed our vision and passion for helping orphans in Africa and around the world. We had a wonderful time and have fresh faith to carry God's calling to the ends of the earth. I am now headed upstairs to check in on our three little blessings that joined us a few weeks ago.
Life is so rich and full when you are living for King Jesus and not for yourself.
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' " ----Matthew 25:45

Friday, April 9, 2010

My Case Worker

Why I really like my case worker and why I am so thankful for his example.
You know most of us as Americans have a million and one excuses as to why we simply cannot do what God calls us to do. I remember back when I was a kid feeling the call to missions and listening to people say "oh don't ever pray God will use you, He might send you to Africa" Really? Hmmmm, He might just send you to your neighbor or a neighborhood down the street that everyone has forgotten about or is too afraid to go to.
Let me tell you about my case worker. He is a wonderful guy that is dedicated to helping the children of Tennessee! He works and works. He knows his job will never be done until Jesus returns but that does not stop him. He carries FOUR cell phones at one time! He is always there to answer my hundreds of questions and is very patient with me. I had (have) a big learning curve. He loves the children he serves and he loves Jesus!
Here is one more thing that would probably surprise you about my case worker, he is a quadriplegic. Yup! That does not stop him from serving the Lord and the children. He requires a wheel-chair---and help with pretty much everything. But you know what? He's doing it! Wow! If that does not inspire you I don't know what will. So really, what is your excuse? Has God called you into the neighborhoods of your city that need Jesus. Has he called you to "know" your neighbor? Do you even know your neighbors name? There are a lot of scriptures about serving and loving your neighbor in the Bible. I'll let you take the time to look them up. It'll be fun! I promise. So GO! Introduce yourself to your neighbor. Take it a step further and bring them cookies, dinner, or even a bouquet of flowers from your yard. You will be blessed as you bless others.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

The hidden children

Written by guest blogger and dear friend Kris Z.

"I think of the children in foster care as the hidden mission field. Don't you feel that? Like they are hidden inside some dark hole (they get to come out to go to a Children's Services
building for check ups or perhaps just check ins. Regardless, they feel shifted around, go here/go there, but does anyone really care. Do we?

Yet, there is hope in Christ. I feel like the churches eyes are being
opened like a curtain being lifted slowly, very slowly, but it is opening!
What is behind the curtain? You guessed it...the children, and they're
not so scary anymore. They are not all "...the ones that put strychnine
in the well!", as Rachel Linde said in Anne of Green Gables.

God is working. My prayer has never been, "Lord, do I care enough", but
"Lord, will you use me...please." You see, Jesus said to pray that the
Lord of the harvest would send laborers into the harvest field. He has to
send."

I (Ami) would like to add a question of my own, Have you prayed the Lord would use you? Or are you comfortable enough? I once had a person tell me I had a problem facing hard things. Most people would say taking in foster children is hard. It is the hardest job I have ever done but it is also the most rewarding. I love them. Do you? Jesus said "let the little children come to me..." Are you letting them come to you?
As I type this I have a three year old sitting next to me singing "I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart..."It is a miracle he can sing this after all he's been through. But he can.
It's breakfast making time. Better go!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Not only...

Not only have I hand sewn a curtain for the boys room because my sewing machine is broken, but I have also learned how to make yogurt in my crock pot and ranch dressing without the yucky msg and chemicals. Amazing how much more you get done when you have to and how much more there is to do. Socks multiply like rabbits and disappear one at a time as if they were picked up by a hawk and dropped off in another planet.
I also learned that it's easy to teach a three and four year old how to make a bed. They do it every morning! They also put their dirty clothes in the basket and have a spotless room. They still do not like naps and bedtime but we have learned that naptime is for rest and that that is what they do. Oh my life is rich and sweet, challenging and sometimes hard. But I wouldn't have it any other way.
I still wish children came with volume controls---but one thing at a time right?