~Giving Update~

15 days have come and gone already in this 30 Days of Giving Challenge, and I wanted to give an update on our journey.

Some of the ways we've given:

-Operation Christmas Child: we filled 2 boxes and I wrote a letter to each of the kids, and we actually sent them in!! (last year we got 2 boxes but never filled them)

***If you want to give to OCC, This week is National Collection Week so hurry!!***

-visited a friend who is going through a tough custody battle and gave her the gift of a listening ear and unconditional love

-donated my time and talents at a nutrition program for the YMCA (I finished up 5 weeks of cooking lessons for kids)

-made a cute baby blanket and "Welcome" cake for my cousin's brand new baby girl

-gave my little man a full afternoon of "Mommy time" and we got his hair cut, went out for ice cream, and played and tickled and read whatever C wanted

-used my coupons to get extra cleaning supplies (super cheap) for a friend who just started a house-cleaning business

-brought coffee to my amazing daycare provider to make her Friday afternoon a little easier

-baked treats and delivered them to friends

-I helped at church in the nursery

-B helped do powerpoint for both services on Sunday

-donated new toy for a toy drive at a local shelter

More plans for the rest of the month:

-donating gently used clothing to the Salvation Army

-spending quality time with my grandpa who has recently suffered a few strokes

-finishing and donating baby blankets to an organization called Sunshine Hugs or Blankets for Canada that will send them to Interval House or Morningstar Mission (both in Napanee)

-donating unused yarn to volunteers for Sunshine Hugs to make other items including dish rags, hats, scarves, mitts, and afghans

-giving time and organization to our family by de-cluttering our home

-getting an early start on my Christmas baking, and bringing some treats over to the Bethel Houses (a program started by my church to help men recovering from addictions)

-using this list from our church to help us find more ways to get involved in volunteering locally

-listening to the promptings of the still small voice to give even when I don't think I have time and especially when I have to step outside my comfort zone

Do you have any more ideas on how I can give?

~A

Quivers Full...

Lately I've been reading a lot about large families and the "quiverfull" perspective. And I like what I've been reading.

The article that got me started is called "The Case Against Birth Control" and it is very well supported by scripture. I'd like to take a look at some of the medical evidence backing some of the claims, but the spiritual evidence was overwhelming to B and myself.

Next, I found a NewsWeek article on the quiverfull perspective.

The Source of both these links was a blog that's really been educational, called "Raising Arrows". The Blog has a few articles that I really enjoyed, namely "Becoming Quiverfull" (parts 1-4) the whole section called "Large Family Living", and an article called "Enjoying Your Quiverfull" which talks about having peace in whatever number of children God blesses you with, whether it's none, sixteen, or somewhere in the middle.

I have a full quiver today, and if the Lord blesses us with more, than we will raise however many blessings he gives us.

-A

*I'm hoping to make this a regular topic as I go through my own research into what being quiverfull will mean for our family. Thank you for any insight you have about this issue.

Link Loves of the day: Giving Ideas!!

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God."

-Micah 6:8

I found this image on the Etsy shop for We are THAT Family when I was doing some research for ideas on giving this month. The entire profits from this painting (and anything else in their Etsy shop) go to an organization called "The Mercy House" which provides nutrition, housing, prenatal care, Bible teaching, and job skills for pregnant girls living in the streets of Kenya.

For those who want your Christmas presents to last more than one day, check out the World Vision Christmas Catalogue to send gifts like chickens or school supplies that will support needy communities. Shop for gifts from the Ten Thousand Villages website (or go to their stores if you're blessed with one in your town as we are!) for beautiful, one-of-a-kind, fair trade gifts.

There are many organizations encouraging us to start sponsoring children this holiday season. If you can't find room in your budget to sponsor more children, but still want to make a difference in the lives of sponsored children, why not write Christmas letters to one of the many sponsored children who have never received letters... I read a post this week about the importance of these letters to the kids who receive them.

If you wish to send personalized Christmas cards, Compassion International has teamed up with Studio DaySpring to send cards to children in Ecuador. Check it out here and bless a child with a Christmas card today!

This last idea is one of my favourite ways to celebrate giving every holiday season. Operation Christmas Child! Pack a shoebox (or 2 or 3) with toys and other small things, add a letter and some $$ for shipping, and bring it to a drop-off location near you. The Canadian website is here, and the international site for Samaritan's Purse is here. Just remember, the deadline is SOON so pack those boxes quickly!!

I'll be posting soon about how I've been giving this month so far (even before I heard of the 30 Days of Giving Challenge)

-A

Learning to grow my giving heart...

*From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)*

Today is the first day I've heard about the 30 days of giving. Apparently it was started last year (2009) for the month of November, and this year it's running online from November 1-30.

I was expecting to find a to-do list on the website of exactly which action to take on each day of the month, and I was really excited that it's nothing like that. What the 30 Days of Giving is about is bringing the whole IDEA of giving to the front of your mind, and helping people to focus on doing things for others.

It's like the new song from Matthew West called "My Own Little World." If you haven't heard the song, here's a link to the song on youtube. What hits me about the song is just how simple it is to find people every single day who are in need.

Physical needs like shoes, coats, hats, scarves...

Needing food...

Needing clean drinking water...

Needing someone to talk to...

Needing hope...

Needing salvation...

How often do I look the other way when there are needs before me? How often do I AVOID the homeless man or woman because "I don't have time" or because "they look funny." I want to become aware.

I remember Service Week in grade 10 with my high school class. We went to Toronto for a week, and I don't remember what month it was, but it was cold outside. There were people sleeping on the streets in boxes. There were people sleeping on park benches. There were people who wouldn't even meet our eyes begging for money, or food, or even just the recognition that they are human. I remember feeling shocked that these people lived so close to me, and I had all my needs filled when they didn't have anything.

This month is not going to rid the world of poverty, or find homes for all the homeless, or feed every hungry child in Africa; but if we can change our hearts, maybe we can change the life of one person.

Maybe we can give shoes and coats and food.

Maybe we can speak of the hope we have.

Maybe we can be all the difference between life and death.

I'm going to give. And I hope it won't just be for a month.

-A

Daybook: October 12

Outside my window...

trucks driving on the 401, street lights shining the only light. a peaceful night.

I am thinking...

tomorrow is my dad's birthday. does he know how much I love him?

I am thankful for...

so many blessings I can't name them all.

From the kitchen...

soft-shell tacos for dinner, and a few cakes in the works for the babes that are soon to be born...

I am wearing...

cozy pjs.

I am creating...

royal icing decorations for the long list of cakes I'm hoping to make. also I've got probably 5 baby blankets on the go...

I am going...

to start 2 new classes this week! Looking forward to advanced baking, but I'm not so sure about vegetarian fusion...

I am reading...

Think Like a Chef, by Tom Colicchio

I am hoping...

that I can come up with a fun meal for our (Swedish) guests coming for dinner tomorrow night

I am hearing...

sleepy breathing from the wonderful man next to me who takes care of my when I'm sick

Around the house...

dishes are done, fresh roses are in a vase, bathroom is clean, leftovers are away... the place is almost ready for company tomorrow night.

One of my favorite things...

baking cakes and bread! Hopefully in lab tomorrow I get pulled for one of those jobs!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
reorganizing my tool boxes, writing my essay for class, and helping out at the Y by partnering with students who are learning how to cook!

Here is a picture reflecting what I'm thinking...

Happy Birthday Dad. I love you.

Thankful

A few texts on my mind today:

Psalm 95: 1-7 (NLT)

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;

let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving

and extol him with music and song.

For the Lord is the great God,

the great King above all gods.

In his hands are the depths of the earth,

and the mountain peaks belong to him.

The sea is his, for he made it,

and his hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

for he is our God

and we are the people of his pasture,

the flock under his care.

Philippians 4: 4-9 (NLT)

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.

I wish you all a blessed thanksgiving, and I pray that you would be filled with joy.

-A

Local Farms, Awesome Flavours!!

Today is the day I've been waiting for!

K-town is surrounded by many local farms and amazing local produce that we as a family get to experience, and TODAY is an event called "Open Farms" where many of these local farms open up and allow the public to see what goes on!!

We grabbed a brochure in the middle of the summer that highlighted local farms with a brief description and a map that listed all these farms. Check out the Local Flavours website and take a look at the maps for the producers, and also for the outlets which serve local foods.

Looking at all those local farms really got me excited, and I wanted to see ALL of the farms participating in Open Farms, but there's too many for just one day, so we've narrowed it down to 4 that are close enough (and on a semi-direct route) so that we don't wear ourselves out.

The top choices of the day (not the BEST, just the ones that are close to our place and that interest us)

1. Fruition Berry Farm

-in the summer you can pick your own strawberries, raspberries.... and in the fall pick your own pumpkins, go through a corn maze, and go on hay rides!!

2. Waddell Apples

-pick your own apples and pumpkins!!

-great website with fun recipes I want to try for all things APPLE!!

3. Forman Farms

-great variety of local produce including squash, sweet corn, garlic and pumpkins

-they also sell flowers, fall decor, and Christmas greens!

4. Wendy's Country Market

-I'd heard about Wendy's Mobile Market because we order from them at work, but this farm is going to be my favourite trip of all....

-they focus on local, in-season produce, but they also sell meats, artisanal cheeses, maple syrup, baked goods, herbal teas.....and lots more! AND they deliver products through their mobile market (Check out their GIANT order form!!)

TODAY! I'm super excited to get going... but the little man is sleeping, so we have to wait until he wakes up...

Don't you wish you lived in Kingston?