Compassion International

Recently, I have heard a ton about Compassion International

A friend of mine, Jen Bacak, put on a 5K/10K run raising funds for Compassion.

And a few of the blogs that I read often, are currently in India, Calcutta to be exact, on a trip to minister to the children over there, but learn more about the organization.

There posts have been meaningful, profound and touching to say the least!

I have cousins, who have been sponsoring children for over 10 years now!  They have 1 per child for each child of their own.  In fact, they recently made the journey overseas and actually met their sponsored children in person!  Amazing!  How neat is that!!!

I have wanted to do this for a LONG time, and have yet to do so!!

In college, a girlfriend and I sponsored a little boy for a semester.  I so wish I still did!

As believers, we are to take care of the orphans, widows, poor.

How am I doing at that????

Terrible!!!

I want to be better!!!!

I'm not going to be foolish and begin with 3 children right away, but want to begin by sponsoring 1 and growing to 3!!!

To sponsor a child, you can click here.

For $32 a month, you can change a child's life!!!

Check out their blog and read the stories.

When I get my child's info, I will post a picture!!  It will be several weeks, but I will keep you updated!!!

Seeing Me Differently

That's me, really...

Isn't it creepy, kind of???

It's this weird x-ray that my dentist took.

The shadow of my face is what's weird.

I have major mouth issues.

More so than I realized, actually.

My bite is abnormal.

Not sure if it has always been this way,

or if the accident left me this way,

or if I was and the accident made it worse,

but lets just say I have mouth issues.

Dr. Scasta is wonderful and wanted to take

my x-rays and impressions with him to

Chicago next week so his mentor can

look at them and tell us anything different.

Chances are nothing can really fix the problem,

other than oral surgery where they would remove

a section of bone from my jaw to change my bite.

He isn't recommending that!!!!

He has ideas of what we can try and see if he can 

manipulate my bite by training my muscles in my 

face which would retrain my bite.

We aren't there yet,

the price tag is gynormous!!!!!

Do you see how my front teeth are sticking out 

almost straight?  You can't tell that by 

looking at me, but because I have no bone,

no palet, that's how the fake teeth are.

Never understood that!!!  

It has been 15 years since the accident!

But I thought that this x-ray was cool and weird

and not everyone has one of these! =)

So be jealous!  ;)

I am a Runner...just of Another Kind

A ton of my friends run.

Some are brand new to running.

Others have run a while.

And still others have run since college.

I HATE running!!!!

Could I run?

Yes, but I HATE running!

But tonight, I realized that I am a runner

Just not the typical runner that runs for exercise.

I like to flee.

Get away!

Live in denial!

Run!!!

My running is a coping mechanism that I have possessed for probably longer than I even realize.  It would be interesting to see if I could pinpoint when this began, but maybe I'll save that for a separate post!

Honestly, I sincerely thought that this habitual pattern was gone from my life!

But man oh man, it swept over me faster than you can blink your eye!

I want to run so bad it actually hurts!

I want to go far far away!

I think there are a few healthy situations in which running is a good thing to do....

when you are going to be hurt physically.... 

when you are in danger....

uh, hello run!

So what about when you may be hurt emotionally?

when you are in emotional danger?

is running from that ok then?

This may seem all over the place, but this is a post of processing, I s'pose.

So what happens when something comes up OUT OF THE BLUE!??  You didn't know it was going to happen, you couldn't plan for it, no way of knowing!  So what's the first thing I want to do....

RUN!!!!

My verse for this month could not be more appropriate.  That is exactly what I did this morning...  cried out to the Lord...in my anguish!

Realistically, I can't run away, no matter how great the urge is within me.  

And I must only run to Him!  Into His arms!

Even if I can't see how this ends up,

Even if I can't understand why this is happening,

No matter what I may be thinking, feeling,

The Lord is my helper!

I MUST TRUST HIM!!!!!

I MUST RUN TO HIM!!!!

(and I HAVE to repeat that OVER & OVER AGAIN!!!!!)

Mid-April Scripture Memory Verse

"In my anguish I cried out to the LORD

and He answered me by

setting me free.

The LORD is with me;

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

The LORD is with me;

He is my Helper.

I will look in triumph on my enemies."

Psalm 118:5-7

Things that Make You Go Hmmmm........

How is it that some days are like this...=>

and other days are like this...

<=

??????????????????????

Seriously!

What is it that really makes the difference?

My quiet time with God?

Yes, that is important!

My heart?

Also, very important!

What time my children went to bed the night before?

What time I went to bed the night before?

I believe all of those things and more affect my day.

But I really think I need to take notes of what specifically happens on "good" days.

Today was a "good" day.

Can't put my finger on 1 specific thing that made it a good one, but it makes me pray and hope tomorrow will be another one!

It did help that the weather was so beautiful!

Warm with a nice breeze - Spring!

It also helped that Kru and I could take an hour or so and go to the park and swing!

It also helped that I was very aware of being present in the moment!

I didn't spend as much time on the computer!

I spoke in a gentle yet firm (when needed) voice.

I sometimes like to ignore how much I affect my home, my husband, my children!  

But, if I'm wanting to be the woman God created me to be, I can NOT ignore that!

"Let the words of my mouth 

and the meditations of my heart 

be acceptable in Thy sight, 

O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer."

Psalm 19:14

I must, need, have to be aware of what I am saying, thinking, meditating on!  And it MUST be the Lord and pleasing Him and being obedient to Him.

I am so selfish and get so caught up in making sure I'm taken care of!  That is sin!!!

So....

I must seek Jesus daily, hour to hour, moment to moment if need be, to be the woman He created me to be!  The woman that He put here in this place for this moment.  And to really there!  Awake!  Involved!

I never did post my scripture memory verse for the beginning of April, but it goes well with this post.

It was Proverbs 31:26

"When she speaks her words are wise, and kindness is the rule when she gives instruction."

This HAS to Make You Smile!!!

Even if you don't appreciate The Sound of Music, this HAS to put a smile on your face!!!!

Don't forget to go down and turn off the music before beginning the video!!

Enjoy! =)