The Way He Looks At Me.

There is a new way Diezel looks at me now. It's the look I've been waiting over a year to see. When he stares at me-his eyes sparkle. He looks at me with love and trust. Kind of like I hung the moon.

Help Me to Remember

Oh Lord. Help me to remember. Help me not forget. All that you have shown me.

Below post is from Brandi's blog.
-Thanks for always being there to remind me.-

Did you know that the UN describes an orphan as any child who has lost one or both parents, especially if the living parent is unable to adequately care for the child?

When we think of the word, ORPHAN and VULNERABLE, we think of a child who has no parents. We certainly don't think of helping a child who has a loving mother. . . Until we learn a bit more about widows.

Widows own nothing. Strike that, women own nothing. Not really. . .whatever they can own, can be removed at any given moment.

We heard stories from precious women. . .

Women who spoke of the hardest day of their lives. The day their husband or father died and his entire clan came in to steal from them, before the bodies were even laid to rest.

The clan just came in to the family hut and took everything. . including the tin roof.

This is what it's like being the child of a widow.

This is why the children of widows are still considered orphans. They often have NOTHING. They are shunned and often blamed for their husbands death. This leaves their children not only without a daddy, but without a provider. . of food, school fees and protection.

Heartbreaking? yes. But God is doing a work.

Remember James 1:27, "pure and undefiled religion is this, to take care of widows and orphans in their time of distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Often, we jump on the orphan bandwagon, but we often forget the whole widow part.

This is where the TESO Widows come in. . .listen to Beatrice's story.

Beatrice is the woman who leads the Teso Widows. Yes, she leads 20,000 widows in the Teso Region of Uganda. They now have it divided into districts and even sub-districts because there are so many widows! Each of these precious women carry around a register of all the orphans in their area. Literally a lined piece of paper filled with children's names, ages and villages. The children who have lost one or both of their parents. Children who weigh on these widows hearts. Can you imagine having a burden to do something for the orphans and for the other widows and having NO resources with which to help?

This is where WE come in! We get to partner with these wonderful women!

THIS IS A CARE POINT!!!! We (Children's HopeChest and YOU) partner with the widows in an area and we get to provide much needed resources so that they can minister to the precious children of their district! So, THEY can feed the children (the widows will VOLUNTEER to cook and serve the meals 6 days a week). Then, the care points can expand over time and as churches get more and more involved in THEIR carepoint. They can provide medical care, school fees, a community garden, clean water, classes, teaching a trade and most importantly JESUS to this community!

Talk about running to the aid of a WIDOW AND ORPHAN!!!! Does this excite you? These precious women who have lost everything. . .we get to help them keep their children! These precious children who have lost so much. . .we get to help them EAT!

Your church can make a difference by sponsoring a care point! Your STATE can make a difference by gathering all of the churches together to sponsor all of the care points in an entire district. There is something stirring here and it's an act of God. Remember that old Experiencing God principle of "join God where He's at work"? Well, He's at work in the TESO region of Uganda. Get on board!

Posted by Brandi at 8:46 PM

Hanging on to Innocence

I wonder how much longer my teenage son will think like this.
Here's the conversation Adam had in the car with him.

They were driving and saw a bunch of bikini clad girls advertising for a car wash(apparently they were working it)

Jace: Dad, they would get a lot more business if they were dressed like super heroes. And they should have the Incredible Hulk holding a sign that say's "Be a real hero-Go green".

Yeah, he's hanging on to his innocence and I'm loving it and secretly laughing my butt off.

First Water Play of the Season

The Journey of the Yoyo.

I found these pics on my memory card today.
My guess is Faith.

Created a Monster

Hindsight

It probably wasn't the best idea to let this kid

Whose dad is this man

And
Whose mom is this woman


Watch This movie

We have now created a Napoleon Dynamite quoting monster.

This Little Boy of Mine.

I was looking back at old posts-I'm trying to reorganize the 'ole blog and I noticed I never really talk about Diezel except for his past medical issues. I started to think why that is.....He is a joy. He has such a sweet spirit. Yeah, he has his moments (don't they all:) It seems though no matter what he does or does not do- He fits perfectly in our family. He's quite content doing his own thing. He's funny. He rejects unwanted affection and runs away when I reach for a hug, but he's quick to laugh with all his heart when I snatch him up in spite of it. He has stolen my heart. He knows how to work his little eyes to make me swoon. Yeah, he spits. Wants water all the time. Has no control over his bowels. Fights intensely for toys. Cries for whatever object someone else has, but his heart, his deep down self is amazingly beautiful. I look at him and can't help but to smile. I look at him and I see a winner. A fighter. A champion. An over comer. Diezel has fought for his life more than once and every time God plants a vision in my heart of the man this little boy will become.

The Master Sorter

This is a fun activity Lukas loves to work on. Sorting puff balls using a clothes pin. Helps with hand eye coordination, fine motor skills, sorting, sequencing. All for $3.00. We bought everything at the dollar store.

Working hard.

He was so proud of himself.

He then went on to help sort his sisters' interlocking cubes for their math lesson.

Can't Resist

Who does she remind you of?

She's ..,

Xia Minelli

Different

It never ceases to amaze me how different all my children are.

For fun I went around and took a photo of each kid seconds apart.

1 was drawing.
1 was helping build our new swing set.
1 was watching a video.
1 was throwing rocks on their head.
1 was creating the mother of all messes.
1 was editing their own video game.

Which kid was doing what?

The Chain of Good Mail!

How fun.
It continues.
Good mail.
It started here.
Went here.
and now

Enter the contest here
Thompsons2China

So exciting.

They're Here!!!!!

Our David and Sheku bags arrived today! So exciting. What are David and Sheku bags?
So glad you asked.
Read here and here.
And then thank her for being willing to sell them and ship them.

These wonderful bags are presents for a couple of beautiful young women Graduates I know. What a better gift-Than one that helps another.

Kids Making a Stand

I got this email from a kid at school. I love it when kids make a stand to make a difference

Dear friends of Heritage Academy,


As many of you know, I was in charge of installing the flagpole on the new church property last year. I am grateful for the freedoms we have under the Stars and Stripes, especially in light of the extremely hostile position much of the world has toward Christianity. Yes, there is a lot that needs fixing in our country, but we can still be proud and thankful that we live in the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.” Thousands and thousands have given generously, some even sacrificing their lives, to buy the freedoms we enjoy.


For these reasons, I took on the project of installing a flagpole outside the Grace Bible Church building. I want never to forget that our freedom to assemble is a precious gift.


As it stands today, the flagpole is installed and we have the ability to fly our flag during daylight hours. However, flag etiquette does not allow flying of the flag at night unless the flag is adequately lit. Currently, no one is in charge of raising or lowering our flag on a daily basis. My plan is to install a light at the base of the pole so that the flag can be flown all the time as a testimony of patriotic appreciation. In order to accomplish this, I need to raise funds both to finish paying for the flagpole, as well as purchase a light-sensitive spotlight and the hardware needed. The total amount that I need to raise is $900 dollars.


If just 36 individuals or families would participate in this opportunity with no more than $25.00 this project could be completed and the American flag could be flown at Grace continually. Please make your checks out to "Grace Bible Church" with attention "flagpole". Any extra money will go towards the building fund.


Would you be willing to stand with me to fund this project?


Thank you for your consideration,


Matt Hawkins

Beautiful Specimen

Beautiful? isn't?

We have lived in this home almost 5 years and every year I walk around the four acres scouting for this plant. I have never seen it on our property until yesterday. And it's EVERYWHERE!!!! I have a nice specimen out my front door by the brick walkway. Little ones shooting up all the way to the pool in the grass. They line the driveway. I'm slightly freaking out. If you haven't already guessed it....Yep. It's Poison Ivy!

A Little Bit of...

Xia

The Princess

Undocumented Memories.

This morning I had the privilege to attend the Faith Girlz mother/daughter conference with McKayley. We had a wonderful time listening to Nancy Rue speak, doing crafts, and just hanging out.

Adam took the other kids to our local Fair Trade Shop- The Mustard Seed- this morning for

"Bang a Drum Against Poverty". A free music class to raise awareness.

So I sent him with the camera instead of taking it with McKayley and I. It wasn't until he got there that he noticed there wasn't a memory card in it.

Bummer.

Two great events. Two different memories created. No pictures of either one.

I think blogging has made me a camera/picture nut. If I don't have documented evidence then I have to rely on my memory- Which with six kids is something I keep losing at an alarming rate.

Yeah, I know

He's a stud!
Jace

Never Easy

to watch a friend continue down a path that leads to death. A path that I myself, if not by the grace of God would have taken.

A friend- Father of two, Grandfather to a sweet girl ended his life this week.

I watched you walking.
Alone.
And in the Dark.
I tried to go after you.
Alone I came back.
I sent a friend.
He followed you.
He whispered your name.
He never left you.
He wanted to carry you.
But
You kept walking.
Feeling Alone.
And in the Dark.

How I Wish I Knew...

What was going on between these three during the wagon ride.

Steffany....

is thinking about a child, a woman, a man, a mother, a father dying alone, scared and in pain right now. This second. As I type. Due to AIDS. Not Curable, but treatable and preventable. Today is national prayer day. It is World Aids Orphan Day. I'm Broken. I'm ruined, but I know and believe much can be done. On our knees. Using our hands. Our voices. To make a stand. Educate yourself.