Excuses, excuses...

My blogging has all but disappeared.  I keep having ideas and start typing up a post and deleting and typing and deleting, then I move on to something else and don't come back.  It's just sad.  But, I do have a nice little list of excuses:

• I became the Communications Administrator for Project HOPEFUL about a month ago and it has almost completely taken over my computer energies
• I recently organized a giant (for me) yard sale to raise money for three families who are adopting and became re-acquainted with the fact that my skills lie in being an idea person, not an implementer.
• I organized a three hour orientation seminar at our church about foster care and adoption and actually implemented it - the same week in which I implemented the yard sale...simply amazing.
• We went public with the fact that we have officially taken the first steps toward adopting domestically.  We're only in the early 'Papercut Stage' of adoption.  The stress of sharing that information with certain people made me physically ill. I cried off and on for days. We seriously were going to wait until we were further into the process, but we can't get further into the process until we do some fundraising, so.....we just had to do it.
• My kids just started summer vacation and we're trying to get into a good routine (and I've been sharing the computer with 5 other people...even if they only get half an hour per day, that's a lot of time!)
• My parents are moving next week and I've been helping with painting and landscaping.

So, bloggy peeps, I'm sorry, but I just about fell off the map.  Thankfully I grabbed the edge and hopped back on, so let's just get back to it, shall we?  Here is my blog post recommendation for the day:


"Christians Should Put Up of Shut Up"


~Jennifer

Enter a Project HOPEFUL giveaway AND help them win the Toyota 100 Cars for Good Program!

You need to head on over to the Project HOPEFUL blog RIGHT NOW!   There is an awesome t-shirt giveaway going on and you could help them in a big way, too!

Go here!

Who Will Go?

Have you come to the point where you can say " I will go if you send me, Lord!"  ?  Here are a couple of videos that I've found to be thought-provoking and can help us examine where our hearts are on this subject:


Did You Know from on Vimeo.


and

CAFO Summit 7 - Did you miss it?

I missed it.  I tried so hard to get to the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit VII in Louisville, KY last week - it was so close!  A mere 6 hours drive away from us.  But I didn't make it.  So I plan on drinking in every moment that will be re-capped tonight on the Mother the World Momcast Podcast at 8pm EST by the ProjectHOPEFUL team.  If you missed it, too, join us!  If you were there, join us! You may be able to chime in with some of your own thoughts from the Summit.  See you there!

Every Child. Period.

Pitting cause of orphans in the US against cause of orphans globally, as though it were either/or, is crazy. Mission is local & global. ~Dr. Russell Moore

 It can be SO easy to get dogmatic in the adoption world.  Dogmatic about what country has the greatest need, what special need everyone should be passionate about, whether everyone should adopt older kids or infants.  But the truth is that EVERY child needs a family.  No child is 'just fine' or 'better off' in the foster care system or in an orphanage.

I found this blog post this morning that I thought was a really helpful perspective and thought that you would benefit from it, too. 

 

Rethinking Adoption: Infant Adoption

 

 

~Jennifer 

Vote for Project Hopeful June 11th!

Toyota USA is giving away 100 cars to charitable organizations over 100 days from May 9th to August 16th and Project Hopeful has been put on the finalist list for June 11th's giveaway!  They have put together the promotional video and just introduced it today.  Be sure to spread the word and vote on June 11th!!

If you join the facebook group and go to the 100 cars for good tab, you will be able to fill out the reminder form so you don't forget to vote.  Ready, Set, Go!

ATV Giveaway for orphans

There is an urgent need for funds for the family adopting Little Miss Addison and some friends took over their blog to introduce this amazing giveaway!  Make sure you read this:

http://ascendtothehillofthelord.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-do-you-say-when-jesus-asks-of-you.html


~Jennifer