Hangin' with Peaches...

Teenage Son and Teenage Daughter (along with 30 others from our church) just returned from a 10 day missions trip to inner city LA where they worked with WOW JAM International. This was Teenage Son's first year to participate, but Teenage Daughter was returning for her second time. Last year she hit it off with the WOW JAM founders' daughter. This year she was excited to hang out with her again as they worked in inner-city neighborhoods like Watts and South Central.

"Her" being the daughter (who shall remain unnamed!) of Stephen and Linda Tavani. Linda Tavani AKA Peaches. As in Peaches and Herb. As in 'Reunited' and 'Shake Your Groove Thing' Peaches.

This Peaches.



Stephen and Linda have a phenomenal ministry. And not only did Teenage Son and Teenage Daughter get to hang out with some cool people from all over CA, but they got to serve. They set up tents, passed out water bottles, canvased neighborhoods, prayed with folks, prayed over folks, and met some needs. They changed some lives.

And I think they might have come home just a little changed as well.

One day in a life...

This morning I woke up and wondered what I felt like eating for breakfast...

In Bangladesh a mother woke up and wondered where she would get food to feed her children...

I filled my Cuisinart coffee maker with tap water and ground my coffee beans...

In Tanzania a young girl walked 2 kilometers to the river to fetch a bucket of dirty river water for her family to drink.

After breakfast, I took Young Son on an outing to the mall where we went to the Lego store and Build A Bear. Then we had lunch at the food court...

In Haiti a child's "outing" was to the Compassion Center where he received his only meal of the day.

After coming home from the mall, I browsed recipes and made a shrimp casserole to take to a family from my Bible study- where the husband/father has been ill...

In India a child browsed through trash to find bits of scrap metal to sell- hoping to earn a few coins and pay for his next meal.

I live a life of privilege. They live a life of subsistence.

Join me on Wednesday, June 25th, along with over 5,000 others, in a day of fasting and prayer for the global food crisis. You can even put your money where your mouth is (literally) and donate what you would have spent on food to the global food crisis fund at Compassion.

Because we CAN make a difference- one child at a time.

Have some Compassion...

I've mentioned before my great appreciation of the work being done around the world by Compassion International. I've been privileged to see their work firsthand in Arusha, TZ- where the above photo of Teenage Daughter and friends was taken. In addition, we sponsor a child in Dodoma. And while I have not yet had the opportunity to meet Juma, I hope to do so in the next couple of years. In the meantime we connect with him through the mail. I send him photos of our family and I keep his photo in my Bible where I see it everyday. We pray for Juma and his family and I cherish the knowledge that he prays for us as well.

Many of you were introduced to Compassion through this year's blogging trip to Uganda. Shannon and Sophie did a fantastic job of spotlighting the life-changing work that Compassion is doing there. Many of us also discovered new bloggers to add to our blog rolls during that trip. And our hearts were changed as we read the day by day accounts of their trip.

And if you haven't yet heard, Compassion is organizing another trip. Go to Compassion's site to apply to be a blogger on the trip. And while you're waiting to hear if you've been selected to go, spend some time praying about sponsoring a child. It's affordable and will truly change some one's life.

You might just be surprised to discover that the life most changed is yours...

What if?

Last week I was at my local Safeway buying a couple of days worth of groceries. Ahead of me at the checkout was a very pregnant mom with her two little boys in tow. The checker finished ringing up her weeks worth of groceries while a young bag boy packed them for her. When he was finished bagging her groceries he quickly moved on to mine. I noticed the mom pause- waiting for him to ask her if she needed help out perhaps? before she gathered up her sons and pushed her heavily laden cart towards the door.

I commented to the bagger, That mom looked like she could use some help...

Oh, he responded uncertainly, Um- I guess I forgot to ask her if she needed help out.

Go now, I countered, I can bag my own groceries.

The bagger left my groceries and quickly ran to catch up with her as she headed for the parking lot. After exiting the store, I scanned the parking lot and noted with satisfaction that the bag boy had caught up with her, and was loading the bags of groceries into her car.

Yesterday my real-life-and-in-person-good-friend, Llama Momma, wrote this post. Her moment of kindness for the mom at the mall touched me and reminded my own brief moment at Safeway last week. Now let's be honest- it didn't cost me anything to help that mom out. She probably doesn't even know that I sent the bag boy out to help her. All I did was bag my own groceries- something I would do anyway if a bagger wasn't available. It didn't make a big difference to me, but as a mom who remembers what it was like to take little ones to the grocery store while pregnant with a third- I know it made a difference to her.

It makes me wonder what this world would be like if we all took those opportunities of kindness? What if, the next time you saw an overwhelmed mom, you stopped for a moment and lent a hand? What if you said an encouraging word to the checkout clerk who's been on his feet all day- and still has an hour to go?

What if?

...But the greatest of these is love.

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

We quote it when sharing the gospel. We teach it to the little ones in Sunday School. According to topverses.com it’s the most commonly referenced Bible verse on the internet. Go to any sporting event and you’ll see it on a sign. Even people who don’t read the Bible can often recite it, usually in King James- For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son…

It’s such a commonly used verse that I wonder if we forget the power of it? When was the last time you really meditated on it? I confess that I sometimes brush it off as being overused. I would rather ponder trivial questions like “What was up with the Nephilim?” or “Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons?”

But there’s a reason why it’s quoted so often. It’s all there, the whole gospel in one verse- God loves us; we would perish without Him; He sent His Son to save us.

He loved us enough to make the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf- to ensure that we can be in relationship with Him forever. He loved us then and He loves us today. His love for us is past, present, and future- so much love that he sent Jesus to die for you and for me.

There’s nothing trivial about it, it’s revolutionary. Ponder that today. Then think about what you can do to pass that love on...

It's Valentine's Day- if you are not already sponsoring a child, today is the perfect day to start sharing God's love and HOPE with a child who lives where hope is absent. Go here to start.

Unto the least of these...

If you haven't already- read Sophie's post today from Uganda...

Compassion's goal with this blogging trip is to raise up 500 new sponsors for these children and others just like them around the world. I don't like to preach much from this platform- but please consider sponsoring a child. I know it sounds cliche', but literally less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day will completely change a child's life.

We sponsor a child in Tanzania. I have also been to several African Compassion centers on my trips there. I can testify firsthand that Compassion will use your money to do exactly what they say they do "Releasing a child from poverty in Jesus' name"...


Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.' (Matthew 25:40 -The Message)

Button, button, where's the button?

See those two buttons on the right? The top one is for Compassion International. They have sent a team of 15 Christian bloggers to Uganda to write about the work that Compassion is doing for children in Africa. Apart from being totally jealous that I didn't get selected for the trip- I have been really excited about this project. I have been to several Compassion centers in Tanzania and have seen the great work that they are doing there. Our family also sponsors a child, Juma, who lives in Tanzania as well. So I highly encourage you to check out Compassion's ministry and consider sponsoring a child- it only costs $32 a month to completely transform the life of a child in a third world country. That's less than I spend on lattes in a month- sometimes in a week even!

The other button is from Christy at After a cup of coffee... Or two -where she is hosting The Big Bloggy Move. If you started your blog; have started self hosting/changed platforms; or redesigned your blog (or maybe all three!) no earlier than December 2007- you can add your name to Mr. Linky on her site and add her button on yours. It should be lots of fun to go and see who has new designs etc. and check out some new reads. Since J gave me my blog redesign for Christmas, my URL is up there too!

Happy reading!

Come join the party!

Mary at Owlhaven is doing something really cool... She is hosting a blanket party to benefit Ethiopian moms and their newborn babies... Go visit her now and help out!