Thanksgiving

I have really enjoyed all the posts about what everyone is thankful for.  It is so good to read and be encouraged by people being thankful.  May we not just stop after tomorrow.

Personally, I have had a hard time putting into words what the Lord has brought to mind for me this Thanksgiving.  For me, it has been to be grateful for the things I take for granted. 

I am so spoiled.

When I got home from Africa, I immediately took a shower after 48 hours of flying/traveling.  I took a long, hot shower... and I cried.  I cried because not everyone has hot water to take long, hot showers in.  I have seen this.  It is a reality that is permanently etched in my head.

After my long, hot shower, I used a fresh, clean towel.  I use clean towels and wash cloths every time I wash.  My whole family does... Not everyone has towels and wash cloths.  My team was able to bring donated towels to Canaan Children's Home in Uganda.  TOWELS!

Who knew a towel, even a sham wow, super absorbent, quick dry, type towel, could be a treasure?  One towel?!

Next break down I had was at Wal-Mart.  I was fine until the Ziploc bags... let me explain.  Many of our crafts were held in Ziploc bags.  One of the crafts we made with some of these children was a Lion pillow. 

My team leader wrote a beautiful post about this specifically.  If you would like to read it, here is the link.

http://5walkbyfaith.blogspot.com/2011/11/comfort-of-lion.html

They do not have pillows, so this was yet another treasure.  A little fleece pillow.  The Ziploc bag was just an added benefit.  I now know that Ziploc bags are something that you don't throw away... another treasure.

Have I mentioned how spoiled I am?! 

Wal-Mart is hard for me now.  Everything right at your fingertips.  I now have the hardest time walking down the Beans aisle.  There are children who literally only eat beans and rice as little as twice a week... a WEEK!!!  This is such a hard reality for me now that I have seen it with my own eyes.  It haunts me and keeps me awake at night.

I could also mention electricity.  How at Fiwagoh in Kenya, the electricity went out A LOT.  And these beautiful children praised Jesus by flashlights and lanterns.  It was Heavenly.

Here is a video of some sweet praise in the dark at Canaan in Uganda...

I don't mean to sound depressing.  I have really tried to share the "good" stories first...

This Thanksgiving, my perspective has had to be rocked to get my mind off my Mom not being here.  Here I am at 2:00 AM awake, writing about Africa, because I can't stop thinking about my Mom and how last Thanksgiving was just...

I am grateful for so many things.  Too many to write out.  I just wanted to share what has been on my heart ever since I returned from Africa.

I would love for you to get involved to help.  There are so many ways.  For now, I want to share this opportunity with you once again.

http://withwingedfeet.blogspot.com/2011/11/program-21.html

This is one of many ways you can help.  I met Becca at Canaan Children's Home in Uganda.  She lived there for over 2 months and knows specifically needs that you can help with.  PLEASE read this and (Lord willing and prayerfully) donate.


Have a blessed Thanksgiving.  Thank you for taking the time to read this and get involved.
Live it out!
For His Glory!

The Lord has filled my heart with JOY

I have debated whether or not to share this story.  It feels more like a gift that the Lord gave to me specifically and I don't ever want to minimize it.  This was such a special moment.  Selfishly, I wanted to keep this story just for me.  I hope you can truly understand why it meant so much to me that He would give me such a blessing.

I bought a journal on June 8, 2011.  On the cover, it has the Scripture 1 Samuel 2:1 (NCV) "The Lord has filled my heart with joy." 

The day I bought this journal was the day I received a phone call from my friend, Amber Lewis, who told me about this amazing opportunity with an organization called Visiting Orphans.

The day before this phone call, I had posted a blog about needing prayer for direction and clarity.  Amber had not read my blog yet, just felt the Lord prompting her to call me.  WOW!

I like to journal.  Sometimes prayers, sometimes thoughts.  It is nice to be able to go back and see how the Lord has answered.  It is good to go back and reflect on things you want to remember.

As most of you know, we have two sons.  Preston and Bennett.  (Peanut Butter)  When I was pregnant with Bennett, the day before my ultrasound, I had a dream that Bennett was a boy.  The way I knew this was because, in my dream, I was wearing a shirt that said "I am the Mommy to PB&J!" 

We have always had our "J" named picked out for if and when we had our girl.  My Dad's full name is Jay Lynn Douglas.  So, we were going to name her "Jaylynn Marie."  My Mom's middle name is Marie.  This name has been around since before we had Preston.

Well, after my Mom passed, I have been really concentrating on the word "JOY."  I have even painted a picture of the word, Joy.  I have been striving for revitalized Joy in my life since January.  So, through these last months, I had a change of heart on our future Princess's name.  I thought, what if we named her "Joylynn Marie?"  And what if we called her Princess Joy!  I literally have a prayer in my Joy journal from September 13, 2011 about our future Princess Joy.

Well, in Kenya, after our second day at Fiwagoh, our team leader, Diana, asked us to share some thoughts about what the Lord had been revealing to us.  My team members shared and we cried a lot.  It was a special time.  I shared my story about Joy and how finding Joy was part of my healing process through my grief.  I told them about my Joy journal and about my future Princess Joy.

The next day, we went to a baby cottage called Haven of Hope, run by this beautiful woman named Nellie.  She took us on a tour of her lovely home.  She has around 30+ children.  We went into the baby/toddler room.  She started sharing the names of the babies...

This is baby JOY...

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?  "The Lord has filled my heart with JOY!"  I could not believe my ears or my eyes.  All of the girls on my team immediately looked over at me.  So, of course, I had to hold my JOY.  This gift of Joy that the Lord gave to me.  I found JOY in Kenya, Africa... quite literally.

Needless to say, I held onto my JOY for as long as they let me...

She fell asleep in my arms. 

It was... JOY. 

I would love to say that this was a sign from God.  This is your Princess Joy!  But, it is not that simple.  I quickly had to realize whatever happens, this was just a very special gift. 

"The Lord has filled my heart with JOY!"  The context of this Scripture passage is so much more appropriate to me today than ever before.  Hannah's story now gives me very specific hope... and JOY.

You would think that this would have been the end of my Joy story.  Nope.  The following week, we went to a ministry in Uganda called "Serving His Children."  It is an amazing ministry where they help malnourished children rehabilitate.

I got to hold a beautiful baby there too.  Guess what her name was?

JOY!

SERIOUSLY!!!  The funny thing was I had been holding her for a little while before I asked her Mom what her name was.  It was just... JOY!

So, I found JOY in Kenya and Uganda!!!  Can you even believe it!

I am so grateful for this story.  The way the Lord shows you exactly what you are looking for.  He is so good. 

I can't get over it!!!

Undeniable JOY!!!