Can my hands help eliminate hunger throughout the world? That is a large, seemingly, impossible task. And yet, for approximately seven years, my family and I have been participating in a ministry to feed the hungry children of the world.
It began as an effort to find a volunteer opportunity for my grade school aged children. Many organizations and places required a minimum age of 14 or so. I had children in age range of 6 and 8. We had a desire as parents to teach our children to serve in our community. But where, how?
We learned of a local organization, Feed My Starving Children. Their goal is to eliminate hunger. We began volunteering immediately. My children were young but they had the opportunity to touch the lives of many, many children who did not have anything to eat but mud cakes and rocks. Even at this young age, they could assist in packaging a rice manna pack. We were hooked! That was seven years ago.
Throughout the years we have held birthday parties packaging food, gone with our 4-H club, with friends, with our church family, by ourselves, almost any opportunity to that arose to package food! We have donated monetarily to help buy the food to package, we promoted the ministry, we have prayed, we have quite simply fallen in love with this ministry.
Tonight we returned with our church family. We again packaged food for the starving children of Haiti. We prayed over the food. More special this time is the donation my 13 year old daughter (who started volunteering at about the age of 6) gave from the proceeds of the earrings she has made and sold. She has a deep passion for this ministry. I believe it breaks her heart to think of a child without any food.
As a parent, I could not be more proud of my child. She has seen a need, considered how to help, and came up with a way to help. I know I was not this selfless as a teenager. She is my hero. She gives her time and talent to minister to others. Wow.
For more information on this ministry that is growing please visit their web-site www.fmsc.org. Find out about them, consider supporting them with your hands and/or your wallet.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Bass Guitar Gift
Last year, I gave my husband a gift of an Bass Guitar. I had no idea, at the time, how much he would appreciate this musical instrument. I knew he was interested in the guitar, he seemed to have a keen interest in bass, but he had never played this instrument prior to this time. He does have piano and violin background from his childhood and a great appreciation of music. A most sought after 'sound guy' in our local church.
He has spent hours teaching himself this instrument. Picking it up quite quickly. Within in just about two months, he began playing with our local church worship team (we attend a small church). Our previous bass guy moved away and there was an opportunity for him to join. A prodigy? No, but passable in our small rural town church, absolutely. We now own amps, yes more than one, music stands, sheet music, fret chording sheets, apps on the iPad, compressor thingys, etc. I am always in awe at my husband's industriousness and dedication upon any task at hand.
One of the more recent purchases is a training video by a reknown bass player, Victor Wooten. I have patiently 'watched' this video with him. Okay watching is a bit of a stretch, I am usually reading, folding laundry, or otherwise distracted.
One day shortly thereafter, I received a phone call from hubby asking what I was doing on a particular evening. It was a Tuesday evening which is a complicated day in our home, one in which our two children are going in opposite directions, as well as it is a day that I watch our niece. What's going on, I asked, thinking I was in for a fun day of juggling children on my own. As it turned out, Victor Wooten was scheduled to appear in our metro area. Of course, he wanted to go, and as it turned out, wanted me to go with him. Awwwww.
I rearranged our schedule, called in favors to transport our teens, and told him to get the tickets. I really had no idea what I was attending, all I understood was I had a date with my man. I've done something similar before in our relationship... while dating he asked me if I would go to a season of college hockey games with him if he bought me the tickets. I said yes, not having really any knowledge of hockey. I just understood it was time with the guy I loved. I have a love of our local college hockey team as a result.
This particular evening was filled with Victor Wooten band and Stanley Clark band. I was out of my element, not really understanding the music entirely, but appreciating tremendous talent. Learning to appreciate jazz, enjoying an evening of fine dining, and a date with my guy. Nine months ago, I never would have imagined that my gift of a guitar would lead to a whole new experience, a new world of music appreciation, a new love of my husband who never ceases to amaze me.
It will be difficult to top this gift.
He has spent hours teaching himself this instrument. Picking it up quite quickly. Within in just about two months, he began playing with our local church worship team (we attend a small church). Our previous bass guy moved away and there was an opportunity for him to join. A prodigy? No, but passable in our small rural town church, absolutely. We now own amps, yes more than one, music stands, sheet music, fret chording sheets, apps on the iPad, compressor thingys, etc. I am always in awe at my husband's industriousness and dedication upon any task at hand.
One of the more recent purchases is a training video by a reknown bass player, Victor Wooten. I have patiently 'watched' this video with him. Okay watching is a bit of a stretch, I am usually reading, folding laundry, or otherwise distracted.
One day shortly thereafter, I received a phone call from hubby asking what I was doing on a particular evening. It was a Tuesday evening which is a complicated day in our home, one in which our two children are going in opposite directions, as well as it is a day that I watch our niece. What's going on, I asked, thinking I was in for a fun day of juggling children on my own. As it turned out, Victor Wooten was scheduled to appear in our metro area. Of course, he wanted to go, and as it turned out, wanted me to go with him. Awwwww.
I rearranged our schedule, called in favors to transport our teens, and told him to get the tickets. I really had no idea what I was attending, all I understood was I had a date with my man. I've done something similar before in our relationship... while dating he asked me if I would go to a season of college hockey games with him if he bought me the tickets. I said yes, not having really any knowledge of hockey. I just understood it was time with the guy I loved. I have a love of our local college hockey team as a result.
This particular evening was filled with Victor Wooten band and Stanley Clark band. I was out of my element, not really understanding the music entirely, but appreciating tremendous talent. Learning to appreciate jazz, enjoying an evening of fine dining, and a date with my guy. Nine months ago, I never would have imagined that my gift of a guitar would lead to a whole new experience, a new world of music appreciation, a new love of my husband who never ceases to amaze me.
It will be difficult to top this gift.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Newborns
When my heart is heavy is when I feel most like blogging. Isn't that interesting. This past week I ended a Bible Study, had an unfortunate confrontation over a mis-understanding, and hurt for the people of Japan experiencing the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami. So my heart is heavy.
In the midst of all this, I have something to share, unrelated to these items. And here I will share with you, those who are interested.
I am, admittedly, a baby lover. If there is a newborn in the room, that is likely where you will find me. I enjoy holding these precious children new to life. The are so trusting, warm, needy, and tiny. It is pure joy for me to hold these babies, admire their features, absorbed their warmth, in essence, snuggle.
On a recent Sunday morning, I had the privilege of holding such a baby. He is only about a month old. Tiny and new, and perfectly formed. The sermon of the morning was on Psalm 42&43. It was a good lesson from an knowledgeable teacher about the messianic message in these Psalms. Something I had not pondered previously.
However, during the sermon, holding this newborn, my attention had opportunity to wander to the newborn in my arms. And my thoughts went something like this, my own personal lesson of the morning:
This little guy is the third child in his family. He looks so much like his siblings, that I just know he belongs in their family. His pronounced chin is a family feature. When he screws up his face to yawn or to cry I see the same expression in his siblings, even at this young age, his mannerisms are the same... so many similarities.
We shifted positions from the arm cradle to chest-to-chest, he curled right in and fell asleep, secure and trusting. I must confess, my favorite snuggle position with a newborn. The ceiling fans had been turned on so I covered his little head with his blanket to protect him from the draft. However, his arm dangled leaving his hand for me to admire. Even looking at his hand, I could see the family resemblance. I often admired his mother's long fingers and this guy has the same long fingers. I thought, "Wow! Even his hand shows to whom he belongs."
My thoughts then shifted to an analogy... do others look at just 'my hand' and think "she belongs to Christ, I can see the family resemblence?" Do others see a facial expression or mannerism and see Jesus reflected? When one looks at me do they know to whom I belong? Am I so secure in the arms of Christ, that I turn into Him, relax, trust, and let Him carry and hold me, like this little guy, who doesn't know me, was doing?
These thoughts are overwhelming and deep. My own private lesson and challenge from my teacher, Jesus.
In the midst of all this, I have something to share, unrelated to these items. And here I will share with you, those who are interested.
I am, admittedly, a baby lover. If there is a newborn in the room, that is likely where you will find me. I enjoy holding these precious children new to life. The are so trusting, warm, needy, and tiny. It is pure joy for me to hold these babies, admire their features, absorbed their warmth, in essence, snuggle.
On a recent Sunday morning, I had the privilege of holding such a baby. He is only about a month old. Tiny and new, and perfectly formed. The sermon of the morning was on Psalm 42&43. It was a good lesson from an knowledgeable teacher about the messianic message in these Psalms. Something I had not pondered previously.
However, during the sermon, holding this newborn, my attention had opportunity to wander to the newborn in my arms. And my thoughts went something like this, my own personal lesson of the morning:
This little guy is the third child in his family. He looks so much like his siblings, that I just know he belongs in their family. His pronounced chin is a family feature. When he screws up his face to yawn or to cry I see the same expression in his siblings, even at this young age, his mannerisms are the same... so many similarities.
We shifted positions from the arm cradle to chest-to-chest, he curled right in and fell asleep, secure and trusting. I must confess, my favorite snuggle position with a newborn. The ceiling fans had been turned on so I covered his little head with his blanket to protect him from the draft. However, his arm dangled leaving his hand for me to admire. Even looking at his hand, I could see the family resemblance. I often admired his mother's long fingers and this guy has the same long fingers. I thought, "Wow! Even his hand shows to whom he belongs."
My thoughts then shifted to an analogy... do others look at just 'my hand' and think "she belongs to Christ, I can see the family resemblence?" Do others see a facial expression or mannerism and see Jesus reflected? When one looks at me do they know to whom I belong? Am I so secure in the arms of Christ, that I turn into Him, relax, trust, and let Him carry and hold me, like this little guy, who doesn't know me, was doing?
These thoughts are overwhelming and deep. My own private lesson and challenge from my teacher, Jesus.
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