Happy Easter!

Hope you all have a blessed Easter Sunday!


"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me."
-- Matthew 28: 6-10 KJV

We Signed up to Sponsor a Child Through Compassion International!

The thought of this is something that has been on my mind a lot lately. I'm not sure why it took me a while to finally make the leap and jump in. As a long time reader of Money Saving Mom, I have read her posts about the children she sponsors through this program and more recently how the proceeds from her first book are ALL going to support a very special program at Compassion International. In reading her more recent post detailing her trip to the Dominican Republic to meet some of the women and children she will be helping, I was moved to tears. While reading this with my 5 yr old daughter sitting nearby, I decided that God was speaking to me that now was the time to sponsor our own child. Keira is at the age where she is understanding more and more and wanting to do things to help others. I showed her some of the pictures from Crystal's trip, of the extreme living conditions and she was shocked that there are people who have to live that way.

As soon as I suggested we should sponsor our own child, she was excited to get on it right away. We went to the Compassion website where you can learn all about how to sponsor a child, the cost and what it provides for them and how to communicate with the child you are sponsoring. You also choose which child you want to sponsor by searching through the photos and information of children seeking sponsorship. We didn't want to go through narrowing down by a certain country of residence or age, but instead chose to choose a child who was designated by a red heart on their picture showing they had been waiting longer for sponsorship. We chose a 6 yr old girl who has been waiting over 196 days. Also her birthday happens to be next month so we thought it was perfect timing!

Now that we have signd up to be a sponsor, we should receive a packet in the mail in 1-2 weeks with more information on the child we chose and more details on how the sponsorship works. It doesn't take much to get started and the whole process is very quick and easy. Basic sponsorship begins at just $38.00 per month, per child.

Per the Compassion website, this amount provides so many things, including:
- The opportunity to hear the Gospel and learn about Jesus
- More Christian Training
- Education opportunities
- Supplemental Food if needed
- Health Care
- Hygiene Training
- Loving Christian environment & Guidance

Besides the monetary contribution, you are encouraged to write to your child, send photos and pray for them and their families. I can't wait to get our packet and the girls are so excited to write letters and draw pictures to send to her!! I know this is going to be an ongoing blessing to all of us as well as a teaching opportunity to our children. I'm looking forward to the journey!!

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How Do I Keep My Head Above Water?

Image Credit:Google Images


As a mom, sometimes it’s one of the hardest things to admit. With all of our responsibilities and expectations, both of what others have for us and what we put on ourselves, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But we often times are the last ones to ask for help or acknowledge that we are struggling.

I have these days from time to time and honestly feel a little guilty. Guilty that maybe I am not loving my children to the fullest or giving them the attention they need. Guilty that I should be getting X, Y & Z done, and why can’t I seem to accomplish simple daily activities. Guilty that I do not always find pleasure in the sometimes tedious tasks of making lunches, folding laundry, helping with homework, volunteering for school functions, special school assignments, menu planning, making dinner. On top of other household responsibilities like grocery shopping, paying bills, scheduling repair men, scheduling Dr visits, care of the pet, decorating the home, gardening etc. Oh and lest we not forget CLEANING! It’s a never ending cycle. Once I finish one task, it seems things just multiply in its place! I’m really struggling with finding the perfect balance. Don't get me wrong, I love my family to death and I know that God has trusted me with these wonderful blessings called children. Sometimes, it's just really hard.

In addition I have two part time jobs, am a member of a MOPS goup (which I love), school PTA, do Bible study and am a member of my local Junior League. All of which I enjoy, for the most part. At this current stage in my life, I have 2 children and another on the way, due in April. At 32 weeks pregnant, I find my patience is sorely lacking. I can blame some of it on the pregnancy and some of it on the fact that maybe I am not managing my time well? Maybe I am expecting too much from myself or have very unrealistic expectations? All of this has been weighing heavily on me lately and the thought of adding another child to the mix fills me with anxiety. I have gotten better at "saying no" and know my limits as far as my volunteerism goes with these other organizations. I do feel I need the time away from home from time to time and I really look forward to the bonding time with other moms that these other outlets provide. But perhaps something has got to give.

What I am coming to realize is, I CAN’T DO IT ALL. And I think, maybe that’s ok. I do know that giving myself some grace and trusting in God to lead the way is the best I can do. It's going to be a constant battle but I hope I can find some peace in my heart and the right balance for me and my family. Definitely a work in progress!

I would love to hear from other parents who are struggling with these feelings and how do you deal with it? How are you keeping it all together??


P.S. I’m participating in a blogging event through Blogelina , an online blogging resource for a wealth of information with all things blogging! Check her out!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas, which is love; the radiance of Christmas, which is purity; the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice; the belief in Christmas, which is truth; the all of Christmas, which is Christ.
Wilda English

Have a beautiful, blessed day!

I'm very excited that my church announced a new Women's Bible Study starting in January! It is a Beth Moore study entitled James: Mercy Triumphs. It is an in depth study of the Book of James, who was Jesus' brother. You can purchase a workbook throught your church usually or at many national Christian book retailers. The study includes a a workbook, videos and discussion time. You can read more about the topics covered here.

As I mentioned, we are starting in January & meeting every Wednesday which is perfect for me since it is my only day with both of the girls in school!! I am looking forward to growing in my faith and learning a lot through this study. And I have a friend joining me!!

I know that Beth Moore is very popular and I am WAY behind in that I have never done one of her Bible studies. I have truly been missing out!! If your church is doing a simliar study, I'd love to hear!! I will be back every week after our study to report what I have learned and hopefully hear some thoughts back from you. :)