BEGGING

Okay, so I follow the blog of a family with a son with a skin disorder known as "EB" (sorry, I don't remember the long name...and it IS long ;)!) They are a wonderful family, and they take such good care of their little boy. Caring for a child with this disorder is HARD, HARD, HARD! Well, this family blogged about a family who has a daughter with EB (they also have NINE other kids, without EB) and they want to adopt these two brothers who also have EB! What an amazing family! Anyway, they have raised a lot of money, but they are still short about $35,000.00. Their paperwork has been approved. They adoption has been approved. They have EVERYTHING they need to go scoop up these little boys and bring them HOME! All they need is the rest of the money. Could you help? Do you have five dollars you could spare? Please click HERE to read more. Let's help get these boys HOME!

Whom The Lord Calls, He Qualifies.

There are so many things racing through my mind that I want to write about! So, I will just share what I am thinking. First of all, WHAT THE HECK?! Okay, so my first goal, YEEEEEAAAAARS ago, was to open an orphan home in China. That is what I was doing. The End. Then, I found out that the only way to start an orphan home in China is to open a special home that takes special needs children out of the local orphanages and provides them with a home and the medical attention they need. HOW OVERWHELMING IS THAT?!?!?!? I knew I could NOT do that. I wondered why God had put it in my heart to open an orphan home if I couldn't (well, not the way _I_ had wanted!). BUT...I always had faith that God had a plan. Well, I soon found out about these amazing food programs in Africa and thought how wonderful it would be to start one in China. I told myself that this is what God wanted me to do instead of an orphan home. This I could handle. This I could do. And I really felt good about opening a food program. There are so many children on the streets with no food. It breaks my heart. I wanted to do this! And it was something I could handle. This last trip to China, I had gone with the thought that I would look in to opening a food program (where we feed the people who live on the streets). HOWEVER...I lived in an area where that was not a huge need. HOWEVER, I knew that in the city where I had first planned to open my orphanage, there is a HUGE need for a food program. So, I would start the food program in that city. I kept trying to think of the food program, how to run it, where, etc. And do you know what happened? God lead Taiger and I to the local orphanage, where He opened doors and made it possible for us to spend time loving on the kids there.

And wouldn't you know it, most of the children there were special needs! I FREAKED OUT! I thought, "I can't come here and volunteer with these kids! This is NOT for me!" After my first afternoon at the orphanage, I was SO discouraged! I just didn't think I could handle helping children with special needs. That just wasn't something I could do. So...do you know what I did? I went back. Yup. If God opened the door, I better be walking through it. I was disheartened, though, and discouraged. I didn't think helping special needs orphans was something I could do. Well, God had other plans. God did not berate me, or belittle me, or get angry at me that I was unsure. Instead, He lead me to that orphanage and do you know what? I fell in LOVE with those children! Taiger and I held them. We fed them. We played with them. We loved them. And do you know what? They loved us back. That experience changed my life! I always said, "Whom the Lord calls, He qualifies!" I had been called, and I went from being so set against the idea of caring for special needs children, to wanting to adopt them all and bring them home! He didn't only soften my heart, He changed it completely! He called me, and He qualified me!

So...last week. I am in America. I have been wondering what to do. I want to build my orphan home. I can do this! I can care for special needs children! I DO have it in me! God has qualified me, changed my heart. BUT...what about a food program? What about the children on the streets who are starving? What about the kids who get kicked out of the orphanage when they are 12 and are forced to starve on the streets? Can I just ignore them? I had planned to start a food program, and had felt that there was a great need for it! What do I do now? Which do I do?! People ask me about Sixteen Small Stones. I used to tell them we were opening an orphan home in China. Then, I started telling people we are starting a food program in China. Lately, I have been avoiding the question, and when it comes up, I randomly say one or the other. Because I did. not. know! I was waiting for God to show me which to do. And then, last week happened. Someone asked about Sixteen Small Stones, and without thinking I said, "We are opening an orphan home in China and starting a food program there to feed the people on the street." WHAT?!??!?!?!? Where did that even come from?! The words fell out of my mouth just as if they had been wanting to come out all along. It was so natural and it felt like cool, refreshing water on my lips on a hot day. WHAT?!??!?!?!?! That is what I was thinking! I laugh now, because I realize, maybe that was God's plan all along. So, there it is. Sixteen Small Stones is possibly opening an orphan home AND a food program to feed the people on the streets. (Don't you love how I still say "possibly"? I am so slow to follow. So slow to take up my cross and follow Him and His plan.) HOW?!?!??! I have been thinking that, too. But I remember a God who changed a girl's heart and qualified her to love children with special needs. If He can do that, He can provide the money and manpower. I just keep praying.

Carpet=Miracle

What's coming next? Why does that always seem to be the question in my mind. What comes next? Come on! I want to know! It is like a dormant volcano is inside of me. Rumbling. Turning. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Does the volcano know when it will eurupt? Can it sense that something is changing? Does it feel when the pressure changes from constant and mild, to the point of exploding? Dormant. Waiting. But not still. Sixteen Small Stones is waiting. Waiting. But not still. Where have I seen God's hand these last few days, as It moves mountains for Sixteen Small Stones? Let me tell you. I work at a carpet store. I mentioned to my boss (the store owner) that I will be building an orphanage and would be so very thankful if they could donate any carpet samples that are out of date. I want to use them for story times. The floors in our orphanage will be like floors almost everywhere in China...tile! I love it because it is easy to clean...but for story time, little bums need a soft place to rest. :) (Also, using carpet samples helps kids know where to sit! :) ) Aside from that, can you imagine the OTHER uses of these carpet samples? Think of the little girl in the orphanage in HaiNan where Taig and I went. She was unable to sit and lay on her back day in and day out. Think if she had a soft piece of cosy carpet to lay on?! Think of the little boy at the same prphanage who was blind. Imagine giving him a soft piece of carpet to sit on and feel with his hands, and the backs of his legs, and to tickle his tiny toes! New sensory input! I remember when Taiger was learning to crawl. We had hardwood floors, and it was so hard when he tumbled forward as he tested his new mode of transportation. Think if we had several carpet pieces to move around and make a space for little ones to crawl on...especially one that could be moved when other activities called for hard floor! Of course, I didn't tell all of this to my busy boss as I desperately and shyly approached her with my request. Her reply? She handed me two samples to take! I was overjoyed and so thankful! Today when I showed up for work, she had FOUR MORE samples for me!! I thanked her and told her, "You are going to have our orphanage carpeted before we even have it built!" Her reply? "I hope so!" Tell me it isn't a miracle. CARPET! Thank you, Heavenly Father!

Updates All Around

It has been a long time since I last posted, and for that I am sorry...as usual. I promise someday I will be better about blogging. :) For now, thank you all for being patient! This week, I had the chance to attend a "business meeting" of sorts in California. Although it was fun to be in California, the BEST part was spending time with such amazing people! Imagine, if you can, spending nine hours a day for three days in a row with people who LOVE to serve, who have HUGE faith, who love others, who are kind, who are giving, who treat you as the dearest of friends even though you only just met? That is what I got to do. It was uplifting to say the least, and I feel I created lasting bonds that will stand the test of time, even though those three short days are the only time I have ever spent with most of those people. Amazing. Sharing what the meeting was all about will come later, but I do want to share that Sixteen Small Stones MAY be able to bennifit monitarily from the hard work of everyone in that room during those three days, and I am so thankful to each one of them for that. We have some amazing things coming up, and I can't wait to get you all involved in the fun! Stay tuned!! :) Mr. D. is coming home from Japan later next week. He has been working his tail end off there and has had little time to email. However, he HAS taken time to send a few notes back, and reports that all is well. We can't wait to have him back to find out how everything went! SOOOoooooooo....Anyone ready for some Fuzzi Bunz? Just askin'. ;)

EXCITING NEWS!!

First of all, I am so sorry I haven't written in SOOOO LONG!

Okay, moving right along....

BIG NEWS!!!!!! This is SO EXCITING! I have been waiting and waiting for the chance to post this good news. God is so good to bless us with this unique chance to serve!!!!!

There is a man, Mr. D, who is part of our Sixteen Small Stones team. (He is a really important part, actually. We really love Mr. D!)

Anyway, guess where Mr. D is RIGHT NOW?

Driving to Salt Lake.

Guess why?

To catch an airplane!

Want to know where Mr. D is heading?

JAPAN!

It has been on Mr. D's heart ever since the earthquake hit Japan to go there and serve. Finally, he is able to go. He is so excited, and we are so excited for him!

Mr. D is a loving, caring, Godly man. He is Christ-like, gentile and kind. He is just the man to go over and serve the people in Japan. He is wise and knowledgable, and I am sure he is going to do great good while he is in Japan.

If you wanted to donate money for Japan but haven't yet, now would be a good time!! You can donate using the "PAYPAL" button on the left sidebar on this blog, or you can mail a check to the address on the left sidebar on this blog.

If the money tree in your backyard hasn't quite yet grown this year's crops (mine hasn't in YEARS! ;) ), you don't have to be left out!! Mr. D would really appreciate any prayers you have time to offer up for him. He could use prayers for God to guide him to those he can serve, prayers for his safety, his health, etc. Mr. D has experienced some physical ailments as of late, and prayers that he will be able to find rest at night and strength by day would also be appreciated. :) His wife is going to be missing him like CRAZY, too, and WORRYING about him, so prayers for her would be great as well. :)

Mr. D may or may not have internet access while in Japan (see why his wife and family will be fretting?!), but I will post with updates if I hear anything. Also, he promised to bring home a picture or two, so check back for pictures.

Thank you all for your support!

Thank you, Mr. D! We love you!

One Day Without Shoes!

Remember these?

(Hello, good lookin'!)

Remember these?

Or these?

Or these?

Well, they are coming back!

APRIL 5 is Tom's One Day Without Shoes day. Will you join us?

Thoughts on Japan, and OPERATION: $3.11

I have been overwhelmed with the events unfolding in Japan. We watch the news for hours each night. It is hard to accept as real. It seems like I am watching a movie, or something from another world, or at least from another time. As I sit in my home, comfortable, safe, warm, with my family around me, I wonder, "Why not me?" How have I somehow been lucky enough to avoid such pain, such an horrific experience. How? Why? I watch the scenes play out on the tv of the water flowing in to the towns and villages, swallowing people, homes, pushing devastation before its wave. "God, why not ME? Why? How have I managed to escape? How?" I love hearing the stories of survival, of humanity at its best as people pull others from the water, the stories of the aid workers. I love seeing the Japanese people working together, carrying the old on their backs away from the devastation. I love the way there has been no looting. The way people wait in line for basic necessities without fighting, stampeding, hurting one another. I saw a picture as a soldier stood and prayed with a woman. It stopped my breath. It was indescribably beautiful. It was heartbreaking. It was raw. It was seeing Christ's hands and feet on Earth. Anyway, those are my feelings on these tragic and unbelievable events. Please join us as we continue to pray for the people in Japan. One of our amazing team members, Blake, came up with a fantastic idea to raise money to send to help Japan and he invited us to be a part of it! In memory of the day of the earthquake and tsunamis, March 11, Blake is asking everyone he knows to donate $3.11 So, thanks to Blake (and his great ideas), Sixteen Small Stones has launched OPERATION: $3.11. You can mail donations to the address posted on the left side of this page, or you can donate via paypal by clicking the paypal button, also on the left sidebar. I am certain many of you have sent money to Japan, or are praying for Japan, and I am awed at the kindness of everyone pulling together in love and concern for Japan. You are all wonderful, caring people, serving the children of God and setting a beautiful example to me of service. Please comment and share your thoughts on what is happening in Japan. I would love to hear your perspectives. Love you all!