2011

2011 will go down as one of my favorite years ever (even though I've only live 17... and can't even remember the first few). Beginning with me apply to go with our church Nicaragua team and ending with fundraising for my trip to Uganda! A great way to start the new year! Anyhow, this year has a billion happy moments. From walking in a park with the rain dripping from the leaves and overlooking the lake with my dad, to praising God in a land so foreign to me with the thunder cracking and the rain pouring and God's presence so filling. Holding orphans. Digging a septic tank. Making videos with some crazy and amazing friends. Getting a crazily cute puppy for my golden birthday (17 on the 17th). Meeting some of my cousins for the first time ever, seeing my aunt after 10 years (which should never, never happen again), visiting with my Gran, seeing my grandpa after 10 years, meeting great grandparents, and great-aunts and uncles, and 2nd cousins and some people related in a round-about way. Attending my cousins wedding. Opening a preschool. 2 CYT shows with amazing people. The adoption of our babies-finally! 12 flights with my dad. A handfull of inside jokes with my mom. Tons of laughter with my siblings. Lots of memories made with my dearest friends. It's been a good year. Looking forward to all that God has in store for this year! 2011 went so quickly, but I have faith that 2012 is going to be amazing.

*Update* Let the Fundraising Begin!

So, if you haven't read about my upcoming mission trip you can go here to read. My first fundraiser is this puzzle of the US. Each piece is a $30 donation (paypal button on right side), it gets me closer to purchasing a ticket to Uganda, and makes my cute little ticker on the right side go up. Your name will be written on the piece you choose (it doesn't necessarily have to be the state you live in either), and pictures will be posted of our growing puzzle.

**Update** So far- West Virginia, Hawaii, Missouri, Oklahoma, Michigan, Idaho, California, North Carolina, Oregon, Georgia, Washington, Alaska, South Carolina and North Dakota have been claimed! It's so exciting to watch the puzzle grow!

Jesus left heaven. He left it all for our sake, for mine, for yours. He left the glory and the splendor and the holiness behind and found himself in a dirty manager built for animals. Found himself being raised by two parent's who had no idea on how to raise the Son of God. Found Himself being praised by the shepherds. Found Himself emerged in the darkness and sin. He found Himself walking down roads pharisees forbid, because that's the road where the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the wicked ones lived. That's the place where Jesus found His joy, were people shared this joy. Where He could longed to reach them, because they most likely didn't have everything figured out in life, and somehow, He knew their pain. He knew. This man who the pharisees though crazy because He claimed to be the Son of God, the man who walked the streets healing and praying. He knew. Because He knew, they wanted more of Him. Because He understood they celebrated with Him. Because He knew, they loved Him. He was only a man, a man they could relate to, but somehow He was also more than a man. He was everything. Because He was everything they cried as He died, as He finally left this dark world for 3 days. But because He was everything, death couldn't have it's victory. For He was victorious. They saw. They believed. They rejoiced. Because He was victorious He left this world with a promise of His return for His chosen. Because He is victorious and glorious and understanding and beautiful and grace giving and love extending and willing to save our sinful heart, we celebrate this day. We celebrate a God who wasn't just born and buried in a tomb, we don't celebrate a fictitious God. We celebrate a God who wasn't just born on Christmas day, yes, hope was born that day, but a God is always and forever. A God who loves. A God who lives. A God who is glorious. And while today may not mark the exact day of His birth, we still remember, He loves us. He always has, even longer than the 2011 years. The thought of a love so big, so deep, so unending is hard to grasp with such feeble human minds. I will not only celebrate that day when the angels sang and the shepherds came and the wise men bowed and Mary bore a Son- I will not celebrate only one day a year. I will celebrate it every day as I rise from bed and realize my happiness, my peacefulness my love-it's all because of Him. He became small enough to be the Savior of the world.

Christmas

I find it strange that nearly 2.1 billion Christians will celebrate the Christ's birth this year... and yet there are 147 million orphans who may never even hear the story of the Savior; the Savior who left heaven and was born in a stable to save them. Maybe we should lose the title Christianity and become Christ followers. Jesus loved the children. Jesus came for the children. Jesus commanded that we provide for the orphans and widows. Instead we focus on materialism this time of year. We focus on what we want instead of truly thinking about what Jesus would want. When He looks at the earth that He travelled to over 2000 years ago, does He see the 2.1 billion Christians worshipping Him and all He has brought? Or does He see the greediness, the tearing of the wrapping paper and hundreds of dollars spent to please one person? Does He see the love that the world has for Him? Does He see the homeless man cold and alone Christmas morning while people drive past him? Does He see the orphan with the empty eyes and a hungry belly? Does He see the widow with the roof that keeps leaking and the home that keeps flooding? Does He see the village so desolate? Does He see the small hands of a child rolling up cigars? Does He see the prostitute pretending to be someone she isn't? Does He see the teen-aged mom spending the day alone? Does He see the weeping, hurting and angry? Does He see what you are doing to celebrate His birth or what you aren't doing?

While millions join hands in the living room and sing "Joy to the World" by the fireplace, He holds the tears of the other millions in His hands.

Uganda Bound!

Click on to enlarge letter.

So, I recently got accepted as a volunteer at Amani Baby Cottage, an orphanage in Uganda for children under 6 years of age.

My hope is someone from every state will buy a puzzle piece (donation is $30) when you buy a piece your name will go on the back of your state, and when the puzzle is completely together, I will be able to buy my plane ticket. You can donate to paypal: grizwife@yahoo.com

More updates to come! Excited to see this puzzle come together!

One child has all they need and more, while the other child is subject to abuse, extreme poverty and child labor.

One child has the world between her finger tips, lives in freedom, wealth and love. The other has no choice, no voice and is often forgotten.

One child has no worry about being loved, never worried about who will love them. While the other remains an statistic and may never know what it's like to have a mother's kiss before bed and a father's strong hand to hold onto.

One child lives in world of materialism, while the other lives in a world filled with hope for a better tomorrow and joy for today.




These worlds are so different, and yet I love them both with great passion. When these worlds meet something incredible happens, something almost magically forms and suddenly two worlds and there differences are no longer there. There are no more statistics, no more faceless orphans and widows, no more selfish pride, instead stands perfection, beauty and harmony.