Things We Collect

Just in case you haven't heard yet...we collect Box Tops, Campbell Soup Labels, Soda Tabs and USED Cell Phones, Mp3 Players, Hand Held System Consoles, Digital Cameras, and Ink Cartridges.

I've noted below why we collect these items and where you can find them. Would you consider saving any of these items for us?If you are local the kids and I will swing by as needed to pick them up from you and if you are far away we'll gladly reimburse you for your postage.

Box Tops are the only sort of "fund raising" our school does. There will be no candy or wrapping paper sales from us. Just a simple request for something you would probably throw away.These items can be found on hundreds of products like Zip lock, Pull Ups, Betty Crocker mixes, Chex Mex, Kleenex and many many more. For a complete list please visit the Box Top website www.boxtops4education.com.

Campbell Soup Labels is a resource our school uses for miscellaneous school supplies. Simply cut the cute little Campbell guy off the back of your soup can or your empty goldfish package. He is worth lots of $$$ in school supplies. For more details please visit www.labelsforeducation.com

Soda Tabs are collected and donated to the Ronald McDonald House. The RMH allows families to stay free of charge while their children are being cared for in a near by hospital. These little tabs "pay the tab" for the families so they can concentrate their concerns on their children rather than their finances. What a beautiful ministry!!

USED Cell Phones, Mp3 Players, Hand Held System Consoles, Digital Cameras, and Ink Cartridges - for a family who is adopting a little girl from Russia. Read more about their journey at http://www.azlittlepatchofheaven.blogspot.com/.

Thank you for reading this post and supporting our kids in their community projects. If you or your kids are also involved in a project that we may be able to help you with PLEASE let us know.

Many Thanks,
Jen

clothe His children

My friend Jill owns Boomerang consignment store (http://www.boomerangconsignments.com/) here in PSL. Jill knows my heart for orphans and my desire to minister to adoptive families so with my vision and her generosity we created a ministry to clothe His children. Each week Jill DONATES any and all of the stores unsold items. These items range from strollers, pack & plays and walkers to boppy's, and toys, books and games, not to mention clothes galore. You name it this store has donated it! Jill's generosity has blessed families and orphans not just here in PSL and throughout the United States but also as far as Guatemala, Haiti and Russia. Should you or anyone you know be in need of this ministry or if you are traveling to meet your child and would like to bring a clothing donation to the caretakers please reply to this post. For those of you that are local and have not been to Boomerang Consignment yet I highly recommend that you check it out. Jill is an amazing women with a heart the size of Texas and runs one CLEAN & ORGANIZED consignment store.

Jill, I would just like to personally and publicly thank you for who you are and for partnering with me and believing in my vision. I adore you!!

Dibs Ice Cream Commercial

Ok, so my friends Les and Erin have made another video. This one however is not a SciFi clip. It is an actual commerical for Dibs Ice Cream. Please click on this link http://dibsfilmfest.com/default.aspx?openURL=clip.aspx?key=D90EF681344EABE1 watch their commercial AND vote for them to win!! No registration is required this time so it is SUPER simple.

Many Thanks!!

Jen

PS - if you could help spread the word for them that would be AWESOME!!! Their email and details about their commerical is below.

Thanks again!!!

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We're at it again! Les and I have made a commercial to hopefully earn $10,000 in a grand prize win! I may have mentioned this before but we are on a mission to pay off debt. This would help immensely! (Thanks to everyone, we have already won $500, and a trip to the Traverse City Film Festival in Michigan.)The voting for this is different from Rootclip. The best part is you don't have to register to vote! Just simply click on the link below, it will take you straight to our video. It is based on a rating system. You will see 5 stars. Rate the commercial 1-5. (maybe you could vote 5 even if you don't like it that much) After Aug 8th, the top 10 video's with the best ratings will move on to a round of judges who will vote as well. Whoever has the highest rating from both rounds wins.Here is the link to the commercial. Enjoy!P.S. It may surprise you at first. It is a Dibs commercial, and their motto is "Do Dibs Instead". If you want to improve your marriage you should probably do both. : ) Watch and you'll see what I'm talking about!http://dibsfilmfest.com/default.aspx?openURL=clip.aspx?key=D90EF681344EABE1A special thanks to our good friend Angel, who came up with the concept (which we think is hilarious, we hope you agree), and for making me look beautiful (hair & makeup), and to both Travers & Angel who let us borrow their home for the shoot. Thanks in advance for Rating our commercial. It means so much to us! We love you all!God Bless, Les & Erin

PhoneRaiser

You may have noticed the PhoneRaiser link in the margin on this blog.

That link is to a beautiful family in AZ that is in the process of adopting a little girl from Russia.

To help off set some of the expenses they are collecing USED Cell Phones, Mp3 Players, Hand Held System Consoles, Digital Cameras, and Ink Cartridges.

I will be sending a box to her this Friday. If you have any of these above items that you are no longer using would you PLEASE consider donating them to this family? If you are local, I would be happy to pick them up from you. If you aren't local but you would still like to be a blessing to this family please email me. I will help make the mailing arrangements for you.

To read more about their adoption journey please check out their blog http://www.azlittlepatchofheaven.blogspot.com/.

MANY Thanks in advance!

Church Bulletins

Maybe you've seen some of these before but there were some new ones for me and they were quite funny!

These sentences (with all the bloopers) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals
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The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water."
The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house! Bring your husbands.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.
Smile at someone who is hard to love.
Say "Hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.
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Don't let worry kill you off -- let the church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang "I Will Not Pass This Way Again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled, Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want to remember.
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00P -- prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done.
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's "Hamlet" in the church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge -- Up Yours."

A Child Waits - Encouragement

Friends,

I have received a TON of comments regarding A Child Waits post I made a few days ago.

It seems that many who read the post were “moved” or cried and felt sad for what they saw. Many confessed that “one day, they too hope to grow their family through adoption but right now financially it is just impossible!”

Before I address that comment I would first like to say I believe ALL children are a gift. Whether brought to our families biologically or through the adoption. I do not believe that one way is better or more noble. I do not feel that those who adopt are “great or selfless people” I also do not believe that adoption is for everyone. No one should ever pursue an adoption just because they feel sorry or sad for a child. Adoption is NOT a rescue mission!! Adoption is simply uniting your child with his family.

With all that being said….These last paragraphs are ONLY INTENDED for anyone who “one day hopes to grow their family through adoption but right now feels that it is financially impossible”

If you and your spouse have a united heart towards adoption but you are holding back due solely to finances PLEASE DON’T. I know first hand that when we step out in faith and trust in what we know is right rather than what “makes sense” we are blown away by what is possible. I also know first hand the initial fear. I know how hard it is to take that first step, but once you do, once you leap, you see things you never dreamed possible actually happening to you, in your life, and for the good of your family!

I have seen a couple loose their job in the middle of an adoption and not only stay the course but bring home 2 children instead of one. God did not forsake them. I’ve seen other couples loose their home and job and STILL complete their adoption. Another couple had no finance options available to them for a little girl whom their heart broke for so 3 times they “found” her a forever family. All 3 times it fell through and finally they “got it”. They proceeded with NO finances and their daughter is now home! Our personal adoption expenses doubled what we thought they were going to be when we completed our first adoption and since we were not planning to adopt again we had NO adoption fund for our last adoption yet all of our children are home safe and sound. We have plenty to eat, hot water, clothes on our backs and a roof over our head!

My plea to any of you holding off because of finances is this: PLEASE DO NOT LET FINANCES KEEP YOUR CHILD OUT OF YOUR HOME! I will personally partner with you, join forces and encourage you every step of the way. I have seen miracle after miracle in family after family. I would be honored if you allowed me that privilege on your journey!

For those of you who have testimonies like those above PLEASE share your stories. Be an encouragement to those who may be in a financial stronghold. You never know whose child may come home as a result of your trials and testimony!

To Him Be The Glory!

2008 Edition Of Getting To Know Your Friends

Welcome to the 2008 edition of getting to know your friends. What you aresupposed to do is hit forward and change your answers. Change all the answersso they apply to you, and then send this to your friends including the personwho sent it to you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little thingsabout your friends that you might not have known.
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1. What time did you get up this morning? 8am – and the kids are STILL sleeping!
2. Diamonds or Pearls? Diamonds
3. What 2 things do you always have with you? My kids and someone elses kids – it’s summer! 4. What is your favorite TV show? Grey's Anatomy, Big Brother, Survivor5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Honey Bunches of Oats
6. What is your favorite book? The Power of a Praying Wife and The Power of a Praying Parent. 7. What is your middle name? Lee
8. What food do you dislike? Mushrooms
9. What is your favorite CD? I prefer pure quiet of music.
10. What type of car do you drive? Honda Odyssey
11. Favorite sandwich? Rare Roastbeef12. What characteristic do you despise? Arrogance13. Favorite item of clothing? My Jammies!14. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? I REALLY like home!!! But I would like to start summer trips to various orphanages beginning in Central/South America. 15. What color is your bathroom? Yellow
16. Favorite brand of clothing? Gap, Old Navy and Ralph – and I like it better when it’s on sale 17. Where would you like retire to? Right here in my home in warm sunny FL!!
18. What was your most recent memorable birthday? My 30th – It’s was when I became a mom!!
19. Furthest place you are sending this? It’s going on my blog so who knows!
21. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? Good question22. Person you expect to send it back first? Good question23. Favorite saying? “Represent” It’s something our family says a lot and it means a lot.
24. When is your birthday? August 14th25. Are you a morning person or a night person? I’m stuck between the two. It's weird because I am not officially either.
26. What is your shoe size? 6 1/227. Pets? 1dog - Molly 28. What did you want to be when you were little? Fire Fighter29. How are you today? great30. What is your favorite candy? Chocolate, of course!31. what is your favorite flower? Gardenia – my husband recently bought me my own gardenia tree and hedge – LOVE THEM!
32. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? The kids “Gotcha” days.33 What is the last thing you ate? Krista’s FABULOUS ice cream, caramel, whipped cream dream come true. (last night)34. What are you listening to right now? The dishwasher – doing my job.
35. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Brown – like everything else I own.
36. How is the weather right now? It’s a Bright sun shinning day
37. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My sister
38. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Love (and miss) her
39. Favorite soft drink? Diet Coke40.Favorite restaurant? The Tides 41. Hair colour? Brown with highlights43. Favorite day of the year? My kids birthday’s44. What was your favorite toy as a child? Easy Bake Oven – funny thing is I can’t cook!!!!
45. Summer or winter? Summer for sure46. Hugs or kisses? Hugs47. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate48. Do you want your friends to email you back? yes49. When was the last time you cried? I cry at commercials – this is an unfair question!50. What is under your bed? Who knows!51. Who is the friend you have had the longest? My Sister!52. Favorite smell? Cookies Baking
53. What are you afraid of? CHANGE!!!!!!!!!
54. Plain, butter or salted popcorn? BUTTER & SALT
55. How many keys on your key ring? 5
56. How many years at your current job. 4 years stay at home mom57.Favorite day of the week? Saturday58. How many towns have you lived in? 2 – as an adult 59. Do you make friends easily? I think so60. How many people will you be sending this to? A Lot! it’s on the WWW