A Burden for the Babies

Ok all, for those of you who may not know, Ethiopia is currently not importing infant formula into their country. They do not have the means to produce this product and since they are in economic distress (we Americans don't know the meaning of the word I'm sure!) they are unable to financially bring imported products like infant formula into the country. So what does this mean? Folks, this means we step up and be the people God is calling us to be. We dig deep, find the resource, and get it into the mouths - literally - of these innocent children that wouldn't otherwise have the chance at a meal. My heart is literally ACHING for these infants with no mommies or daddies to snuggle them into their beds, kiss their foreheads and lay them down for a good night's rest. Some of these precious children are lined in rooms with workers diligently trying to care for large numbers of babies that are waiting for their forever families to come. Some of them may not have a chance to meet their new parents if proper nutrition is not available. I can hardly wrap my mind around it. I look at my sweet Mikey - a busy 20 month old ray of sunshine, what if he was sitting in a crib with no hope of physical touch other than a diaper change and a propped bottle? I started bawling last night at the thought. It's not fair, it's not right, and I can't imagine a world where some walk by or turn the backs, out of convenience and not stop along life's path and invest in little ones they will never hold, embrace, or speak to. So I go to bed tonight committing to prayer these treasures that God so deeply loves.

Lord, may we who have the resource reach out to those who we will never know, and while we work, keep their bellies full enough, keep their spirits high, keep the smiles coming. Lord, I ask for guidance, lead me into a place where my heart breaks like Yours breaks when You see any of Your children suffer unjustly. May we be a light to those who can't seem to see it right now. I love you Jesus, more and more each day, I want to live a life worthy of your smile and approval. Let me shine for Your glory. (And help me be nice about it when people say they can't help, I'm struggling to see how they could turn their backs.) Give me patience, kindness, warmth and a heart that beats for orphans.

Amen.

Milk and Cheese

WARNING!!! The following is NOT a brag session merely THANKING GOD for HIS unfailing patience with me!! Ok so YEARS ago we lived in Spokane (some of the best years of my life to date) and we were literally living my the grace of God financially. The church we were at didn't pay great (surprise surprise, a ministry job that you don't get rich in) and I had snagged a pretty awesome babysitting gig in my own home with one family that happened to pay AWESOME. Anywho, so back in these days we had enormous debt and I have blogged previously about my desire to be debt free and save money. That's me in a nut shell, no financial woes, wouldn't that be great? So we had school payment, credit cards, car payments, life payments you know the drill. And my hubby made around $2000 a month roughly and God landed me this amazing job where I made around $900 a month. Anyway, broke we were, every time I turned around we had another bill to pay and couldn't seem to get ahead. We'd get a tax return, pay off one bill, not be good and rack up even more debt. It was a vicious cycle. And I have also mentioned in previous blogs, I'm a dreamer right? Ok, so one of my dreams in life is to have money available to give to other people, whether I know them or not, like a lady who's card is declined in the store, cover it for her. Get someone groceries and never let them find out it was me. That kind of stuff. You get the idea. I wanted to be as generous as I could but financially we just couldn't do it. So we move to Yakima and the spending doesn't change and the finances stay tight. Until Jas and I get on the same page. So it's only been a year or so, maybe not even that long that we've been very careful about money. No car payments, cheap food, careful spending etc. And we might have a new adventure to which I can't give details on yet coming quite soon. Anyway, so we've tried to be faithful stewards of the money God is giving us each month. Ok, LONG intro I know.... so Monday morning I woke up and thought of a friend and I felt God saying, take her milk. So Jas went to the store for us cause we needed milk and cheese and we got her and her fam some milk and cheese. So I called her up and made sure she was home and dropped it off to her. She blogged it was God's grace to her, but I am more confident it was God's grace for me. See I've been wanting to do this for a long time, and if I look back yeah sure there were moments we had dough but we were busy spending it on stupid crap not looking outward to find people who might need help. So I'm standing back today and this week and just thankful to God for patiently waiting for our lives to back up what's in our hearts so we can show Jesus to people we know and hopefully to people we may not know. I'm praying my heart is bent towards generosity and that God will give me the eyes to see the needs and the ears to hear him whispering "Go get them some milk and cheese!"

Blessings,
Kala

Could This Day Get Any Better????

Ok, so I'm stoked! Today in the mail after... count 'em people.... 6 WEEKS!!!!, we finally received our approved home study in the mail! Oh yeah baby. I'm so stinkin excited. My paperwork would already be at our agency except when we verified our documents and put them in order we realized we missed a few things. Oops. I would like to say this is an anomaly and that we are always prepared and ready for everything but I would be lying - we are throw it together kinda people. Need I say more? Anyway. Surprisingly enough I'm in a great mood after getting the mail considering Mikey has another HORRIBLE cold and didn't sleep for nothin last night. So I'm wiped out but amazingly optimistic with our new hurdle almost completed.
On another smokin note, K Mart is doubling coupons. Sing it with me, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!! I almost screamed when I saw the ads. And I've been a good little coupon momma and saved TONS of coupons for just about everything sooooo.... I'm headin to K Mart to save some dough on some much needed items and Christmas stocking stuffers and such. Woohoo. So I will post after I hit K Marche and brag about my sales! :). Hopefully the isles aren't bare yet.
On a Christmas note, we are fully decorated and loving our Christmas-y house. I love this time of year except for snow. Snow is only for looking at with me. We have a love/hate relationship, snow and I. Snow loves to look pretty and inviting and beckons all those feeling in a shopping mood (which is me on any given moment) to venture out into the weather and enjoy it's beauty. I, on the other hand, HATE snow. Every year it costs me money, usually cause I bounce of something in my car like oh I don't know, someone else's car for example. And that's just you know, uh, hypothetically speaking of course. On that hypothetical note, let's say I have totalled one car, messed up a parent's truck, bounced off a cement barrier. In this 'hypothetical' world there are too many accidents to name. Anywho... nice tangent huh? So it's Christmas time, and we celebrate 12 days of Christmas with our kids by doing a small present each day starting December 13th. Now since we have one more boy to get home we are downscaling like crazy in the spending department but are still managing to get some cute and fun things that will delight the kids. The girls look so forward to fun little things. This year we are adding in like a pack of Oreos which sounds silly to some I'm sure, but you obviously don't know my feeling of Oreos and how strongly I feel the need to educate my children on this particular matter. I LOVE Oreos, and only double stuff thank you very much.(Side note, when I was prego with Faithie, I would call Jason literally every other day for an Oreo run on his way home from work, they are miraculous, seriously.) There are few things I HAVE to buy name brands of and Oreo's are one of them. There's no skimpin, that and Kraft Mac and Cheese. Once you go Kraft, you'll never go back! Hehe. Seriously though, I'm not big on brand names unless they are ridiculously cheap and then I'll get them. But I've got standards. So, tonight I'm off to find some ridiculously cheap deals for stockings and gifts and household items, unfortunately our K Mart doesn't have numerous food items. Wish me luck!!

Blessings,
KalaKalaBoBala


*****Update: So, Kmarche...drum roll.... I spent 23.68 and saved a grand total of 16.25 in coupons, oh yeah, it was a great night. Plus my momma went with me and it's rare to spend time with just her, so bonus!!