ALL IN

So today is another random "get to know me better" post.

I am an ALL IN kind of person.  It is imbedded deep into my personality.  Now, if I am your employee or your friend, this personality trait is golden.  If I believe in something or someone, there is NOTHING that will stop me from supporting it or you.  However, this personality trait can also be a flaw.  Sometimes a humorous flaw nonetheless.

Let me share with you our experience with Guinea Pigs:

When Mackenzie was about 2 1/2, we I decided she needed a pet.  Now at the time, we were living in a very small two-bedroom single wide trailer house.  This meant not a lot of room for a cat or dog.  I wanted something that she could interact with so a fish was out.  I decided on some type of small and furry creature.  So began my internet search.  

I searched all kinds of small animals.  I looked mainly at their interaction with children and their cost.  It was decided that we would get a guinea pig.

Now remember, I told you earlier that I am an ALL IN kind of gal.  This meant our guinea pig would only get the best of the best!

Therefore the above pictured cage would NOT due!  

Our pig deserved the best and that is just what he would get!

And so my research continued.  I stumbled across some awesome webpages that gave step by step instructions on how to make your own cage using the grids you could pick up at Target and coroplast, a cheap sign making material.  So the construction began!  Now, I don't have pics of our exact cage, but it was very similar the the one pictured below.

Now remember, we lived in a very small trailer at the time, so this thing took up a quarter of the living room.

(Should have gone for the cat)

We even bought a special "play yard" for when I had to clean the cage.

So now that we had everything we needed, we decided to go to Southern Agriculture and let Mackenzie pick out her furry little buddy.

We found a super cute little guy.  He was light brown and white.  Short hair, "normal" looking guinea pig.  She named him Snickers.

Snickers was a delight.  He squealed and squeaked when he wanted fed or held.  But soon he started to just be...well...boring.  He didn't run anymore.  He didn't squeak as much.  He just laid there.

So the research began again!  Upon my internet searching, I discovered that guinea pigs are in fact social creatures.  They like to be around other guinea pigs!  I also discovered that they multiply like rabbits and males are very territorial.

What were we to do?  Snickers was lonely.  But we couldn't get a female or we would run the risk of having 100's of pigs.  We couldn't get another male because they could kill each other fighting for dominance.  What to do?  What to do?  I know----research some more!

Then I came across a guinea pig rescue facility in Texas.  I was certain that this was the answer.  We could drive down to Texas with Snickers and he could have mini playdates with other male pigs to see who he would get along with.  And that is just what we did!  We loaded up the car with our small family of four (don't forget Snickers), and we drove.  We drove HOURS!  

When we arrived at the rescue we couldn't believe our eyes!  This couple had turned their house into a guinea pig and small rodent zoo.  I would say there were probably hundreds of guinea pigs.  

The search for a playmate began.  After a few hours of "testing" playmates, we found one.  Spike would come home with us because they seemed to get along well.

HOURS back home.

Weeks go by and we discover that the two do not get along.  Fights are split up.  Hair is lost.  Tears are wiped from our poor baby girl having to watch all this fighting.

We call the rescue to describe the situation.  Upon much conversation, we decide that another male is not going to work with Snickers.  However, there is another solution!  We decided to get Snickers "fixed" and get a female.  (Yes, they do neuter guinea pigs)

The rescue has a doctor down in Texas that they highly recommend and the rescue knows how to handle healing after the surgery so down to Texas we go.  We take Spike back to the rescue and leave Snickers there for his surgery.

After a few weeks, we return to pick up Snickers and his lovely bride Ginger whom he has been sharing a cage with.  They are a delightful couple and get along quite nicely we are told.

After this second day-long trip to Texas, our guinea pig problems have seemed to come to a close.  We are all happy.  They two pigs are quite a lovely couple.  They squeal.  They squeak.  They cuddle.  They eat.  And eat.  And eat!!!!!

All is good.

UNTIL......(to be continued)

Blame

Blame.  It's a nasty word.

We have all done it.  But why?  Why can't we just own up to our mistakes?  ALL of our mistakes!

I found part of the reason this morning as I was reading The Story. (more on that later)

Blame started way back with Adam.  In Genesis 3:12, it is reported that:
"The man replied, 'It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it."
I italicized the blame just in case you didn't hear it.

Are you kidding me?  Adam is seriously blaming GOD for ruining the perfect life he had!  Can you believe that?  Yes.  He does say "I ate it" so he is kind of taking responsibility but not wholeheartedly.  Just like many of us do.

So as I was considering this, I started to ponder where I place blame for things in my life.  Here are my two biggest "challenges" that I am facing right now:

• I am never caught up because people expect so much from me.  I have so much to do!
• I don't read the Bible like I should because it is written in a way that is so hard to understand.

It would be so easy to blame these two challenges away.  If I blame others, then there is nothing that "I" have to do to fix the problems.  However, that is definitely not the case.

I am so thankful for the Wednesday night teaching at our church the past three weeks.  It has been on "redeeming your time".    (It can be found here under the title "LifeTime".)   

So think about this.  What does the word redeem mean?  Think about redeeming a coupon or redeeming a voucher of some sort.  Redeem means to cash in.  We are given a set amount of time.  How we choose to redeem it or cash it in is up to us.  

I have to say that I redeem much of my time on useless and wasteful things.  Things which I am now conscious of.  It is my goal to log each of my tasks for the day in my planner to ensure that I am redeeming my time the best way possible.  Prioritizing, if you will.  It is not easy, but I am working on it.

Now for my other challenge-that of reading the Bible.  I know I need to read the Bible to have a closer relationship with God.  To draw nearer to him.  But, good grief, that darn book is just not easy to understand.  I really have been struggling with this issue for the past few weeks especially.  I would do some devotional but I still didn't feel like I was getting what I needed.

Then, this past Sunday, Paul had to be at the church way early.  The kids and I had about 45 minutes to waste before everyone else would get there.  As we wondered, I came by the bookstore section of the lobby.  Most of the books were behind the secured gate, but one display was out in the open.  This display was of The Story.  Now, I am really not a reader, but there was nothing else to do so I picked it up and read the back.  This was evidently the story of the Bible but written in an easier to read novel format.  "Oh.  That's cool."  I put it back down and went on our way.  It stayed on the top of my mind while I wandered the halls.  It stayed on my mind to the point where I started asking my friends, "Hey, did you see that book they had in the bookstore?"  One of my friends encouraged me to buy it.  I did.  (Hey it was on sale too--had to be a sign!)

I figured it would just be added to my bookshelf with all the other books I thought would change my life.  Not true.  I am loving it.  Now, I will admit that I have not read a ton of it.  There is alot of info to just breeze through it.  I did however, gain more out of my reading time this morning than I have EVER gained out of a session with a devotional or just reading the Ole King James.

So, long story short, if you have difficulty reading the Bible, look at getting this book.  I really think you will like it!

Back to the Blame game: I had been blaming the Bible for being hard to understand when all I needed to do was take the time to find an aide to help me understand.

Logical Solutions

Did you know that if you are truly called to do something, there is a logical way for it to happen?

Now, I didn't say that God wouldn't ask you to do uncomfortable things.  He will.  I also didn't say that life was easy.  It isn't.  I simply said that if you are called to do something, there is a logical way for it to happen.  God does not call you into situations that He does not prepare you for first.

For instance, my mission work in Haiti comes at a cost.  Yes, I have to leave my comfort zone and my kids, but that is not what I mean.  It comes at a cost-a monetary cost.  It costs a lot of money to do the work we do.  Each time I travel, flights cost anywhere from $600-1200 per person.  We then must spend about $100 to get from the airport to the orphanage.  Last time our accommodations ran about $75 per day per person.  On estimate, that is about $1350 per person just to be there-not counting the money it takes to actually do the work we are there to do.  When we visited in September, our mission was to build play areas for the children.  This required wood, paint and other building supplies.  These DO NOT come cheap in Haiti.  They are almost unheard of.  We bought all the wood Montrouis (our village) had to offer.  We then traveled to the two neighboring towns and bought from them.  Expect to pay double to triple the prices of the US for half the quality.  Every little thing adds up to be quite expensive.

Paul and I are not rich.  The Lord has blessed us and we are comfortable, but we do not have hundreds and thousands of dollars lying around to fund our work.  However, that never stopped us.  For my first trip, I relied on fundraising letters sent to my friends and family.  This small number of people stepped up and took care of all my expenses without hesitation.  However, for the second trip we had to get creative with our fundraising.  I tried online fundraising sites which helped some, but not much.  I did send those letters which again proved to be a blessing.  We sold shirts which actually put us in the hole.    We even hosted an open house shopping day, but again, the money raised was not enough in itself.  Thanks to the combination of all our efforts, we did raise plenty to accomplish our mission in September.

While we were there in September, Heather, the director, asked me to become a part of the leadership board for Giving Hope.  I gladly accepted but knew what this meant.  Paul and I would be traveling more frequently.  This meant time away from my children.  This meant hassle for my parents in watching the kids.  This meant God would have to provide funds from unknown avenues.  I didn't know how we were going to pull this off.

Fast forward to planning our next trip.  I knew we needed to go back to Haiti.  It was time.  I started looking at my calendar and thought that April would be a good time.  I began the preliminary plans for travel, but something was not right.  I was uneasy.  It was difficult.  Something wasn't right.  I held off.  Then one day while in the shower (all my best ideas come while I am in the shower), it hit me!  We need to go in June.  The kids will be at church camp so they won't even miss us.  That also helps my parents because they won't have to transport them daily to school or a babysitter.  How brilliant!  The Lord knew we needed to go in June.  But this didn't give me answers about the funds.

I was still uneasy about the money.  Would our friends and family be financially able to continue to fund our trips?  I began to seek Him and seek other ways to raise money.  I thought about many things-garage sales, car washes, Scentsy fundraisers.  Then I realized I had a God-given gift that I could use to raise money.  You see, I am kinda crafty.  Not a skilled seamstress, but crafty.  I had made a few things for our open house last fall and made pretty good money selling those items.  Why don't I just continue to do that.

Well, I have continued to make small items and sell them.  I now have friends and family that are sending me items they have made.  It is their way of contributing and I couldn't be more thankful.  It is clear to me that God gives us talents to use in unconventional ways.  Who knew that my craftiness would help orphans in Haiti.

I do still work a full time job as a Scentsy director while taking care of my family, but I find time here and there to work on my projects.  I found the best way to sell them is through facebook and word of mouth through my friends.

Would you please take the time to visit my fundraising album here and see if you find anything you can't live without.  I would really appreciate it!

So-back to the beginning: God will always provide a logical solution!

Magnificent Obsession

So I learned a new phrase this past weekend: Magnificent Obsession.  I love it.  The phrase is powerful and passionate yet gentle and soft.

The phrase was introduced to me by Allison Dalke.  She was speaking about her magnificent obsession being her beautiful children.  She elaborated to say that in business-your magnificent obsession will keep you going.  You can read her full presentation here.

So, I want to ask you-do you have a magnificent obsession?

If you "think" you do, you don't.  If you have to ponder what it is, you don't.  If those closest to you can't tell you what it is, you don't.


You see a MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION becomes you.  It is what you work for.  It is what you live for.  It is what you are always thinking about.  It is why you do what you do.

While my travels to Haiti are an example of my magnificent obsession, my true obsession is following where the Lord leads me.  I would have NEVER gone to Haiti on my own.  I was a different person a year ago.  I worried about so many material things that are insignificant to me now.  I was concerned with things of this world.  I was concerned with others' thoughts about me.  But He called me to live life differently.  He couldn't do that in a subtle way.  He had to turn my world upside down!  He pulled me away from everything I knew.  And in that feeling of aloneness and not knowing--I found what I truly needed.  I needed HIM!

Through following God's call for my life, I feel complete.  I feel passion like I have never felt before.

I do love going to Haiti and serving the kings and queens.  I feel close to Him.  I feel at peace.  I am complete there.  I have an unquenchable passion for the least of these.