Local Art and Fundraising

Ok, so today has been CRAZY. From homeschooling to having friends over, hanging out with neighbors, and then the Lord really coming through and helping a friend move into a stable place, and dinner and cleaning and laundry...and through all that I just can't get the adoption and this neat idea I heard about out of my mind..so here it is..

I know I already have a fundraising thermometer with a timeline explanation in this blog. I anticipate putting 700.00 a month toward the adoption from extra work Jeff and I are picking up, plus 8,000.00 of what is shown that is already raised is from a tax credit that we plan to use towards the trip to China. But if you look down on the time line you will see that we will have 2,213.75 due VERY SOON. So a way to come up with the remainder of that money and to come up with some of it soon is the "Canvas Fundraiser." I read about this in a fundraising book, so it's so not my idea, but it's a great one and I think it fits our family well with our love for local art.

We have a 20x24 canvas. We are dividing that canvas into 480 squares. We are asking our friends, family, or anyone who wants to be a part of bringing our daughter home to buy a square for $20. (Or as many squares as they like) Then either we, or they, can paint the square or write on it. When every square is sold we will have raised enough to bring her home and we will have a beautiful peice of art to hang in her room as a reminder of all who contributed to her getting here!

If you want to buy a square in the canvas please just post in the comment section and let me know if you want to paint it or if you want us to paint it, what color or colors you want it to be, and/or what you want it to say. The donation can be made via paypal on this blog or you can email me at jeffandjenniferhand@gmail.com.

My mind immediately goes to "I don't know 480 people!" But I feel sure that God has not let this idea leave my mind for a reason! I am excited, and hopeful. :)

Adoption

Wow. So I've been working on this blog and talking a lot with my husband, my mom, my dear sister-in-laws Kristina and Laura, and my sweet friend Amanda who lives with us, and this morning Laura posted this blog on Facebook! (I do little to no social media so this is very exciting) It is all becoming so real!

We are adopting a little girl age 2-3 from China. We just started the process and are working hard to make extra money to be able to put $700.00 a month toward the adoption!! Jeff also sold his car because with us living, schooling, working, and going to church all in the same neighborhood we decided for now only one car is needed. This will help with expenses too but we still need a lot of help!

It's crazy to think that RIGHT now our daughter is alive, and in an over crowded, under staffed orphanage on the other side of the world. She has been abandoned. I pray that our faithful God would plant a seed of hope in her young heart, and that somehow, she will know, we are coming for her!

Love

"So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

What is love? Paul's idea of love is that he will spend himself for people, and they may give him praise or give him blame, it will make no difference. So long as there is a human being that does not know Jesus Christ, he would be their debtor to serve them until they do.

The main spring of Paul's service was not love for men, but Christ's love for him and in turn his love for Jesus Christ.

"We love because He first loved us" 1 John 4:19

Love is a word that is definitely misused in our language, and culture, and time. We love our spouse, and we love Mexican food. True love for someone puts their well being and gain in front of our own. It means telling someone the truth in love because it is the best thing for them, even if it risks you no longer being liked by them.

"...love your neighbor like yourself..." Mark 12:31

This is the second greatest commandment after loving God with all of our heart, mind and soul. But what does that look like? What does that mean? How on earth do we do that? For me it takes little to no effort to love my children but some mornings I wake up and just don't "feel" like loving my neighbors. Dare I say that some mornings I wake up and don't "feel" like loving God.

Our love HAS to come as an overflow of meditating on and basking in God's love for us. Meditating on the truth of the Gospel is one way to do this, then we will be able to love freely and fully.

Community.

My husband Jeff and I, and our daughters Faith and Izzy, are so blessed to be part of such amazing community. The community we live in, the community in our home, and the community in our church is such a blessing and a constant reminder of God's grace and goodness.

About four years ago Jeff and I felt led to share our home and to keep our doors constantly open by having our home be a community itself,  hosting various bible studies and discipleship meetings, as well as a worship service held each Friday night. Almost two years ago Jeff was called into full time ministry to work at House to House, a ministry that shares the gospel and rebuilds dilapidated housing in an impoverished neighborhood. Shortly after, I began working there part time as their discipleship coordinator. Last year we moved into that community.

 These events, along with joining a wonderful church in the community, have let us experience some radically fulfilling love and community much like the love and community I read about in the bible. Our pastors, friends and neighbors constantly model what it means to need each other, serve each other and love each other. I am very thankful; we know some amazing people.