Christmas Ideas

Surprisingly, Christmas is less than a month away!  We are all rushing to buy gifts and trying to figure out what to give to the "tough" people on our lists.

Perhaps you are like me and would like to share about Compassion whenever it is possible.  Well, I have a great way you can do that this Christmas!

On my Etsy shop, I have 11 different and unique sets of bracelets.  The entire profit from each set will either go to a CSP in Africa or to continue sponsoring my Mabel in Bolivia.

The best part is is that through December 3 there is a 10% off sale in my shop!  Use the code CYBERMONDAY13 at checkout to get the discount.

madefromscratch4u on Etsy

May Compassion Joys

May was an amazing month!  God blessed me soo much through Compassion in this past month.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. -James 1:17

1. meeting Maria!!  She's such a sweet lady :)

2. letter from Aprila (Kartini)

3. Mabel's and Mainor's pastor letters

4. two letters from Samantha, and those words I had been waiting for

I love you so much.

5. letter from Junior

How were you blessed by Compassion in May?

2012 Christmas in Review

I hope you all had a great Christmas!  My Christmas was awesome!  Here are the highlights-

Things I received

I got a beautiful knitted scarf from my sister (picture to follow in days...or months),

awesome stickers to color for my Compassion family from my grandma,

an amazing mp3 player and warm fishing clothes from my parents,

crackle nail polish from my friend,

and a Canon SX260 HS camera!!

Things I Gave

I tatted earrings for my sister,

folded paper ornaments for my dad and mom,

and gave hope to a teen or guardian in Honduras through Compassion's gift catalog.

With all the excitement building up to Christmas, sometimes Christmas Day seems disappointing.  But when we remember why we are celebrating, Christmas is all the more special.

Luke 2:6-7, "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."

^{Matthew 2:7-11, "}Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.' After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh."

Wise men still follow Him.  Our gifts are our lives.

How was your Christmas?

Change a life!

Lizzie :)

Give hope

Remember how the Compassion Bloggers are attempting to raise $20,000 for children in poverty this Christmas?  Let me tell you simply that we have not raised that much yet.

However, I know that God can do great things.  I know He could raise even more than $20,000 in a much shorter amount of time than four days.  I pray that God lays it on many people's heart to donate to Compassion's Gift Catalog this week.

If each blog raises $100, we will meet our goal.  So I am asking you, will you please give hope this Christmas?  If eight people gave $12.50 each, it would make $100.  Please, click this link and give hope to a child this Christmas.  Your gift will change a child's life.  In turn, his/her family will be changed.  Then the whole community will be different just because of your small gift!



#ItsAboutGiving
Lizzie :)

Biblical Giving

Today, we are going to explore giving, specifically what the Bible says about it.  When I thought about Biblical giving, two verses came to mind-

They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  -Acts 2:45 

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.  -2 Corinthians 8:3

While there are other verses about giving, I am sure, these come to mind for me. Perhaps it is because I have been reading the New Testament lately or maybe I heard a sermon about them. However, I think that is not why. I think these verses stuck with me for one reason- they show true generosity.

No, I am not saying that we should go and sell all we have.  But as Matthew West says in his song "My Own Little World" (which I recommend you listen to), "I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give 'til it hurts."  

I think we all have a tendency to keep a protective blanket on our money.  You know, give some, but keep some just in case we don't have enough.  When I read the verses above, it seems to me that the people were not doing that.  Not only were they giving some but all- their stuff too.  

During Christmastime, I think we should not focus on just giving gifts.  I believe we should give our time and talents too.  We have all been gifted uniquely.  

Perhaps you would like to help a family in poverty this Christmas.  By giving them some essentials, we could help them notice their gifts.  Maybe schoolroom would inspire a child to become a teacher or writer.

Help us raise $20,000 for children in poverty this Christmas.

#ItsAboutGiving

Lizzie :)

It could also feel like...

Giving feels like a soft chick (or a cow).

courtesy of Compassion

Provide livestock for a family in poverty.  Help us raise $20,000 for children in poverty.  Every penny counts!

#ItsAboutGiving
Lizzie :)

What does it look like?

Giving looks like a smile.

courtesy of Compassion

Water is essential for life.  Help a child like her have access to clean water or dental work.  Help us raise $20,000 for children in poverty.  Give a child a reason to smile.

What does giving look like to you?

#ItsAboutGiving
Lizzie :)

What does it feel like?

To me, giving feels like a heavy baby in my arms.

Courtesy of Compassion

That little girl is from a Child Survival Program.  You can help other little kids like her HERE.  Help us raise $20,000 for kids in poverty.  Every dollar counts.

What does giving feel like to you?

#ItsAboutGiving
Lizzie :)

What does it mean to me?

Giving.

This month Compassion bloggers are blogging about giving because, after all, it's all about giving.  Christmas is all about gifts.  Not only the gifts we exchange with our friends and family, but the Gift, our Savior.

To me, giving means living a life for God.  

God is love.  When I love someone, I want to do everything I can for them.  I will give of myself and my time for them.

James even tells us that perfect religion is giving-

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  -James 1:27

By giving time, money, energy, food, etc., we can look after others.  James specifically says to look after orphans and widows, basically those who do not have the means to look after themselves.

Jesus says that whatever we do for others, we do for Him-

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. -Matthew 25:40

Consequently, whatever we do not do for others, we don't do for Him-

Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. -Matthew 25:45

How can you help the "least of these?"

You can join me and many others in raising $20,000 for children in poverty!

You know how you feel when you give the gift that you know the receiver has been waiting for?  When you give that gift, it is worth every second you have spent working on it and thinking about it.  That is how you will feel when you give the gift of life to families in poverty.

To do that, go HERE.

Compassion's Christmas Gift catalog has many different gifts to help children and their families in poverty.  As I always say, every dollar counts!  No matter if it is one dollar or fifty, it can and will change a life!

#ItsAboutGiving
Lizzie :)

Enough

Hello!

I have been thinking lately (with the holidays coming up) about how blessed I am.  Ever since I got involved with Compassion, I have realized more how much I have.  Sure, I don't have a phone or iPod or lots of channels on TV or lots of spending money or the newest clothes.  But, I have books to read, clothes to wear, a house to live in, a camera, a laptop, Netflix, and so much more.

I have enough.

I have more than enough.

I have been blessed.  It is my turn to bless others.  So many people don't have enough, much less more than enough.  They don't have much at all.  For some families, one meal a day is all they get.  They may not even have a change of clothes or books.

When people ask me what I want, I have a hard time saying I want this or that.  Yeah, there are some books I would like to read.  But, I really don't want anything.  I surely don't need anything.  So if you have asked me what I want for Christmas, you probably did not get much of an answer.  I am sorry.  I know you are just trying to be nice.

So this holiday season, will you join me in giving?

Change a life!
Lizzie :)

madefromscratch4u

Hello!

As you may have seen on the right sidebar, I have an Etsy shop.  Well, my grandma and I.  It is called madefromscratch4u.  Basically, I started this shop last autumn to raise money for Compassion.  Some of every sale goes to Compassion.

I am selling five handmade bracelets for only $5.99.  The entire $5.99 will go to help a Child Survival Program in Africa through Compassion.  What I think is cool is that they can be great conversation starters.  You know, someone likes your bracelet.  And you can tell them about Compassion and how they are saving babies' lives.  

My grandma made this doll jacket and some other doll clothes.  They fit American Girl dolls, but they are way cheaper than outfits that you can buy through AG.  And of course, part of the profit goes to Compassion.  Usually, I use it to give a monetary gift to one of my Compassion family or to go to a group sponsorship.  

I love to make cards!  However, I only have one on my shop right now.  All of the profit goes to Compassion through monetary gifts and group sponsorship.  

And, we custom order everything (doll clothes, cards, hand towels, bracelets, etc.)!!  Now I am not trying to get you to buy anything, I just wanted to let you know that I had a shop.  I know that most of you love Compassion.  While you are Christmas shopping, I hope that you will check out my shop HERE and know that every purchase changes a life.

Thanks!

Change a life!

Lizzie :) 

You have got to do this...

Hello!

Imagine-       getting a mattress,
              having enough food to eat,
              getting a bicycle,
              having new clothes,
              receiving a free gift that is more than you have ever had.

Now, think about your sponsored child. 

You can give that to your sponsored child. 

Of course you can always give monetary gifts, but you can win a $25 or $100 gift for your sponsored child.  All you have to do is create a Pinterest board of your sponsored child, following the guidelines HERE.

So, go pin and win!!  Your sponsored child's life will never be the same (that is if you win).

Change a life!
Lizzie :)