Consider This, Please

For about a year I have been sponsoring a child through a program called International Children's Network. My child is named Isaac and he's from Uganda. ICN has done an excellent job of making sure I am able to stay in touch with him- I get a letter just about every 3 months, and I write him as often. Also, I have sent money for the purchase of items to help him a few times, and ICN is good about sending me pictures of him with his gifts to ensure that I know he is being provided for.

The best part about ICN is that they are all about trying to connect sponsors with their children in person. Eventually I (along with my by-then-husband, Jason) plan to go to Uganda and spend time with Isaac in person, serving in his community.

ICN is intentionally not a Christian organization by name, because if they were they're ability to minister in certain areas would be extremely limited. The wonderful aspect here, however, is that Isaac continually writes to me about what he's learning via church and God's Word, and about his desires to be either a pastor or a doctor (to be fair, he's 12- he doesn't have to decide yet!). I know for a fact that ICN brings hope to children in places such as Africa, India, and Peru not just via monetary gifts, but through the Hope that is Jesus Christ Himself.

Speaking of money, I am most blessed to be able to say with confidence that ICN is trustworthy pertaining to how they handle money. They are committed to ensuring that no less than 93% of all moneys go straight to the children and they don't allow any more than absolutely necessary to get sucked up by overhead costs. You can check the page on their website (and their 2005 tax return) here:

http://www.icnchildren.net/about/finances.php

Lastly, I know the founders personally. I have known them for nearly ten years, and they are extremely committed Christians who love the Lord and are sincere about ensuring their lives are all about ministry.

So, pray about it. No one asked me to do this, I was just thinking about how much I love Isaac, and I was looking at the ICN website and saw all of those children waiting for sponsors... please, consider whether or not you might be one of those people. It's $30 a month, and so many of these children can't go to school otherwise. Many don't have access to clean water or food otherwise. In Uganda, a large number of these beautiful children have been orphaned by AIDS and war, and I again strongly urge you to consider whether or not you might be one whom the Lord would have support one of these children-- I am blessed to know that I will be involved in Isaac's life through when he goes to university, an opportunity he would never have without ICN and my support at hardly a dollar a day!

Supa'Fly

My subject line means nothing, really.

I'm in Durham for a TF@ thing. It's cool :)

Not a lot to say, actually. I could tell stories about horrific events from the administration at school, but... nah. Just know that life is good, I love Jason, and I'm moving to Washington in 47 days.

And I'm eating dinner at Red Robin in about an hour. SWEET!!

Happy Saturday!

PS-- Yay for NFL draft weekend!

Two Things:

1. Stay With You has an update :)

2. Please go sign this:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/VTfunerals/index.html

There is a horribly non-Christian group called Westboro Baptist Church who, basically, believes that there are a few elect to be saved (these being the only ones Christ died for) and that everyone else is damned and that their job is to preach the wrath and damnation of God. This means that they believe God hates America and He is pouring His wrath out via natural disasters, events like 9/11, the deaths of those in the Iraq war, and most recently, the Virginia Tech tragedy.

Their message is of hate, and they go to the funerals of people killed in Iraq (and now they plan to attend funerals of those killed at VT), shouting their venemous messages. They're the infamous "God Hates Fags" people. They shout things like, "Your [son] was evil and god is bringing his [intentionally not capitalized because the god they worship is not the One True and Living God] wrath upon heathens like your evil son!". They basically scream and chant and hold up signs as grieving families try to reconcile their loss.

The worst part is, I have been reading about some of the people killed, and praise God that some of them were clearly born again, and are in heaven! But these WBC people would say that even those are not of the elect and don't know the "true god".

They're horrifyingly despicable and this petition is in the good faith effort to try to get a grassroots movement to stop these people. I'm sorry, but if this is what free speech allows then I think there is a time to put the muzzle on these people. They are hateful and seek to inflict pain. That is NOT free speech in the least.

Please, I urge you to take 60 seconds to sign the petition. You don't have to donate when it asks, just sign the petition and help honor the memory of so many bright, young, talented, and wonderful individuals whose families don't need more pain and suffering.

Oh, and you can read more about the horrifying WBC here if you want more info than just my word:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

I just exhort you to not actually visit their hateful websites because they get money everytime someone visits. Probably ad software or whatever. But I saw the main woman (Shirley Roper Phelps or something like that) on a news show once and she is serious about this evil business. So sad. But Christ is bigger than His adversaries, and we can all make a difference by trying to help.

To anyone this applies to, please know that this is a VERY extreme, and extremely wrong, tiny sect- cult, to be honest- who claims to be Christian but clearly is wrong. They take scripture out of context, and entirely misinterpret sections. They're actually primarily composed of a single family, the Phelps', and they in no way represent what Bible-believing (and adhering!) Christians believe. Also, they put a foul stain on the name Baptist, but know that they by no means represent Baptists.

Some Facebook groups are organizing marches where people will go stand silently between the WBC people and the funeral procession, to create a buffer. There is also the Patriot Guard, bikers who go around to the funerals of Iraqi soldiers that the WBC intends to terrorize, and does the same thing. Praise God- the REAL GOD- for that!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_guards

Heads up!

Just so you all know, there's a blog now dedicated to all things specifically Jason and Tami (but I'll still post on here, too, just, you know, at the same dismal frequency that I have been as of late... though hopefully at least 1-2 times a week!).

Anyway, check out the Jason and Tami blog here:

http://jasandtam.blogspot.com/

It isn't too hard to see...

... we're in heaven... [Heaven, Bryan Adams]

Jason's here.

We're engaged!

The ring is gorgeous, he's wonderful, we're having an amazing time, and when he leaves Friday I'll feel an incredibly huge void in my life, replete with tears, so there will be time for updating you all on the week. I just have to say that I love and adore him, God is incredible, and I have the ring of the world's most amazing man is on my finger!

We're about to leave for Charlotte to go see the Bobcats play (aka ADAM MORRISON!!) and then we're off bright and early to go to Asheville tomorrow, so like I said-- much more to come on like Friday :)

I love you all!