Good Things

Krochet Kids International - I've been meaning to post something about this organization for some time now.  It's close to our hearts not only because we strongly believe in its cause but also because it was founded and developed by fellow Vanguard alums.   Krochet Kids offers a three year program for women in Northern Uganda who are taught how to crochet beautiful hats that are sold in the states.   As a result, the women make a working wage to help support themselves and their families, which is rare for many women in Northern Uganda.  The hats can be bought on the KK site and at many Nordstoms.  If there are any procrastinator shoppers like myself out there, consider one of these as a unique and meaningful gift for someone this year (and help them reach their holiday goal!).  You can learn much more about this organization by visiting their website (www.krochetkids.org).  


Advent - this year we are informally celebrating Advent.  I use the word "informally" because we technically missed the first two Sundays:)  But none-the-less, we lit our third and fourth candles these last two weeks and remembered that Christ is our HOPE, our JOY, and our PEACE.   I'm reminded that Advent is all about waiting... waiting for what is yet to come.  This holiday season we remember that God so lovingly sent His son as a baby to this world to save us from ourselves...our doubt, our anger, our fear.  And as Rob Bell refreshingly writes, "We ask God to enter into the deepest places of cynicism, bitterness and hardness where we have stopped believing that tomorrow can be better than today.  We open up. We soften up. We turn our hearts in the direction of that day. That day when the baby cries His first cry and we, surrounded by shepherds and angels and everybody in between, celebrate that sound in time that brings our Spirits what we’ve been longing for." 


Our Friend Angela - Angela is beautiful ... stunning, in fact.  Life and hope and peace radiate from her petite body.   She is a mom to 5 boys and a loving wife to a great man named Reed.  Dylan met this family through RockHarbor and was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to live with them in the months leading up to our wedding.  Dylan considers himself a part of their family and I'm beginning to consider myself a family member too:)  The Robinsons are  precious and possess extraordinary faith.  They are a very tight-knit family and you only have to be around them for a few minutes to realize how much they deeply love one another.  And when you know that Angela has been battling caner for the better part of 12 years, their faith and strength and love for each other is that much more powerful.  We (along with several others) have been praying  with Angela  and asking God for her healing for a long time.  Angela's faced many days of what seemed to be unanswered prayers, but she's continued to walk forward, believing in God's promise to restore her body to complete health.  This last week, Angela's doctor gave her some much overdue good news... just in time for Christmas!  Although her journey in battling the cancer is not over, God is moving in her body and using her story to impact many.  I invite you to visit Angela's blog and join with us as we continue to pray for her healing.

And I'll say it again, 
Merry Christmas!