Feed My Starving Children

Last night, Brian and I had the opportunity to serve alongside several members of our Sunday School class to package and prepare foods for starving children around the world. Feed My Starving Children is a nonprofit organization based out of Minnesota. The organization began when several people went on a mission trip to South America. They brought granola bars and other nonperishable foods that we commonly eat here in the United States, but realized that these highly processed foods only made the children more sick because their weak bodies could not handle them. From that opportunity, Feed My Starving Children began, creating a combination of various dietary elements that would benefit the children, not hurt them. These things include rice, chicken seasoning, soy, and dried veggies. They chose rice because it was a staple food in countries throughout the world. They chose chicken seasoning rather than actual chicken because of the various cultural beliefs about meats. With this formula, the company began the task of seeking to feed the world's poor and starving children. 

This is where we come in. We are beyond blessed by the opportunities that are presented for us at our church. Shades partnered with Feed My Starving Children to prepare and package 300,000 meals to send to 70 different countries throughout the world. Feed My Starving Children brought the dry rice, soy, chicken seasoning, and dehydrated veggies and the members of our church have worked to package them over the course of the week. The process is like a well oiled machine! In less than two hours last night, the 80 people at the event packaged over 27,000 meals. It was incredible!

Check out the website to learn more about Feed My Starving Children. This nonprofit organization is run by believers and is a great way to serve. And if you are interested, they come to you! 

Not to mention, you get to wear hairnets :)

Have a blessed night!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Sorry I have been so MIA the past couple of weeks. Graduate school has started back up, so with that and the obvious prorastinating of graduate school, I haven't been around the blog world much recently. I have missed ya'll!

Once again, I am linking up to What I'm Loving Wednesday at This Kind of Love!

#1- I am loving that this week is Winter Reading Week at my school! This includes character dress up day (I was the Kevin Henkes' mouse Lily from Lily and the Purple Plastic Purse and Lily's Big Day), pajama day (tomorrow, can't wait!!), and 30 minutes of DEAR time throughout the school- including the teachers. I won't lie, I am most looking forward to a 30 min. period that I will be free to read something that is not the 3rd edition of Educational Research or the fifth edition of Human Learning.

#2- I am loving the fact that I get to see one of my favorite people in the whole world on Saturday! Auburn, Peg, Wesley, and Eli, here we come!

#3- I am loving the fact it is almost February. I adore Valentine's Day and have a wonderful and incredible date planned with my husband Feb. 11th. Check here and here to see what we are doing :)

#4- I am loving trail mix/ homemade chex mix (Thanks Gin!), pistachios, and vanilla yogart, though not together.

#4- I am loving my wonderful husband! Such a cutie!

Have a wonderful Wednesday evening my friends!!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Once again, I am linking up to What I Love Wednesday at This Kind of Love.

I am loving that we had a surprise short week! We were lucky enough to be off Monday and Tuesday and go in at 10:00 today because of the weather. I could handle coming in at 10 all the time!

I am loving that I have gotten to spend some time with/ talk to some wonderful friends a lot lately! It is always nice to catch up!

I am loving our new membership to Netflix! I have watched all season 1 of Greek, New in Town, The Fugitive, and 3 episodes of season 2 of Greek in less than a week.  Embarrassing? Maybe a little. Entertaining? Absolutely!

I am loving the fact that I applied for graduation from graduate school today!

I am loving the Beth Moore Bible study on Paul. It is a fabulous length and goes into so much scripture based detail about his life. So good!

Happy Hump Day friends!

2010- A Look Back

I realize that I am a little late, but here are some highlights from 2010. It was a fabulous year!

*To start 2010, Brian and I went down to watch the Auburn Tigers play Northwestern at the Outback Bowl in Tampa. Who would have thought that a year later we would be watching them play in the National Championship? Crazy. It's still sinking in.

*Also in January, Brian and I began our third semester in graduate school. I began the first of three one-hundred hour internships.

*In February, we saw Brad Paisley in concert! Check out here and here to read more!

*At the end of February, we served with other members in our church for GIC (Global Impact Celebration) 2010. This was an opportunity to look at the missions goals our church made, celebrate, and offer a time of worship for the missionaries. We saw lots of our friends who have left for the mission field and started new friendships that have grown through the past year. Such a blessing.

*In March, Brian and I took our Spring Break and went to the Marriott Grand in Fairhope, AL. We spent a fabulous and relaxing 5 days sleeping late, riding bikes, watching sunsets, and just resting. Totally needed. Totally wonderful.

* In April, Brian and I got a new dining room table!

*In May, I completed my first year of teaching with my school. It was a fabulous experience. More exciting, for the first time in three years, I had job plans for the next school year! Brian celebrated his three year anniversary at the Power Company.

*At the end of May, I began the second of my three internships with a high school in the area.

*June was a gigantic month! Brian and I packed, planned, and prepared to head to Israel with 18 of our good friends from Sunday School. We were blessed with the opportunity to serve the Bedouin people and to see the place where our Jesus walked. It was incredible and life changing. Check out the Israel label on the side to read more about the trip!

 

 

*In July, Brian and I celebrated our three year wedding anniversary by going to Ross Bridge and hanging out at the pool all day. It was the perfect, romantic relaxer coming off of our big trip.

*In early August, I began my second year of teaching second grade at my school. I also started my final internship for my graduate program.

*Labor Day weekend, Brian and I headed down to the beach with our friends Rob and Ginny and Jared and Ashley. We had a blast and loved watching Auburn win the first game of the season!

*In September, Brian and I attended our first Auburn football game of the 2010 season against Clemson. We went with our friends Jase and Elizabeth. Auburn beat Clemson 24-21 in overtime.

*In October, Auburn was ranked #1 for the first time in the 2010 season.

*The 2nd of November was the Gifted Women's ministry event. I worked with Beth Allen, a fabulous encouragement and friend, to do the major planning. It was hard work and exhausting, but the Lord was glorified in the end!

*In November, Brian and I headed down to the Plains again to watch the Auburn play UT Chat. for Homecoming. We spent some time with our friends Wesley and Rebecca and their sweet baby Eli. Overall, it was the perfect day. We didn't have much of an agenda, so it was super nice. And Auburn won again!

*In late November, Brian and I went to Auburn once again for the Georgia game with the Vanns and the Wilkes. We never actually made it into the game, but enjoyed the game at Brian's brother's tailgate. Auburn, of course, won the game, and we enjoyed great fellowship!

*In December, we joined some friends and went shooting at the Vann's farm. I have never seen so many firearms in one place. In the end, I hit 3 clays with a shotgun and hit the target with a handgun. 

*Right before Christmas, Brian and I took another trip to the Grand. Once again, it was a great time to relax after a very busy fall! We have fallen in love with the hotel and with the little town. So much fun!

2010 was a fantastic year! We are excited about what's to come in 2011!

Have a blessed New Year!

Same Kind of Different As Me

Last June, as we headed out for Israel, my sweet friend Sarah let me borrow the book Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. The trip ended up being MUCH more exhausting than I originally expected, so I didn't read... well.... anything. 

After we got home, the book sat on my bedside table, beckoning me to read it. 

Only, I wasn't  interested.

It wasn't that I thought it would be a bad book- several people in our Sunday School class had read it and talked about crying over it, men and women alike. It was just the fact that I couldn't find the time to make it a priority. In retrospect, it was really God preparing my heart for it.

This fall, our good friends Rob and Jared started working with a ministry called Urban Purpose. This ministry was started by a man in our church who had a heart for the homeless. As he was driving to work one morning, he stopped to help a homeless man. The man made a comment that he was just like the others- it would be the last time he saw him. This sparked an opportunity to serve differently. Since then, he has been working with Urban Trek to provide meals for the homeless each Sunday. Sunday school classes provide the food while different men (and women), like Rob and Jared, meet the people and build relationships.

Lucky for Brian and me, Rob and Jared are Brian's accountability group members. After several weeks of going to serve, Brian started to join them. He changed. The men on the street were no longer people who deserved it or people who made bad choices, now they were real people with real personalities. They were people with a story and people who needed Jesus.

Enter me. 

As Brian was going every Sunday afternoon to build relationships with these men, I was making excuses. Grad school was too much. I had just finished with the Women's Ministry event and needed a break. I needed to focus on my job. Excuse, excuse excuse.

At this point, my good friends Ashley and Jennifer had been going to The Village to lead Bible study with some of the women in the ministry since August. But my excuses kept me away. It was outside of my comfort zone. Then some things started happening with my family and the Lord began to draw me in. He began changing my heart and my desires. I started going to the Village and building relationships with the women and my life has been changing. Praise the Lord.

After going to the Village for a couple of weeks and hearing awesome stories from Brian, I looked at my nightstand and saw Same Kind of Different as Me. This time, I was excited about it.

I read the book and got a whole new perspective. God has changed my heart. The book is eye-opening, heart changing, and tear drawing. 

Check it out. Your will love it.

Have a blessed Tuesday my friends!

2010 National Champions

War Eagle! 

The Auburn Tigers are officially the reigning National Champions!

I just can't believe it.

We love this group, plus one!

Have a blessed and wonderful evening!!!

WAR EAGLE!!!

Snow Day- Take 2!

Who would have guessed I would be making my second snow day post in less than a month? Crazy!

Brian headed out yesterday at about 11:45 to go to the complex. You see, my husband works for the power company so each time there is a storm with significant power outages, he goes to fuel the trucks so the power can be turned back on. The threat of this storm was so big, they headed out before hand to be prepared (Alabama Power users, look how good your power company is!)

This left me with LOTS of free time. I initially planned on taking a nap, working on the budget and cleaning the house. Instead, I talked to a sweet friend for over an hour, watched Greek and the movie New in Town. Brian had to spend the night at work, so I slept late, got up, and watched more Greek and folded laundry. Brian made it home at about 12:00 today and we spent a nice day together! I have finished off season 1 of Greek and am completely relaxed! I am just waiting for them to make the call on school tomorrow!

The most exciting thing about this snow day is the fact the power is still on! 

Auburn kicks off in 2 hours against the Oregon Ducks in the National Championship.

I simply can not wait.

War Eagle my friends!!

A Look at the Weather

The state of Alabama in all in a hustle about the weather for Sunday and Monday. I'm pretty sure I won't have school on Monday, but I am a little concerned about the game Monday night.

You know the game I'm talking about, right?

The National Championship game?

The one where my Tigers will be playing the Oregon ducks? 

Let's just hope we have power!

Have a blessed weekend my friends!