Gifts that Give Back (along with 6, 7, and 8)

6. Let your Kids see you Be Generous. There are so many creative and fun ways to do this, especially this time of year!

Participate in programs like Operation Christmas Child.

Lifesong for Orphans is giving out a special Advent Calendar that incorporates giving into your holiday season.

Take advantage of Christmas Catalogs that ministries like Compassion, World Vision and Lifesong put out. Consider cutting back on Christmas gifts and shopping these catalogs as a family with the money you saved.
Or ask friends to bring money to your birthday party instead of gifts and shop the catalogs as a group.

Purchase gifts that give back. We are That Family has a list of places to shop here. HKI (a charitable organization that raises funds for orphans in Suhn and Zak's province in China) is doing a fundraiser with Thirty-One Bags here until November 23. Scarlet Threads and Live Fashionable are two other organizations that will give back through your shopping support.

Whatever you do, let your kids see you do it! Take the time to turn your Christmas shopping into a teachable moment. Let your kids shop with you to fill the shoe box for Operation Christmas Child. Pour over the ministry catalogs together. This holiday season let your generosity be visible and contagious!

7. Sponsor a Child
We have sponsored children through Compassion  International for over ten years. Two of our Compassion kids have aged out of the system. When the last one did, we decided to sponsor another child, but this time let Mya pick.

We now sponsor a child in Ethiopia who is about Mya's age. Mya is in charge of writing letters to her. She knows where she lives on our map, and whenever Compassion sends updates or our sponsor child writes letters it gives an amazing, personal teaching moment for our daughter on what life is like on the other side of the world.

8. Take your Kids on a Mission Trip
Many of these ideas will involve a sacrifice of time and money, but the perspective it gives our kids is priceless. Mya traveled with me to Zambia this past spring.

Mid-way through the trip she looked up at me and said, "Mom, the world is a lot bigger than I thought."

Exposing our kids first-hand to the way others live can be a life-changing experience that will encourage a global perspective like nothing else.

Your Turn: Please share places you have found where you can purchase gifts that give back, or any other ways you encourage a global perspective in your kids.

Your Shoes

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 18:  Your Shoes

I don't actually have the shoes I'm picturing here today in my possession, although they are on the way. Due to arrive tomorrow in fact. Here they are in all their tiny glory. If you squint and look really close (I couldn't figure out how to make the picture bigger without blurring) you can see why I'm so excited for tomorrow. They are my first pair of Toms.

I am sure you all know what Toms are? If you don't here is the scoop. Toms is a company that gives one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes you purchase. So while I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new pair of shoes, a child somewhere is anxiously awaiting the arrival of their pair new pair of shoes. Pretty cool stuff. 

Which brings me to my next blog topic... Gifts that Give back.

Last year I set myself a goal to give as many gifts as I could that gave back in some way, kind of like giving two gifts at once! My mom got a scentsy warmer that also funded an adoption. My dad received a beautiful piece of artwork (from pitter-patter art) that also funded an adoption. You get the drift.

I'm attempting this again this year and thought I'd share a few links with you if you'd like to do the same. 

Check out these shops:

The Mercy Shoppe - all proceeds go to benefit a maternity home in Kenya

Wild Olive T's - 10% of all profits go to help children in China and Uganda

Toms Shoes - donate one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you buy

Gobena Coffee - 100% of the profits go to support orphans in Ethiopia

Junk Posse - your purchase supports numerous non-profit organizations

Minus One Project - an adoption fundraiser

Hearts at Home - all purchases support the ministry Hearts at Home

These are just a handful, I know there are more. 

If you know of others, please share the links in the comments.

Happy Shopping!!

Christmas Shopping!

Yes,  you read that correctly.

And even though it is 100 degrees outside, I am beginning to think Christmas.

Last year I set a goal to purchase gifts that gave back. This year I'd like to do the same.

So, in the spirit of Christmas, I'd like to share a few opportunities with you.

Have you ever heard of Scentsy? Head over here to learn more.
The Scentsy fundraiser will only last during the month of September. What makes this FUNdraiser extra fun is if you make a purchase over $10 you can be entered to win other prizes. AND, for every purchase you make money goes to help orphans in Henan (Suhn's province in China). So go knock a few items off your Christmas list and help orphans at the same time. It's a win-win-win (which is by far the best kind).

One more "gifts that give back" tip (and I'm hoping to share more over the next few months so stay tuned)...

Wild Olive T's

Awesome, awesome t-shirts for women and kids. Better yet, a percentage of EVERY purchase you make goes to help orphans.

My "So Loved" t-shirt if an easy favorite. Mya and Suhn's too! Go check out the site. Seriously, t-shirts don't get any better than this.

Happy Shopping and have a great Labor day weekend!

Help Orphans

I am really excited!

Tomorrow Kory, Suhn and I will be heading to Louisville Kentucky for the 7th Annual Orphan Summit. We will be surrounded by people filled with God's heart for the orphan. We had the opportunity to go last year and it was inspiring. I have no doubt this year will be as well... I'll let you know!

Since I have orphans on the brain tonight, I thought I'd share a couple of events going on right now or in the near future that give YOU an opportunity to advocate for the fatherless.

First up, how about a chance to shop for a GREAT cause! You can learn about the cause over at the Love Changes Lives blog and check out this post to see how you can help. Henan is the province in China where Suhn was born and Henan Kids helps raise funds to support the orphanages in her province. In the month of May if you purchase any shirt at ByGraceDesigns and enter Henan Kids in the Referral Code box, $5 will be donated to that organization. Yipee!!

Second, for all you locals, there is an event called 5K for orphans coming up in July. All money will got to support an orphanage in Guatemala. If you are a runner, or simply have "Run a 5K" on your bucket list (like me), this is a great opportunity! There will also be a 1-mile walk and a Kids Run so bring the family! Go here for more information or here for the registration form.

And while I'm at it, another great site to check out, the newly created Forgotten Initiative website. If you have a heart for Foster Care this is a great ministry to support or pray about starting in your neck of the woods! You can also become a fan on Facebook here.

Know of other ways to help the orphan? Please share in the comments!

Get Shopping!

Christmas is around the corner. I've been at the job of Christmas shopping for several weeks now. Making my lists, checking them twice, and all that.

I love giving gifts, but sometimes I struggle with purchasing more-stuff-that-we-don't-really-need while lining the pockets of corporate America in the process. So this year I set a goal. It doesn't necessarily help the "more stuff" issue, but I have found a way to give twice as much with one gift.

I've challenged myself to buy all of my extended family (this includes anyone outside the 7 who live in my house) gifts that support other causes. There are hundreds of families creating and selling amazing products to raise funds for their adoptions. There are organizations who do amazing work to help alleviate poverty and the suffering of others who sell great items.

I have found some great gifts that I am really excited to give and knowing that my money is supporting adoption and other worthy causes makes me even more excited.

Just in case you'd like to do a little "shopping with a purpose," I thought I'd share some of the great sites I have found...

• Kristen, at We Are That Family, and her family have recently been called to start The Mercy House in Kenya. Their etsy shop (go here) has a great selection of items that are constantly changing. Your money will support The Mercy House .
• Mama Mimi, at The Domesticated Diva, has put together a large list of links to help you find adoptive families who are fundraising, she has even separated them by category! There is lots of shopping to be done here!
• My Cup Overfloweth gave adoptive families the chance to link up and share their fundraisers. There are currently 42 links with a huge variety of products. Shop here to help a family bring their child home!
• Linny, at A Place Called Simplicity, had the same idea. Go here, to find over 40 more sites where you can Shop with a Purpose!

If you have found other great places to "Shop with a Purpose", please share them in the comments.
Otherwise, happy shopping and Merry Christmas!!!