September 6, 2011

Embryo Adoption: A Unique Option to Give a Child Life

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Guest Post Written by Erin Odom Although Tiffany and Micah Childs have two biological children, the couple has always felt led to adopt. But the costs and steps necessary to go through an adoption agency were overwhelming. "Lord, if this is for us, you need to make this simple," Tiffany prayed. And God answered in a way the couple would have never imagined. Image courtesy Tiffany Childs Giving God Glory through Embryo Adoption Tiffany and Micah have been friends of mine since high school. When [...]

Filed Under: Faith and encouragement, Family life, Pregnancy Tagged With: , , , , , , 124 Comments
July 28, 2011

Training Kids to Help in the Kitchen

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Knowing how to prepare real, whole foods is an absolutely necessary life skill that every child should learn. Children who are not taught the basics of food preparation will end up defaulting to processed, packaged foods, simply because they haven't learned to make anything better. If we don't take the time to teach them, how will they ever learn? I know that having little (dirty, mischievous) hands in the kitchen isn't always the easiest or most convenient thing. Kids make messes. The put in the [...]

Filed Under: Children, In the kitchen, Mothering Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 53 Comments
June 11, 2011

Looking Through a Child’s Eyes

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I am often in awe of how God has blessed children with eyes that are so pure and innocent. Yesterday morning, I sat down on the couch to show my 4 and 6 year old the pictures from my recent trip to the Philippines as a Compassion Blogger. I found it difficult to look at the pictures without becoming emotional. I've experienced a lot of different emotions this week since returning. Simple, I know, but I can't get over how clean it is everywhere around [...]

Filed Under: Compassion Trip, Faith and encouragement, Family life Tagged With: , , , , , 18 Comments
June 6, 2011

Is Compassion International a Good Investment? A Husband’s Perspective.

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**Many of you may have realized that I was blessed to have my husband, Ryan, come with me on my trip to the Philippines last week. Though we hadn't originally planned for him to join me in writing, he was so impressed by the answers to all of his questions (someone on our team referred to him as the Barbara Walters of Canada!), that he simply felt compelled to write and tell you what he found.** Growth in business does not happen by accident. Everything [...]

Filed Under: Compassion Trip, Good stewardship Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , 21 Comments
June 3, 2011

How to Pry Open Swollen Eyes

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I've been hugged more this week than I probably have in the last year. I love it, but really? I'm just getting to the point where I want to go home and hug my own kids. Ready to go home or not, this week has been full of good times... I've had a rockin' ride in a Jeepney, had some unique cultural lessons, had a larger-than-life dancing Jolli"bee" flirt with me, driven through the countryside in a relaxing Pedicab with Simple Mom, and drawn letters in the air with [...]

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June 2, 2011

Because I’m Afraid That I Will Forget

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I was washing some of my dirty clothes in the hotel bathtub this morning. Sweating profusely every day will make you go through what you packed in your suitcase in a hurry. As I knelt over the tub and scrubbed the clothes, I was taken back to images of Filipino women squatting beside pails of soapy water, washing their families clothing by hand. "When I get back home", I thought to myself, "I won't complain about my cruddy old washing machine and dryer anymore. I'll remember how [...]

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June 1, 2011

Of Rubber Boots, Self Pity and Ladders

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I met a woman who has water flooding her house, up to her knees, for 9 months out of the year. She has to wear rubber boots inside while she cooks and feeds her family. She has two sons, and one is registered as a sponsor child with Compassion. She also actively serves and teaches the 9 and 10 year olds at the very same child development center that her son goes to in Velenzuela. It struck me today that the churches here in the [...]

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May 31, 2011

What the Hands and Feet of Jesus Look Like

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Weary to the bone, and emotionally upside down, my brain feels saturated with images and stories, but firing on too few pistons to really tell them. That's where I'm at as I attempt to write this post and somehow convey to you the brokenness and the hope that I saw and felt today. Beautiful, brown baby faces. Mamas being taught how to practically care for their little ones, keeping them safe, healthy and happy in the midst of poverty and want. Cheerful courtyard, painted by [...]

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