Thursday, March 29, 2012

Movie Review!!

Looking to head to the movies this weekend? 







Maybe you would consider supporting this film?



                  




I went last weekend with a couple of friends (first time I had been to the theater in a LONG time!!) and it was WONDERFUL.  October Baby is a beautiful celebration of life - ALL life.  Whether that life is 9 or 99....or still in utero.  I thought the writers did a great job of portraying all sides fairly, without villainizing any one person.  The movie is rated PG-13 due to the subject matter, so use caution with young children.

So, find a couple friends, call your local theater, FANDANGO....whoever!  And grab a coke and some pretzel bites (and maybe a few tissues!).  You're in for a treat!




Kirsten 

Friday, March 23, 2012

Classic Re-post: One Small Act

Classic re-post from March 2011.....A look back at our journey to Ethiopia....


One comment that we’ve heard over and over by people as we’ve told them about our plans to adopt, is, “Wow!  What an awesome thing you are doing for that child!”
Years ago, I would have thought the same thing.  After all, isn’t it noble to provide a home and clothing and food for a helpless child without?  Isn’t it admirable to love on “the least of these” as Jesus commands?  Isn’t it the responsibility of the church to “help orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27)?  While obviously, all this is good, I am struck by the fact that it is a view that places us as the rich westerner riding in on our white horse to “rescue” some poor, helpless, forlorn child from poverty and what we deem unacceptable.   In reality, instead of God using ME to “rescue" this child, I believe that God is using THEM to rescue me. 
Rescue me from what, you ask?  The idols of materialism, “The American Dream”, etc…  Their presence in my life and in the lives of the people they touch, is doing much more for us, then we could ever possibly do for them.  Already I have seen how God is using this one child, a child whom we have never met….a child whom may not even be born yet, to impact a community.  To stir hearts.  To change lives.  This child, by simply being whom God created him/her to be, is allowing us to catch a glimpse of Jesus. 
Now, understand when I say, that adoption is a beautiful thing.  It is a beautiful picture of how God has rescued us all from our spiritual “orphanages” and made us a new creation in Christ.  Just like a bride and groom depict Jesus (the bridegroom) and the church….or how the love of a parent for a child models the agape love that God has for His people.  Adoption portrays how God has loved us, pursued us, and given us an inheritance far greater than what we were destined for.  It is a picture of the place we hold in the family of God.  But God is at work, and He is doing something even bigger.
So how did we get here?  Honestly, we just felt that God was calling us in this direction.  We felt that we wanted to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.  Right now, there are 145 MILLION orphans in the world.  We are hoping that when we return from Ethiopia, there will be one less.   But sadly, that will still leave 144,999,999.  We are but one.  And so, some may wonder (quietly, to themselves), “So, what’s the point?”  The point, for us, is to in some way inspire others to follow God’s leading.  That may look differently for you, than it does for me.  God may not be leading you to adopt at this time.  But certainly He is leading you somewhere?  How can we climb out of our comfort zones to truly be the hands and feet?
Many of us are looking for Jesus in the churches.  We are looking for him in Christian books and theology.  In worship music and Christian radio.  And while all these things are well and good (and necessary!!), I can’t help but to remember that that is not where Jesus hung out.  He hung out with the prostitutes…the tax collectors…the blatant “sinners”.  He was more commonly found amongst the poor and the needy, than the rich and the affluent.  So while I do recognize that adoption is a beautiful thing, a noble act that mirrors how God has taken us, and adopted us as His sons and daughters and bestowed upon us all of His inheritance, I see how this “thing” is so much bigger than us.  It is so much bigger than this one simple act.  God is using it, and HAS used it already, to reach others.  To show His glory.  And He’s doing it through one small child.
I’d love to hear how God is revealing Himself to you.  How is He using “the least of these” to make Himself known to you?  God is constantly at work…often times we are too busy doing “His work” to notice though.  But HE is there…in the face of a homeless man who climbs into your dumpster at work to collect scrap metal…..in the face of a single mother who is working two jobs to support her children….in the face of a small Ethiopian baby who has already captured the hearts of so many.  He is there.  Will you see Him?  Or will you walk right past?


So what small acts are YOU doing today??  Might I interest you in running/walking a 5k and/or a 1 mile walk to raise money that will build an orphanage in Kenya??  My parents and brother are heading there in a couple months with their church to do just that.  They'd LOVE your support!  Check out the link here to register for this event.

5k Run for Kenya Kids and 1 Mile Walk
Visit here to register.  Scroll to 4/14/12 - Jamison, PA: 5k for Kenya Kids and 1 mile walk for more details.
                                                             

And.....here is Kaya working on one small act of her own.....

Joining us for a girls-night-out to help sew dresses for little girls in Kenya.  So proud of her!!!

Right now as I type, a group of guys are playing poker to help us raise money for our adoption. I have said it before, but we are truly blessed with some GREAT friends. 
So, SO many ways to get involved and create some small acts of your own.  What is God laying on YOUR heart?? I guarantee that what you intend as a small act to bless someone else, God will use to bless YOU. 




Kirsten                                                  

Friday, March 16, 2012

It's Spring!!

It's Spring!!  Or at least it feels like it!  And what better way to celebrate Spring, and the new beginnings that it represents, than with a couple new fundraisers!!??!!



GUYS POKER NIGHT




A good friend of ours is organizing a poker night for guys in the local area. 

Friday, March 23rd
7:00 pm


If you're in the area, enjoy a good game of poker, and are interested in helping us reach our goal, let us know!!!  I know Charles would love to have you join them.  Email us at ckgregoire2@yahoo.com for more information.


Pokers not your thing?  Me either.  But what about cupcakes?  Now I KNOW this is something you can get on board for!



SISTERS' SWEETS



And they don't just LOOK good, they TASTE delicious too!!  What started as a hobby of my talented sister-in-law's, has turned into a cool little side business for her.  Of which, she's offered to donate HALF of her profits to our adoption! 

Every order is custom-made using fresh, made-from-scratch ingredients.  And OH!  the varieties!


~ Vanilla ~ Vanilla Bean ~ Chocolate ~ CHOCOLATE MOCHA ~ Pound ~ Banana Pound ~ LEMON POUND ~ Lemon ~ Key LimeSpiceFresh Strawberry ~ Coconut ~





And DON'T even get me started on the fillings (can I say Chocolate Ganache, Triple-Berry Preserves, and Lemon Curd!?!) and the delicious homemade frostings such as, but not limited to, Vanilla Buttercream, Salted Caramel Buttercream, and Peanut Butter Buttercream.  And SO MUCH MORE!!

Cookies and scones also!

Email Sarah directly at sisterssweetsphilly@gmail.com to place an order!


 



And as always, we also have some of our old fundraisers still in effect.  Photography, Real estate, Book Sales, Wooden toys, Coffee.....  Just click on our fundraising tab to check those out! 

Don't we have just about the greatest bunch of friends and family EVER??!!?  Since the moment we announced that we were adopting, so many of you have rallied around us with your time, talents and resources. We are so, so blessed!! 

Thanks for loving on us!!





Kirsten

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Survivor

So many of you have faithfully continued to ask about my sister-in-law Anna and how her recovery has been now that she is at home.  Here is a little something that her husband Brian posted to his FB page yesterday:


                                                    

Survivor-Woman. Had a great appointment with one of her surgeons from the January Journeys. Dr.'s words, "you almost died...twice. I didn't think you'd survive the second time.".
But here she is 2 months later. Crazy.
 
Isn't she beautiful???  Thanks for all your continued prayers for Anna.  My mother and father in-law finally left to head back home to Florida yesterday after spending the last 65 days in California by her side.  Brian has not yet returned to work, but eventually he will.  Each day Anna is getting stronger and stronger.  Praise be to God alone!

Thanks for your continued prayers!





Kirsten 

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Our Monthly Update :)

The past few weeks, God has really been stirring me to begin praying for our adoption. Not simple, "Bless our adoption" type prayers; but bold, specific, faith-filled prayers.  He's awoken me in the wee hours of the morning to pray, roused me in the shower, and kept it at the forefront of my thoughts for days on end.  I know He is moving, even when it seems like not much is happening these days.

Specifically, I had been praying that God would allow us to be encouraged this month.  That there would be SOME movement in the right direction.  Over and over this month, God has reminded me that HE alone causes governments to rise and fall. That HE is in control of ALL things.  That HE is good, and we can trust Him.  Time and time again, I have had to allow myself  to be comforted by these truths.  Strengthened.  Emboldened even.

Well, the end of the month brought our monthly update for our adoption.  Honestly, given the past few months, and how it has seemed like we have BARELY moved, our expectations weren't too high, despite specific prayers to the contrary.

At the end of January, we were holding steady at #85.  Today?





Surprise!  We moved FIVE spots!  That is the most movement we've seen in months. We'll take it. 

This morning, our pastor talked about praying audacious prayers.  It's been on my heart all day.  Are my simple-minded, faithless, rote prayers insulting to the King of the universe?  Isn't He capable of so much more than I even dare to ask for??

So, for next month, I'm shamelessly asking God to move us down another five spots.  Charles told me to ask for 20.  I'm not quite THAT audacious yet. ;)  Baby steps people!

In the meantime, I'm thinking through some other areas in my life where I could afford to ask more boldly.  What about you?  What has He put on YOUR heart lately??  What is He waiting for you to pray specifically about today?





Kirsten