A Thank You Note to Our Veterans

Taking a sacred moment to remember,

How you fought and sacrificed for our freedom.

You left your wives, children’s and mothers,

Your brothers and sisters and fathers;

 We want to say thank you brave soldiers. 

We honor you for your bravery,

Forgiving your life to serve this country;

Freedom, liberty and justice you brought,

It is what we have because you fought.

You achieved peace and democracy,

Served every day to protect our country;

Words are too little to encompass your history,

How you kept the American Dream faithfully.

Thank you for your service and sacrifice,

May God bless you with more strength;

You will always be our heroes,

And forever be in our hearts.

On this day, let’s take a minute to thank someone that served our country. let’s also say a silent prayer that the ones that are deployed would make it home safely, the ones that are wounded be healed, and their family would find strength. Remember, there are no unwounded soldiers during wartime, and there is always one that needs a small words of encouragement.

"May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you. And be gracious to you. The lord keep his countenance upon you. And give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26

Visible Love through Shopping: Part 5

Chocolate has become one of the most popular gifts given during the holiday’s season. Over 3 million tons of cocoa beans are consumed around the world annually. The market value of the current annual cocoa crop is $5.1 billion. The retail chocolate industry in the United States is worth a little over $13 billion per year. Valentine's Day chocolates contribute more than $1 billion to that total. On average, Americans eat a little over 11 1/2 pounds of chocolate every year, and yes Chocolate is an $80 Billion a year industry.

The sad truth is the vast majority of chocolate products are made using child Slavery. This are children 8 to 15 years olds who are taken away or sold by their parents, so they could be slaves to the chocolate market with no pay, no schooling, and to sum it all up  no childhood. Most of these children have never tasted chocolate before, while we get to enjoy and eat the sweetness of their labor. The Ivory Coast produces nearly half of the world cocoa. There are about 600,000 cocoa farms in the Ivory coast, estimated 15,000 children forced to work as slaves in this farms. It is also estimated 90% of cocoa farm in the Ivory coast uses child labor.  Here are a few links of documentaries on youtube, so you can watch and see it yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNpwIzeyjKQ&feature=related

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lua2wB0qr6I&feature=youtu.be 

One way we can help these children is by not giving our money to companies who are involved in child labor. Next time your reach for a Hershey bar, M&M, kit Kat, or Nestle think about this children.  There are many chocolate companies who are slave free and taste as good as the big chocolate makers.  The link below should be very helpful when you are on your way to buy some chocolates for the holidays.  

http://vision.ucsd.edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/index.html

Another way you can be involved is by writing a letter to this companies,  telling them you will not be buying their products until they stop child slavery.  Also you can writie to legislators who let them get away with it. The link below will give you the necessary contact informations and sample letters you can use to write this companies.

 http://vision.ucsd.edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/takeaction.html

And yes; life is full of  boxes of chocolates, but now you have the power to decide which ones you are going to give and get.

"Who ever causes one of this little ones who belive in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a milestone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea" Mark 9:42

Image Credit:  Free2 work, hershey.com, m&m.com

Reaching for the Moon

Reaching for the moon coming back empty hand,

Tears rolling heartbreaking, maybe I am just dreaming;

When others look at me and ask me what happened,

I don’t know what to say, so I keep on smiling.

They keep asking….

"Did you reach the moon yet, isn’t it what you need?

Did you get closer, touched it and felt the heat?

How long has it been since you have been trying?

Don’t wait too long sweetheart time is flying. "

I thank them for their advice and I say I will try,

You are right my friends’ time really flies.

Though I know in my heart the sleepless nights,

The courage it took, my prayers and my thoughts;

How I wished and dreamed how much I tried,

How much I want to say, I got a hold of it.

Oh, sweet moon why are you far away?

You made the sky your field to play with my mind,

When I come near to you, you run away and hide;

When I give up and walk you shine your light,

Should I just let you go, or should I keep on waiting?

Do you need some time, or should I quit trying?

Maybe it is time to let you reach for me,

Come to me sweet moon before it is too late;

The sun has been waiting to take over your place,

But If you come on time we can all celebrate.

Do you sometimes feel like you are so far away from your dream? Does it feel like you are trying to reach for the moon? Whatever your dream may be, and no matter how far it may seem; don’t give up. Keep on trying and keep on praying and wait for God to do his work because god’s timing is a lot different than our timing.  The scripture tells us  "The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the lord " Lamentation 3: 25-26  God always acts, but not according to our schedule, but his. Sometimes his plan may be a lot different than ours, so keep on listening for God’s guidance.  In the meantime don't forget to show your visible love to others who are also trying to achieve the simple things in life, such as food, water,  clothing, and  shelter. These things may look simple to us, but for those who are in need, it may feel as if they are trying to reach for the moon. when we bless others we will also be blessed and get one step closer to our dreams...

Photo credit: betterthansurviving.com, care2 blog,  livewalpaper.net, androidzoom.com

If you only knew

If you knew how much it hurts,

Not having a place to rest;

Being cold out on the dust,

I know you would lend your hands.

If you only knew how it feels to starve,

Not being able to feed my child;

to feel desperate and to feel so sad,

I know you would lend your hands.

 

If you knew how it feels to beg,

Not being able to stand on my legs;

To be looked down by others,

To make them feel so bothered;

I know you would lend your hands.

If you knew how it feels to doubt,

Without knowing what to do next;

When my wife dies on my hands,

And my child cries on my lap;

I know you would lend your hands.

If you knew how it feels to lack;

No one to hug no hands to hold,

To feel lonely out on the sand;

I know you would lend your hands.

 

Now you know how it feels,

To be me out on the fields,

Could you help me my brothers;

Would you help me, my sisters,

Thank you for feeling my pain;

May God bless you again and again.

"But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for god love a cheerful giver. 2nd Corinthians 9:6-7

Photo Credit: thesimplehouse.com,steve Mccury, 123rf.com, Charles Maccau, reddit.com

Visible Love through Shopping: Part 4

Here are my weekly lists of companies who stands behind a cause...

Warby Parker: Did you know almost one billion people worldwide lack access to glasses. This means that 15% of the global population cannot effectively learn or work - a problem that Warby Parker is determined to address. Wary parker not only provides higher-quality, better-looking, vintage inspired prescription eyewear at a fraction of the price, but also ensure that for every pair of glasses sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need. The coolest thing about this company is that they send you up to 5 pairs of glasses to try on at home for 5 days free including a pre-paid return shipping label to send them back to them with no obligation to buy.  This program is available to anyone in the contiguous 48 states.

http://www.warbyparker.com

CHOOZE:  is a company that makes artistic and creative mismatched children’s shoes that comes in a recycled-cardboard art box and available in a variety of styles. CHOOZE invests its profits in anti poverty programs. This program provides training support education and loans to women, so they can start their own businesses and lift themselves out of extreme poverty.  In addition to helping women chooze cares for the environment by using only vegan materials and creating art box instead of shoe boxes made from recycled cardboards.

http://www.choozeshoes.com

Furnace Hills Coffee Company :  If you are a coffee lover like I am,  here is a company  who has intimate, long term working relationships with coffee farms and farmers in more than 15 countries around the world. They will get you coffee From the far away regions of Ethiopia, to the shade covered mountain slopes of Honduras, and  yes they pay over fair trade prices for their specialty beans. Furnace Hills also has a commitment to hire people that are developmentally disabled. Their goal is to hire more developmentally disabled people as their roasting company grows. This is why their phrase   “Special coffee roasted by special people” is true

http://furnacehillscoffee.com

Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right. Proverbs 20:11

See you next week for more....

The storm

During my trip across the Sea of Galilee,

A big storm came up and tried to sink me;

Tossed with waves in the midst of the sea,

I was trapped in fear at the base of the valley.

I didn't know what to do, so I asked him to help me;

I said “master do something I am about to sink.

Then he said to me….

Oh, you little faith why do you doubt?

In the midst of the storm be a good cheer;

It is I, who is beside you do not fear.

If you just put your eyes upon me,

I will pull your hand out of the sea.

I am not another trial or another problem,

I am not a ghost or difficulty but I am your savior.

Be thrilled about it and look at what happens;

In the final moment of your crisis.

If you look at me just for a moment,

I guarantee you, you will be in peace.

I don’t want to watch you drawn, or carry your fear,

But I want to see your breath and be a good cheer.  

Don’t go back to your own hopelessness,

When your are tossed around with waves;

Don’t turn back to your own resources,

Rejoice my child just rejoices.

I know the despondency of your situation,

But I promise I will be the absolute solution.

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?  And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? “

Matthew 8:23-27

Photo Credit: Justforkidsmeagazine.com, harkphoto.com Wonorwood.com

A night of hope with Joel Osteen

Regardless of all the controversy surrounding Joel Osteen, I think everyone who has been watching and listening to his messages can agree on one thing,  which is that through his ministry millions of people have been changed, delivered, restored and are given hope.

This past weekend I had the privilege to attend "A night of hope with Joel Osteen" in Los Angeles. So, I thought I would share with you whatever I was able to jot down on my notebook.  

For those of you who don’t know who Joel Osteen is, I will give you a little bit of background. Joel Osteen is a 49-year-old Texan pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston –a church that under his leadership has grown into the largest and fastest-growing congregation in the country; according to Church Growth Today more than 30,000 people attend Lakewood Church each weekend. For those who can’t make it to his church on Sundays, Lakewood broadcasts its services in dozens of television markets, reaching 95 percent of American households with cable, as well as seven million broadcast viewers in 100 countries. Last year, the program gained the number one spot in Nielsen’s ratings of inspirational television shows. Also, he has been featured one of  ABC News "10 most influential people in 2006" and one of the most influential Christians" by The Church Report.

 10 Messages from “A night of hope”

1)      How you set the day will determine what kind of day you are going to have. Start the day with great expectations. Even before you check your phone in the morning make a time to count your blessing and thank god for all of his gifts. “God is good to all people who are looking for his goodness”

2)      If you want to live a victories life you got to know what to ignore. Make sure you are not getting into a battle you are not supposed to fight. “No person can keep you from your destiny”

3)      Don’t bring baggage from yesterday to today. If you know how to let go of the old, God will give you many new blessings.

4)      Forgive everyone and yourself for everything. So you can be free to receive God’s blessing.

5)      God is not only a God of good people, but he is also a God of sinners. That is why he doesn’t only call himself only a "God of Abraham and Isaac", but he also calls himself "a God of Jacob". God uses ordinary people to help extraordinary people.

6)      God can do all things people can’t do. Store up the word of god in your heart by reading his word every day. Never leave your house without carrying the word of God.

7)      God is in control of the storm. He doesn’t allow difficulty in your life without a plan to get you out of the storm. When the wind starts blowing you, remember that is exactly where you need to be. Let the storm take you to where ever you need to go.

8)      Always look at the good in people. Call out the seeds of greatness in the people God put in your life. Praise always precedes victory. When you refresh others you will be refreshed. If you are disagreeing with people always remember it is not about who is right but what is right. Never regret your investment in people.

9)      See yourself as a masterpiece of God's work. God went through great lengths to make you the way you are. You are not ordinary. You have been painted by the most talented painter. Understand your value. People see you the way you see yourself. You have the breath of an Almighty god on you and you are his greatest possession.

10)   God did not leave anybody out. When you see another person who is extraordinary remember you are also extraordinary in a different way. You have something other people don’t have. We are all unique and equally created in the image of God.

"God said “let us make man in our image according to our likeness; so god created a man on his own image; In the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:26-27"

"And the lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and a man become a living being. Genesis 2: 7"

 “Now let's go a head and be the master piece God crated us to be”