I don’t know how I met Kelly. I guess it happened in the way of blogging–you link to one person, they click around and then suddenly you’re friends with someone across the world! At her blog, Miskellany, Kelly writes about living a frugal life, vegetarianism, natural and green living and her sweet family, including her almost 2 year old son, Simon.
If you’ve been around ohAmanda awhile you might know Kelly because she links to Top Ten {Tuesday} almost every week. She’s doing a Pond Party for her son so she and I are fun-party-minded-friends! She and Betsy did an amazing series about Green Holidays last Christmas. Overall, she’s a girl I’d be friends with in real life. You would, too.
And now, she needs some friends. Because a few weeks ago, after having some blurred vision she found out she has a brain tumor sitting on her optical nerve. Next week she’s going to Johns Hopkins for consultation and surgery. If the surgery is super successful, she’ll be in and out of the hospital after a few weeks. If it’s less than successful, she could lose her eyesight. This for a 29 year old woman who sews and loves to read and has a 2 year old! If this is the case, she will have to stay in Baltimore for several months and learn to live without sight.
My heart BREAKS for her. Can you imagine if this was you? Or your best friend? Well, the fabulous Jessie (who is also an IRL friend of Kelly’s) has organized a small way for us to reach out to Kelly. We’re going to buy her some pajamas. She’s going to be recovering for a long time and as a frugal mama, doesn’t usually buy stuff for herself and she wished for some comfy pjs. It’s the least we can do, right?
So, would you? could you? Can you donate $3 to Pajamas For Kelly? After we buy some pjs, we’re hoping we can throw a Trader Joe’s giftcard in there, too. So they can buy some yummy foods while away from home.
And we’d love for you to spread the word. Would you tweet something like, My heart is aching for Kelly, a blogging mom to a 2yo undergoing brain surgery! Help us love on her? http://wp.me/p6p4p-2t6 #pjs4kelly
Or just like this post on Facebook? There’s a button right below this post.
Also, Jessie has made contacts with some etsy shops because Kelly is a huge fan of Etsy (who isn’t?) and homemade/upcycled items. Some fabulous shops–Moxie Mandie and Candace from Twiggie Makes have donated store credit for Kelly to use & enjoy. If you’re interested in doing the same, please email jessie at vanderbiltwife dot com.
And don’t forget, the most fabulous thing you can do for Kelly is pray. Pray for healing. Pray for peace. Pray for the doctor’s wisdom. Pray for protection. Pray for her husband. Pray for her son, Simon. For with God, nothing is impossible!
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Remember how every month Iyou we give to a different organization or ministry? I take a portion of the money I make via ads, campaigns and sponsored posts and then highlight a cool organization or ministry and give them a gift each month. I love it because it shows YOU some cool places to plant your money AND I get to give. Which honestly, makes me happy!
Well…last month something happened and I never did anything. I was going to write a post about how you can text 4JAPAN to 20222 to donate $10 to World Vision’s efforts in Japan. But…uhm…well, you saw how well that went. {But hey! You should still do that! In fact. I just stopped right now and did it. Seriously. Look.}
Today I was actually reading the blogs in my feedreader. I haven’t done this in months. I just see that it gets up to like 1000+ unread messages and mark ALL AS READ. And I hate doing that. I miss out on a bunch of good stuff. Anywhoo. Today I was determined to read through every single post in my reader. (And I did!) The one post that stuck out to me was on the Compassion Blog about TOMS One Day Without Shoes.
You know about TOMS Shoes right? It’s an organization that provides shoes for kids in impoverished countries. And they also sell shoes to rich Americans (that’s me and you). And when YOU buy one pair of shoes, Tom’s donates a pair of shoes to a child in another country.
Why shoes? Well, according to their website, kids can get diseases from not wearing shoes! In fact, there are many soil-transmitted diseases that can penetrate the skin through feet! Can you imagine? Not to mention the kids that are unable to go to school because they are barefoot!
To help promote TOMS Shoes, their mission and the plight of poverty-stricken kids around the world today (Tuesday, April 5) is TOMS annual ONE DAY WITHOUT SHOES. All you gotta do is not wear shoes. (Or wear your TOMS, of course.) And when someone asks why you are barefoot you can tell them! Isn’t that fun? {You can even upload pics of your shoeless day and get a big group together and have a barefoot event!}
So. Today the kids and I are going without shoes. And I’m asking you to do the same! In fact, to encourage you, I’m going to share some TOMS Shoes & info AND give you the chance to win a $50 giftcard to TOMS. Then you’ll be able to wear your TOMS Shoes AND give a pair of shoes to a child in need!
THE TOP TEN REASONS YOU SHOULD JOIN TOMS SHOES’ ONE DAY WITHOUT SHOES TODAY
Just do any of the following & leave a comment for each:
1. Leave a comment. How many pairs of shoes do YOU own? (I have 21 counting my slippers & random bridesmaid shoes.)
2. Tweet it. I just entered to win a $50 giftcard to @TomsShoes because @oohamanda is going #WithoutShoes today! http://bit.ly/ohShoes
3. Share this on Facebook. It’s easy—just click LIKE below. You can even add a comment!
4. Go without shoes today!
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Link up your Top Ten list and join in the Top Ten {Tuesday} fun! All you have to do is WRITE a top ten list, PASTE it below, LINK back to me in your post & then start LOVIN’on the rest of the participants with facebook likes, stumbles, comments and tweets! For better and more succinct guidelines see my Top Ten {Tuesday} page!
The next few Tuesdays I’m going to share all my top-ten Christmas-y things with you—music, food, books and more.
But today, I’m taking a page from one of our Top Ten {Tuesday} participants: Shannon from Dwell Swell and her amazing Joy To The World post. Here are the…
Yup. Like a goat. When I was in the Dominican Republic with World Vision we stopped by a goat farm. It was run by 12 women (moms and aunts of sponsored kids). They were learning to take care of the goats, to milk them, to make cheese, milk and yogurt. They were able to feed the malnourished children in their community. And eventually make money to help support their community in other ways. Matthew Paul Turner (author and fearless Dominican Republic Blogger Leader) is hosting Gift-a-Goat week on his blog. Don’t you wanna give a goat?!
My sister-in-law works with a ministry in downtown Atlanta that helps victims of sex-trafficking. Let me say that another way–
MY SISTER IN LAW WORKS IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA MINISTERING TO GIRLS WHO HAVE BEEN CONNED, KIDNAPPED AND FORCED INTO SEX TRADE.
This year, I’m buying my sister-in-law (Hey, Catie! Sorry to spoil the surprise!) a bracelet made by women in Thailand. These women have escaped or been rescued from the sex trafficking industry. They are now a part of a ministry that counsels them and gives them real-life training like jewelry-making, sewing and baking.
3. Camera Strap. Or a Purse. Or wait, maybe a cookie?!
The Mercy House shop started as a jewelry shop. Today, lots of small momprenuers are gifting their wares to the Mercy House. And all the proceeds go to their maternity home in Kenya.
So, someone is getting a camera strap. Or a purse. Or a cookie. Or a necklace for Christmas this year.
I love getting Christmas-y things for Christmas. My mom collects nativity scenes. I’m still on the lookout for the perfect one–I think we have about 3—a Little People one, a handmade one from the Dominican with an extra Mary instead of a Joseph and a glass one from my Grandmother. Yeah, they’re all kind of odd.
I’m thinking about getting this one from Azizi Life. I first heard about Azizi Life from Sara Groves, one of my long distance heroes. It’s an organization in Rwanda that “strengthens communities, promotes local enterprise and supports fair wages”. They help craftsman get the supplies they need, give others the ability to apprentice under them and then sell the goods for fair wages to help them support themselves!
I found 31bits through Shannon’s post. I was stunned by the beautiful website, necklaces and photographs. But even more impressed by their first value: Love, because love stems from Christ and is a catalyst for positive change.
I am thinking of getting this necklace for my mom. She’s a long-necklace kinda person. She would love knowing a woman in Uganda made this necklace and was being mentored, strengthened and protected by her work.
This necklace is $30. I found a cool necklace for $32 on etsy. I love supporting handmade wares on etsy, but this 31bits necklace empowers women to rise above poverty–and leads them to Jesus.
6. A book. And clothes. And food. And medicine. And Schooling.
{This is a gift we sent to our sponsored daughter, Alizeta. She’s the one on the right, isn’t she cute?!}
Sponsor a child through Compassion and a needy child will have food, medicine, clothing, schooling and more. You’ll also receive a special book called The Brightest Star which tells the story of Christmas and is then personalized with your child and their information.
Yeah, this gift is one you’ll be paying each month. $38 a month. But the return? It’s more than any gift you’ll receive this year, I promise.
I’ve already told you about our shoeboxes. Maybe you can’t pack a box. But you can sponsor someone’s box. Only $7 sends a box to a little boy or girl in need. It’s National Packing Week–please give today!
Does anyone remember the hat Asa wore to Blissdom ’09? It was like the cutest thing EVER. And he got another hat like it for his birthday. It’s taken me all this time to get him to put it on. And now that he’s wearing it, I want him to wear it all the time. There is just nothing cuter than a little boy in a hat!
My friend Candace from Twiggie Makes has set up her entire etsy shop to donate to Compassion International. Buy any of her adorable toddler hats, clutches or flowers and you’re money will be sent direction to Compassion!
9. Blue Plastic
This Christmas our family is going to each pick a gift to give to Jesus. It’s all because of this book I got…I’ll be reviewing it on Impress Your Kids in the coming weeks. We’re going to pick a gift from an organization like World Vision or Samaritan’s Purse and give it to “the least of these” so that we are actually giving it to Jesus (see Matthew 25).
Anyway, I’ve already picked what I want. It’s 1000 square feet of blue plastic that can be made into a temporary shelter. They’ve already built these “blue villages” in Haiti. I just imagine a mother being homeless after the earthquake and I want to give her a house.
Here’s a video to explain it better:
One of these blue plastic houses is just $130. That’s less than a Kindle.
10. ohAmanda
I have finally decided to pursue private ads on ohAmanda. With the main purpose of giving the proceeds to organizations like the ones I’ve linked to today. Each month, I’ll feature a new gift that ohAmanda will buy. This month I’m going to join MPT’s Gift-A-Goat week and buy a goat.
If you’re interested in advertising on ohAmanda and think we’d be a good fit, please email me for my media kit, rates, etc. For anyone that cares, I’ll be tithing, then paying for my hosting ($9.99/month) and then buy/give this monthly gift.
Each month I’ll choose something new. The idea is that you’ll be inspired to give this gift, too. But even if you don’t buy, just know that clicking on my affiliate links, my sidebar and feedreeder ads are giving money to these organizations.
Thank you for clicking, giving and getting involved!
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Link up your Top Ten list and join in the Top Ten {Tuesday} fun! All you have to do is WRITE a top ten list, PASTE it below, LINK back to me in your post & then start LOVIN’on the rest of the participants with facebook likes, stumbles, comments and tweets! For better and more succinct guidelines see my Top Ten {Tuesday} page!
The following is a guest post by one of my best blogging friends and sisterchicks, Jessie from Vanderbilt Wife. And when I first read this it gave me chills. Enjoy. The topic was stewardship, and the question referred to the “do not worry about tomorrow” passage in Matthew. The question, from a study on Mission, [...]
I usually keep up to date with Shannon from Rocks in My Dryer and Sophie aka Boomama. And I knew (and was insanely jealous) that they were going to Uganda with Compassion International. Live blogging about the lives of children who need love and Jesus? That’s my kinda gig. For whatever reason, I missed out [...]
I bought my hubby a CD for Christmas. Yeah, I’m a big spender. It was actually a gift from Lydia to her Daddy. It’s a cd by Sara Groves called, Station Wagon: Songs for Parents. Do you know Sara Groves? I love her! She’s close to my age, has preschool kids and just writes personal [...]
Hello. Hellooooo! I know why Oprah won’t answer her phone. I have 9 Oprah shows tivoed! I haven’t watched all season! She’s mad at me. So, I sat down and watched one today. It was the episode with Bill Clinton. He was there promoting his book, Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World. [...]
