I thought I'd give an update on my highly successful baby shower last month! I was worried that not many people would be able to make it on such short notice, but the party was hoppin'! I don't think another body would have fit in my friend Laura's house! Not comfortably at least. Three lovely ladies who are very special to me, Laura, Sara and Talia, worked together to make Kaisa's baby shower truly special. It was amazing to me how you 3, and everyone else who participated, were able to not only celebrate Kaisa's life, and make me feel oh so loved, but also bless 2 little orphans in the process! I'd call that a success, wouldn't you?! Before the shower Marnie's adoption grant on Reece's Rainbow read $306. After we sent in all your donations (along with online donations sent in) her grant read $437.50! Before the shower Samuel's adoption grant stood at $157. Afterward he now has $306.50! I find that completely amazing, and I am so thankful to all of you who were able to give. Look at how God took a small group of people and multiplied their pennies to bless these two precious ones. It never fails to amaze me how God does that! We often think we have so little to give, what is the point? But I think we are actually missing the point entirely. God actually calls believers to give generously to those in need, to defend the cause of the widow and the orphan, to embrace the little children and not hinder them... and even if we have very little in the way of money to give, God can use it! He can multiply it! Just like Jesus did with the loaves and fishes:
Matthew 14:14-21
14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
This same story is retold in John 6, and there it says the loaves and fishes were a small boys lunch, but he gladly handed it over to the disciples. One child gave sacrificially and Jesus used his gift to bless more than 5,000 people. And had 12 baskets of leftovers! I think we could all do well to remember that God takes our small gifts, and multiplies them. This also brings to mind these verses:
Mark 12:41-44
41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.[a] 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
The Lord knows our circumstances, He knows whether we give out of plenty or out of poverty, and he blesses our gifts, donations, and tithes accordingly.
All that to say that I am so grateful for the generosity of all of you! You showed the love and generous spirit of Christ to me and to the "least of these", my sweet prayer warrior kiddos, Marnie and Samuel. Thank you all!
Please also continue to pray for them to find a family soon! The fact that they will spend another Christmas in an orphanage is heart breaking. I pray that by next Christmas they will be home with their forever families! For those who would like to see their beautiful faces again and read their profiles, here are their links:
http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=Marnie
http://reecesrainbow.org/4586/samuel-3-2
And for fun here are a few pictures from the shower! These are all from my sister in law Talia, I didn't take any myself. If any of you have cute pictures from the shower on your camera or phone, please share!
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Me after a shower game, where someone would say something about how we met, or something nice about me and then decorate me with a sticker or bow. :)[/caption][caption id="attachment_106" align="aligncenter" width="610"]
Another fun shower game where you have to draw a picture of a baby on a paper plate that is on top of your head![/caption][caption id="attachment_107" align="aligncenter" width="610"]
My awesome sister in law and mother in law playing the paper plate game.[/caption][caption id="attachment_108" align="aligncenter" width="610"]
Debbie's (Mother in law) plate on the left. Talia's (sister in law) on right. Hehe.[/caption][caption id="attachment_109" align="aligncenter" width="610"]
Cana thoroughly enjoying her cupcake. Apparently she had 3.[/caption]My favorite keepsake from the shower:
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Filled out with help from Aunt Talia. I will keep this forever![/caption]Several other guests filled out wishes for Kaisa, and I cried when I read them. They are all so sweet and beautiful. We will treasure them always! Thank you everyone!
