The Giving Tree

When James and I were foster parents, there were many years that the "Elf Sleigh" helped to provide gifts for the children we cared for.  The Elf Sleigh, as we called it, was actually The Giving Tree.  The gifts were provided by people like you... Someone who stopped by the tree at Columbia Mall and chose a card, purchased items from the child's wish list and returned the gifts to the mall to be forwarded to the foster parent, who then was able to wrap the gifts and provide additional gifts as needed.

Foster parents often have six or more children in their home, and gifts from The Giving Tree are a great help to them as they attempt to provide a meaningful Christmas to a child who is often hurting from the circumstances in his or her life.

The best part may be that the ones who provide the gifts get the blessing of being a part of helping these children during the holidays!  The phrase, "it takes a village", rings true here.  In the best case, many people invest in the lives of a foster child.  The foster parents, counselors, court advocates, case workers, school teachers and coaches, extended foster family members, church family, and, people like you, who might not even know the child, but want to help because God lays it on their hearts.

Ever wonder why WE get the gifts when it is JESUS' BIRTHDAY?  I think if we give a gift to a foster child in the name of Jesus, maybe even pray over that gift before dropping it off,  it is like giving a birthday gift to Jesus, Himself.  How He must smile!

If you'd rather make a financial donation to The Giving Tree, checks can be mailed to: Columbia Foster and Adoption Project, 3615 Southland Drive, Columbia, MO 65201.

10% of all purchases at Because Boutique throughout November will be donated to The Giving Tree

National Adoption Month

While there are many ways to adopt, the particular focus during the month of November is the adoption of children from foster care, which happens to be the way that adoption touches my life as a foster-adoptive parent.



Our first "Gotcha Day", November 14, 2005

AdopUSKids shares that of the 400,000 children in foster care in the United States, more than 100,000 of them are waiting to be adopted! They break it down by state and share that in Missouri alone, there are over 13,000 children in foster care, and 1,500 of these children have no identified adoptive parents.




For information about how to foster or adopt, what it costs, support groups, who to contact and how to get started, AdoptUSKids has information, broken down by state.  If you're not in the position to foster or adopt, but want to help, there are still steps you can take to help.

My favorite website about adoption is The MissouriHeart Gallery.  It was created to allow children currently in foster care, hoping for adoptive “forever families,” to step from the shadows into the light. I love to visit there and look at the faces and information of some of the children currently waiting.

 



I find it meaningful to look at the faces of these children and pray for them by name. I probably won’t adopt again, but this is something I can still do that will impact their lives. Consider visiting the waiting children page, learning more about these children and lifting them up in prayer.

AdoptUSKids also has a video of young people, who have made the leap from foster care to adoption, discussing the noticeable improvements in their lives. The love and stability provided by their adoptive families made all the difference. 

Christmas is coming up soon, so I wanted to share one of my favorite songs about adoption. Here's "All I Really Want for Christmas" by adoptive parent, Steven Curtis Chapman.

The need for adoptive families is big, but Our God is Bigger!

XOXO♥♥♥ 

Deanna





$16.99 at Because Boutique 

Partial proceeds benefit our local

Foster Care Giving Tree, providing

Christmas gifts to children in foster

care

We, like trees,...

I love fall! The crispness in the air….campfires….s’mores….



...walks in the woods, listening to the sound of the wind blowing through the trees and the leaves under my feet.




My favorite thing about fall, though, is the beauty of the leaves turning. When I see the bright colors of red, orange and yellow, I feel as if nature is pointing to the glory of God. I can’t wait each year for the peak of the fall colors! Many years, we have taken family photos amidst the fall foliage, and I have many fond memories of day trips to the trails at Mark Twain Lake.



(I'll just put this right here since November is National Adoption Awareness Month :)

Peak seemed to come late this year, though, and a few weeks ago I feared that this fall wouldn’t be as pretty as I had hoped. Many of the leaves were turning brown and falling without the color display we are accustomed to.

I asked myself the other day about what spiritual comparison might be made when the fall colors aren’t as brilliant. I have heard that less rain is the cause of this, so I gave some thought to what our spiritual “rain” might be. Probably, I decided, the nourishment from God that comes from studying His word and maintaining a close relationship with Him.

We were created to worship God… to reveal His glory….to let His love shine as brightly as the most colorful trees. If we don’t accept the “rain” He offers, are we like the trees whose leaves wither and fall with no color?

If our “tree” does reveal beauty before losing its leaves while the 50 or so trees around us fail to do so, does it cause us to stand out more? …to look even more beautiful to those who observe? Does it make those who watch us want to see more of God’s beauty?



Do the “trees” (people) around us that might have displayed beauty last fall want to do what they need to do to have a more colorful display next year? Could our “rain” (spiritual nourishment) also be of benefit to the “tree” (person) next to us?

Regardless, I want to be like the tree that boasts of God’s glory…not the one that dried up without pointing others to God. And I’d like to be able to enjoy witnessing other “trees” do the same.




As it turned out, this fall has proven to be just as beautiful as those I’ve loved in the past, with the trees bursting with beauty as they declare the goodness of God!

Just as I love gazing upon a wooded area full of colorful trees, I imagine that our Creator loves looking down upon His disciples that have received the nourishment He has to offer and by doing so, show all those who observe how awesome He is.

$16.99 at Because Boutique

Bigger Than Your Circumstances

Kyle Segars from Sow & Tether,  Sunday's Anchor Festival headliner group,  shares here about the fact that Our God is Bigger than Your Circumstances.

Kyle shares that their band's goal is to  "sing about, and make much of, Jesus".  Sow & Teather concerts include original songs, along with the upbeat contemporary music that we always look forward to on Sunday afternoon of Anchor Fest.

We can also expect  a mix of hymns like Nothing But the Blood.

Like Kyle, I hope to see you Sunday (I'll be on keyboard during community worship as well as right before Sow & Tether in the afternoon).  Until then, remember Kyle's advice...

The concert is free, but bring cash if you want to enjoy carnival rides, vendor tents or concessions.  And don't forget the sunscreen and lawn chairs (some picnic table seating is provided). 

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Join Me!

My husband, James, received a life-saving liver transplant against all odds.  The hardest time of my life occurred during the time between diagnosis and transplant.  But it was also a most beautiful time of God showing me his love and provision. 

Church family, friends in our community, and people we didn’t even know, reached out to us with love during this time.  They prayed for us, gave gifts to us and offered emotional support, which was life-saving to us in it’s own way.  Our little community declared that “God is Bigger than James’ Liver”, and that thought got us through many hard days.

I tell James that at almost 50 years old, I grew up during his illness and recovery.  My relationship with God went to new levels, which I want to share with you over time in this blog. 

In answer to our prayer, James received the perfect liver at the perfect time!  As we looked back, we determined that we wanted to reach out to others during their hard times the way that others reached out to us.  We have been waiting for God to show us how to do this.  I think He wishes to do so one step at a time.  But I believe that this site is definitely part of it. 

I want it to be a place of encouragement for those that need it during their darkest, scariest times.  I want it to be a place where we can come together and focus on God….a reminder to us all that we can rely on, and celebrate in, the fact that “God is Bigger” than our circumstances, our past, our fears…and even our most joyful times!  Not only that, but I hope it will be a place where I can share opportunities for you to serve and to share your own stories...and a place where you can share your needs or the needs of others for prayer support. 

Join me on my journey to live….love…and serve our Big God!

Here’s one of my favorite songs about God’s Greatness…..Our God by Chris Tomlin