What's Next for Francis Chan? A Conversation with Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris from Ben Peays on Vimeo.
Monday, August 30, 2010
What's next for Francis Chan...
If you have followed the life and ministry of Francis Chan in any way, this video below might be of interest to you.
What's Next for Francis Chan? A Conversation with Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris from Ben Peays on Vimeo.
What's Next for Francis Chan? A Conversation with Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris from Ben Peays on Vimeo.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Garage Sale Fundraising Tips
To all the other families out there who are in the process of adopting and don't have the capabilities to write a $25,000 check to complete your adoption, a garages sale/community sale/etc. is 1 of many great ways to help raise awareness and funds for your adoption or someone else's adoption.
If you are thinking and brainstorming ideas of what to do, we thought we'd just share a few things we found helpful in our case.
1. Surround yourself with people who love you, will stay up late with you, get up early with you and blister their feet (literally) with you and for you.
2. Have multiple items to sell. Of course lots of garage sale items, but also sell drinks, freezer jam, donuts, pizza, etc. People like variety.
3. Make clean, clear signs giving good information. I know one thing for sure...whenever I see a yard sale sign I usually can tell from the look of the sign what type of sale it is going to be. If the sign is sloppy and throw together at the last minute, I can almost guarantee that the yard sale will be arranged and ordered in the same manner. Seems like a small thing, but it isn't. Also, make sure the signs are big enough for people to read from 40 feet away.
4. For us, we decided to do a 1 day sale. This had more to do with our location, etc. but it worked out ok for us.
5. Advertise in the appropriate spots. 1) Good signs in a lot of places 2) Craigslist 3) Facebook - make it a noteworthy item for people to talk about and spread 4) Newspaper - people still actually read the newspaper for yard sale information. I made sure I talked with people to see how they heard about our sale and a few of them said the newspaper...so I guess it was worth it.
6. Have a Donation Box.- We had several people put some extra change/bills in there. Our message was being communicated and their hearts were stirred by our story. We don't take any credit for that...it is simply the graciousness of the Lord to provide in this manner.
7. Have a sheet with information about where to send Tax-Deductible Donations.
8. Expect rain - I think it is something the Lord allows to make sure our dependence is on the Lord and not in circumstance & pray that it doesn't
9. Be amazed at how God works.
If you are thinking and brainstorming ideas of what to do, we thought we'd just share a few things we found helpful in our case.
1. Surround yourself with people who love you, will stay up late with you, get up early with you and blister their feet (literally) with you and for you.
2. Have multiple items to sell. Of course lots of garage sale items, but also sell drinks, freezer jam, donuts, pizza, etc. People like variety.
3. Make clean, clear signs giving good information. I know one thing for sure...whenever I see a yard sale sign I usually can tell from the look of the sign what type of sale it is going to be. If the sign is sloppy and throw together at the last minute, I can almost guarantee that the yard sale will be arranged and ordered in the same manner. Seems like a small thing, but it isn't. Also, make sure the signs are big enough for people to read from 40 feet away.
4. For us, we decided to do a 1 day sale. This had more to do with our location, etc. but it worked out ok for us.
5. Advertise in the appropriate spots. 1) Good signs in a lot of places 2) Craigslist 3) Facebook - make it a noteworthy item for people to talk about and spread 4) Newspaper - people still actually read the newspaper for yard sale information. I made sure I talked with people to see how they heard about our sale and a few of them said the newspaper...so I guess it was worth it.
6. Have a Donation Box.- We had several people put some extra change/bills in there. Our message was being communicated and their hearts were stirred by our story. We don't take any credit for that...it is simply the graciousness of the Lord to provide in this manner.
7. Have a sheet with information about where to send Tax-Deductible Donations.
8. Expect rain - I think it is something the Lord allows to make sure our dependence is on the Lord and not in circumstance & pray that it doesn't
9. Be amazed at how God works.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Our current stage in the adoption process
Lately, we have received a lot of questions regarding where we are at in the process of our adoption. Thus, I thought I would share a quick timeline so it is clear that we didn't just start the adoption process a month ago and are now on the waiting list.
November 2008 - Filled out initial paperwork for application to adopt with CWA.
January 2009 through June 2009 - Filled out Dossier, Mailed Dossier, Dossier sent to Ethiopia and translated.
July - August 2009 - Officially on the waiting list to adopt. At this same time we find out that Heidi is pregnant. Our agency's policy (which we feel is a good policy) is to have pregnant couples go on hold with the process until 6 months after the birth of the baby. But, because we already had our dossier in and were on the waiting list, we were told that when the time came we could 'get back in line' where we left off.
January 2010 - Camille is born
July 2010 - We call CWA and let them know we'd like to get back into the process.
August 2010 -- CWA took our case before a review committee and approved us to get back on the waiting list. We had our garage sale Fundraiser and it went incredible.
August ---- whenever - Officially on the wait on the Lord list of a boy under 3 from Ethiopia, probably sometime between mid-September through December.
November 2008 - Filled out initial paperwork for application to adopt with CWA.
January 2009 through June 2009 - Filled out Dossier, Mailed Dossier, Dossier sent to Ethiopia and translated.
July - August 2009 - Officially on the waiting list to adopt. At this same time we find out that Heidi is pregnant. Our agency's policy (which we feel is a good policy) is to have pregnant couples go on hold with the process until 6 months after the birth of the baby. But, because we already had our dossier in and were on the waiting list, we were told that when the time came we could 'get back in line' where we left off.
January 2010 - Camille is born
July 2010 - We call CWA and let them know we'd like to get back into the process.
August 2010 -- CWA took our case before a review committee and approved us to get back on the waiting list. We had our garage sale Fundraiser and it went incredible.
August ---- whenever - Officially on the wait on the Lord list of a boy under 3 from Ethiopia, probably sometime between mid-September through December.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Giving Thanks...Adoption Fundraiser Update
Saturday was a flurry of activity:
To bed on Friday night at 1:30 am, awake at 4:40 Saturday morning.
Begin setting up at 5 am and shoppers starting come at 7 am Saturday morning
We saw the Lord answer countless prayers and are so grateful to everyone who helped us in countless ways.
Here are some answers to prayers:
* Between items sold, generous people contributing toward our adoption and selling our Change Your World For One designed shirts, the Lord brought in $5,375 which all goes directly toward the remaining costs associated with our adoption of our son Hudson.
* People understood why we were doing this and thus didn't barter much. They were excited to buy stuff that they needed, especially knowing that it was helping an orphan and his family get united. Several people even paid more than the cost of the items...absolutely unheard of in the world of garage/yard sales.
* When we left our house at 5:00 am, it was beginning to rain. (First rain in probably 3 weeks) As we set up, put tables out, the weather was extremely threatening, but it cleared up and turned out to be a fabulous day. Not too hot, not to cold...it was perfect.
* Tons of helpers. We are so blessed to know and be loved by the greatest people in the world. If you ever decide to do an event like this, make sure you are surrounded by people who would die for you...and blister for you. There were several families who were at the Sale all day long and got very tired, hungry, sore, and they continued to serve in the strength & joy of the Lord. A special thanks to our growth group/community group from church who have given so much as we have gone down this road of adoption!!!
* Tons of items to sell. There was no shortage of items to sell. Tables after table after table after table of stuff to sell. We had a steady stream of helpers who would move things around, rearrange items, and helped customers.
* People who came to the sale. There was steady activity from 7:30 am through 3 pm and people still came between 3 and 5 pm. Seeing that we are toward the end of summer, we were wondering if we'd get people because a lot of people would be getting their last summer activities taken care of before school starts. There was somewhere between 500 and 800 people who came to this sale.
* Location of the sale. My broker's at Windermere were extremely gracious to use their building and parking lot for the sale. In real estate, the phrase 'location, location, location' is used regularly...same is true for a big sale like this.
* The church across the street that was having a HUGE Rummage sale at the same time...so that boosted the activity. When we chose the date of the sale (about 2 months ago) we had no idea of this. Friendly surprise and the Lord answering prayer before we even were praying for it.
* WE SOLD A LOT OF STUFF. When the sale was over, we only had about 1/8 of the items to pack up and move back to our house.
* Union Gospel Mission volunteered to come and pick up the items that didn't sell.
* There was only 1 big heavy item that didn't sell...which at the beginning of the sale, there were about 8 big heavy items. There was 1 lady who said she would have bought it, but it couldn't fit in her house...but SHE GAVE US $80 to put toward our adoption. Amazing.
To bed on Friday night at 1:30 am, awake at 4:40 Saturday morning.
Begin setting up at 5 am and shoppers starting come at 7 am Saturday morning
We saw the Lord answer countless prayers and are so grateful to everyone who helped us in countless ways.
Here are some answers to prayers:
* Between items sold, generous people contributing toward our adoption and selling our Change Your World For One designed shirts, the Lord brought in $5,375 which all goes directly toward the remaining costs associated with our adoption of our son Hudson.
* People understood why we were doing this and thus didn't barter much. They were excited to buy stuff that they needed, especially knowing that it was helping an orphan and his family get united. Several people even paid more than the cost of the items...absolutely unheard of in the world of garage/yard sales.
* When we left our house at 5:00 am, it was beginning to rain. (First rain in probably 3 weeks) As we set up, put tables out, the weather was extremely threatening, but it cleared up and turned out to be a fabulous day. Not too hot, not to cold...it was perfect.
* Tons of helpers. We are so blessed to know and be loved by the greatest people in the world. If you ever decide to do an event like this, make sure you are surrounded by people who would die for you...and blister for you. There were several families who were at the Sale all day long and got very tired, hungry, sore, and they continued to serve in the strength & joy of the Lord. A special thanks to our growth group/community group from church who have given so much as we have gone down this road of adoption!!!
* People who came to the sale. There was steady activity from 7:30 am through 3 pm and people still came between 3 and 5 pm. Seeing that we are toward the end of summer, we were wondering if we'd get people because a lot of people would be getting their last summer activities taken care of before school starts. There was somewhere between 500 and 800 people who came to this sale.
* Location of the sale. My broker's at Windermere were extremely gracious to use their building and parking lot for the sale. In real estate, the phrase 'location, location, location' is used regularly...same is true for a big sale like this.
* The church across the street that was having a HUGE Rummage sale at the same time...so that boosted the activity. When we chose the date of the sale (about 2 months ago) we had no idea of this. Friendly surprise and the Lord answering prayer before we even were praying for it.
* WE SOLD A LOT OF STUFF. When the sale was over, we only had about 1/8 of the items to pack up and move back to our house.
* Union Gospel Mission volunteered to come and pick up the items that didn't sell.
* There was only 1 big heavy item that didn't sell...which at the beginning of the sale, there were about 8 big heavy items. There was 1 lady who said she would have bought it, but it couldn't fit in her house...but SHE GAVE US $80 to put toward our adoption. Amazing.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Adoption Fundraiser Community Sale - TOMORROW - Aug 21st
Today is the final day of preparation and tonight is going to be a full night!!!
We still have people dropping off donated items for the sale, which we are thrilled about.
We are going to move all the items (part of what you'll see in the video) over to the location of the sale tonight from 7 to 11 pm.
Then tomorrow, bright and early, we are going to be setting up from 5 am to 8 am and the sale begins at 8.
Here is the Link to the Craigslist Ad we have posted if you want to see more details of what we will be selling.
The Change Your World For One shirts are in and we will be selling them at the sale. We hope to have sold all 115 shirts by the end of the day. (Don't worry if you have already ordered, we will have your shirt to either pick up or we'll be mailing them to the out-of-towner's early next week.)
Again, the details of the sale are as follows:
August 21st, 8 am to 5 pm
9017 N. Country Homes Blvd.
Spokane, WA 99218
From our calculations today, we should have about $5,000 to $6,000 of priced items For Sale at the Help Hudson Home Adoption Fundraiser.
If there is anything unclear in this post or you have follow up questions regarding anything, please feel free to email me at dustin@changeyourworldforone.com OR call me at 509-435-1107.
We still have people dropping off donated items for the sale, which we are thrilled about.
We are going to move all the items (part of what you'll see in the video) over to the location of the sale tonight from 7 to 11 pm.
Then tomorrow, bright and early, we are going to be setting up from 5 am to 8 am and the sale begins at 8.
Here is the Link to the Craigslist Ad we have posted if you want to see more details of what we will be selling.
Again, the details of the sale are as follows:
August 21st, 8 am to 5 pm
9017 N. Country Homes Blvd.
Spokane, WA 99218
From our calculations today, we should have about $5,000 to $6,000 of priced items For Sale at the Help Hudson Home Adoption Fundraiser.
If there is anything unclear in this post or you have follow up questions regarding anything, please feel free to email me at dustin@changeyourworldforone.com OR call me at 509-435-1107.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
2 Days Until Garage Sale of the Year
- Picked up 2 more loads of items last night
- our neighbors graciously let us use their garage because our house is completely full. Good thing the weather is nice because the kids can play outside...no place to play inside.
- Picking up 2 or 3 more loads tonight
- Have 4 more loads of items dropped off at the location of the sale tomorrow.
- Will have a Frig to sell, Stand up Freezer to sell, 4+ desks, 5 televisions
- Kids toys galore
- Probably $6,000 to $8,000 total items to sell
- Anyone who has come to our house in the last few days has looked inside and said, 'OOOOHHHHHH MMMMYYYYYYY this is a lot of stuff'.
- Contacting News Companies
- Craigslist Ad going out tomorrow.
- Facebook Event going out later today
- First Church of the Nazarene is directing across the street from my Windermere office and will be having a Sale also that same day.
Thank you everyone for contributing, helping, supporting us and our family as we seek to raise the remaining $9,500 needed to bring our son Hudson home from Ethiopia within the next 3 to 6 months.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Garage Sale Update...4 days away.
- We continue to get lots and lots of stuff to sell
- Beautiful Ar-moire ( I really don't know how to spell that word)
- Several Desks
- A few tables
- Tools
- Kitchen ware
- Etc. Etc. Etc
- Fine China
- Christmas Trees
- Kids toys
- Weights
- More, More, More
- Strollers
- Tables and Chairs
- Our Garage is totally stuffed full of sale items
- Our living room is overflowing
- Our bedrooms are now getting filled up
- We Love it...we have several more people who are contributing items as the sale gets closer by the minute.
- This should be a great sale. We know the amount of people who come and buy is completely in the Lord's hand, but we are hopeful.
- August 21st, 8 am to 5 pm
- 9017 N. Country Homes Blvd. Spokane WA 99218
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| Full Garage - It will be organized |
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| Living Room |
 |
| Camille's bedroom |
-
Spokane and Beyond: We need YOUR Help!!!
Yes, our Spokane Yard/Everything sale fundraiser is almost here! It is easy to dream about an event like this, it is quite another to pull it off...lots of time and lots of work.
We have been so blessed by countless people giving toward the sale and we are humbled by people in their support and now that the sale is a week away, we are really feeling the crunch.
PLEASE come help us and be part of the fun! I really think this is going to be a blast!
Here's what we need help with:
Sale Information - Make sure you see the AUGUST 21st DATE.
1. Volunteers to come help at the sale
- We need help pricing and sorting on Thursday (08/19) evening. If you can come anytime after dinnertime, that would be awesome!!
- Friday evening (after 6 pm) we will be moving all of the inventory from our house to the location of the sale. Thankfully it is only about a mile away, but we will need some good trucks and some bodies to help move the items & getting the tables ready to set up for Saturday morning.
- We need help setting up Saturday Morning early, like at 5 am. We'll be up early setting up tables and laying out the merch (we have to pull everything out of boxes and lay it out to be displayed. This is a huge job, so if you can come help with this, even for a little bit before you head off to work that morning, that would be UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME! Our sale starts at 8 a.m. so anytime before that that you can come help... we'll be here working and would love an extra set of hands to help! And helping set-up means you get first dibs on all the awesome stuff we have to sell!
- We need extra bodies throughout the course of the sale. Can you come hang out on Saturday for a while? With a big sale, and lots of shoppers, it seems like there is always something that needs to be done, or someone that needs help. This is one of the easier jobs, but just as important!
- We need help tearing down Saturday evening! The plan is to coordinate a pick-up for all the leftover stuff at the end of the sale, but we'll need to get it all off the tables and boxed back up. Again, a big job that requires lots of hands.
* For the items we don't sell (depending on how much) we will be transporting it back to our garage and selling via Craigslist or having a smaller garage sale over the course of the next two weekends at our house. Whitworth University begins that next week, so hopefully some ridiculously rich parents will come by our house and want to help with our adoption by purchasing garage sale items for their new freshman students. :)
And you can be there to witness us tallying up the grand total and then doing our happy dance!
2. WE NEED CANOPIES
- We have lots of stuff to sell, and we need lots of tables to display it all. Folding tables, card tables, saw horses and ladders with wood to lay across them... If you can help us out by lending us any of these items, again, it would be AWESOME!
- The weather looks like it is going to be good. Let's hope it isn't the 2nd day of rain we will have seen in the last 60 days.
4. Spreading the Word
- Tell your friends!
- Email people you know!
- Facebook and Tweet about it! Just link to this post.
- And pick up some flyers from us and post them where you work, or in your neighborhood, or hand them out to people!
5. PRAYER - We would love to have this fundraiser covered in prayer. That might sound cheesy to you, but it is not. Would you please join us in praying for this next yard sale? We need prayer for...
- Lots of traffic (shoppers, shoppers, shoppers)
- Plenty of help
- Health and energy for all of us working the sale
- God to move in a MIGHTY way again through this fundraiser!
Please email (dhgreenup@gmail.com) O call us and let us know if you can help!!
Thank you all for your support and encouragement! What would we do without you all?? We love ya!
We have been so blessed by countless people giving toward the sale and we are humbled by people in their support and now that the sale is a week away, we are really feeling the crunch.
PLEASE come help us and be part of the fun! I really think this is going to be a blast!
Here's what we need help with:
Sale Information - Make sure you see the AUGUST 21st DATE.
1. Volunteers to come help at the sale
- We need help pricing and sorting on Thursday (08/19) evening. If you can come anytime after dinnertime, that would be awesome!!
- Friday evening (after 6 pm) we will be moving all of the inventory from our house to the location of the sale. Thankfully it is only about a mile away, but we will need some good trucks and some bodies to help move the items & getting the tables ready to set up for Saturday morning.
- We need help setting up Saturday Morning early, like at 5 am. We'll be up early setting up tables and laying out the merch (we have to pull everything out of boxes and lay it out to be displayed. This is a huge job, so if you can come help with this, even for a little bit before you head off to work that morning, that would be UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME! Our sale starts at 8 a.m. so anytime before that that you can come help... we'll be here working and would love an extra set of hands to help! And helping set-up means you get first dibs on all the awesome stuff we have to sell!
- We need extra bodies throughout the course of the sale. Can you come hang out on Saturday for a while? With a big sale, and lots of shoppers, it seems like there is always something that needs to be done, or someone that needs help. This is one of the easier jobs, but just as important!
- We need help tearing down Saturday evening! The plan is to coordinate a pick-up for all the leftover stuff at the end of the sale, but we'll need to get it all off the tables and boxed back up. Again, a big job that requires lots of hands.
* For the items we don't sell (depending on how much) we will be transporting it back to our garage and selling via Craigslist or having a smaller garage sale over the course of the next two weekends at our house. Whitworth University begins that next week, so hopefully some ridiculously rich parents will come by our house and want to help with our adoption by purchasing garage sale items for their new freshman students. :)
And you can be there to witness us tallying up the grand total and then doing our happy dance!
2. WE NEED CANOPIES
- We have lots of stuff to sell, and we need lots of tables to display it all. Folding tables, card tables, saw horses and ladders with wood to lay across them... If you can help us out by lending us any of these items, again, it would be AWESOME!
- The weather looks like it is going to be good. Let's hope it isn't the 2nd day of rain we will have seen in the last 60 days.
4. Spreading the Word
- Tell your friends!
- Email people you know!
- Facebook and Tweet about it! Just link to this post.
- And pick up some flyers from us and post them where you work, or in your neighborhood, or hand them out to people!
5. PRAYER - We would love to have this fundraiser covered in prayer. That might sound cheesy to you, but it is not. Would you please join us in praying for this next yard sale? We need prayer for...
- Lots of traffic (shoppers, shoppers, shoppers)
- Plenty of help
- Health and energy for all of us working the sale
- God to move in a MIGHTY way again through this fundraiser!
Please email (dhgreenup@gmail.com) O call us and let us know if you can help!!
Thank you all for your support and encouragement! What would we do without you all?? We love ya!
Just the Way I am
I have heard that this book is an incredible resource and would highly recommend it. Take a look at the video below and maybe consider buying a copy for yourself or a friend who might find help and hope from a resource like this.
Just the Way I Am
You can always find great resources on the Desiring God website.
Just the Way I Am
You can always find great resources on the Desiring God website.
Life Change
Sometimes I get asked, and I love to talk about...what has been the more life-changing person/time/experience in your life.
1. The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
2. Traveling to Third World Countries & seeing life in reality and not merely through my middle class American life.
- Venezuela in college for a few summers
- Ethiopia in 2006 when we traveled to complete our adoption of Ezra.
1. The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
2. Traveling to Third World Countries & seeing life in reality and not merely through my middle class American life.
- Venezuela in college for a few summers
- Ethiopia in 2006 when we traveled to complete our adoption of Ezra.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Day 4 of wearing 'Change Your World For One' shirt(s)
If you have read the earlier posts, you will have read that I am going to wear the 'Change Your World For One' shirt(s) until we go to Ethiopia to bring our son Hudson home, or at least until we have the remaining amount needed to complete the adoption...$9,500.
Our Big Garage Sale is this upcoming Saturday.
Regarding T-Shirts sales, we have firm orders for 33 thus far. If we sell 633, the full amount of the adoption will be completed...so you will see on the sticker below that I am referencing # of t-shirts sold as a marker for our progress toward the remaining amount of $$$ for the adoption.
So, you'll see that on Day 4 of T-Shirt selling we have sold 33 of 633 needed. Once the garage sale is over I imagine that number will jump quite a bit.
Here is a picture to see what I mean. I look forward to updating the number of t-shirts sold. If you are considering ordering one, the sooner the better.
Day 4 = Number of consecutive days wearing 'Change Your World For One' shirt
33 of 633= Approximate number of shirts sold
P.S. Regarding the Ladies T-Shirts, ladies have mentioned they like them because they aren't like a typical t-shirt, because a lot of ladies just don't wear t-shirts...so please know they have a little tighter fit and don't have that typical t-shirt look and feel.
Regarding T-Shirts sales, we have firm orders for 33 thus far. If we sell 633, the full amount of the adoption will be completed...so you will see on the sticker below that I am referencing # of t-shirts sold as a marker for our progress toward the remaining amount of $$$ for the adoption.
So, you'll see that on Day 4 of T-Shirt selling we have sold 33 of 633 needed. Once the garage sale is over I imagine that number will jump quite a bit.
Here is a picture to see what I mean. I look forward to updating the number of t-shirts sold. If you are considering ordering one, the sooner the better.
Day 4 = Number of consecutive days wearing 'Change Your World For One' shirt
33 of 633= Approximate number of shirts sold
P.S. Regarding the Ladies T-Shirts, ladies have mentioned they like them because they aren't like a typical t-shirt, because a lot of ladies just don't wear t-shirts...so please know they have a little tighter fit and don't have that typical t-shirt look and feel.
Too much Disney???
I'm not going to go on a rant about Disney, etc. but I saw this link today and thought it was interesting and made me ask myself...
Do my kids get too much Disney propaganda?
See here for Full Article:
HT (Seth Godin)
Do my kids get too much Disney propaganda?
See here for Full Article:
HT (Seth Godin)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Donoption: A new word 'Doh-Nop-Tion'
As I was driving to pick up some Yard Sale Donation items for our yard sale, I thought of a new word.
Donoption: A donation toward an adoption.
Donoption: A donation toward an adoption.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Every Day Until We Bring Our Son Home
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| Today, August 13th, marks Day 1 |
My wife thinks I am a bit 'loco' but she has gotten very used to that fact.
Every day until we go to Ethiopia (which could be anywhere from 4 to 8 months) I will be wearing a 'Change Your World For One' shirt. Thankfully I ordered a few for myself, so I won't be wearing the same shirt every day...just the same message.
I will also be wearing a sticker that specifies how many consecutive days it has been since wearing the shirts. I hope people ask as I go about my day, because I'd love to tell them more about it.
I haven't been able to talk her into wearing the shirts every day, but she will be wearing them often also.
Granted, this isn't the most business professional attire for a Realtor, but I think people will get the message of WHY I am doing this. Hopefully I won't lose business for being 'unprofessional', because if this helps get our son home, it's worth wearing.
 |
| Design for the back |
T-Shirts for Sale
Some sample T-shirts are in and we will be ready to take orders probably starting tomorrow. Below are a few pictures of the style and design.
For $20 you get a great looking shirt along with the fact that the proceeds of shirt sales go directly toward the remaining money needed to complete our adoption. As of August, 12, 2010 we need approximately $9,500.
*The mens and women's shirts look the same but the ladies are a bit more taylored to fit curves.
* Sizes run a bit small. For example Dustin is wears a Men's Large and it is pretty loose and Heidi wears a woman's Medium and it fits nicely. In the picture on the right, Dustin is wearing a Men's Medium.
If you are out of Spokane, WA area, we'll need to add $3 for shipping the shirts. If you buy more than 1, we'll keep the price of shipping at $3. Thanks for understanding.
Ways to Buy:
1. Click on the PayPal 'DONATE' link on the right side of the page and then each shirt is $20. So if you are buying 2 shirts, put in $43 ($3 shipping) if we will be shipping the shirts to you.
2. Pay by Check. Email us at dustin@changeyourworldforone.com and we'll send you our address of where to send the check and we'll send you the number of t-shirts you have ordered.
3. Facebook Dustin
4. Facebook Heidi
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| Men's medium |
If you are out of Spokane, WA area, we'll need to add $3 for shipping the shirts. If you buy more than 1, we'll keep the price of shipping at $3. Thanks for understanding.
Ways to Buy:
1. Click on the PayPal 'DONATE' link on the right side of the page and then each shirt is $20. So if you are buying 2 shirts, put in $43 ($3 shipping) if we will be shipping the shirts to you.
2. Pay by Check. Email us at dustin@changeyourworldforone.com and we'll send you our address of where to send the check and we'll send you the number of t-shirts you have ordered.
3. Facebook Dustin
4. Facebook Heidi
Thank you to Zome Design for taking our chicken scratch design and making it into a sweet shirt & helping us make selling the t-shirts a vialble option.
Why 'Change YOUR world' and not 'Change the world'
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| Available for purchase if desired to help with our adoption |
When we first began our adoption process with Ezra over 4 years ago, we had many people say to us...'that is such a wonderful thing you are doing' OR 'he is going to have such a better life' OR 'you have truly changed his world'.
It is definately true that Ezra' life is completely different in light of having a family and not being an orphan in Ethiopia. There is a extremely high probability that he wouldn't have been alive to see his 4th birthday had he not been adopted. So yes, his world has changed.
YET, it is our world that has changed so significantly, so dramatically, so foundationally with adoption. Adoption has opened our eyes further to the reality of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the extreme privillege of being adopted into the family of God. (See Ephesians 1)
God had laid it on our hearts (when we adopted Ezra) and is again laying it on our hearts (adoption of Hudson) to build our family through adoption.
Probably the biggest reason we chose the name 'Change YOUR World For One' is to bring awareness and understanding that it is YOUR world that is going to be changed, going to be turned upside down and you seek to care, love, be a family to an orphan, and that is a wonderful thing.
Even the people who have gone through extremely difficult adoptions have said that God has used it in their life to refine them, change them, and make them more like Christ.
There are many ways to care for orphans and widows and there are many many people in the body of Christ who are doing so in wonderful ways. Everyone is not called to adopt, but there are probably a lot more people out there who could.
Your world will change by changing the world of an orphan.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
About Our Family
Our Family
Heidi
* Lover of Jesus, her husband, children, and others
* Life/Ministry devoted to raising up the next generation
* Registered Nurse and is employed every minute of every day managing our home
Dustin
* Thankful Heidi married him and stays married to him
* Thankful to Jesus for being crucified for my sin and rising from the dead so I can have eternal life in Him
* Likes to exercise (didn't use to, but things have changed)
* A God-given heart for orphans
Ezra
* Our REAL son
* Our firstborn child
* Born in Ethiopia in 2006
* Into the Greenup family in August of 2007
* If you want to know more about our 1st adoption, click HERE.
* If you want to know more about our 1st adoption, click HERE.
* Bundle of Life, Bundle of Energy
* Loves people, loves making as much noise as possible
* Extremely tender to his youngest sister Camille
* Prays faithfully that God would allow us to bring Moses Home ASAP
* Usually always some type of SuperHero who protects his sisters from bad guys
* Sometimes likes to eat healthy food because it will help him have strong muscles
Olivia
* Born in March of 2008
* A joy to our family
* Always has bumps and bruises on her...hence why she got a helmet for her Christmast present from Grandpa and Grandma.
* Wakes up with the craziest of hair
* Doesn't like it to be combed until after she had eaten breakfast
* Loves her 'blankey'
* Doesn't suck her thumb, but the next two are almost concreted (if that is a word) in her mouth
* Is mostly smiles and laughs A LOT
Camille
* Born in January of 2010
* Fun, Smiley, and loves to bounce, bounce, bounce
* The picture above is of Camille after she had her first taste of Rice Cereal.
Moses
* Known and chosen by the Lord before the beginning of time
* Received referral October 1st, 2011
* Get to meet him for the first time on January 25th, 2011
* Hopefully bring him home in March 2011
* Will get to post his pictures by the end of January 2011
Flicking Food over the Deck and Winking
The other night we were having dinner out at my parents house and when no one was looking, except my aunt Cindy, Ezra went over to the side of the deck and flicked some of his yams over the ledge. After he did this, he saw that my aunt was looking at him, so he winked at her and went back to eat the rest of his dinner.
Seeing that we weren't there that exact moment to see what he was doing, we didn't make it a bigger issue than it needed to be. Anyways, we'll look back in 20 years and laugh at the situation. . . . ok, we did laugh then too.
Seeing that we weren't there that exact moment to see what he was doing, we didn't make it a bigger issue than it needed to be. Anyways, we'll look back in 20 years and laugh at the situation. . . . ok, we did laugh then too.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
'Dad, we need some more money's'
Last night I had a conversation with Ezra as he was going to bed about our adoption of Hudson.
Ezra: 'Dad, we need to go get Hudson home from Ethiopia RIGHT NOW. He is waiting for us.'
Dad: 'Yes Ezra, he is, but we need to wait for God's timing'.
Ezra: 'We need more money to get him home'
Dad: 'Yes, we do need money, but thankfully we know that God will provide what we need when we need it'
Ezra: 'Oh...ok'
I wish my heart was a trusting and full of faith as Ezra was in my words. I also reminded Ezra (myself also indirectly) that it isn't money that we need more than anything, it is God Himself. We need God (and not as a means to an end) Himself, He is who our hearts are desperately in need of on a daily, moment by moment basis.
Thank you Lord for using Ezra to remind me that it is You I need!!!
It is easy in the adoption process to see MONEY as the main thing keeping us from our adoption being completed, but I often forget that the Lord has perfect, good, and unique lessons He wants me to learn thorugh the waiting, trusting and depending upon Him. It is my world/life/soul that is changing through God's gracious sanctification that comes as a result of this adoption adventure.
Ezra: 'Dad, we need to go get Hudson home from Ethiopia RIGHT NOW. He is waiting for us.'
Ezra: 'We need more money to get him home'
Dad: 'Yes, we do need money, but thankfully we know that God will provide what we need when we need it'
Ezra: 'Oh...ok'
I wish my heart was a trusting and full of faith as Ezra was in my words. I also reminded Ezra (myself also indirectly) that it isn't money that we need more than anything, it is God Himself. We need God (and not as a means to an end) Himself, He is who our hearts are desperately in need of on a daily, moment by moment basis.
Thank you Lord for using Ezra to remind me that it is You I need!!!
It is easy in the adoption process to see MONEY as the main thing keeping us from our adoption being completed, but I often forget that the Lord has perfect, good, and unique lessons He wants me to learn thorugh the waiting, trusting and depending upon Him. It is my world/life/soul that is changing through God's gracious sanctification that comes as a result of this adoption adventure.
"My God is so great, So Strong, So Mighty"
Last night I was putting our little Olivia to bed and we were rocking in the chair and I asked her what song she wanted me to sing. She replied, "Daddy, God so great", which translated means the song, 'My God is so Great..." So, I sang that to her and the Lord used that song encourage my heart and soul to be as rest in Him. Olivia, our God is Great, Strong, Mighty, and there is Nothing My God Cannot do.We are feeling the pinch of the Help Hudson Home garage sale quickly approaching and there is still a lot to do. Yet, we know that our Father is good, cares for His children and will provide beyond ways we can imagine. Our hope is in Him! Thank you Lord for having Olivia suggest we sing that song.
Adoption Garage Sale Video, inspiring
The video below has been an inspiration to us of why we are doing our garage sale. Heidi and I were talking last night and I asked her what she was hoping this garage sale would raise in funds??? She said, "Somewhere between $3,000 and $3,500 would be great!"
Yes, that would be great. I think Heidi would attest to the fact that I am usually the one who is a bit out of the box in my thinking, but this caught me off guard (in a good way). I was thinking somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500...but we have had many many people contribute toward the sale, so maybe that is possible. Thankfully we serve and great and glorious God who loves to bless and show Himself faithful.
ABBA FUND is the site I originally saw this site.
Yes, that would be great. I think Heidi would attest to the fact that I am usually the one who is a bit out of the box in my thinking, but this caught me off guard (in a good way). I was thinking somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500...but we have had many many people contribute toward the sale, so maybe that is possible. Thankfully we serve and great and glorious God who loves to bless and show Himself faithful.
ABBA FUND is the site I originally saw this site.
Who is Hudson?????
If you spend any time on this site over the course of the next year, you will be hearing the name Hudson often.
Hudson is the name we have chosen for our son we are currently in the process of adopting from Ethiopia.
Although we don't have a referral of a young boy yet (as of August 10th, 2010), we still know that our son is out there and it is just a matter of time until he joins our family.
We have heard that we could possibly expect a referral within the next month or two, so we are writing on this blog and as means of updating others about our process, what the Lord is doing in our hearts, and other related information specific to adoption.
Hudson is the name we have chosen for our son we are currently in the process of adopting from Ethiopia.
Although we don't have a referral of a young boy yet (as of August 10th, 2010), we still know that our son is out there and it is just a matter of time until he joins our family.
We have heard that we could possibly expect a referral within the next month or two, so we are writing on this blog and as means of updating others about our process, what the Lord is doing in our hearts, and other related information specific to adoption.
Help Hudson Home Sale - August 21st
On Saturday, August 21st, we are going to be having a HUGE sale to help raise the remaining $9,500 needed to complete our adoption from Ethiopia.
Location: 9017 N. Country Homes Blvd.
Spokane, WA 99218
If you'd...
...like to help us on the day of the sale (or the days before) we would love it. We have countless items to organize, arrange, price and get ready for the sale.
If you'd...
...like to get the word out to other people who might be interested in coming and spending loads of money, let them know. :) (Just kidding, every $1 helps)
If you'd...
Location: 9017 N. Country Homes Blvd.
Spokane, WA 99218
If you'd...
...like to help us on the day of the sale (or the days before) we would love it. We have countless items to organize, arrange, price and get ready for the sale.
If you'd...
...like to get the word out to other people who might be interested in coming and spending loads of money, let them know. :) (Just kidding, every $1 helps)
If you'd...
Help Hudson Home - Tax deductible Contributions
If for some WONDERFUL reason, you have been led/prodded/stirred/etc to contribute to our adoption with a tax deductible gift, our adoption agency has provided a easy way for that to happen. See instruction below.
Right Click Below and choose 'Open Link in New Window'-
I would like to contribute to Dustin & Heidi Greenup's adoption from Ethiopia.
Items to note:
1. When you fill out the donation form, you will need to specify 'Dustin and Heidi Greenup' on the page. About 1/2 way down the page, you will see the location to fill out our name.
2. If you were prefer to give through a check instead of a credit card, you would send your check to...
Christian World Foundation
777 South Allen Road
Flat Rock, NC 28731
* In memo line, please specify that you would like the donation to go toward Dustin & Heidi Greenup's adoption.
If you have any questions, you may contact our agency directly or contact us directly.
dhgreenup@gmail.com
or you can call us at
509-435-1107
Christian World Adoption
Right Click Below and choose 'Open Link in New Window'-
I would like to contribute to Dustin & Heidi Greenup's adoption from Ethiopia.
Items to note:
1. When you fill out the donation form, you will need to specify 'Dustin and Heidi Greenup' on the page. About 1/2 way down the page, you will see the location to fill out our name.
2. If you were prefer to give through a check instead of a credit card, you would send your check to...
Christian World Foundation
777 South Allen Road
Flat Rock, NC 28731
* In memo line, please specify that you would like the donation to go toward Dustin & Heidi Greenup's adoption.
If you have any questions, you may contact our agency directly or contact us directly.
dhgreenup@gmail.com
or you can call us at
509-435-1107
Christian World Adoption
Another way to say, 'Change your world'
I was reading in John 15 this morning and was challenged by verse 12 & 13. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends."
Catch the 'AS I HAVE LOVED YOU'. Wow, what I high calling it is! Impossible without Christ Jesus living in me and through me. It is no wonder that the majority of the verses before describe the necessity of 'abiding in the Vine/Abiding in Christ'.
"Jesus, help me lay down my life for others today and help me walk in the strength You provide, that nothing is done in my own strength, but all done in dependence and trust in you."
Catch the 'AS I HAVE LOVED YOU'. Wow, what I high calling it is! Impossible without Christ Jesus living in me and through me. It is no wonder that the majority of the verses before describe the necessity of 'abiding in the Vine/Abiding in Christ'.
"Jesus, help me lay down my life for others today and help me walk in the strength You provide, that nothing is done in my own strength, but all done in dependence and trust in you."
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The Boone's have sent their Dossier!
In the adoption world, this is a step that is nearly always accompanied by tears, and lots of them. Families spend countless hours, weeks, and months leading up to this step where all the paperwork is compiled, signed, authenticated, rechecked and FINALLY sent!!!!
Congrats Boone's!!!
Here is their post if you are interested in reading.
Read it here.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
1st Post
Beginning next week, this website will be updated on a regular basis, at least 3 times a week.
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