Raising money for a CAUSE was the family business for me at the age of twelve, when my mother became the executive director of a battered women’s center.  For example, the whole family was expected to be at the mall setting up the annual gift wrapping both for The Bridge at 7am the day after Thanksgiving and take part until Christmas Eve when we would dutifully break it down. To this day I do not wrap packages. By age seventeen, I was paid staff and through the years I participated in flowers sales, phone banks, vigils, galas, fun runs, golf tournaments and a capital campaign. I am sure that I delivered hundreds and maybe even thousands of poinsettias. I thanked every plant worker from Baytown to League City for giving to the United Way and explained how their donations help to end domestic violence and sexual assault. All that to say, after sixteen years of having to beg for support so that I could help others, I left the non-profit world with an inner vow never to beg, borrow, or plead again.  I pictured myself as Scarlet O’Hara when she said—“As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again. ...”

The non-profit world began to sneak back into my life when I started working for Homes with Hope on a contract basis while I was finishing my BS. I did everything from general administrative stuff to supporting the fundraising efforts. I was invested enough to support and help my boss, whom I adore. I was not about to get caught up in the “CAUSE”.  You see the Lord gave me a life scripture when I was 17 and that was Proverbs 3:8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. However I did not want to apply this scripture to this “CAUSE”.  In-fact, I really just wanted to pray for all the horrors that are going in other parts of the world. I didn’t want to admit that there are still horrors going on in my neighbor’s home.

Last summer, the Lord gave my boss a word about doing justice for these children who are caught in the middle of a system of cps workers, judges, parents, family members and more. I didn’t want to know, my priority was graduation and preparing for graduate school. I would come to work with fingers in my ears singing nanananananananana. I had other plans for my life; however that word JUSTICE kept tugging at my heart. “Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.” Psalm 82:3 I spent months saying NO LORD.  

A month before I am to graduate my boss asks me to consider a full-time position. That inner vow hit me straight in the gut; I think I almost lost my lunch. It took two months and a work crisis to make it very clear that I was to take up my Cross and be obedient to my calling. .

Now I am back on that path and I am embracing this CAUSE… I now understand what the church is mandated to do for these children.

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Psalm 68:5-6

5 Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy. 6 God places the lonely in families;

James 2:14-17

Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

These children are not Oliver Twist Orphans, but they are the Orphans that God demands us to speak up for ….  Modern day orphans are abandoned at hospitals addicted to drugs. Neglected by mom and beaten by her boyfriend. These orphans are passed from relative to relative never knowing that they are special and deserve a home and a family that loves them because mom is in jail and dad is unknown.  Sometimes these children just need us for a little while, because their mom is bipolar and needs help to get her life together. There are family member that would love to care for their kin and just need to be contacted, during this transition time this kind of orphan still needs a safe and loving home.  

On this path I have come to understand that the joy I experience by placing a sibling group of three in a home that has been praying for children for years is worth the agony and discomfort of fundraising. My fears of asking for help are eased by knowing two beautiful children, who were not allowed to attend because they might speak about the abuse and the filth that they were living in, started school this week, with clean clothes and packed lunches.  

Keeping these children in mind as well as the eight others currently in our care and the future children that will experience our loving Christ-filled homes on a temporary or permanent basis; I will beg, borrow and plead once again.

Here goes it, The 5^th annual Homes with Hope Gala is September 13^th at Lakeside Country Club. Our ticket sales are almost half of what they were last year because of the economy. I recognize that $180.00 for an evening full of fabulous food, great entertainment, swing dancing with a swing band as well as a Live and Silent Auction is a little daunting, however if you are blessed with the gift of giving or know anyone who is please spread the word.

This is a just CAUSE, we are making a difference not only in these children’s lives, but also in the lives of our families. Many of our families are waiting to open their homes and hearts to love these kids. Unfortunately, it takes money to train the parents as well as support and care for them. We do our best to hold their hands through the entire process of dealing with CPS and the court system. Helping these children is actually a bureaucratic nightmare, licensing parents and keeping them licensed and in compliance with the state takes a lot of work.  One of the best parts of this work is watching our families support each other through this process. They share kid’s clothes and advice; they rally around each other every time a new child comes into care. This is what makes Homes with Hope different from other child placing agencies. We are a community of people who feel called by God to love and care for children through no fault of their own have lost their homes and families on a temporary or permanent basis.

So... I used to swear my car knew when I was about to get loan money because it would always need a major repair right at that moment. Sometimes I also thought that it hung on by the grace of God, I am not sure. So now we are a double income family. Not so much that we can be extravagant but we hope to buy a new car and save for a down payment on a house and go to grad school. 

When I was single with little resources it always seemed that my life was As The Paige Turns. My own little private soap opera. You know how shows like the Brady Bunch and the Love Boat would do a reunion show, well, I feel as though As The Paige Turns is having a special this week or maybe month.

It began with me losing my keys that are attached to my wallet. The reason they are attached to my wallet is I used to loose my license and debit card all the time because I would carry them in my pocket. I figure I never lose my keys and this little wallet key chain was the perfect answer. I am almost 99% sure I lost them in my house. I remember walking in on Friday night and haven't seen them since. Now I do sometimes leave them hanging in the door.

So I have been praying for two weeks they would reappear. Brent and I have been sharing his car. On the day that I had an important meeting and I am dressed up in all man made fibers the air goes out in his car. No drama is ever interesting without a fabulous rescue or two. A brave and talented hero came to our rescue and lent us his car with air condition and music of his very own making.

So we put my husband's car in shop, 500 dollars later we are running cool again. Here is where it gets a little freaky and I must begin to examine some of my own motives and behaviors to see if I am suffering consequences related to integrity and/or procrastination.

I walk out this morning and my car is parked in the same spot everyday. It is a handicap spot with little access but I keep it there incase Brent needs my car. We have two tags and I always leave my tag up. I took it out yesterday in case we needed it because his tag was with his car in the shop. When I got home from work I had this little check that said I ought to put it back, but it was hot and my hands were full with groceries and stuff. I thought my car is always there it would be fine until tomorrow.

Here's tomorrow and it is gone. I haven't found out if it was towed or stolen. If it was towed I have to figure out a way to get a key made today so I don't pay towing fees and if it was stolen then that means someone has my keys and my wallet. Neither one of those are going to be fun to deal with. It also needs tags so if it is at a police lot it could also have a ticket. Some day I will learn to deal with the messy parts of my life.

So in the midst of this my poor husband has been sick with a killer upper respitory thing.