Show Hope

My brain is still on overload after getting news of travel dates yesterday!!
 I’ve spent part of the day attempting to apply for my visa…gathering the documents needed
 (forgetting my passport in the copier)
and spending a couple of hours….yes, hours…on the phone getting quotes for flights. 

I’ll fill you in tomorrow on the craziness of getting the tickets, after I actually go.get.the.tickets!!

I made lists of everything that needs to be done and, oh my the lists are long!
I feel like I’ve done so much but yet, there is still SO.MUCH left to get done.  I know it’ll happen
(and I’m sure I won’t sleep much again tonight which makes for good little clothes folding/hanging time!)

Among the lists were a couple of fundraisers I wanted to hold to be able to officially call myself..fully funded.
But it occurred to me that I have tomorrow and next Saturday and that’s it.  TWO SATURDAYS!!!
So the car wash was scratched, as was a last minute garage sale.
This made me panic a little.  I don’t know how I can raise funds while I’m out of the country?

Then, I went and checked my mailbox.
Inside was a little envelope, thin, from an organization called…
Show Hope.
The last grant I had out…
(of the about 20 that I’d applied for)
I had been trying not to stress or worry.  I know God’s got this…and somehow it’ll all work out.  I have a little pile I can sell online before I go.  My brother offered to hold the car wash without me. It’d all work out.
It’s funny how you can tell yourself those words over and over, but worry still creeps in.

I was a little turned off by the thin, small envelope.  Rejections come in thin, small envelopes.  Approvals come in big envelopes with extra stuff.  I didn’t really want to open it, because I still wanted to ‘Hope’ that I might could get some funds from this last grant I was waiting to hear about.

The anxiety of not opening the envelope and so, not knowing,
was almost worse than the thought of reading a rejection.
So, I opened it.
Sometimes, big things come in small envelopes.
They have approved me for a grant.
Thank.You.God!!

I will still have to budget closely and there can be NO incidentals or extra things ‘coming up’ while I’m traveling (ha..yeah right!!!) but I feel so much better about leaving the country (in TWO WEEKS!!!) and being without a paycheck for the many weeks that I’ll be gone and covering the final costs due while in country.  Will it still be tight, yep.  Will I still have to budget, yep.
If my brother still wants to hold that car was while I’m gone, will I let him, you bet!
But I can worry a tad bit less now as I go drop a pretty chunk of change on some airplane tickets tomorrow!
(And maybe do a little puking in the airport bathroom, just for good measure…)
(Have I mentioned that I HATE flying!!!!)

You can find out more about Show Hope, here.

The organization was created by Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife after adopting their first daughter from China.  Show Hope™ is a movement to care for orphans, restoring the hope of a family to orphans in distress around the world.  It really is an amazing organization and they also rely on donors to be able to provide families (LIKE ME) with grants to assist in the adoption process.  There are multiple ways to get involved, by praying, advocating, sponsoring, donating, adopting…so many options available.  You should definitely check out their website and see if something catches your eye.
I will forever be grateful that this wonderful organization was able to ‘Show Hope’ to Josie and me in our adoption process.