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Welcome to my window on the world. A snapshot of my life and experiences. I'm a photography junkie and a scrapbook addict. I capture it all here, and share my journey down this amazing road called LIFE with you!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

A Living Miracle and A True Friend Knows Your Heart

I often wonder how God does it all. I mean, He knows us down the every hair on our head. Every star in heaven has a name. He has a plan for each of us, down to the minutest detail. And so He has set me on a path to Kenya. He has opened the doors for me, and people have reached out in such an amazing way.

Yesterday, while I was working, a man said that he thought the cross on my neck was "cool". I started explaining about my mission trip and that I was making crosses for it. Next thing you know, he had bought the cross of my neck to support me. A complete stranger!

My dear friend, Patsy Lee, is a Christian mentor to me. I often go to her with problems, and she gives me advice from a Christian perspective. She is very wise, and I have yet to have her be wrong! We like to exchange gifts every year. Just a lil sumpn', and this year her gift to me was a donation to my mission trip with a beautiful card. I nearly cried. A true friend knows your heart. She knows my deepest desire is to serve in the mission field in Kenya, and so her gift to me was to help me along on that journey. I was so deeply touched. But she knew this trip was my heart because she is my true friend.

Yesterday, I went over to my dear friend, Beverly Surma's house. We were baptised together at NewSpring. We started in small group together, and now I'm the small group leader. She is a riot! We went and saw Adam Lambert together and rode in her red hot convertible...nearly froze to death on the way home, but that's what you do with good friends! We exchanged a lil sumpn' for each other. And she knows my heart. Back in September, she got me the most gorgeous cross at the Darlington Sweet Potato Festival. This was before she knew I was making them like a fiend, and before she knew I was selected for Kenya. I had put in for it! But a true friend knows your heart.

I have had some issues with an untrue friend here recently. It makes me appreciate that true ones that much more. You don't have to donate to my mission trip. You can pray. I need prayer. Nancy Beach and Anne Caturano Semmler have offered prayer. And Kristin Furfaro. This is huge. Prayer will allow me to receive the most from this journey.

Anyway,
A lying tongue hates those it hurts,

and a flattering mouth works ruin. Proverbs 26:28

If you lie and are deceptive towards someone who is your supposed friend, it is obvious you do not really like them. And if you try to flatter them with false flattery, again, it is obvious you do not like them. Sad, but true.

I don't want to dwell on the negative. Just so happy about the positive and uplifting journey I am on as I raise money for Kenya. Each of you has made this journey possible. Each of you will be in my pocket on a piece of paper and prayed for every day as I am in Kenya.

One of my favorite quotes is, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

I gave that to my mom when she was put on the transplant list. It applies to Kenya, but I'd like to add, begins with a single friend...and grows closer, one at a time!

Monday, December 13, 2010

We made goal number one!

I say God made it. Each of you has been a special blessing. A part of my mission. I will not be in Kenya without each person who has made this a possibility. How do you say thank you to the people who make your dream come true! Two small words, but they carry so much from me!
I'm amazed at how people have responded. So overwhelmed! Small post today. Simple gratitude. I am blessed by each one of you. You are making it possible.

Friday, December 03, 2010

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and Donate through Paypal

Artist: Beth Walsh, AOII
Okay, Beth Walsh AOII sent me her donation in this decorated envelope that I just had to share! With a cute 8x1/2" page inside that will definitely be scrapbooked in my Kenya book, along with all my blog posts. How sweet! The mailman, I HOPE, appreciated the time it took to doodle this up! I sure did.
Yesterday, I taught my scrapbook class at Scrapbook Concepts. There were six lovely ladies in there who I thoroughly enjoyed my time with. It lasted about two hours, and we made two flag books. One basic and one fancier with a 4x6 photo.

4x6 Photo Flag Book
Next, I will be teaching a waterfall class...no, peaking yet! That is Sunday, December 12th. Gotta whip out my samples this weekend in between work!

Steven spoke at NewSpring recently.
Steven Furtick recently spoke at NewSpring. He is a friend of our pastors, from Goose Creek, SC, and currently the pastor of a church in Charlotte, NC. The gist of his message was that WE do not ask God for BIG enough things. He is greater than our dreams. After all, if God could make the sun stand still for 24 hours, what can't he do in our lives? This really stuck with me. (And for a shameless plug for him, click on the book photo, it takes you directly to Amazon.com where you can order his book.)

It is part of the reason I stepped out entirely in FAITH to raise $,3500 to go on a mission trip, as we all know, to Kenya. And I asked God to initially help me raise $52.00 a day for my first deadline looming Dec. 19th. He gave me more each day because my request was small, and He is greater than what I can ask for. I later had to up the ante to $68.00 a day as things had slowed just a bit. I got tired. I slowed down. Not God. Terri Hale Kessler responded and "bought" a day. But God in His greatness said, "I can do more, child." And her mother, Virginia Hale, is sending a donation on top of Terri's. I underestimate what God can do all the time.I"m human. And He is showing me, that He is God.

In the midst of my, "slow" period, Bev Schaeffer, stepped in and said she would get me to Kenya. I've posted about that on an earlier blog. A sun stand still moment for me. A reminder...

Yesterday was quite an amazing day. Beth's adorable letter with her donation came in (featured above in the first photo). It is special to see people rallying around me and supporting me. It is inspiring! Then Karin Raus Vercamer (AOII), realized that paypal was the way to go. Frankly, it was instant gratification for donations, and as she said, the quickest way to do a feel good thing. Lo and behold, that opened a flood gate...literally! I watched Glenn Kipps (TKE), who I have known since 7th grade and showed up at George Mason and said, "I know you," use paypal to help me to Kenya. Cathy Arcieri Morales (Catie to some now), jumped on paypal and sent a payment for four crosses. Then Nancy Woloshin jumped on...my dearest crafting girlfriend and someone I have loved since I met 21 years ago after Lou and I first got married! Anne Duff Chappell is not far behind. I think she is still trying to figure it out...with now help from me because Karin was the one who got it all started and left me going, "duh".

But that's not enough, Cathy sent me an email that I opened on my phone. I love technology with a photo of her donation. So sweet because otherwise I have to call the church Kenya office to see what people have sent in directly to them. Not a big deal for me to call, but I love a girl so organized!

But that's not enough, I taught my class at the lss (local scrapbook store), and that earned me $30 towards my trip. But that's not enough! The sweet ladies in there gave $120 in extra donations! Yes, $120 extra.

What I'm trying to tell you is that God can make the sun stand still. You just have to ask.

And you can donate directly to me through paypal, which I will forward to NewSpring Church at: lbossinger@sc.rr.com. Thanks, Karin! DUH!

One final, irony of the day. I am going on a medical/dental mission. Don't know how I got on that one! But that is where I'm at.