Jesus Loves The Little Children....

Happy Friday Friends
You'll see that we've postponed our normal Friday fun.  We're taking the weekend off in observance of Labor Day, but want to let you in on a little secret......we've got something big to share in lieu of surprises if you tune back in first thing Tuesday morning.

In the meantime, I have a few heart issues that Ive been burdened to share with you all.....

First of all, I was honored to be asked to be a blog partner with an organization called Operation Smile and I wanted to share a little bit about it with you.  This organization hits home in our family because my precious niece was born with cleft lip and cleft palate.  This happens in the early stages of pregnancy when the palate in the roof of the mouth doesnt fuse together properly and it leaves a hole in the mouth.  Less severe cases affect the lip only, but all cases leave babies with challenges that affect their ability to suck and eat as infants and can cause speech delays and social/emotional trauma if left untreated.  Its a common birth defect, but the fact is that many of the children suffering from this are left untreated around the globe.

Lucas from Brazil

Since its conception in 1982, Operation Smile has been a pioneer addressing the need by providing over 200,000 life altering corrective surgeries to children all around the world free of charge.  Teams of medical missions evaluate and treat sufferers and give them an opportunity at normalcy where many of them are shunned or outcasts because of their deformity.

As Ive heard from a few moms who are in the "sending kids off to college" phase of life, I just wanted to share that Campus Book Rental is a great partnering organization that donates proceeds from rented textbooks to Operation Smile.  A great way to GIVE to Operation Smile while SAVING on textbooks you'd otherwise have to buy!
Every child deserves a chance to smile!

The second thing that I had has actually had me in tears a number of times this week is a little guy named Easton.  If you have a facebook account, you've probably seen his story circulating.  He is actually the second cousin of a dear friend of mine.
Its amazing how images of a baby in a hospital bed can so quickly stir up emotions and memories of our days standing vigil over Evie with so many questions and fears.  My heart breaks for his parents!

This little boy was born with a rare, severe and life-threatening condition called Epidermolysis Bullosa which basically is a connective tissue disorder that causes his skin to shed and blister at the slightest touch or friction.  Imagine your baby being born with third degree "burns" all over their body and in unbearable pain!!  Dressing changes alone (to keep raw fingers and toes from fusing together) costs thousands of dollars a day.  I cant imagine as a parent having to worry about affording whatever it would take to keep my child healthy and manage their pain.
So, my friend is trying to help raise money to offset the astronomical expenses of his care.  She's donating 100% of her proceeds from her business as a 31 Consultant until the 10th of September.  Would be so great if we could help this precious little fighter in some small way!  Contact Jess to order something and help sweet baby Easton!

And lastly, another friend shared this adorable little tyke with me tonight.  Meet Archer.  Cute, isnt he?  He's just about my Gigi's age so Im trying to put myself in the shoes of parents of an 18 month old baby and being told that he has a degenerative, incurable disease.  The shock and heartbreak would be completely overwhelming.  So sad to see that your beautiful bouncing baby is not developing as other babies are and being subjected to tests and procedures.  The geneticist has just come back to these parents with a diagnosis.   Zelwegger Spectrum Disorders are inherited through each parent being a carrier of one mutated gene.  There is no cure.  The prognosis is not good.
There is a facebook page designed as a fundraiser going to researching a cure for this awful disease.  Could you at the very lease "like" this page to receive updates on auction items that might be of interest to you?

So much heartbreak in this world.

Please visit these pages or feel free to leave messages for Archer or Easton below and Ill see that they are delivered.  If you are compelled to give, the links above will direct you to where you can.  And most importantly, please pray, pray, pray!  Pray for a miracle.  Pray for healing.  But pray for God in His grace to do what is best for these precious babies!

Holding onto the hope that comes with the promise that this world is not our home and someday.....someday He will return to wipe away every tear and bind up the broken hearts.