Our church sponsored a “Compassion Sunday” today and dedicated the entire service to educating the congregation about the needs of impoverished children around the world. Pastor Tim recently returned from an eye-opening and life-changing trip to the Philippines where he was able to see firsthand the dire conditions that so many families are living under.

“He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.” (Proverbs 19:17, NIV)

It’s so easy to get caught up in our own comfortable lives, but just across the ocean, there are millions of children in need. It can be an overwhelming thought, but what about making a difference in the life of one child — for a mere $32 a month? Sure, we can all do that.

“He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.” (Proverbs 28:27, NIV)

For a moment, I wondered if I should pick up a sponsorship packet. After all, Baby Champuru is on the way and I was planning to stay out of work for as long as our finances would allow. It was never our intention to have a baby only to depend completely on my parents or in-laws to raise our child. But yet, the reality of raising a family on a single income in Hawaii is nearly impossible. At the same time, would $32 break our budget? Probably not. But imagine the difference that it could make for the sponsored child: HUGE.

I decided to take the step of faith and I picked up the packet for an eight-year-old boy from the Philippines named Melvin. His mother is raising him as a single parent, and while I don’t know the rest of the story, I know that it must be tough to make ends meet. With our commitment to sponsor Melvin, I know that he’ll have the hope for a brighter future.

If you’re interested in learning more about child sponsorship, visit Compassion International and make a difference in the life of a child for only $32/month.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

(Matthew 25:34-40, NIV)

We all have so much to be thankful for. When I find discontent creeping in, I know it’s time to change my focus: off of myself and on to others.

Sometimes, if I let myself get caught up in the daily grind and the media barrage, I can lose sight of how blessed I really am. Working amongst the upper echelon in The Company and being the “low man” on the proverbial totem pole can make me feel like a major have-not. And, if I watch too many commercials on TV or linger too long on a slick, expertly airbrushed magazine ad, I might also be apt to think, “life would be perfect if I could just buy this product…” But, in truth, I have everything I need — and, so much more than many others less fortunate than myself.

My friend Martin ministers to the homeless and brings them a hot meal faithfully each and every Thanksgiving. Perhaps one Thanksgiving, I should do the same. Not only would it be a sobering reminder of all that I have to be thankful for, but also an opportunity to provide a service that satisfies the soul as well as the stomach.

I could write an entire book about the things I am thankful for, but here’s my short list:

What are you thankful for?

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise;
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
– Psalms 100:1-5

Day 22 of 30

November is flying by and I can’t believe it’s already the 19th — and this Thursday is Thanksgiving! And, I still don’t know what to bring to my in-laws’ house — or to Mahealani’s. Must go through my Lindy’s Ono Recipe Cards tomorrow.

Pretty much spent all day filming at work. I think I’m getting somewhat better with the camera, although I still enjoy editing so much more. I am assigned to this video detail temporarily until December 7, which is pure bliss. I only wish I could do this permanently. Work wouldn’t be so work-like if this were my full-time, permanent job. But, it’s a start and I am grateful for the short stints in which I’m able to get away from my real job to do fun stuff like this. (I just feel for my replacement, though. It’s not an easy job to step into and I’m sure she wants to strangle me by now.)

While I was reading the Bible last night, I came across this verse:

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

I’ve been struggling with issues about our upcoming embryo transfer procedure and all of the what-ifs that go along with. The control freak in me has a hard time letting go and letting God take care of things. I thought that it was a timely reminder for me to read this verse in Jeremiah. If I put my trust in the Lord, I will not be bothered by trials that come my way because God will sustain me and allow me to flourish. It is comforting to know that in times of trouble, all that is required of me is to trust in the Lord and make him my hope and confidence. He takes care of the rest.

Day 19 of 30

Sometimes my spiritual ears don’t work very well and that still, small voice gets drowned out by the cares and distractions of this world.

This morning, in church, I had one of those moments when I felt like God was speaking directly to me through the pastor’s message. He talked about how our hectic and stressful lives can be so overwhelming. But, God tells us to “be still and know that He is God,” (Psalms 46:10). As the pastor spoke, he asked us to close our eyes and be still. It’s something I rarely do. My life is full of activity and busyness, even my free time is hardly ever “free.” The only time I am still are the moments in the darkness, just before sleep overtakes me, rescuing me from the exhaustion and stress of the day. But even then, my mind races, rewinding the events of the day and fast-forwarding to the tasks that await me tomorrow.

But, I realized that I must focus on God, especially during those time that I am most overwhelmed by the mile-long To Do list or when I feel like the sky is falling all around me. It is best summed up in an article I found about this verse. Here’s an excerpt:

This command—“be still”—forces us to think on two things: that we are finite, and that God is infinite. That being the case, we need to drop our hands, go limp, relax, and “chill out.” Christian people ought to “come, behold the works of Jehovah,” (v8) that we may enjoy a calm confidence in him who gave us his Son.

“Shall he not also with him freely give us all things?” Paul reasoned (Romans 8:32). Psalm 46:10 encourages us to reflect on what God can do in the face of what we are unable to do.

Spiritual serenity, the psalmist admits, ought to be cultivated in spite of the shaking mountains and agitated waters (vv. 2-3; i.e., figures for the difficulties we face in life). This spiritual calm, that God commands, does not come from a lack of troubles; it derives from a steady, deep reflection on the ways God has intervened in history on behalf of his people (cf. Romans 15:4).

So as your world crumbles around you, the call from Scripture is: don’t flinch in faith in God. Stand still—not because of a self-made confidence, not because you are the most composed person in the face of disaster, not because “you’ve seen it all.” Be still because of what you know about God.

It is “God’s past” that provides calm for “our future.” Know that he is God! Know it, not merely intellectually, but practically, spiritually, and emotionally. He is your God. He is the ruler of kingdoms of this earth and the all-powerful Creator of the Universe.

If you are the last man or woman standing, be still. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth do change” (Psalm 46:1-2a). Hallelujah!

Excerpted from the article, “Be still and Know that I Am God,” by the Christian Courier

So, be still and listen. Is God talking to you today?

Day 11 of 30

Thunder roared overhead, the rain pelting hard against my window, as lightning flashed and momentarily lit up my bedroom. Tobi the wonder dog lay on the bed snugly between Hubby and I, his little heart racing with fright as he jumped at every flash of light and crack of thunder. Only on stormy nights is he allowed on the bed and he knows it, so he took full advantage of the privilege, keeping Hubby up half the night consoling him. The storm was relentless, beating down on `Oahu from just after midnight and didn’t cease until well after daybreak.

At approximately 6:15 am, the UPS alarm beeped from the computer room, indicating that we had just lost power. A quick glance at my clock radio confirmed this when the glowing red numbers were not. In 15 minutes, my battery-powered alarm clock was set to sound, telling me that it was time to get ready for church. But, no electricity meant Donna goes nowhere. After all, my daily ritual involves a hot shower, blow dry, and flat iron. All of the above required electricity. I had figured that I would take a day off from church today.

Hubby had bounded out of bed and drove to the nearest store to buy ice to preserve our perishables in the event of a prolonged power outage. It would be a crying shame to see the 3 cartons of organic milk, case of Activia yogurt, and assorted perishables that I bought from Costco just yesterday go to waste. I extracted the cooler from the storage closet by flashlight and hosed it down outside. By the time I was done, the power had come back on.

Hubby returned with the ice and put it in the cooler anyway, just in case. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I had just enough time to jump in the shower and get ready for church. Dare I say, almost reluctantly, I pushed myself to get ready to leave the comfort of our warm, dry home and venture into the cold, stormy weather outside. It would have been so easy to stay home, snuggled under the blankets, waking up whenever and lounging around with the cup of hot chocolate. But, there were greater rewards awaiting. Not just here, but in heaven, too.

Today, one of the songs we sang during worship was “Bring the Rain.” How appropriate, not just in the literal sense, but also in the figurative sense. Although I am often prone to praying for His blessings, protection, wisdom, comfort, etc., I realize that I must also accept the “rainy days” in life. I have learned that the days that bring us most pain also bring us the greatest lessons. Admittedly, it’s difficult for me to pray, “Lord, bring the rain.” But, when it comes, as it always does, I pray that the lessons will not be lost on me, and that I come out on the other side of the pain looking a little more like Jesus.

Perhaps, if you read the lyrics below, my ramblings above will make a little more sense. And, thanks to the wonders of YouTube, you can also listen to the song as well.

Day 4 of 30

“Bring The Rain”
by Mercy Me

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I’ve gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty

Friday, July 27, 2007
My period started. Hooray! (Who knew I’d be cheering about starting my period?) The IVF cycle is ready to begin.

Saturday, July 28, 2007
The day began and ended with IVF activities. This morning, we made a visit to the infertility specialist for another ultrasound and a blood test. After hitting our pocketbook for a cool $2000, they sent us home with a big bag of goodies. Two kinds of injectable drugs (Follistim and Menopur) and nifty stuff like vials, needles, alcohol swabs, and bandaids. The instructions: Two shots to be given twice a day, twelve hours apart — in the abdomen. Luckily, it’s a subcutaneous injection (skin only), so the needle is small and thin, so it’s not too horrible — although, I will say that it is not without a tiny pinch of pain and a little shedding of blood now and then. The egg retrieval is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, August 7. If successfully fertilized, implantation happens about 3-5 days later. But, as always, everything is up in the air and contingent on whether my body responds to the treatment as expected.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Yet another ultrasound and blood test today. Apparently, the doc wasn’t completely pleased with the way my left ovary was responding to the treatment, yielding only one or two eggs visible on the ultrasound, while the right ovary produced about six. I’m not sure how many would be a “good” number, but I guess a few more days of injections will be necessary in my case and the egg retrieval now has to be pushed back. This whole IVF process is such a wait-and-see thing. My Friday ultrasound will tell us more. In the meantime, I’ll be praying for my body to cooperate. I also have another injection (Ganirelix, again) to add to the mix starting on Friday morning. That will bring my shot count to five per day: 4 shots in the tummy and 1 in the leg.

I have noticed that the hormones have been making me a little more emotional than normal. As I was driving home listening to Josh Groban, I nearly broke down in tears as I sang along with the song, “In Her Eyes.” I have always said that Josh’s voice was so beautiful that it could bring me to tears. I guess that wasn’t too far-fetched a statement after all. I also got all teary-eyed this afternoon as I was telling Hubby about a “Focus on the Family” radio broadcast that I heard today that explained the challenges that parents of autistic children face. Hubby should just be thankful that hormones only affect my emotions and don’t turn me into the Wicked Witch of the West.

The IVF experience has been growing my faith and also teaching me that I need to just “let go and let God.” There are some things that I simply cannot control and this is a prime example of one of them. As hard as I try, I cannot force my body to do anything. All I can do is rely on God, trust that Father knows best, and that He is in control, even when I am so not. This experience has also taught me that I can trust Hubby with anything, even a needle. He has been so loving and supportive throughout this whole ordeal, I could not ask for a better man to share my life with — with or without children. I am so truly blessed either way.

After a long day at the office, I nursed a work-induced migrained with a steaming bowl of chicken pho. Powering up my iMac, I checked my e-mail. In my in-box, I found a message from a friend who often sends blasts of Biblical wisdom to her friends and family. These encouraging gems seem to always come at just the right time to speak to my heart and lift my downcast spirit.

Malachi 3:3 says: He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.

This verse puzzles some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. So one of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and got back to the group at their next study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the sliversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were the hottest, as to burn away the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on othe silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”

He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy: when I see my image in it.”

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. Keep on keeping on!

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?