In the United States, we celebrate differences. We embrace those who are born with a special need.  Over and over again, I have watched friends and family members rally around someone with a child born with a disability. Complete strangers raise money to benefit a family with a child who has daunting medical problems and large medical bills.

Did you know there is a place where children are unloved and unwanted? A place where little ones go to bed each night without a kiss. Did you know that in many parts of the world children are thrown away because they are considered abnormal? Their needs are not special in their society. They are unacceptable. Parents are told they cannot or should not care for these children. I will not pretend to know each circumstance or what causes them to walk away from their child. I just know they do. And in doing so these children are left alone. Many of them in horrid circumstances. Just like this sweet girl. Take a moment and look at Zoey. She is six years old and weighs TEN pounds.  Oh how this girl needs the love of a family.

Reece's Rainbow is an organization that helps finance families who are led to adopt children with special needs. I learned about this little girl through Reece's Rainbow. She doesn't have much time, as you can clearly see. The only way she can only find a family is if her heartbreaking story is shared.  Click on the highlighted words Reece's Rainbow and you can learn more about this amazing charity and the children and families they bring together.

As I have mentioned, my family is advocating for a sweet boy who is orphaned and has down syndrome. We are hoping to raise $1000 by New Year's for Oscar.

 Now I know Christmas is coming, so I decided to help with your Christmas giving by giving away a Kindle Fire. Wouldn't that make a great for someone you know?
There are a couple of ways you can win...

1. Donate $5 or more to Oscar. Just click on the donate box on the top right of my blog and donate.     Then comment here, or on my Facebook page or send me a private message through Facebook letting me know you donated.   $5 = one entry
                                $10 = three entries
                                $15 (or more) = five entries
2. Share Zoey and Oscar. Either through my blog post or a blog post of your own, or on your Facebook page. (Or any other way you can think of - be creative!!) And again, leave a comment here or on Facebook letting me know how you shared.


Doesn't get much easier than that, right?? And you are helping two children who desperately need us.   Drawing for this giveaway will be on Tuesday December 11th so it will make it by Christmas and I will be using Random.org to draw.

I just finished baking bread and now I have hot rolls rising and ready to go into the oven. Outside is sunny and warm with that little hint of fall in the air. Don't you just love days like this? I have been finishing up my list of Christmas ideas and I am so ready for this beautiful holiday season to begin! I love the joy of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I always have. When I used to daydream about being a "grown-up" and what my life would be like, I always envisioned lots of children at Christmas time. Noisy Christmas mornings with full of anticipation and excitement. Well, that wish has come true for me. (To be honest, most mornings are noisy and full of excitement. I love that.) This year my family has planned to something BIG for Christmas. We are going to take on the challenge of raising $1000 for a little boy named "Oscar". There is something so sweet about him, don't you think??

Even more than money, we want to help this little boy find a family. You see, Oscar has Down Syndrome and in some countries children with special needs are tossed away. We found Oscar through Reece's Rainbow and he is one of many that we pray for. We are going to need a lot of help to get this job done, so I am going to challenge all of you and ask that you do what you can. Pray for him, donate to him, share him. You can donate to his fund through the box on the top right. And if you love Amazon as much as I do, click on my box on the right any time you shop and a portion of your spending will go to Oscar's fund. Sometimes sharing is the hardest part. But for Oscar, it might mean his next Christmas is spent with a noisy family of his own.

  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. James 1:27