Sitting down and talking with Chap Stique

My interview with Chap Stique is here. No, I do not call him that in real life. I think that would be just way too weird.

For those of you that aren't Chappy fans - the nickname comes from the fact that he is "addicted" to lip balm. I don't call him Chappy either.

And, once again, he is married.

This post led to the one about him being married.

Why did I feel the need to type all of the above? I have no idea.

I was very excited to find out he is involved with Blood:Water Mission and Free The Slaves.

Don't know if anyone's has noticed, but slavery and poverty really push my buttons.

So, I thank my friend for helping get the word out about two very heartbreaking issues and some ways people are trying to tackle the problems.

Ransomed T-Shirts

Brad Ruggles designed the winning t-shirt for the Compassion International Global Food Crisis Fund and Blood:Water Mission. It is cool and has one of my favorite words on it.

Buy one.

Father's Day Gift Ideas

I've heard a rumor Sunday is Father's Day. It dang sure doesn't get the kind of attention Mother's Day does. But just because the commercial world doesn't put the same amount of pressure on you to buy your dad a gift doesn't mean you don't need to get him anything.

I'm here to help you out. Maybe your dad is the kind that doesn't want a lot of stuff, as in more stuff to store in his closet, garage, storage shed, etc... The following things will not pile up. In fact, they will lift people up. So, for this Father's Day I make the following suggestions.

Free The Slaves works hard at ending modern day slavery. They have an amazing website with updates on how people around the world are being rescued from this horror. Give your father the opportunity to be a modern day abolitionist.

Compassion International has so many ways to be involved with changing lives. Browse through their website for ideas. There will be the perfect gift for your father, whether it be malaria prevention kits, food crisis intervention, or sponsoring a child.

Blood:Water Mission was created buy some great guys who saw a need and decided to do something. Donate in your father's name and help give clean water to those dying from the lack of it.

Toms Shoes will give a pair of shoes to a needy child for every pair you buy your father. There are a lot of choices on their website and you can read the history of the company and how they choose to run their business.

If your father loves t-shirts then this is the place to go. JesusGreaterThan.Org has great shirts. I got my cool one before they even had a website which makes me extra cool. Just thought you should know that. And no matter where Corinn and I wear them (not at the same time - that would be too cutesy, weird for a teenage daughter and her mom to do) we have people stop us and ask about them. So, your father needs one of these t-shirts.

Now, if these suggestions don't do it for you, then go to my Mother's Day ideas. Those will work also. Except make sure you say "Happy Father's Day". Don't confuse him with your mom.

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

So, you're still looking for that perfect gift for your mother. Maybe you have a mother that has everything. Maybe you have a mother that has enough stuff and doesn't want anymore stuff. Maybe your mother would like one of the following or all of the following.

Love 146 is dedicated to ending child sex slavery and exploitation. Donate in your mother's name.

Gospel for Asia develops native missionaries to reach the lost in their countries. Sponsor a missionary in your mother's name.

Compassion International brings hope to poverty stricken children. They work with local churches to change lives. "Adopt" a child in your mother's name. Or give to the Malaria Intervention Fund in your mother's name.

Brody Harper is partnering with blood:water mission to build wells in Africa. Help with the drilling in your mother's name.

25 Cloth has great t-shirts with great purpose. This quarter, when you buy a shirt for your mother, you will also supply the cast materials for one club-footed child in a developing country. With your purchase, a child will have the opportunity to heal properly and enjoy one of life's basic functions--to walk.

Operation Care - Dallas ministers to the homeless of the DFW metroplex. They are expanding to work with homeless children in the Philippines. Give to the homeless in your mother's name.


This Mother's Day give your mother a gift that keeps on giving.

Water, Water Everywhere And Not A Drop To Drink...

We have a leak in our foundation. A pipe broke. At first we could hear running water at weird times when we knew there was none being used, then it became a quiet roar, then it became a rushing roar that required me to wear earplugs to concentrate on work. The park next door began to flood. Something had gone terribly wrong.

The plumber dug outside the house where it sounded like the leak was located. Nothing. Dry dirt. He studied the flooded park. Okay, it looked like it was coming from under the dining room window. They dug. Water, lots of water. Water that kept coming even though the water was turned off at the street. That corner of the house was floating. So, now it looked like the leak under the North West corner of the dining room. This morning they arrived with the jackhammer and tore into that corner. The leak wasn’t there. BUT they left my dining room cleaner than it was when they started and did a great job patching the hole. I was impressed. Now, if I could just get them to jackhammer the rest of the house…

Anyway, the broken pipe was found. It was where they thought it was the first day, just farther under the house. So they think they can get to it from the outside. They have to work around the existing foundation repair or the Pergo and kitchen sink will have to be removed.

We’ve been doing without using much water the last few days. It is amazing how much we rely on running water that is so handy dandy, right at our fingertips. I can’t stand to have stuff on my hands, like after I put on lotion, or when I’m cooking. I constantly wash or at least rinse my hands when getting ready or in the kitchen. Not OCD like, but “yuck” like.

Watching that water pool in the park has been very frustrating. My grandmother instilled in me that water was not to be wasted. She has ALWAYS gathered rainwater. We took baths as kids and gave our children baths at her house in maybe an inch of water. Just enough to cover the bottom of the tub. Dishes are scrapped and then wiped before washing. We didn’t waste water rinsing them off and still don’t.

So, hearing the rushing roar and seeing the pools has been hard, plus knowing the financial cost of paying for the wasted water and the repair has been stressful.

How is it that my family has clean water everywhere being wasted and people across the globe are going without? People hike miles daily for water that is not safe and we have safe water gushing out of our house. It seems so unfair, so wrong. I’ve thought a lot about those who are suffering and those that are trying to help. One of those people is Brody Harper. His heart was moved by blood:water mission and he has chosen to do something.

If wasted water or people drinking unsafe water bothers you, join him in making a difference. My family hasn't had to really suffer. We’ve been annoyed, but haven’t hurt physically because of this event. It isn’t the same for millions.

blood:water mission

Mr. Brody Harper is on to something good. He wants to do something about the lack of good, clean water in Africa. Most of us take clean water for granted. We love it, we use it almost constantly, we waste it.

Blood:water mission works hard at providing life giving wells in areas that need them.
P.D. Ross has created cool shirts to help raise money for these wells.

Brody wrote this in his blog:

P.D. explained to me that he wants to get behind this little project here and we are working out the details on how to link the two. Right now P.D. has offered that if someone buys a “Jesus>Thirst” shirt and mentions Blood Water Mission he will donate all of the proceeds to the goal of Two Wells Every Three Months. Pretty generous, eh?

So, get on board and order a shirt OR just donate to the fund Brody has set up. Make a difference. I know people that are so wrapped up in their neat little America that they refuse to see the pain in other countries. Christ has called us to reach out to the poor and hurting. People that don't have clean water are hurting.

Last minute Valentine's gifts from the heart...

Okay, you are down to the wire. You need a gift, a gift from the heart, not from the tent in the Kroger parking lot. So, here are my suggestions for meaningful Valentine Day gifts.

Sponsor a child at Compassion International.
Buy a pair of shoes from Toms
Send some love through LOVE 146
Show a little heart with Operation Care
Give a drink through blood:water mission
Pick a t-shirt with a message and much more at Two-Five

blood:water mission

If you do not read the blood:water mission blog, you should. The newest one is by Dan Haseltine. Some people have heard of him 'cause he is the lead singer of this little band called Jars of Clay. But, today he isn't talking about his small time band, he is communicating about the suffering in Africa, choices, and the here and now of the Kingdom of God.

And after you read it - do something with it.