Life vs Reality.............

I keep waiting to get on and type when I can really organize my thoughts. You know, write a clear blog with little ramblings while eloquently telling of my story and calling to Ethiopia, aka, look like I have it all together. I want to look back on the printed version of this blog and all of our family read of the glorious journey the Lord called their mom to and not think, she can't complete a sentence to save her life..................BUT that is not life nor reality and I am pretty darn sure they will know the real me regardless. So instead I plan to just be me, write like me, talk like me, and chitty chat (ramble) like me. So two crazy thoughts while I have 20 minutes without my kid (precious son Cross), here goes............


My trip is in 12 days, did you read that, 12 days..................................


I am thrilled, it has now been paid off 3 times, crazy long stories, but my bill kept going up because of shots and natural disaster insurance (now that's a reality that should make us all think), but 3 times God has used you guys to pay it in full! He is so worthy and as a friend said today, making it VERY clear I am called to go.


Secondly, the thing I just must write about or I will burst, godly women.............................


This has now happened to me two major times, I know a MILLION godly women, but these are just two examples that have stood out to me like crazy. To begin, last week our pastor talked about how we would know true followers of Jesus by their fruit so let me begin there.

When we moved to North Carolina, I kept hearing about this lady, Meredith Glover. "You have just got to meet Meredith Glover, she is so sweet, she loves the Lord so much." You get the point. Well, I did meet her in the hallway one day and I did LOVE her then, but formal hanging out would be a few months later. In the mean time this is how things would go, I would be talking to someone and they would be telling me how they got saved, guess who led them to the Lord? YEP, Meredith Glover. I could list a hundred more, but the woman had fruit, let's just stop there. The first day I went to her house which was the most glorious hub of hospitality I have ever seen, she read us this long email about Christ being the CENTER of our lives. The rest is history and I am certain our mansions in Heaven will be next door. She is who I regularly refer to as "my mentor" and she will kill me for this post, but I am 13 hours away so I can do whatever I want.


Well, the other night when I went to my Ethiopia meeting and I think I met another of the same. The whole room was full of people this "Kelly Putty" lady had touched. She had her life changed, not just salvation, like totallllllllllllllllllllllly sold out to Jesus changed and it was contagious and I wanted to catch it. She is the leader of our trip and although I know she will be busy (keeping us 22 or so straight) I pray I get some time with her. ALLLLLLLLLLLLL she talked about that night was how we were going to love on those children and bless them. I laughed so hard on the way home talking to Jesus. I said, God, I don't even think we ever prayed. I heard Him say so softly in my ear, "baby, what you were planning was more than a prayer". Man does He love it when we are chasing after His hurting children.


With that said, I am so darn excited I can hardly see straight.

So that is it, the two loves of my life will be storming through that door any minute. The poor dog will get chased and I will hopefully see some chocolate chip cookies or someone might lose an arm. I love you guys! I don't know how on earth you handle my ramblings and even come back for more, but you are dearly loved. Oh shoot, one more thing, ok two. Saying oh shoot reminded me of the cutest thing Cross repeated the other night. I said "oh Jesus", not in vain, in "oh please help me Jesus not kill that kid for splashing water everywhere" and Cross said back "oh garsh (gosh) Jesus, oh garsh"........................yep, redneck and hilarious!


Next $$$$ there are still a few people from our crew who are within a hundred dollars or so of being DONE as well so if you have felt led to give and haven't, please help this crew of random but totally God ordained (after hearing all the stories I started crying, yep in the first meeting) connections. We have a soccer coach for that part of our ministry and a widow of 50ish who has only left TN once to go to FL, we also have a 24ish gal from my neck of the woods and she reminds me so much of myself at her age that I can hardly stand it. Ok, ok, I am getting off! Here is the link to donate, just put "Ordinary Hero, Ethiopia" and "Whoever needs it" in the boxes. Any extra money raised will go directly into the orphanages so there is NO harm either way.

https://www.visitingorphans.org/donations/donate.aspx



Also, I've got to work out some details to take a computer with me to be able to blog, but I wanted to give you Kelly Putty's Blog just in case I run into some snags!

http://www.ordinaryhero.org/Home.html



I will try to log on at least one more time to give you some more random facts before I hit the road, but as for now, WE ARE GOING TO ETHIOPIA BABY and I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



K

Done, Finished............

Hello friends and family! I am writing to praise our awesome God who is so good and so gracious that no words can comprehend. My trip is paid for, in full, even the shots! I am so humbled, so honored by God's grace in all of this and His smile of confirmation that this is in fact His will is felt. I cannot thank you enough for your prayers and financial support. You have no idea what they have done to build my faith and rock my world with what GENEROUS friends we have been blessed with having.

I told Jeremy today that at this point it still feels very far off and unreal, but I am certain the time will start flying as it always does. You know that feeling, when you are excited about something and it seems as though it will never get here, and then it gets here way too quickly and you are scared to death and want time to stop. I know all of that is coming. So for now, my shots happen in the morning, not exactly looking forward to that, but "it will only sting for a minute". Also, I have Cross' schedule all squared away for the 9-10 days I will be gone so that feels glorious! Please do pray for that sweet baby and his very sweet daddy as I am gone. Pray that the Lord will bless their time so much that they won't even care that I am gone! I know Jeremy can hold down the fort better than me even, but I just fight the feelings of guilt that my sweet baby will not have his mommy for that long. How ironic that with those feelings I will be going to visit babies that may not even know the feeling of having a mommy. Oh how that grips my heart.

Also, just an adoption FYI for all of you out there who have read my family blog and the desires of our hearts in regards to possibly adopting, there will be an agent with us the entire time.......................I just can't seem to get that God detail out of my mind! So for now, I think that is all I have to share. Several of you have mentioned that you had wanted to give and you certainly still can. Any money that is raised above the initial cost estimate will be used for any unforeseen extras or as a gift to the orphanages we will be visiting. Here is that link if you are interested https://www.visitingorphans.org/donations/donate.aspx

One last thing before I get off, I have this deep burning desire to build a relationship in Ethiopia for returning trips. I think God is birthing something in me that involves long term partnership with someone or some organization there. I would love nothing more than to have a place where we could always go and serve and where we could be a long term blessing, not just a short. Ok, I'll go now. I have a million details that really need to be penned. I feel like there are so many God details that I don't even know where to start. What a ride our Jesus offers, one with too many details to even share. He is so personal dear friends. Please never settle for less! I love you all dearly!

We're goin to Ethiopia,
Kelly

Welcome........................

Hello everyone! I can't believe this blog has really been "birthed"! It started as a vision in my quite time with the Lord and thanks to a dear friend Delilah, it is now a reality on the page. A little joke we have is that she ALWAYS makes me look good as she is my Hope side kick as well! Please know I played no part in this creative genius. I am only good at asking for favors. Ok, so I am REALLY going to Ethiopia! I am still trying to convince myself, can you tell?? I want to begin by thanking so many of you who are literally sending me. Delilah goes in with that bunch as well!

I am so excited and in awe of the Lord's provision. As I type I have been blessed with over 2/3 of what I need. I still have to come up with almost $500 for the shots as well so I will go ahead and throw out that prayer request. I know the Lord is going to provide; I am just not doing such a great job at this very moment trusting in HIS provision. I am trying to take every precaution and get all the recommended shots because several things that are not super dangerous to an adult can be dangerous to small children. Obviously I can put up some cash and suffer the sting to protect my sweet baby and any others I come in contact with after the trip. I plan to do my very best to archive this entire trip from the time the Lord spoke to my heart about Africa several years back. I am praying my husband has some of those memories stored back because I know He did speak, but the when, why and how are still a bit fuzzy in my brain. I do remember the "where" was at First Baptist Church Clarksville. That church planted so many precious things in my heart, but my most thankful to date is hearing Brother Roger say, "this book (the Bible) is TRUTH, it is not a suggestion". That statement alone changed my entire life and I will forever be thankful for that firm foundation! Ok, until next time, thanks so much for coming along!!!!

We're goin to Ethiopia,
Kelly