sponsor post: tiffany on giving

Well, friends. Tiffany's going to share today about giving. But not in the way you think. You can connect with her right here.
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Hey ladies! Did everyone make it through the holidays in one piece? All fingers, toes, and a few grey hairs accounted for? I’m glad to say we did, but I think we only did because we switched our focus from ribbons, gift wrapping, debit cards, and long lines to giving of ourselves to each other. That’s what I wanted to talk to y’all (that means all of you in case some of you aren’t blessed to be southern) about today.

Giving…

Now I know we all just got out of the holiday season and I’m sure you thinking “really?!”, but follow me please. I know for me it is really easy to start thinking about others and their needs when everything is all golden, green, and red, the time where every store you pass has someone ringing a bell reminding you that there are others that are in need. My hubby always says “See a need, meet a need.” You don’t have to look hard or long to find a need, any need that you can meet.

With that being said, I want to tell you about my need. Well, the need of another that I’ve taken on as mine. It’s one of those stories that looking back the only way it would have all connected was by God just pulling things together. Jessica would be one of those people in church that you would ‘know’ who she was but never actually had a conversation with, maybe just a passing bob of your head because you recognized seeing each other every week, at every women’s event, ect. Until one day you magically connect on facebook (yes, God can totally use facebook! Myspace on the other hand…) you start reading her story, their plans for adopting, and it starts to pull on you. It pulls on you all day, all night, to the point that your husband starts telling you not to read anything she post after 9, because you are going to keep him up till 1 talking about it. Suddenly you have one thought: You have to do something to help get that baby home, but how?

My little Etsy shop, that’s how. It has been the biggest blessing in my family’s life, so much more than I could have hoped or imagined, so why not sell my goods to the merchants to help another family too? I really don’t like talking about things like this (not a fan of the toot your own horn thing) but, I wanted to give you some ideas if any of you are interested in using your craftiness and gifts to help others.

Find a cause! Jessica’s adoption pulled at me for months, and I prayed and talked to my hubby about it over and over until it finally got to a point where it didn’t make sense not to do something!

Start small. This holiday season I did a lot of craft fairs/ festivals. It was a lot of fun, but totally exhausted my preggo self out! (Oh did I not mention I was seven months pregnant and about the size of a whale?) I went to one craft party and gave half of everything I made that day to Jessica. I had a cute little sign and just rocked it out! It wasn’t much but, it was something.

Pick an item. I like to craft a lot of different things. I do a lot of crocheting and I love it but, sometimes my brain needs to do something else for my creative sanity. So I created a special item, well two items. They are totally different from what I do normally, which is why I do them in special order form only but the proceeds from those go to Jessica’s adoption! It’s a great way for me to break up what I normally do-having something that is just for her-and gives people the chance to get involved in bringing this little girl to her mommy!

Well, that’s all the thoughts I have right now! I pray that you all find something that encourages your hands to keep working joyfully after all this holiday craziness!

Much love~ Tiffany