Homegrown Hospitality

The Evolution of a Doodle

Get some coffee. This is a long one.(and, psst..and make sure to read all the way to the end)

I love the act of transforming and how one thing leads to another.  It is like a butterfly but the thing is..

I do not like butterflies.  

I know that most people love butterflies, I just don't.  Don't misunderstand me.  I love the story of a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly but I don't like caterpillar's either.  I think I just don't like bugs.  I know they all have a purpose and God made them so that is all I will say about not liking bugs. 

Anyways...this is about the evolution/transformation of a doodle.

It all starts somewhere and in this case, it was a single circle on a piece of paper. That circle became a flower and as it bloomed and grew (no pun intended) larger on that piece of paper, that single circle became the center of a doodle.

That doodle then became a piece of art that transformed into a stamp and into the shape of a framelit by Sizzix
and is now a print that lines a tumbler
and a print on fabric that has become a tool for women to use as they learn skills, a trade and about Jesus. 

Wait, 

what?

This is where I have to stop and explain more about Hope Products what the little doodle turned fabric is doing to help.  

So, the fabric.

In 100% honesty here, I did not LOVE the colors when I first saw the fabric but that is because I don't love those colors. Now why in the world would I say that about a product that I helped create? 

Well, because it is NOT about me.  

It is about HE and these women and their children in Bangalore India.

The HOPE fabric is being lovingly cut and sewn by the beauties at Daughters Of Hope, the women you see pictured above.  Daughters of Hope provides training, employment and a safe and healthy work environment for these women and their young children. But that is not all. There is support in many ways through free childcare, free healthy lunches, savings plans, insurance and...

Jesus.

Each day, they sit and learn about Jesus.

So while I don't love the colors in the fabric, I love what the fabric is part of and I am more than overwhelmed with the opportunity to use my creative gifts and talents to inspire products that will change lives for women in India. 

The thing that just knocks the wind out of me is that I (little ol' me) gets to be part of such an amazing opportunity to help and now I am equally overwhelmed and kinda excited to tell you that you can now buy the Hope Fabric by the yard and 10% of every single purchase you make from Hope Products (not just the fabric) goes right back to Daughters of Hope.

Here I am dawning an apron that I made from the fabric and ya know, the colors don't look too bad!

Lastly, I have a little something to tell ya.  I am going to give 3 yards of HOPE fabric away TODAY but I need ya to help me out with a little something.

Go to the Hope Products Intl Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/hopeproductsinternational

and then

" like it"

and then

"Share It"

Winner will be announced here on my blog tomorrow!

Ready, Set, HOPE!

The WHY before the WHAT

This is going to be a long and "to be continued" post but want to tell you all the in's and outs of what I am going to share.

So dreaming big dreams, transforming and staying open has been in my heart and mind for over a year now (probably longer than that, I just didn't know it, duh.)  True "transforming" started for me in January (and again, probably longer than that, double duh) but the dreaming wide open has been a process, especially when you don't know what it is exactly you are dreaming about.

Confused?

Me too, but that is all part of the process. We are not meant to know it all so we have to trust.  It goes along with the saying I use alot, "I don't know where I am going but confident that I am going in the right direction" 

Whew.

So, I have had little nuggets of wishes here and there but to dream big GOD sized dreams is another thing.  Thankfully with wisdom & reminders from Lori,  Lisa and Holley and staying open to whatever it is that HE has planned has been my goal.

Things around here are going full circle and now I am able to start connecting the dots of my dreams and it is, well..really exciting BUT it is the WHY of my dreams, not exactly the WHAT. 

With all of that said, I want to introduce to you Hope Products International.

The WHY.

Here is the beginning of our story.

Here is our mission statement

Here is our team 

 

Here is our vision

First and foremost, for all of us, it is about the story of Daughters of Hope and Dylan, Molly, Cy & Lane, the team there on the ground serving, teaching, preaching and loving. 

The WHY for us is to do something for others. This is not all about having "this one great product" and then figuring out what to do with it.  It is all about having a common goal to serve. That is what we are supposed to do.

Okay, more to come.  I have to stop now because my heart is going to beat out of my chest any second and I need to go do my momma job and then hit the road.

I would LOVE for you to pray for these women, pray for our purpose, pray for people to understand.  I would love for you to share in our vision.  WE can all do this together and I am excited to share this with you because I know how you are!

and lastly...Thank you for being here so that I can share with you my big dream.  I hope that you can come along side me in this, oh and "eeeekkkkkk" (I say that alot when I am excited).   

Doing Something

For the past several years, I have had a yearning to do something.  You know, really DO SOMETHING.  Something that is meaningful, that has purpose, that changes the world.  Okay, maybe not the world, but maybe the world to someone...but I didn't have a clear picture of what that was.  At the same time, I have been learning what it means to dream big and even harder, allowing myself to dream big. It is alot to have swirling around inside your heart, mind and stomach!

So what is my one big dream?  Well, up until now, I didn't have that "lightning bolt dream" and seriously, in one conversation I had last week with a very special friend, I learned in 10 seconds what I have been trying to figure out all along.

My One Big Dream is to stay OPEN. (and yes, that will be my word for 2015)

OPEN to what HE has for me.  

OPEN to opportunities.

OPEN to possibilities.  

OPEN to failure and lessons learned.

OPEN to receiving.

OPEN to know when to say YES and also to say NO.

OPEN.

duh.

I was looking too hard.

So, with all of that said, I want to start sharing more of what I have been working on quietly for a while. Soon I will share all of the amazing information but for now, I would LOVE for you to go here  to get to know Daughters of Hope, who they are and what they do.  If you are a prayin person, I would ask for you to Pray for these women and children. Pray for Dylan, Molly, Cy & Lane. Pray for continued growth and opportunities for DOH, Pray for me staying OPEN to what HE has planned for me as I begin to make arrangements to sit and create with these women and hey, PRAY that when I go there and get my nose pierced that it won't hurt very much.

I will be sharing more and more very soon, but for now, please take a little time to get to know Daughters of Hope. I think you will love them. I do.

So, you knew I would ask..
What is your BIG DREAM?

Do Something

Doing something has been on my mind more than anything in the past several years and things are falling into the places that they are supposed to. 

"Do all the good you can, 
By all the means you can, 
In all the ways you can, 
In all the places you can, 
At all the times you can, 
To all the people you can, 
As long as ever you can."

John Wesley

 

In the spirit and purpose of doing something, here is another great article about my new friends in India and soon I will be able to share more.

Dreaming Big Dreams

I have been working on, praying about and documenting what exactly "dreaming big dreams" means at our house, in our lives and for the lives of others.  First and foremost, for me, I needed to allow myself the opportunity for possibilities. That may sound silly but the truth is, I have always thought that "those things" happen for others and I was just doing what I was supposed to be doing.. on the sidelines.

So sorry that I am talking in code. It is not quite time to share but what I do want to tell you is that YOU need to open your heart to all that is possible. Allow yourself to dream big dreams because it is all possible.

It may have taken me 44 years of unconsciously building walls, creating excuses and putting up barriers, but in the first week of 45, I think my heart is going to explode and is overflowing daily with HOPE and possibilities since I allowed myself to let it all happen.

Why I waited so long, who knows..but I have learned a lesson and now, I am going to continually yet gently push you.

Open up your heart.  

Let it happen.

Dream BIG.

 

Don't miss out on the blessings GOD has for you and for the job HE has for you do.