An Experiment

I originally created Carried in His Hands (my religion blog) as a way to separate my religious life and my secular life so my readers would not have to weed through one or the other to find what they wanted. At this point, however, I am so wrapped up in religion that it IS my everyday life. Therefore, I am going to try only keeping up one blog, carriedinhishands.blogspot.com , and use it for everything. Please sign up to follow me there!

"My" Little Girl

(Please note that I am posting this on three of my blogs!)

A few of you may remember my commitment to be a prayer warrior for a sweet Russian girl with Down Syndrome who is living in an orphanage. The idea of the prayer warrior system is that each warrior is assigned a specific child for whom to pray every day. Due to life circumstances, I can no longer fulfill that commitment, but I am determined to find a new prayer warrior for "Erin." Just email laurie@reecesrainbow.org and ask to be "Erin's" prayer warrior.

You can see "Erin" by following this link and scrolling down:
http://reecesrainbow.org/category/waitingbycountry/russia/1region

Thank you so much!

See You Over There!

I am switching back to my pain blog, teenagelifewithpain.blogspot.com, until further notice. It's too much work to keep two/three blogs at once. See you there!

IMPORTANT

There is a boy in my class at school who is in the ICU,very sick...prayers please.

Sad Update

It has taken me a long time to gather the courage to write this post because I didn't want this to be real.

But it is.

Last week, a six pound ball hit my foot. (See my pain blog for more about my feet.) By the next day, I was in worse pain than I'd felt in months, and it's only gotten worse since then. The pain cycles up and down throughout the day, but each day's "highs" are worse than the last's.

I am fighting hard this time. I refuse to be disabled again. I am walking; I am running; I am dancing. And I'm proud of myself for fighting so hard.

But it hurts. I don't know how long I can keep fighting. I keep telling myself that I only need to hang on for one more day, and that it might be better tomorrow.

Nevertheless, I am scared sh*tless.

Glad

I am GLAD I donated to Reece's Rainbow yesterday. It feels RIGHT. I will definitely donate a majority of my birthday money next year. I feel WONDERFUL...and I'm eighteen!

My Birthday

Overall, I had a very nice day. My advisor (homeroom teacher) baked me a cake, so I had some. Everybody knew it was my birthday because of the mass emails that get sent out on birthdays at my school. I made a donation to Reece's Rainbow--the highlight of my day!--and I will have another cake with my dormmates tonight.

But--just being honest here--something was missing. I know Reece's Rainbow is important. I know those donations are critical to saving lives. But honestly, I wanted something I could open. Next year I will get myself a small gift and donate the rest of my birthday money.

And so now I am eighteen. I can vote. I can sign my own medical forms. I am legally my own.

What a privilege. What a responsibility. Wow.

Hope for Masha!

I have great news! The judge approved Tori's adoption! That means that even though she is in an institution, the door will stay open for Masha.

Isn't that wonderful?

Last Hope

Remember the little girl about whom I last spoke? Well, I have sad news. She WILL be transferred to an institution. There is, however, one last hope. A family is going to that institution to attempt to adopt another little girl (Tori). They must, however, persuade the director to approve. If she does, the door is still open for our little girl (Masha). If the judge says no, that door is shut forvever.

Just Days to Go...

...until a precious little girl named Masha is transferred to a mental institution and loses her chance at a family. Go here: http://www.psalmsixtyeight.blogspot.com/ to learn more. Please spread the word!

Something Big is most lIkely about to happen...

Stay tuned, and pray if you're the praying type!

Important on my Other Blog

At carriedinhishands.blogspot.com I have posted a prayer request. It is usually my policy not to post about religion on this blog, or to ask for prayer anywhere or ever, but this is really important. One detail I did not share there that I will share here is that this has to do with Reece's Rainbow! More details if it actually works out. Please join me in prayer.

Midterms

Oh, midterms, how I loathe thee...

One test Tueday.
One quiz Wednesday.
One test Thursday.
One test AND one quiz Friday.

And I still have to make up the work I missed because of my medical leave.

Great News!

Through no action of mine, the Down Syndrome Girls 6+ fund now has $3755 in it. Is that not amazing, incredible, WOW?

Cool!

Yesterday or the day before (I forget which) I discovered a new Jewish music group on Youtube. They are called Lev Tahor (Pure Heart) and they are amazing, even if you are not Jewish! My favorite songs by them are Lo Alecha (my theme song) and Deaf Man in the Shteeble (really sweet and moving).

Quote of the Moment

"Lo alecha ham'lakha lig'mor, v'lo atah ben khoreen l'hivatel mimenah."



"It is not upon you to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it."

Talk about quick!!!

All of a sudden, the Dwon Syndrome Girls 6+ grant fund has 850 DOLLARS in it! I will make it pass $1000!

Someone Special

Introducing... "ERIN"! Erin is the child to whom I have been assigned as a Reece's Rainbow Prayer Warrior. It is my privilege to pray for her until she finds a family, and perhaps longer. I know the picture depicts a young child, but Erin is actually turning nine this month. (No one knows how old the picture is; I've checked.)

My Goal

As you all know, my charity for this year is Reece's Rainbow, and I am specifically raising money for the Down Syndrome Girls 6+ page. This is a general grant fund that will go to the next family to adopt a little girl from that page.

I have a goal for how much money I will raise and donate. That goal is 200 dollars. I will get 50 from my parents for my birthday, which puts me off to a fine start.

This will not be easy. It means no more breakfasts, lunches, or dinners out with friends; no more snacks from the Student Union at school; no new clothes; no new craft supplies; no trips to the theater or the movies or ice skating. In short, it means going without for a much greater cause.

I think I can do it.

PS Can anyone tell me how a Chip-in works? I am toying with a couple of fundraising ideas.

Happy New Year?

2010 was a rough year for me in more ways than one...OK, in one way, but it was big. The ups and downs of bipolar disorder, my need for sleep, my emotional outbursts: all domineered my life.

I have no evidence that 2011 will be better, but I do believe it will. Maybe because I foresee getting control of my bipolar disorder; maybe because I will be starting college; and maybe just because I have decided it is going to be and I have the will power to make it so.

OK...New Year's Resolutions: I am only making two of them.

1. I will make time for God in my life. I will daven (pray the mandatory Jewish prayers) at least once a day, and hopefully twice. I need to connect with God in this way in order for the prayers I compose to mean anything.

2. I will pick a project/topic and make a difference in the world. This year, my chosen organization is Reece's Rainbow. I will donate what I have (maybe I won't get a birthday gift after all), I will post on my blog, and I will even "shout" on Facebook. Better believe I will make a difference.

So yes, friends, family, and readers: Happy new year.