Giving Vs. the "I Want" Syndrome

I want a bigger house.

I want to buy my children clothes from whichever stores I want, whenever I want to.

I want to be able to travel a few times a year, to all sorts of cool places.

I want to be able to go to a nice dinner for special occasions, even if it costs an arm and a leg.

I want to be able to buy the trendiest clothes and jewelry.

Really, the list could go on.

Obviously, that is my human nature talking, and not my Christian nature. We all battle some part of that nature every single day. When I look at my finances, a lot of days, all I really want is more money. To spend on me. Or my family. Obviously.

Yesterday, when Casey and I were looking at our budget, however, I realized, that for the first time in our marriage, our giving percentage is higher than every other category in our budget (except our house payment..which is another story for a different day). This made me so full of joy!

But what about all of those "wants" up above. I mean, couldn't I stop paying all of the money to my church, and to compassion, and to World Vision, and to Holden Uganda, and...you get the picture...and use it to do some of the things above instead?

Yes I could. A lot of people do.

But...those wants are not why I am here. Those wants, are not why Brittyn isn't with us.

I don't know why Brittyn isn't with us, I won't until we are in Heaven. One thing that God has placed on my heart within the last few months is the importance of doing things for God's Kingdom, in honor of Brittyn. I feel like that gives her short little 23 week life, purpose.

One way that we are giving, as of this month, is we decided to sponsor another child. There have been some months, where I looked at that $38 Compassion donation, and thought to myself "Man. I sure could use that money". Well, instead of taking it away, we are adding another $35 through World Vision. We found a girl, who was born the year Casey and I started dating...On Brittyn's birthday, April 14! Isn't that wonderful?? So Brittyn isn't here, but now this little girl's life will be forever changed because of our support! What a lovely feeling!

The second way that we are giving, is through Holden Uganda. Chet and Sarah Erwin started this organization when their son Holden was stillborn, when Sarah was 9 months pregnant. They, like me, wanted to do something to honor their son. They decided that they wanted to make 9 wells (one for each month of Holden's life) in Uganda. Well, after awhile, they realized that more people wanted to make wells in honor of their babies. Holden Uganda has now funded 108 wells for the people in Uganda! Each well has the name of a baby that has been lost, engraved on the side. (Go look at the pictures. Your heart might actually stop beating when you see the wells and the Ugandan people next to them!) Each well gives clean drinking water to 1,000 people. ONE THOUSAND PEOPLE.

Brittyn is not here, but 1,000 people get life.

Sign.Me.Up.

SO, we have chosen to fund a well for Brittyn. We need about $2,000 to fund a well. My goal is to have this well funded by Brittyn's birthday, April 14. We obviously cannot fund the well on our own by that date, so we need your help! I was going to wait until the new year to introduce this project, but since your donations are Tax Deductable, I thought some of you might want a way to keep a little more of your money, come April.

If you want to help us now, or in the next few months, or both, all you do is the following steps:

1) Go to Holden Uganda (look at the pictures of the projects!)
2) Click on "Donate/Support"
3) Click where you are located (USA, etc.)
4) Click "I do not have an account"
5) On the drop down menu select "Brittyn Elizabeth Williams"

Follow the payment steps. Help us make Brittyn's life have a wonderful purpose!