100,000 miles and my Compassion child

My car hit the 100,000 mile mark this past weekend. It was a momentous occassion and reminded me of that scene in Tiny Toons Summer Vacation where Hampton's dad records their car hitting the same milestone...anyway. I've had the same car since the summer before my senior year in high school - that's 8 years! I've gone through many life changes in the past 8 years - high school graduation, college, living in San Marcos, driving ALL OVER Houston, moving to Fort Worth - and my faithful Mustang has been with me through it all. I was so thrilled when I got that car...and now, at almost 26, I'd like something a little more...sensible, and with 4 glorious doors, but it's been a great car and I plan on driving it until it breathes its very last breath. I don't want any car payments until I absolutely have to!

This weekend I decided to sponsor a child in the Compassion International ministry! I am so excited! About a year or so ago I had really wanted to, but I had decided I didn't have enough money. Well, my money situation hasn't changed, but I decided the Lord would provide...which for the most part will mean I will have to be very intentional with my spending. I think I might put a picture of my Compassion child in my wallet, so that every time I'm tempted to splurge on coffee or a new pair of shoes at Target, I will think of my poor, little child and how he needs that $40 much more than I do. How many pairs of ballet flats can one girl have anyway??

I'm sponsoring a 9-year-old little boy, he lives in Tanzania with his parents and one sibling, and he likes to play soccer. He's so cute too :) Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world and it is an area affected by HIV/AIDS, so I decided to pay the extra $8 a month that goes toward HIV education. I'm really surprised at how excited and responsible I feel toward this little boy. I know tons of people sponsor Compassion kids, but I guess since I'm single and childless, and having to sacrifice financially to do this, it makes me feel responsible for or to someone. Maybe it fulfills some sort of motherly instinct in my as well. I just want to think about him and pray for him a lot.

I attend The Village Church and I love it because the biblical preaching is phenomenal, but so is the application - the pastor gives you tangible ways to go do what Jesus says. Like sponsoring a Compassion child - the pastor preached on how frequently the Bible tells us to help the poor and those in need and then he told us that there were 2 tables outside of the auditorium, with hundreds of Compassion kids, just waiting to be sponsored. The church also has a mentoring program, where members mentor kids 1-on-1 in the local, public schools. It's a great church and I feel blessed to be able to attend it while I'm living up here in North Texas.