I should win the Powerball...

Recently, a coworker and I were discussing how unfair the distribution of money is. I don't mean that rich people shouldn't be rich. I am a firm believer in capitalism and reward for risk-taking (the very definition of profit) and hard work. Maybe "unfair" isn't the right word. How about "frustrating"? It's just that when I see how some money is spent, I think, "Wow! I could have done something so much smarter with that amount of cash." For example, this coworker mentioned that people are bidding on the opportunity to march down the hill with the LSU Fighting Tiger Band. I love that band - even though I hate LSU football - but $12,000 to walk down a hill? And that was the starting bid. My immediate thought was, "Wow, that is HALF the cost of an international adoption! Families are WAITING to adopt a child with Down syndrome! All they need is MONEY!" And my coworker, who is a HUGE animal lover, was thinking of the wonderful things she could do with that money to ease animal suffering.

SO... I wish I had a boatload of money. I don't, so I have decided to raise a boatload of money. My dream is to start a foundation called "Asher's Blessing" or maybe "The Asher's Blessing Foundation". I want to raise money for Reece's Rainbow and for local causes associated with Down syndrome. I want to be able to help local families and children survive and thrive in the midst of a diagnosis of Down syndrome - prenatally or at birth. We have no Down syndrome association in central Louisiana, and it takes money in addition to good intentions to help people. Still, my primary passion is to help unite the children with DS all over the world who are waiting for families with the families all over the world who are longing to adopt a child with DS. The only thing separating them in many cases is MONEY. Reece's Rainbow has already helped hundreds of families and saved hundreds of lives.

So, my dear friends and family... get ready. I have already set up a fundraising page through firstgiving.com. The button is to your left and up a little (right under our picture). Please click on it and check out the site. I am trying to raise $1000 for my Christmas Angel, Tomas, the little boy I have been praying for (and who has been on my blog) for months now. Please consider donating to Tomas' adoption grant fund. He turns 4 in November, and most children are transferred to a mental institution at that age. The majority of the children transferred do not survive the first year, and of those who do, most don't live past age 10. His need is urgent.

You can also consider getting a Christmas Angel of your own! That way we can multiply our efforts! If you don't want to ask for money, sign up to be a prayer warrior. Prayer is free, and it is a lot more powerful than any amount of money. Go to http://www.reecesrainbow.com/ to sign up!

I have also received my 500 brochures and 300 magnets from Reece's Rainbow. The brochures are about the Christmas Angel program. If you have any ideas about where I can display these, let me know. (To my church family... you will be seeing these in a service very soon!)

A small part of me doesn't want to irritate the people I love by asking for money. A much bigger part of me thinks that I might be like the woman in the Bible who finally got her way because she bugged the judge (or king or whoever) until he finally caved in. I am not ashamed to ask for help for these kids. If you get tired of hearing it, just donate some money! See how easy that is?

If you are following my blog, please know that I appreciate it. It's a little presumptuous of me to think that what is important to me will be important to others, but I have to try. So thank you for reading. :)