What do you want for Christmas?

How bout a little Perspective?


I love Christmas. Always have. My Grandpa, when he was alive, joked every single year that it was "time to put up the Christmas tree" as soon as June rolled around. Admittedly, I have lost some of my childhood love for the holiday, only because now I feel it approaches too fast, leaves me exhausted, and doesn't seem to fit into my schedule anymore. It was quite an achievement that we brought our tree in the weekend after Thanksgiving this year.

What is Christmas anyway? Or rather, what should it be? Not shopping. Not cookies. Not time spent arguing over the necessity of saying "Merry Christmas" vs. "Happy Holidays" or, gasp, writing X-mas instead of the whole word out. Do we really have this much time on our hands?


I was emailing with someone at Acres of Love today, who told me a story of something that happened last month:

"Early in November, we received in our care, a beautiful little girl. She was born prematurely on 18 October, 2009. She is TINY! Her head and body are the size of a woman’s hand. At birth she weighed 1.9 kg (4.2 lbs.) This little princess, only 4 days old and although so small and innocent, has to take AZT medication as she has been exposed to the HIV virus. She has sores on her mouth too which are being treated. Strangely she was born with an extra little finger on each hand but these are in the process of being removed."

And that's just one of many, many situations that happen on a daily basis at Acres of Love. I'm constantly grateful for the people involved whenever I hear one of these stories. They not only provide a basic, breathing, physical opportunity for life for all of these sick and orphaned children, but they aim to give a quality life to each one. A rich life, a full life, a life with hope and possibility. How much is hope worth to you? How much is it worth to them?

Perspective. It hit me like a freight train.

Just... something to think about.

10 years of Love

I am so honored to have received this book. Acres of Love is celebrating their 10th anniversary, and commemorated the occasion with this amazing book about what they do every day in South Africa. Thanks so much to everyone at Acres!

Please take a moment to enjoy this with me. :o)





"South Africa has been referred to as the "rainbow nation," a title reflecting the country's highly diverse population and culture. The hand-woven, beaded spine of this brochure was created by a South African Zulu artisan to represent that diversity and the bright spirit of its people."

This is pretty intense:


Some of the gorgeous and amazing pages in the book:





INCREDIBLE: Read about the miracle story of Kitty, "...the only person in the world known to have survived both cancer and HIV." (click the image to enlarge text.)



I'm not just saying this, I really do believe that the kids at Acres of Love are the most beautiful I've ever seen. :o)

Aww. Cutie.

As you're probably already aware, I'm in complete love with this organization. I feel so fortunate to have been told about them, and donating 10% of my art sales to them is one of the happiest things I do in my life. I'm just thrilled to be a part of something so incredibly profound.

I strongly encourage you to check out their website at Acres of Love to learn more about them. They create miracles every day.

:o)

Acres of Love

I donate 10% of all money made through art to Acres of Love, an organization that provides "forever homes" for abandoned children in South Africa.


Most of the children are HIV-positive. Many are orphaned because both of their parents have died from AIDS. Some are left on the doorstep of the organization, while others are found in dumpsters and gutters. Acres of Love provides each child with personal attention, love, medication, education, and a life. They give them small family groups to live in and grow in for as long as the child is with us. It's not an orphanage at all. It's a functioning family-like environment for children who would otherwise have nothing. Through Acres of Love, each child is loved, part of a family, and given the best care possible. Children who were born with a short, bleak future now have a family, food, time to sing songs, do art projects, and enjoy a true sense of happiness. They have hope.

Aren't these kids just gorgeous? :o)

(Pontsho)

(Hannah & Karabo)

(Lili)

If you have ever purchased a painting from me, a donation was made to Acres of Love in your honor.

If you're interested in more information, I encourage you to visit their website and view many pictures and movies of the children and what the awesome people at Acres of Love do each day in South Africa. They contribute more to the world than most of us could ever dream about. I am amazed by their passion, and grateful for their existence.

This is what Love is.