New Site Coming Soon

READ ABOUT THE GENESIS OF THE MOTHER LETTER PROJECT. Don't forget to read about the Mother's Day Edition.

Please bear with me. We are moving the site as we speak. I hope to have it up and running in the next week or so. At that point, we begin the Big Push, part II. Won't you be a part of raising charitable donations this Mother's Day?

MLP Bites Back

READ ABOUT THE GENESIS OF THE MOTHER LETTER PROJECT. Don't forget to read about the Mother's Day Edition.

MALARIA UPDATE

Recently, a compassionate heart sent me some information related to Compassion's Malaria Intervention Fund and the Bite Back campaign. Want to familiarize yourself with the materials? Get to know this work; it is the work in which we are trying to take part.



Keep the letters coming. All proceeds generated from the Mother's Day Edition will go directly to Compassion's Malaria Intervention fund. Help other mothers save their children.

The Mother Letters

Here is the good stuff. This is where the magic happens. Mothers, post your letters in the comment section, or email to motherletter@gmail.com.

UPDATE

We are still taking submissions for the Mother's Day Edition, 2009. Give us your best stuff!Thank you so much for your letters. We are eternally grateful.

The MLP on The Significance of Stories

READ ABOUT THE GENESIS OF THE MOTHER LETTER PROJECT. Don't forget to read about the Mother's Day Edition.

Amber and I have been discussing the power of our stories. Our stories empower us. They are as distinct and complex as our fingerprints. And although distinct, the similarities we find within our’s and other’s can lend encouragement and hope. If we are dots, are stories are the connecting lines. I believe that it’s time to start drawing.

Amber has decided to share our love story on Tuesdays on her site. Similarly, I have decided to begin sharing some of the stories of the Mother Letter Project. Put the snowflake under the microscope. Examine the fine lines. Discuss what you see, both the beauty and deformity. It makes us who we are.

Today I am sharing a brief excerpt from a letter written by my friend Kari. Enjoy, and feel free to discuss:

Dear Mother,

When we found out our son would have challenges and would possibly see
God sooner than we would I hurt in a way that I didn't know was possible. I
would have done anything to make it better, but for the first time there was
absolutely nothing I could do, nothing I could say to change the situation. …
How helpless I felt, and yet how much strength I drew from knowing God was in
the middle of it. …

Special care became part of our lives and when those requirements became noticeable to those around and to those who passed, I found myself not resentful, but rather feeling love and compassion toward everyone who passed. I will never look at a mother of a child with additional care requirements the same - they do so much, give so much, love so deeply, endure so strongly, hurt so keenly, and appreciate life so much. …

My little one has entered the gates of heaven, but I will forever be his mother, and he a part of me. As much as I would give anything to hold my little one close, my life will be forever richer because of him. It is only through him that I have learned that the love of a mother is a love that knows no bounds….

If asked what lessons I have learned… I would say this taught me to trust that God, who made me a mother and who created my child, equipped me to meet the needs of my child. I would say listen, really listen to what your child is teaching you. As you would sit and listen to God, sit and listen to the silence, to the things they do not say and to the things they do say - actively listen to them. Make time to get to know them; not just who you think they are, but who they think they are. Strip yourself of what you want them to be and look deeply into what God has made them, who they dream of being, who they are.

… The handprints of our children will be captured on our hearts forever and
will shape our hearts into a work of art that only a child can create.

Love,
Kari

The MLP Mother's Day Edition Clarified

READ ABOUT THE GENESIS OF THE MOTHER LETTER PROJECT.

As you now know, we have extended the Mother Letter Project and are trying to raise a bit of money for Compassion International's Malaria Intervention Fund (read here for more on Malaria). Why Malaria? As if it were not enough that Malaria kills 3,000 children in sub-Saharan Africa alone, that little village in Mozambique wages war with the parasite every rainy season. And they are not winning the battle. So, it is our hope that by supporting a charitable organization that is fighting malaria, we may in some small way “bite back” at the disease that is crippling the Yao people in Mozambique.

So what is the charity, you ask? We intend to raise money for Compassion International’s Malaria Intervention Fund. According to their website, the fund provides mosquito nets for thousands of women and children with malaria. In addition, they provide life saving medication to those trying to fight the disease.

Here is how it will work. For those of you who have not yet submitted a Mother Letter, you may do so before Mother’s Day. If you meet the deadline, you will get a complimentary copy of the letters to give to your mom, or your daughter, or your best friend for Mother’s Day. If you have already submitted your letter and would like a copy of the new round, or if you would like to purchase a copy for a friend or loved one for mother's day, you can pledge $0.10 per letter to Compassion's Malaria Intervention Fund and, upon doing so, I will send you a copy once it is compiled.

Will you get behind the effort? Will you help beat the bushes for more letters? Will you pledge to donate at least $0.10 per letter to fight malaria. We have this one lifetime to make a difference. Let’s do it.

The Mother Letter Project--Social Networking

READ ABOUT THE GENESIS OF THE MOTHER LETTER PROJECT.

We have extended the project to Mother's Day. You can read about the extended project HERE. Submit your letter via email HERE, or COMMENT HERE.

UPDATE—Facebook Fans And Twitterings

In the very near future, the MLP will be using certain social networking media to give you updates on the MLP Mother's Day Edition. As of today's date, the MLP has a Facebook profile page, in addition to a fan page. Make sure to befriend "Ml Proj" to get important updates regarding the project.


In addition, the MLP joined Twitter some time ago. Although my Twitter musings have been somewhat limited in the past, I will begin to use Twitter to give you important information relating to our fight against Malaria, in addition to other updates on the project. Don't know what Twitter is? Read about it here. If you are already a member, feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Let's start building some momentum. I can't wait to see what happens.

The MLP--On Ice 'Till Next Week

I am in the middle of organizing a thousand person rally to help with the ice storm carnage of this week. Details are still sketchy, and perhaps it will never get off of the ground. However, that's what I thought about the MLP. So I am cautiously confident that I can round up 1,000 people to volunteer time and talent to help my beautiful home town of Fayetteville, Arkansas. In fact, I think I have already found one or two.

Are you are your church/civic club (preferably those within some proximity) looking for a service project? Well, do I have an idea for you. You could help me, and the rest of Fayetteville, clean up stuff like this:

Although a close friend of mine and I are just now starting the organizational efforts, we'd love to know whether you want to jump in. And if you do, we'll hang out some, and have a brief party at my place where we will revel in God's grace that covers a multitude of icicles.

The MLP post will come next Monday, don't worry. Get ready. We're about to make another big push!