If you’ve been meaning to give to Cliff’s adoption fund (read all about it HERE), and you just haven’t gotten around to doing it yet…
the fundraiser ENDS on midnight Friday, January 7th.
That would be Friday night.
Like, two days Friday night.
So, if you haven’t already (or even if you have and want to give an extra buck or two) DO IT NOW.
k?
*kisskissloveyoumeanit*
In the meantime, I had some fun with picnik.
I thought Cliff needed some new threads.
Maybe get a glimpse into what his future will be someday?
Let’s see…
Will Cliff find a family and eat them out of house and home and go on to the NFL and be Cliff “the Ukranian fridge”?
We’ll all root for him, watching him on ESPN and remember back when he was such a wee little fellow and we fell in love with his button nose?
Will Cliff go on to fancy colleges and become a doctor and cure cancer?
Become a fierce advocate for people with Down Syndrome, publish tomes with his medical advice, and tour the talk show circuit?
Will Cliff find a beautiful princess, swoop her off her feet and become King Cliffton, Ruler of all the Land?
His first order of business will be full renovation and increased funding for the orphanages in his care and he will live on in history books as Kind King Cliffton, Lover of Children?
Or maye he’ll follow in Johnny Depp’s footsteps and become a pirate? Just one in movies and TV, of course.
He’ll become a U.N. Ambassador and travel the world with Angelina Jolie and fight for justice for the “least of these”.
Or maybe he’ll just be a suave and debonair ladies’ man…a Ukrainian who grew a black mustache and adopted a Spanish accent that makes the girls swoon. But he’ll be a good boy and find a wife and swoon only her.
And have babies of his own. And love them to a million pieces.
* * *
So, I found myself a little burnt out by this fundraiser.
Wishing I had ended it a week or two ago.
Maybe even started it later.
I was worried that you guys might be sick of hearing me talk about Cliff.
Heck, I was kinda of sick of hearing me talk about Cliff.
But, I realized something:
Cliff’s fundraiser began the week of Thanksgiving and ends the first week into the New Year.
In that time I have:
- spent Thanksgiving with family and eaten unholy amounts of food,
- shopped countless stores for the perfect gift,
- hunted for a Christmas tree, visited Santa, and decorated the house in festive tchotchkes,
- had a living room filled with coffee cups, brightly wrapped gifts, toys of every size and color, parties, laughing, songs to our Lord wafting through the rooms,
- I’ve cleared up the last of the crumbled up paper and ribbon and rounded up every rogue pine needle,
- And even collapsed in a tired puddle on my couch at the end of it all.
And all that time…
Cliff is still in a government run orphanage.
My life has gone on.
In fact, it never really stopped at all.
My world has remained largely undisturbed.
My cushy life in the suburbs of middle class America has kept right on turning, while this boy that I have so enthusiastically fundraised for, well…
…well, I honestly don’t even want to think of it. I’d like to think that he’s been cuddled and rocked and sang to by loving orphanage staff…
but I know that’s likely not the case at all.
And I die a little…no, a lot…inside thinking about that.
Basically, I guess what I’m saying is that I’m okay with the fact that some of you might be sick of hearing about Cliff.
Because you know what?… a mama didn’t *really* dress up Cliffy in funny costumes…kiss his forehead…and snap a picture for the baby book.
A digital image, digital stickers, and a digital blog.
But the fact is, that our REAL dollars….our REAL money….our REAL prayers…those are the best way we can love on this sweet face.
In the word’s of Matt Mooney:
“Unfortunately, changing the world isn’t always free.”
Two days left. Let’s bless this sweet face and the family who will work to bring him home.
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Finally donated today. I’ve been in love with Cliffy this whole time. Time got away with me, but I’m glad I made the deadline. Thanks for making such a sweet child of God so visible. I’ll be praying the perfect family comes along.
Writing again today on my blog about sweet Cliffy’s fundraiser. I only wish I could take him home myself!! Thanks for being such a wonderful, giving, compassionate person. You are definitely an inspiration!
Rachael´s last blog post ..Thankful Thursday- 1-6-11
Jeannett, Thank you for loving as Jesus does. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to do the same. Your compassion and generosity are inspiring. I have a friend who has adopted 9 children (most of whom are from the Ukraine) as well as birthing 6 of her own. Her “babies” are not perfect in the world’s eyes, one has spina bifida and the other has some rare anomalies. But both are perfect in His sight and both are perfect to he family. It’s because of people like the two of you that little ones like Cliff will have someone to dress them up, hug them and love them just like you spoke of. Thank you and God Bless You.