Distribution of Blessing Bags is not something you can just blink and have done.  For us, delivering the Blessing Bags is a week-long endeavor.  We begin on December 26 and continue until at least December 29 or 30.  Sometimes, it is after New Year's Day until we finally deliver the last bags.  We supply two backpack programs for area schoolchildren.  We bless communities all across Mercer County.  
         This is a labor of love in memory of Sarah.  The picture above was taken the day she was born...November 12, 2009.  She was my tough little warrior princess. Most people seem to want to help with packing, which is great.  It makes the load lighter.  However, delivery is just as important if not more.  Blessings don't magically deliver themselves. I know that the idea of being in Farrell and Sharon is not comfortable, but sometimes doing God's will means getting out of your comfort zone and getting dirty or cold.  Sometimes you have to leave your neighborhood or town to be a blessing or get a blessing.  
         I remember standing the back of the U-Haul at Malleable Heights five or six year ago.  I realized that waiting in the back of the truck for volunteers and residents was the perfect time to pray. God's spirit met me there in that moment.  
            I remember a delivery day in Grove City where I met Logan.  He was 7 or 8 and he took me around Glen Lakes Estates.  He was a chatty little boy who was my guide that cold December day.  
             Please pray about being involved in this ministry.  You are needed.  

Six months from now, we will be gearing up for Sarah's Butterflies.  We will be prepping to sort and pack bags to deliver after Christmas.  If you are interested in helping at all, please contact me.  

    It is hard to believe that nearly three years have passed since we have been able to distribute Blessing Bags to those in need. Here we are 4 weeks away from Christmas Day and 4 weeks and a day from Distribution Day.    
     Our goal for 2022 is 1,000 Blessing Bags and 200 school supply bags. 

      It is odd to not be rushing around this week trying to get Blessing Bags distributed.  For the second year in a row, there has been no Blessing Bag distribution.  I hope that in 2022, we can find our way back to doing Sarah's Butterflies.  I know that given the pandemic, there will be changes made in order to keep everyone safe.
      What does that mean?  It means that we will no longer be crowding into Love Christian Center to sort and pack.  In the last few years, it has become apparent that we are growing too large.  It is a great problem to have. 
          Another problem related to growth is that we do not have the manpower to safely distribute the Blessing Bags.  We are looking at feasible solutions for this.    
         Please know that we value not only our dedicated volunteers but also our recipients.  Given the various strains of Covid-19 and the unpredictable nature, we as a board are going to be looking at solutions after the first of the year.  Please stay tuned for updates. 
        May God richly bless you.  

While we want to see you tomorrow,  the pandemic has made that impossible.  However, we have not abandoned you.  Sarah's Butterflies Foundation values you and donated $1,500 to the Community Food Warehouse.  Merry Christmas.   If you have any questions,  please fill out a contact form. 

       As with any project, you find that changes need to be made to be effective.  One change that we are making to our School Supplies bags is that we are no longer accepting books for the bags.  Distributing age-appropriate literature while a noble goal is very time consuming.  We still want school supplies.  See the supply list.  

   While delivering blessings the last few days, someone said about the harvest being many but the workers being few.  That is true as our workers were fewer than they have been in the past.  Harvest is large.  There is a limited time to harvest and if we fail to harvest when the time is right, we lose that opportunity forever.  
      There are many bags to deliver and many souls to reach.  If you are willing to help,  please contact me.  

        It is fitting that I had a Sarah siting today.   Ten years ago today, Sarah Elisabeth passed away.  Ten years of missing her has passed.  I left the PLC (Physical Learning Center) and headed to the grocery store on a mission for a co-worker who is a grieving mom like me.  I stepped out the door and looked to the east.  The sky was still dark-like my emotions today.  I began to cry and as I looked across the parking lot to the roof of HAL (Hall of Arts and Letters) on Grove City College's campus, I saw a heart made of snow.  I shook my head and looked again...it was indeed a heart.  I needed that heart at that moment.  God knew that.  I love when I am struggling and God gives me a sign.  Whether it is a rainbow in the days after Sarah's death, a rainbow over Love Christian Center, a butterfly flying over me at the cemetery, a ladybug on my windshield, or a heart made of snow where my eyes were drawn.  All of these things have happened over the last ten years at the exact moment when I and my family needed them.  
          Sarah Elisabeth, I love you and I miss you.  I will never forget you.  I love you to the moon and back!    

        Growing up, I had baby dolls that were my children. I held them, rocked them, sang lullabies to them dreaming of the day when I would get to hold my own child and do those very same things.
            When my sister had her first child, I was excited to get to be an aunt.  Being an aunt is an awesome experience-you get to cuddle them, rock them, sing to them, play with them, raise mischief, teach them things, and generally spoil them rotten.  All of those things I thoroughly enjoyed. I was thrilled when they moved to Pennsylvania when Jared was around nine months old and I got to see him every day or nearly every day.  I enjoyed holding him when he took a nap-it was a great time for a nap. 
          When he started talking, I was Ta.  He would look for me when he came to our house.  Sometimes, I would hide just to have him find me because the excitement of him finding me always ensured a Jared hug.  Jared’s hugs are legendary.  When Ethan was born, I got to see him more often since they were living in Pennsylvania.  I enjoyed holding Ethan and spoiling him too.  I enjoyed reading books to them and being part of their adventures.  Swimming in the pool and catching them as they jumped in over and over are memories I treasure. 
             Being an aunt, was the minor league training for being a mom, I hoped.  I found out I was pregnant on my parents’ anniversary-April 7, 2009.  Hiding the excitement in my voice as I called to wish them a Happy Anniversary was difficult when all I wanted to do was blurt, “You are going to be grandparents!” 
           Thankfully, Easter Sunday was not far away. I remember giving my parents the large wedding picture that they had wanted. My dad went to put it up and I stopped him and said, “Just wait a minute.  I have a question I need to ask.”  I asked if my parents were ready to be grandparents again.  The implications of that question and the joy that filled the reactions were great.  I celebrated my 30th birthday two weeks later. 
           As my pregnancy progressed, hope built.  We began making decisions about the nursery and its theme.  We settled on Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  As that would be useable no matter whether the baby was James Robert or Sarah Elisabeth. 
             July 30, 2009, I found out that I was having a girl.  Oh the hair on her head then.  The technician asked me if I got heartburn and I replied, “From water.” No matter what I ate or drank, I had heartburn.
              Sarah Elisabeth came into the world screaming.  Her head full of dark curly hair and her little body beat red as she screamed.  She was a petite 6 pound 9 ½ ounces and 19 ¼ inches long.  Her little butt which never would stay in the diaper fit in my hand.  Her personality was HUGE!!!!   She hated wearing her diaper and could wiggle out of it.  Many times, I looked down to see her butt out of the diaper and would simply pull it back up. She HATED getting her picture taken. As evidenced by the grimace each time someone’s camera flashed. While I am sorry that she hated having her picture taken, I am so glad that everyone insisted on capturing her those first few days. 
        None of us expected the ending to be so soon.  So many questions and so little answers exist to this day.  While I could wallow in the pain of her death, I would miss out on the joy of living.
            Sarah’s Butterflies began with an unfinished Christmas gift for a Christmas that never happened.  Its completion meant finding a recipient or many recipients of the gift-a toy box full of hope.   The ministry was Sarah’s Toybox for a few years.  Then as we began the foundation Sarah’s Butterflies, we decided to rename the ministry to prevent confusion.
             While it hurts that I never heard Sarah call me, “Mommy.”  I will experience that in Heaven someday.  Now, I have many children who are someone’s Sarah that God is entrusting me to bless the way I wanted to bless Sarah-hugs, telling her that she is loved, teaching her and just enjoying her company.  Everyone needs those things and everyone is someone’s child. 
           This year, our goal is 2000 Blessing Bags.  We want to send 500 of them to the homeless in New York City to tell them what we tell that they are loved.  Please join in our vision and help us to make a difference in the world for Jesus, one Sarah at a time. 

     I had the privilege of delivering Easter Baskets to Joshua's Haven.  My cousin Makayla and her friend Maya thought of this idea of doing Easter Baskets for Sarah's Butterflies at Christmastime.  So today, we sorted items, packed and delivered 12 baskets. My cousin Lexi helped us pack the buckets.  
         Please pray for the recipients of our Love You Buckets.  Remember, Jesus loves you buckets!!!!!