I was driving to work one day this week when Mandisa's song, "We all Bleed the Same" came on the radio.  The message struck me hard.  So many times, I hear condemnation of the parents we minister to through Sarah's Butterflies.  The reality is that life is hard for everyone.  Rather than condemn them for the struggles they have faced through discrimination, drugs, alcohol, prostitution, hopelessness, and discouragement, I choose to remember that WE ALL BLEED THE SAME!  
     I am choosing to not think us/them but WE.  We struggle.  
 Here are the lyrics:
“We All Bleed the Same”  Mandisa featuring tobyMac and Kirk Frankln
We all bleed the same/We’re more beautiful when we come together/We all bleed the same/So tell me why, tell me why/We’re divided
Woke up today/Another headline/Another life is taken/In the name of hatred/So hard to take (hey!)/And if we think that it’s all good/Then we’re mistaken/Cause my heart is breaking
Are you left? Are you right?  Pointing fingers, taking sides/ We are we gonna realize?
We all bleed the same/We’re more beautiful when we come together/We all bleed the same/So tell me why, tell me why/We’re divided
If we’re gonna fight/Let’s fight for each other/If we’re gonna shout/Let love be the cry/We all bleed the same/So tell me why, tell me why/We’re divided
Tell me, who are we/To judge someone/By the kind of clothes they’re wearing/ Or the color of their skin?/Are you black?/Are you white?/Aren’t we all the same inside?/Father, open our eyes to see!
We all bleed the same/We’re more beautiful when we come together/We all bleed the same/So tell me why, tell me why/We’re divided/ If we’re gonna fight/Let’s fight for each other/If we’re gonna shout/Let love be the cry/We all bleed the same/So tell me why, tell me why/We’re divided
Only love can drive out all the darkness/What are we fighting for?/We were made to carry one another/We were made for more, said…
Only love can drive out all the darkness/What are we fighting for?/We were made to carry one another/We were made for more!
We all bleed the same/We’re more beautiful when we come together/We all bleed the same/So tell me why, tell me why/We’re divided/ If we’re gonna fight/Let’s fight for each other/If we’re gonna shout/Let love be the cry/We all bleed the same/ Bleed the same/Let’s stand united/ Let’s stand united!
So Father God, I pray/ That our families will come together right now/ And seek your face/You will forgive our sins/And You will heal our incredible land/In the name of the only Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen

WHO IS READY TO FIGHT FOR THOSE WE MINISTER TO?  WHO IS READY TO SPREAD LOVE, HOPE, TO SHARE  THE NEVER GIVING UP LOVE OF GOD? GET READY, THE RIDE IS JUST BEGINNING!

          We are launching on November 12th.  The date is when the boxes will be arriving at Lebanon, Center and IHS Gospel Ministries.  November 12th is when we will start filling boxes. 
         We need a lot of supplies.  We need 3,000 to 6,000 cookies for the cookie bags.  We need people willing to help bake cookies (chocolate chip, oatmeal, cookie press, and sugar).  Other things we need donated are things apple sauce, pudding, fruit cups, fruit snacks, pop tarts, crackers, and animal crackers.  For school supplies we need pencils, notebooks, crayons, colored pencils, and books for children of all ages.  These books can be new or gently used.
          We need volunteers to help us sort, pack and distribute.  We will be meeting at 411 Hamilton Avenue, Farrell on the morning of December 26th.  If you have any questions, please contact me at 724-748-4115 or 724-992-4900.   You can also email me at ladybugchic1112@yahoo.com.

      Back to School Sales are in full swing and our school supply bags need that-supplies.  At Walmart boxes of Crayola crayons are $.50 and some folders are $.15 a piece.  Which means that you can get 20 boxes of crayons for $10 and 6 folders for a dollar.     
       

       Each of you are very important.  The goal of Sarah's Butterflies is to spread hope to every person and family we give Blessing Bags to each year.  I heard a song last night called "Yellow Balloons."  The artist is David Dunn.  
          I wish I could give a yellow balloon to each recipient.  Yellow Balloons are symbols of hope.  They are often seen at funerals for children.  

      It is 11 months until we sort, pack and distribute Blessing Bags and School Supply Bags.  Our goal is 1,000 Blessing Bags and 400 School Supply Bags.  
        On November 15, 2009, I did not have the vision of this ministry.  All I could see was the pain.  My heart was shattered into a million pieces but it was on that day where God started putting me back together.  It was 7 months after Sarah's death when we began planning what has become Sarah's Butterflies.  
        I was recently watching NCIS and the lines of one of the characters struck me.  Jimmy Palmer was talking to a kid he had saved from killing himself and he told the boy that the boy's dad had poured himself into the son.  It struck me because I feel like we do this in Sarah's Butterflies.  We pour ourselves into each recipient of Blessing Bags.  Each recipient is a masterpiece.  They each have a story and it is our job to help them reach potential and let their stories be told.  
          Help us reach 1000 kids in 2017.  
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         Each year we have expanded our area of distribution and this year was certainly no exception.   We began with just houses the first few years.  In 2012, we began going to some housing projects in Sharon and Farrell. In 2014 we added another project.  Last year we went to Hermitage and Mercer as well as Sharon and Farrell.  This year, we added Sharpsville, Grove City and Fredonia.  
            2017 we hope to grow again with eyes on possibly Greenville, Transfer and West Middlesex which would encompass 3/4 of the county.    The Lord willing we can do this.
 

        Sarah's Butterflies is a venture that cannot be done without a lot of help.   I have many people to thank for their help.
Girl Scout Troop 30094       
Joe Bandzak
Jim and Noah Asche
Betty and Brooke Swartz
Becki, Jared and Ethan Clemetson
Dawna Cramer
Laura and Leah Nych
Ginny Richardson
Butch and Terri Merrick
Dan Merrick
JC, Tabitha and Aubrielle
Tonya and Nevaeh
Vernon
Richard Young
Philip Young
Jean Rabold
Sue Herr
Denise Gearhart and her sisters
Diana Reed
Audrey Wetzel
Virginia Riddle
Kess Tobias
Bill, Cindy and Josh Woodman
Joel, Stacy, Clark, Mason and Luke Tubbs
Logan-my guide at Glen Lakes Estates
Bruce Richael
Debbie-our guide at  Countryside
prayer warriors
Bob Rouse
Larry and Patty McAdams
Fredonia Presbyterian
those who donated to help us   

     Over the last two days we have delivered almost 800 bags.  Today we were delivering bags in Grove City and ventured into Glen Lake Estates.  After stopping at one house, we proceeded down the drive to find kids to give bags to and were met by Logan.  He rode up on his bike searching for someone to play with and became my guide to the where kids lived in the park.
       At eight he was full of life and at times I had to rethink traveling under 10 miles an hour because his little self rode almost too quick for me to keep up.  I will say that I met someone who actually has more to say than me.  
       At the end of the journey he had to show me just one more thing...how to ride a bike through huge mud puddles.  
         Thank you Logan, maybe next year we will come back and you can guide me again.  Enjoy your reward from us, Logan.  

    I was just reading the devotional for today from Our Daily Bread.  The story was about two friends at a retreat discussing their best Christmas present ever.  
   One guy talked about how he had dealt with the disappointment of not playing professional football and how one Christmas he went to a Christmas play to see his niece and while there he felt the need to meet Jesus.  His friend helped him accept Jesus.  For both of them that was the best Christmas present ever.  
       Monday when we deliver Blessing Bags, I want us to be vessels to give the recipients the Best Christmas Present Ever!

     The Sharon Herald on December 3rd had an article about the shootings in Farrell.  There is teenage victim who was shot while taking the garbage out before school a few weeks ago.  He lives near Love Christian Center. 
     Sarah's Butterflies distributes Blessing Bags in Sharon and Farrell.  Our path of delivery could look something like a Family Circus cartoon.  In our journey of delivery over the years, we have blessed the young victim with a Blessing Bag.  I remember meeting him one December 26th.  I had gotten back in my car when he came out of the house. I remember shaking his hand.  He is one of those special people who is blessed because of Sarah's life.  He is a beloved child of God.  
       I feel strongly that we need to cover the 26th with prayer for safety.  If the only thing, you can give to Sarah's Butterflies is your prayers, then please PRAY FERVENTLY!!