Memorial Box Monday (a little late) ~Where There's a Will, There's a Well!

Memorial Box Monday was started by my dear friend Linny @ A Place Called Simplicity, she explains what a Memorial Box is here.

In short-- Just as the children of Israel set stones as Memorials to remind them of the mighty things the Lord had done for them, we put tangible items into our Memorial Box, to represent and remind us, of the many times the Lord has moved on our behalf. And just as the Israelites passed down the stories of God's provision to their children, and their children's children--we will use our Memorial Box to teach and remind our children (and some day, our children's children) of God's great faithfulness to our family, and His personal love for us!

Memorial Box Monday~

Where There's a Will, There's a Well

If you follow my daughter Taylor and son-in-love Frankie's blog, or either of their facebooks, then you've already heard this amazing story . . . if not, then I'm finally going to share it here from my nest . . .

Early in 2010 The Newly's (who aren't really newlyweds anymore, but certainly were then) announced that they were going to do something big. Something besides the big thing they were already doing for the year, which was living on a $10 a week grocery budget in order to give more.) The new big thing was that they were going to raise the funds to build a well with charity:water . . . five thousand dollars to be exact . . . and Frankie said he wanted to complete that goal within the year. Taylor's reply really impressed me, she simply stated, "That's a very big goal." Had I been in her shoes I think my reply to my newlywed husband would have sounded more like, "Are you crazy? Raise $5,000 in a year?" Instead, her calm words, "That's a very big goal" were trustingly turned over to an even bigger God.

So they began . . .

First with garage sales. I must explain that they live in a one bedroom, third floor apartment in the big 'ol city of Houston, Texas. Third floor apartments and garage sales don't go well together. A garage sale for these guys meant hauling . . . hauling their own things (as they pared down and simplified their lives), hauling donated items, hauling signs, hauling tables, gathering more donated items . . . hauling these items . . . you get the picture. Hard work. Lots of it. Done late on Friday nights, with a three hour drive to San Antonio, a stop over at our house to gather more stuff, and then another hour drive to Devine or Pleasanton, depending on which of Frankie's grandmas was serving as the garage sale "host home". This would be followed by middle of the night pricing and set up . . . a couple of hours of sleep . . . and then daylight . . .

and customers!

Bleary-eyed, the Newlys they would sell their wares,

with every single penny going into their well fund.

The Lord would bless their efforts abundantly, each time answering our prayers, for a successful sale! Shoppers were gracious, weather cooperated, stuff sold. Lots of stuff . . . $778.00 worth of stuff at one sale, and over $500 at another. That is no drop in the bucket! That's a lotta drops. If you've ever spent the time and effort to do a garage sale, you know that's good money.

On top of the garage sale funds, any money that Frankie earned in overtime went straight into their well fund. Taye and Frankie are a one income couple. Frankie, a design school graduate, works as a lighting consultant. Taylor is a full time student at the University of Houston, where she is working on a degree in early elementary education. They are by no means rich, yet during this year of well money raising they continued to give and give. In July, Taylor hit a huge clearance sale on toys. She bought enough to fill their only storage closet, and in December they showered those toys on thirty-five refugee children living in their neighborhood. I share this to show how the the Lord continued to bless their efforts, even as they continued to bless others.

In July, Taylor vacationed with us in Michigan. As we sat relaxing with extended family, she shared on their "well" progress. It was at this point that my sister Amy jumped in and said, "Let's do this"! Let's make this our Christmas project. Let's as families do whatever we think will work to add some more drops to this bucket! By the end of an hour or so of conversation, ideas were flying and my sister had my dad drawing up plans for a well, a tangible place to deposit the "drops"!

Game on. My sister organized a "water party", inviting friends to join her in a two week period of drinking only water and then donating the money that they would have been spent on milk, sodas, pricey coffees, you name it . . . and the money came in. My brother Fritz, his wife Jodi, and their family began their own fund raising efforts. They were also blessed by donations given by members of the sweet church that they pastor. Their son's girlfriend did a group project about the well as part of a college class. More money was raised. My youngest brother Tad, and his three children did their own two week water challenge, and set that money aside. They also held their own garage sale. Drop by dedicated drop, with many hands, the Lord was getting Taylor and Frankie closer to their goal.

As I prayed asking how my family could do our part to contribute to the well, the Lord gave me an idea for bracelets. I began stringing beads, beads, and more beads! Each bracelet contained one clear bead to represent clean water. It was Clearly Love . . . a perfect plan straight from the Lord (as if I would expect any less) and He blessed our efforts tremendously!

Frankie and Taylor got in on the action, and even my little ones helped string bracelets, doing their part to make our well jar overflow! By the time Christmas rolled around we had made and sold around 60 bracelets at $8.00 a piece. As an added blessing, many of our "customers" donated above and beyond our asking price. By the grace of God we had manged to raise a very nice chunk of change!

We had decided mutually at the summer meeting that we would ask my Dad and his wife Suzanne to forgo their usual Christmas buying, and instead allow us to give the funds they would normally spend on presents to go toward the well. I won't say that Christmas was "present free" at their house (they still blessed us with gifts) -- but a good part of the "gifting" was in cash. The smaller children received gifts, along with ten one dollar bills and they donated every dollar--putting each one into the well that Papa had built. Each person had a choice to keep their cash, or to put it in the well. When all was said and done, everyone, including the teenagers made a choice to donate all they had been given. My dad was brought to tears by the kids giving hearts. His words summed it all up when he said, "Someone will live because of what you all did today. Someone will live."

As all of this unfolded in Michigan we watched via Skype from Texas. What a blessing it was to hear each family share their stories of fund raising, and then to see everyone take turns putting their money into the well!

(My sister Amy, and nephew Landon, at the "well"--via Skype.)

(The Michigan donations! Sweetness)

We held our own well celebration on Christmas Day, with Taylor and Frankie. We had a picture of Papa's well that we propped up against our well jar.

Brogan and Teddi added their Christmas money first, sticking it in alongside the money we had already raised. I must tell you that way back in October, Brogan and Teddi were the very first to bring of their own treasures to put in the jar . . . sweetness to a mama's heart.

(Teddi stands guard.)

After the littles did their part then the rest of us took turns . . .

Taylor and Frankie also added their coin jar.

Our full water jar was a pretty sight.

When all was said and done . . .

(Taylor and brother Brady, counting . . . )

we were very near $1,000

for our Christmas Day total!

Along with that, Taylor and Frankie had managed to

raise . . .

earn . . .

and save . . .

$2,800 on their own!

When the Michigan total was added to our Christmas Day total, and all of that was finally added to the funds Taylor and Frankie had already raised, not only was there $5,000 to build a well, but the well overflowed . . .

To the sweet tune of

$7,026.01

Frankie and Taylor's goal had become a reality.

In one year.

On February 3rd, it all became official when Taylor and Frankie received this sweet verification email from charity:water --

Smile, you just changed lives!

That pretty much says it all.

What an amazing year it was.

A newlywed couple.

A big goal.

The love of family and friends.

And one very BIG God who just loves to cheer His kids on!

Taylor and Frankie ~ Your inspiration, your faith, and your "can do" attitudes inspired many on this journey to clean water. We learned much from you both. Thank you.

To God be the glory!

Well done!

~ Into our Memorial Box this week will go one of our Clearly Love bracelets, to represent our finished goal of clean water -- and to remind us that when we turn our efforts over to God, He can and will turn them into something BIG!

He is faithful!

Blessings from my nest ~

Tina