for japan with love

i can't bring myself to look at any more pictures of the devastation in japan. they make my heart heavy and leave me at a complete loss for words. though i know that God is a God of hope and life and the maker of "every good and perfect gift", it's hard to grasp that when all i see is despair and hurt in this situation. my st. patty's day 2011 post will have to wait because tomorrow i'll be participating in the blogger's day of silence to raise awareness, respect and show solidarity with those suffering the tsunami's devastating effects.

lucia dinh of utterly engaged and lydia yeung from ever ours have joined forces and organized for japan with love - an opportunity to help with the japanese disaster relief. at a time when so many of us feel beyond helpless, this is our chance to give our hearts, our help and hope. all the money raise by FJWL is going directly to ShelterBox, an organization providing emergency shelter and lifesaving support for disaster victims in their time of need. and you know what? it doesn't matter how much you give - what matters is the heart of the giver. 2 corinthians 8:12 says, "If you are really eager to give, it isn't important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have" (NLT). the MSG version paints an even better picture saying, "you're shoulder to shoulder with them all the way, your surplus matching their deficit..." isn't that beautiful? it speaks of solidarity and love and our connectedness. so please pay a visit to for japan with love and give. their aim was to raise $5,500 and as of right now they've hit $24,177 - 440% of their original goal.

if you're interested in other ways to show your support, head on over to Hey JoJo Studios where Jordan & Lianne Phillips (a fellow Dallas, Oregonite) have partnered with Fair Weather Press to create this gorgeous screen printed poster (see below) to help japan. 100% of the proceeds will go to the american red cross. finally, pay a visit to the gallery of seattle's own sarah rhoads photographers to purchase some jaw-dropping photos of their worldwide adventures. 100% of the proceeds will be channeled to the World Vision Disaster Response Fund.

thanks for taking the time to read this, give what you're able and show your support for japan. see you next week!