Happy Birthday to Me!

In exactly one month, I'll be turning 30 years old. I haven't been too happy about that. In fact, if you know me, you know I stopped having birthdays at 25.

But a few weeks ago, I got a birthday e-mail from Compassion asking if I'd be interested in pledging my birthday to give a child clean water.

What?! Of course I want to do that! 

Did you know there are more than 660 million people who don't have access to clean water? 

Did you know that a mere $79 will buy a family a water filter so that they can have clean water for the rest of their lives? 

This year, I'm celebrating my birthday, and it would make my year if you'd celebrate with me. Cody and I love Compassion, and I'm so psyched to be able to partner with them on this important project. My goal is to raise $2,370: enough water filters for 30 families. 

So tell everyone that Hannah Hancock is turning 30! Don't be shy about it. I would be honored if you would donate to this cause. Every single dollar makes a difference. You don't have to donate $79 to make my day—$1 would do it.

For the link to my fundraising page: click here. And feel free to share it! Everyone is welcome at this party. 

"And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

~Matthew 10:42~

Cheers!

Here's What You Should Do

Ok. We're doing this. Our next presidential election is less than one month away, and, until now, I have refrained from making any political remarks. I'm going to say this once, and then I'll be done. 

For the love of your fantasy football team, stop it with all the political guilt-tripping already.

I'm so sick of it. I've posted in the past about keeping yourself informed and writing our Supreme Court Justices and other elected officials. I may not be the smartest person in the world, but I try to keep myself informed and make intelligent decisions when I go to the polls. And here's what I think you should do:

Vote. Period and full stop. 

If you want to vote for Donald Trump, do it. If you want to vote for Hillary Clinton, go right ahead. If you want to vote for some obscure, third-party candidate who may or may not be on the ballot in each state, I will not try to change your mind. Just vote.

I obviously have my own opinions, and you hopefully have yours. But for crying out loud, please stop pummeling the free world with all your unhelpful, unkind, and unnecessary memes about why the candidates you're NOT voting for are unacceptable choices for me and how me not agreeing with you makes me a morally, spiritually, and intellectually bankrupt person. 

This is a difficult election. There is no easy or good choice. I think most of us can admit that and agree that we're having a hard enough time making a decision at all without all the name-calling and condemnation. So unless it is your job--and let me clarify: a "job" means you are receiving actual money to perform a specific task--to campaign for a particular candidate, can you please limit your words to ones that are kind, helpful, AND necessary? And to (once again) further clarify: that "necessary" clause eliminates 97% of anything you're about to say.

I (and the rest of the civilized population) would greatly appreciate it. 

Thanks and God bless.

Just Smile

I came across this the other day and decided to share it here. Sometimes it's hard to keep on smiling when we see all the horrible things going on in our world. When terrorists attack. When we read about the millions of babies being aborted before getting the chance to show us their smiles. When we lose parents or children too soon. When we see videos of people being brutally killed. When the guy at the store is just plain rude or you find out your best friend has been tearing you to shreds behind your back. There is so much happening all the time that steals our joy. 

But James says to count it all joy when we are facing all these trials because the trying of our faith produces patience. Which is good. 

The above statement may seem trite, but I think the world needs to see Christians smiling. Christians who have a joy that cannot be shaken. Christians who are being kind to them with no ulterior motives. Christians that are loving without condition and assuming the best in people. 

So I would encourage you to dive into God's Word today and get your joy. Our God is the God of HOPE! Smile at a stranger. Really smile at them. Maybe even say hello. Don't let the world steal your joy or change your smile.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." 

-Romans 15:13

Listen Up, Girls!

If there's one thing in this life that breaks my heart and drives me to my knees, it's people being ugly to other people. Human beings, created in the very image of God (Genesis 1:27), tearing down other human beings. There have been days when Cody has come home to a weeping wife simply because I was reading the comment section of some article on the internet. (Why do I keep doing that?! Note to self: read the article and move on with your day, Hannah.) People are nasty. We have all been guilty of saying things we ought not say, myself included. I have spent too many sleepless nights wishing I could reel some heedless words I spewed out back in. But it truly blows my mind how complete strangers will rip into each other over this world wide anonymous web. 

And you know what's worse? We women are the champions of this. We always have been. It's as old as Sarai and Hagar (Genesis chapters 16 and 21). Probably older, but that's the first recorded account in the Bible of a woman bullying another woman. We know just how to cut someone down, and what's worse: we can do it with a sweet smile on our face and finish it off with a "Bless your heart!" (At least, down here in The South we can.)

This behavior does not go unnoticed. Look at this little snippet out of Vanity Fair:

"Who has not seen how women bully women? What tortures have men to endure, comparable to those daily-repeated shafts of scorn and cruelty with which poor women are riddled by the tyrants of their sex?  Poor victims!"

This particular gem comes out of chapter 33 ("Miss Crawley's Relations Are Anxious") and can be found on page 318 in my copy.

Ladies, this should not be. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul commends us to encourage one another and build each other up. As wives, moms, friends, daughters, sisters, we ought to be in each other's corner. We should be cheering each other on, praying for one another, empathizing through struggles, and rejoicing together through triumphs.

Not talking behind each other's backs, gossiping at every opportunity, and shaming each other when we don't agree on some subject. This is not becoming, and it does not go unseen. I would challenge any woman reading this (in fact, even if you're not a woman, I challenge you, too) to make a point to go out of your way this week to encourage another woman. Tell someone she's doing something right.

Just remember what your momma always taught you: If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. And if your momma didn't teach you that, go write it on your mirror right now.

Also, I just gotta shout out my little brother right now. Happy Birthday, Oakie! I love you forever!

Both photos from our May 2011 Spain adventures.

P.S. Caroline, make sure he sees this, will ya? Thanks, girl!  ;)

Be Kind For Real

Alright, now that we've laid some groundwork in this little section of cyberspace, let's get into what I'm currently reading.    

Vanity Fair, y'all.  It's the most satirical thing I've ever read.  Today, I want to discuss the following quote:

"Praise everybody, I say to such: never be squeamish, but speak out your compliment both pointblank in a man's face, and behind his back, when you know there is a reasonable chance of his hearing it again. Never lose a chance of saying a kind word. As Collingwood never saw a vacant place in his estate but he took an acorn out of his pocket and popped it in; so deal with your compliments through life. An acorn costs nothing; but it may sprout into a prodigious bit of timber."

This particular quote comes out of chapter 19 ("Miss Crawley at Nurse"), and, in my copy of Vanity Fair, is on page 180.

Upon a cursory reading, one might think, "That's right.  We should never miss an opportunity to be kind.  That's good."  But let's dig in a little deeper, shall we?  

"Never lose a chance of saying a kind word." If we rip this out of its context, I would agree with it 100%.  I'd needlepoint it on a pillow and pin it on pinterest (if I had an account...or knew how to needlepoint stuff). But let's look at these two phrases: "...when you know there is a reasonable chance of his hearing it again..." and "...it may sprout into a prodigious bit of timber." The author's implication then is to never miss an opportunity to be kind if in doing so, we gain something.  

Is this true kindness? While gaining something, whether a friendship or a favor, may be a natural byproduct of authentic kindness, being kind only to benefit from the act is not real kindness.  

Paul said, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32 NASB) Jesus Himself said, "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:27-28 NASB)  In fact, He goes on to say, "If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same." (Luke 6:33) 

If I really want to be kind the way Jesus said to, I will be kind unconditionally.  Never mind the "prodigious bit of timber" I may or may not get in the process.