WE'VE MOVED!

Come play with the Monkees here!

Love, G

Opportunities to Remember

We are each other's business. We are each other's harvest and magnitude and bond.

Gwendolyn Brooks

One more post. Just one more before Christmas.

It seems the Monkees have developed a reputation for miracle making. Or, more likely, for taking the time to send enough love and energy and prayer into the universe to shake things up a bit.

So, along with all the beautiful stories we read and share here, we are also faced with our share of the brutal stories. And that is okay. That is real - that is Life. Life is brutiful. The brutal and the beautiful cannot be separated, we must embrace both or neither.

I received this letter from a dear friend of Sister's yesterday. Please read it and do whatever you feel led to do. Cry, donate, pray, join Ava's facebook page, write to her mommy and daddy, take a moment of gratitude or agony or silence. Just a moment to remember that We Belong To Each Other. It'll help. I don't know how, I just know it does.

The two phrases most often repeated in the Bible:

1. Remember

2. Do Not Be Afraid

I love you, baby Ava. I will pray for you everyday.

Love, G

*********

Dear Glennon,

My name is Kerry and we actually met at Mandy's wedding, I was there with my husband who is very close with Johnny. I have been a silent monkee of yours since your sisters wedding and have quietly celebrated all that the monkees have done for people, especially over the last few weeks. I am also a huge fan of Beyonce!!!

But now, unfortunately, there has been a terrible, terrible accident and I was hoping you could ask the monkees for some help. Our friend, George DelRicco was given news last Friday that no parent would want to hear. His wife and 18 month old daughter were sitting at a traffic light when out of nowhere a man slammed right into them. His daughter Ava was flown to Johns Hopkins where she is now fighting for her life. His wife was also transported to the same hospital where she is suffering from several broken bones. Unfortunately, this accident could have been prevented as the man driving the truck was found to be on PCP. Here is the latest article: http://smnewsnet.com/archives/6602

As a mother of two little girls myself, I just can't seem to shake this feeling of "what if"....what if this was my little girl?? What would I do if my little girl was hospitalized? Who would I turn to??

Our friends are joining together to do whatever we can to help George out. Many of us went to school with him as he was a football player for VA Tech.

I am hoping Glennon you wouldn't mind asking the monkees to spread the word about baby Ava? If they can donate to help this family ease the burden of growing medical bills then there is a page on Facebook called "DelRicco Benefit Fund" where there is information to donate to the family.

Although donations would be an amazing gift for this family, I am also asking for prayers....lots of them!!! This little girl needs any and all good vibes going her way so if you could also ask them for this, we would be so very grateful to you!!!

There is some information below. Again, anything you could do to help spread the word about baby Ava would be appreciated!!!

Sincerely,
Kerry Brophy

For those who would like to make a donation, they can make them through www.paypal.com please use the following as your donation recipient:DelriccoBenefitFund@gmail.com

On Facebook there is the DelRicco Benefit Fund for them to "like" and to add any comments for Baby Ava!!

*********

Kay, so The Monkees are officially on Ava's team now. Please go tell her that you're fighting for her, however it is that you fight.

Also..

Let's remember Anna and Tim and Margaret and Jack.

And please visit the Momastery Facebook page for more prayer requests. You don't need money to make a difference. You just need a Moment to Remember.

And one more thing..my beloved grandma is having high risk, unexpected surgery this afternoon at one. I love her very much. Please pray for Alice and her seven children and fourteen grandchildren, all of whom are afraid.

Love Forever and Ever...

GOD BLESS BABY AVA.

GDo

It's Christmas Eve, Eve, Eve, Eve, Eve!

Monkees. I love and miss you so. Please allow me to make this post short, sweet, and poorly written- kind of like this poem Tish recently gave me.

To Mom

Roses are red. Acshually somtimes pink.

I am not sure what colors vilets are. I do not think I hav seen one.

Riting poems are hard and boring. I like colring.

-TM

First, I'll tell you that Babble didn't pick us for any of their best blog categories . . .even though we finished second in the popular vote. I feel kind of sad about that, and I also feel embarrassed about feeling sad about that. So, anyway. Moving along to more important things.

It’s almost Christmas. I have so much to tell you and so little time. So much about what’s going on in my heart and head these days . . . so much about Jesus and how people who believe in Him should celebrate their bottoms off and how people who don’t believe in the Jesus as God part still have so much to celebrate in Jesus’ Story.

You do not have to believe a story really happened to believe it is true. Like this: this story never really happened. But it’s certainly true, right?

And so we can all celebrate the Jesus story . . . whether we believe it happened - like I do - or not. Either way- we can celebrate the beautiful, revolutionary idea of Love entering the scary world defenseless. That’s what we do here, right? That’s what Monkees do at Momastery and beyond- in the big world. We show up, armorless, even when we might get hurt. Because Love is more important than self-preservation. That’s the Christmas story to me. We can all celebrate that kind of courage and Truth. We can all celebrate that in the end - Love Wins.

There are also about seven million stories I could tell you about Holiday Hands. The magic just keeps pouring in and I will find a way to place every story in your generous and beautiful hands one day soon. It never ends. We just sent a large check to Higher Ground, a home in NY that cares for families affected by HIV/AIDS. There’s a straight up Monkee Home makeover happening in Atlanta right now – we found a mama with six kids and no beds and not a whole lotta hope. So a Monkee family partnered with an Atlanta non-profit and this precious family is getting new carpets, new paint, seven brand new beds, and job counseling for mom so this recovery will be sustainable. Kay.

And hundreds. I am telling you that HUNDREDS of mothers all over this country opened their door one morning and found a box on their doorstep from another mother they’d never met and likely never will. There were boxes filled with toys for littles, money for groceries and bills, beautiful jewelry and Nikon Cameras and Ipads and homemade mittens and oodles of warm clothes for littles. These mamas opened boxes filled with Love and Hope. This experience changed the world for the mamas who gave and the mamas who received.

Please, please don’t tell me that changing the world is hard. It’s easy as pie.

Actually pie is really hard. I would NEVER try making pie. It’s easy as Oreos, then.

And - Baby Emily is home and thriving. Her parents believe that your love and prayers and care and energy and painted hands helped save her. Monkees are feeding Emily’s family for the twelve days of Christmas and Monkees have helped the family with Christmas shopping and wrapping. I’ll be delivering a Christmas Eve meal to the family, from the Monkees. Obviously, I’m having it catered instead of cooking because as Craig said, “the family has been through enough.” The point is that she’s home. The doctors thought she might never make it back there, but that little Monkee showed them.

Monkee Amy and I have been working hard on the new blog. It’s going to look similar, but it will explain who we are more clearly. I receive at least one email a day asking, “G- can you tell me how to become a Monkee?” So I felt we needed to be clear that Momastery is for everyone. Everybody’s in, baby. If you want to be a Monkee- you already are a Monkee. If all goes well, our grandish re-opening will coincide with the New Year.

A New Year is coming. It’s gonna be a good one. I plan to take really good care of myself this year. We must fill up if we hope to empty out. I’m going to start by practicing yoga more often. My friend Ursula, who is very, very special, has offered four free five pack classes to her heavenly yoga studio -Inner Power Yoga. You might remember Inner Power from this post. Ursula and I have been crossing paths for awhile now, and I think she’s supposed to be one of my Teachers. If any of you local Monkees would like to join Urusula and me for some deep breathing and self care in January, please comment and we will send your free package. And please, if you’re a Christian, don’t worry that practicing yoga is cheating on Jesus. It’s not. It’s a spiritual practice – like fasting or tithing or prayer- that anyone can practice to get closer to their God or their peace. It’s okay. It’s “Be Still and know I’m God.” That’s what it is for me.

Also -Monkees.

All is said and done, now. I’ve connected every Monkee family that I can –and I still find myself with four Target Gift Cards. I think they are each worth $50. I also have a $25 gift card to TJ Maxx and one from Wal-Mart for $25.

If you need one – or if you have a friend or acquaintance who needs one, please comment (so others know it’s been claimed) and then email me your address and which one you’d like. I’ll send them out today. Since I don’t make decisions about worthiness, ever, I’ll send them to the first Lovies who ask.

Thank you, for trusting me to work on these projects for you- Holiday Hands and Momastery. I’m honored and humbled inspired and just – so incredibly grateful.

Merry Christmas, Monkees.

Love, Glennon

PS. Oh, this too.

PPS. Also, this.

* The pic was taken by Amber at Little Moon photography. She is phenomenal. An hour before that picture was taken I was literally crying. Bawling. Because I was Lymie and my kids were being so bad. SO BAD. And look how pretty she still made us. Go see her. Love.

Gathering and Scattering.

Craig: Wait…what are you doing?

Me: Nothing. Nothing at all. Go away.

Craig: You’re writing a post! You’re writing a post, aren’t you?

Me: No. I’m writing a grocery list.

Craig: Okay. If you’re gonna lie, you should say something believable.

Me: Fine. I’m writing a post.

Craig: What? You told everyone you quit for the holidays. You are the worst quitter ever.

Me: Hm. Well. Maybe I’m the BEST quitter ever. Ever think of that? Maybe I’m such an incredible quitter that I even QUIT quitting. Done. Just like that. I EVEN Quit Quitting. Who does that? I'll tell you who. Me and only me. Yeah. Blows your mind, doesn't it? That's what I'm talkin' bout. Don’t call it a comeback, buddy, I been here for years.

Craig: (gone. watching football)

Anyway.

I’m back because I had an important conversation with my friend, Ashley, that I had to share with you.

Ashley and I were talking about Christmas, and all the presents, and the hustle bustle business and consumerism and excess of it all . . . and the parts we love about that and the parts that leave us feeling exhausted and guilty and a little silly, even. Like maybe we’re missing out on something important. It's almost like somebody's purposefully trying to distract us from something happening that is of great, huge significance - and we're allowing ourselves to be dazzled away. And we're left....wanting. It's like with all the stuff to decorate and do and buy and wrap and hide and deliver, there’s no room left at the Inn.

Then Ashley told me her plan to prepare her family’s hearts for Christmas this year. How she's planned to make room in her life and her home for Christmas. For real Christmas. For the celebration of God, who is LOVE, coming to Earth to be with us.

Cause it's a big deal, when you think about Christmas in terms of THAT, instead of just in terms of Kohls Cash and Black Friday deals and turkeys and where the hell is the scotch tape???? I mean, if you're a Christian, you believe that GOD came to EARTH. And if you're not a Christian, I can totally understand how you'd think we're a little wacky because WOW. I mean, that's WILD. GOD, as a BABY. On EARTH. IN A BARN. But I am. I am a Christian and totally obsessed with Jesus, and so Christmas is a big deal for me. A really big deal. I mean when I stop shopping long enough to think about it.

Anyway I found Ashley's Love idea so do-able and so beautiful that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. We prepare our homes for guests, usually. And Ashley found a way to prepare her home for God's arrival.

Monkees, Meet Ashley.

A Mini Mission to Spread a Little Joy…

Every Christmas, my boys and I donate cans, coats, take an “angel” or two from the tree at church, but it somehow hasn’t been enough for my blessed boys to truly make the compassion connection. What I needed was a way to drive home the message in a variety of ways in the hope that something will stick. I’ve heard that it takes at least 21 days to form a habit…so Advent should at least be a start, right?

When my oldest was a baby, my Mother-in-Law gave us a beautiful wooden Advent cabinet with 25 tiny doors. This year, along with the gifties that Granny sends, there will be a note with an act of kindness to be carried out that day. Some will be strategically placed…like on the 10^th when we’ll be joining my husband’s Rotary group to lay wreaths on gravesites at Arlington Cemetery. Or, on the 20^th when we’ll be volunteering as a family to organize donations at the Salvation Army warehouse. But, others will be less grand…like picking up litter anytime you see it throughout the day. Or, feeding the birds

And there you have it— a simple plan for 25 days of serving, giving, and helping others. A fun way to experience the true MAGIC and JOY Christmas first-hand. My hope is that they get it…and maybe even want to continue beyond Advent season.

Love, Ashley

***************

You know, we all want the same things for our kids during the holiday season. We want them to experience great joy. So we ask them what they want and they think of stuff that maybe they want, or maybe the TV just told them to want. And we buy them as much of what they maybe want as we possibly can. We put ourselves in debt, even. Because we want them to be full of joy.

But we know what bring US the most joy. It’s not stuff. It’s connection. It’s love. It’s finding out how powerful we are by discovering what a difference our little selves can make in the life of another little self. It’s in emptying ourselves out that we feel full. It’s the only way to feel full, I think. Offering yourself. Your insides. Showing up and pouring out.

Pour it all out –and feel full. So weird.

And so we know what we know. And even though we know what we know, we still try to fill ourselves and our kids up with stuff. I do, anyway. But this season, I think I’ll take my own advice and Step back, Slow down, and Focus up. Because maybe more stuff isn’t what will bring my Littles the most joy. Maybe Ashley’s right.

Maybe what brings me joy would also bring them joy. Maybe my kids don’t need more plastic crap. I mean, I'll buy some anyway. But maybe they really need to discover the magic and power that’s inside them. The magic and power that is just kindness. The magic kindness inside each of them that could change the world. Maybe I just need to show them how to pour themselves out.

Sounds like a good way to prepare for God to come.

I think our kids will decide what Christmas is about by watching what we decide it’s about.

If we spend December at the mall, they will learn that Christmas is about stuff. If we spend it gathering gratitude and scattering joy….well, then.

We should also spend it resting. Lots and lots of rest.

Resting, Gathering, Resting, Scattering. Like that.

I am so thankful for you.

Love, G

Yep. We Were Right....

I’m tired this morning. Not weary tired . . . peaceful tired. I did my best tired.

Our Holiday Hands project is winding down. I made an announcement that I wasn’t taking any more requests a week ago, and God giggled. The requests continued to pour in, and every single time I thought we were out of offerings, an email arrived in my inbox or a check appeared in my mailbox. By the way . . . how do all you people know where I live??? Maybe you enter “Beyonce” into your GPS. Say hi to my girl.

As of today, we’ve had over two hundred Monkees participate in our Love Project. Actually, the number is so much bigger than that. Many have spun off their own Love Projects, or held vigils at the website . . . praying for me and for all the givers and receivers. Every single Monkee has been a giver and a receiver in his or her own way. I continue to be completely astounded by the generosity and courage and trust and love that has been offered with no strings attached. I don’t know how much money has changed Monkee hands, don’t think it really matters. But I’d guess it’s been more than twelve thousand dollars. And maybe a million pounds of toys and clothes and gift cards and love. I’m not the best estimator of poundage though.

A single mama in Atlanta who has six children that sleep on two dirty mattresses is receiving seven brand new beds and mattresses this week. Three special Monkee babies received ipads to help their big brains. Friends nominated struggling friends who don’t even know about our Monkee family, and those shocked friends received boxes full of love and goodies and money . . . out of the clear blue. One woman wrote to me and said,

“I’ve prayed every night for the past week for a miracle for our family, and one bigger than I could have imagined arrived in the mail yesterday. It was like it came straight from God.”

Well, yep, of course it did.

When we believe in love enough to trust and give and open, God uses us as miracles for each other. And the world, quite literally, becomes a more miraculous place. Heavenly. On Earth as it is in heaven. So many of you gave even though you barely had enough for yourselves this year. That is faith. That is knowing that when we pray, give us this day our daily bread, God will always provide. He may not give us enough for the year . . . as a matter of fact, if He does, it’s probably not ours to keep. Money, love, energy, they’re like the manna from heaven that rained down on the Israelites each day during their forty years in the desert. We are to use up today’s portion and leave the rest, trusting that todays portion will arrive right on time again tomorrow. If we get scared and save too much, if we hoard our manna, it begins to rot. Because it shows that we do not believe. We do not believe that we serve a loving God who will provide for our needs, one day at a time. And who offers us the honor of providing for the needs of others. We are free to give our extra, because tomorrow we will be provided for again. We can live without fear.

Suze Orman would probably really, really hate that whole paragraph, but whatever.

When I started this project, I was a little nervous, because Craig and I were only offering $600, and I knew the needs would far exceed that amount. But look what happened. We offered what we could, and our offering multiplied. It was loaves and fishes, people. God took our little offering and made it enough, more than enough, through you. Thank you for being a part of our loaves and fishes miracle.

I plan to write down the stories that came out of this Love Project. Trust me, there are many miracles that are screaming to be documented. I’ll get them to you, promise. For now, if you’d like to write a message about how this experience affected you or your family . . . please tell us about it in the comments here. Instead of writing a thank you letter to the folks who sent your gifts – write it here. Because the love of all of Monkeedom was behind every gift. And because there is a lot of ugly in the world right now and it is our responsibility to keep testifying to the light. To encourage people not to lose hope, to prove that STILL, EVEN SO . . . Love Wins.

“Darkness has a hunger that’s insatiable . . . but lightness has a call that’s hard to hear.” We must not spend too much time in front of CNN becoming more and more jaded. We must yell louder about love and listen harder for it. Love is all around us. There are two dogs in this human fight …the dark one and the light one. The fearful one and the brave one. The evil one and the good one. The winner inside each of us will be the one we decide to feed. Feed your Love and Hope and Joy Dog. Let the other one wither away.

NOOOWWW….

This is going to be my last post until the New Year. It’s time for me to get back to my family and friends and start preparing my heart for the holiday season.

By prepare, I don’t mean shop, I mean get quiet and pay attention.

I’m actually finished with my Christmas shopping. My friends and I decided to start an “I’m Dreaming of a Green Holiday” Facebook Group for our neighborhood. Everyone went through her toys and took pictures of the gently used toys that her kids’ had grown out of. Then each person posted those pictures on the FB page and we basically traded toys. I found three things that each of my kids will love, just sitting in the basements and garages of my friends’ homes. It’s been an amazing way to help the environment and the wallet. Too much waste at the holiday. Too much time at the mall. And I’ve gotten to know my neighbors better. Passing on my kids’ toys has felt like loving them. Highly recommend.

I’m done with Craig’s gift, too…because my gift to him is going to be this: for the month of December, we are going to make out three times per week.

This might not seem like a big deal to some of you – but it’s CRAZY talk to me. I decided, though, that some physical lovin’ is what we really need more than anything else. I’m quite interested to see what this Love Project does for our relationship. Don’t tell him though- it’s a surprise. He’ll never read this- he usually quits after the first two paragraphs and then tells me how amazing the whole essay is. I know this because he ONLY uses examples from the first two paragraphs.

The reason I’m prepared to make this sexy commitment that I have some energy back. For the past three weeks I’ve been on a “cleanse.” Basically, it’s meant that I have eaten no sugar, no dairy, no meat, no wheat, no gluten, nothing artificial, and no caffeine for three weeks. All I’ve eaten is fresh vegetable juices and smoothies and salads and beans and nuts. And quinoa. Pounds of quinoa. So much so that Sister has started referring to me as “Quinoa Tifa.”

Tragically, the cleanse has seemed to work. I’ve got more energy than I’ve had since I was diagnosed with Lyme. And so, as of today, I’m accidentally a vegan. I have to be, but I think when people ask me why I’m a vegan, I’ll say, “because I love animals.” Just seems more noble than: I had no other choice.

Another Melton happening is that we’re considering taking permanent action to make sure there are no future Melton babies. We have discussed, at length, the logical reasons for this. Like: we have our HANDS FULL already - my health is not great now - by the time I’d be healthy enough to even consider getting pregnant again I’ll likely be 37 - an accidental pregnancy would be tough while battling Lyme . . . and on and on. On paper, it’s a no brainer. But I’m having such a hard time with it. Why do I have such a hard time with this? Am I addicted to babies? I don’t even like pregnancy. I hate it, actually. So is it normal to be so illogically ambivalent . . . when all the signs point to – YOU ARE DONE, LADY. BE GRATEFUL AND ENJOY. DON’T PUSH IT. I don’t know. I just get confused and sad.

Anyway.

I read this quote this other day that said; “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” In light of recent news stories, this idea seemed timely, so I’ve been thinking a lot about what my main thing is. My main thing has been harder than I thought it would be to identify. It seemed like my main thing should be something that couldn’t be taken from me, that wasn’t related to any particular phase of my life . . . something that could remain my main thing forever, no matter what happened.

I eventually decided that my main thing is loving God, myself, and others. Maintaining balance between those three vocations. Each day and through the years.

I want to spend enough quiet time to hear from God about how to serve myself and others. Then I want to ask for the energy and wisdom to carry out what He requests of me in the quiet. And I want to be open and present enough to receive love from my husband and children and family and friends and strangers and neighbors. And I want to always, always, care for myself first. I want to feed myself good food and breathe in fresh air and stretch and rest and explore my passions and dreams so I can maintain gratitude for the opportunity of living this beautiful life.

I shall try to keep this main thing my main thing.

You won’t hear from me on the blog until after the New Year, but I’ll still be working hard for you behind the scenes. We’re re-launching the blog on Word Press in January, because Blogger refuses to let many of you comment, (including Adrianne) and this is unacceptable. Each Monkee needs to be heard. I know some of you are freaking out right now because MONKEES DON’T LIKE CHANGE. I promise to work with a web designer to make sure that the site looks almost EXACTLY the same as it does now. Okey doke? No fancy stuff. If you have any ideas for bettering the site, let me know in the comments, please. I need you. This is OUR blog, not mine.

Also, Sister and I are working on a big idea. We are considering self-publishing a Momastery book next year. I’m scared . . . which makes me think it might be the right idea. Scared/sacred. Close. What do you think?

2012 is going to be our Most Magical Monkee Year ever. I have so many ideas for us, and I hope you are planning and plotting, too.

It’s going to be a long month and a half without you. But we must take time to rest and reflect and gather energy. And every once in a while, we must look away from the screen long enough to look inside and outside.

I LOVE YOU. Thank you for being a miracle. If you can take the time to share your thoughts about the million questions I’ve asked in this post, I’d love it. I really want – need - to hear from you. This is your special place, and I am so honored to be your host. And so grateful that I don't have to feed you.

Love Wins,

G

Pledge

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men (and women) to do nothing. – Edmund Burke

Dear America,

We should not rest until there is a full accounting of what took place at Penn State from 1977 to today. We need a full investigation of Sandusky’s “charity,” The Second Mile. We need to know exactly what officials at Penn State and The Second Mile knew and when they knew it. We need to know who took action and who took none. We need to hold people who have chosen public lives of service to youth responsible for allowing children to be raped.

We need to care enough. America needs to care about its children. If we do not protect our children . . . who are we?

While we’re (rightfully) lashing out at the group of men at Penn State who allowed children to be raped – let us also look within. We can learn from this disaster. We can remember what is so obvious but seems to be forgotten so easily – that we should place NO priority above the well-being of our fellow human beings. No institution, no ideology, no career, no amount of money, no damn iconic reputation should ever take priority over the health and safety of a single human being.

We need to put first things first, for God’s sake.

In honor of all of Sandusky’s rape victims, I make the following solemn pledge:

If I ever witness a child being abused - or hear about a child being abused - first, second, or third hand - I will report it immediately to police and follow up every single day until the case has been thoroughly investigated. If it is not investigated to my satisfaction, I’ll go to the media.

I pledge to do this because NOTHING is more important than the body and soul of a child.

Love, G

Holiday Hands Update

“The poverty of being lonely, being uncared for and unwanted . . . this is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to alleviate this type of poverty.” – Mama T

The miracles that have unfolded during the past few weeks are going to take me a while to process and weave into stories for you. Stories are better than numbers- but numbers are what I’m swimming in, so I’ll throw a few out there . . . we’ve paid one Monkee’s $1000 adoption costs. We’ve served thirty seven families through 165 Monkees (so far). The requests and offers that have poured in via email have doubled those posted on the blog. They’ve all been granted or accepted. We’ve sent three ipads to kids who need them for therapy. Zero people have asked me if their donations are tax deductible. Checks and gift cards from God knows who have arrived at my home by the dozens. Several thousands of dollars have exchanged Monkee hands. I’ve learned how to make a spread sheet. YES, after tears and tantrums, but I learned. They work, those things.

The stories are better than the numbers, though. MIRACULOUS stories about beautiful people abound. For now, I’m keeping them in my heart. Can’t tell them yet, because our work’s not done.

Here is what I’ve learned during the past three miraculous weeks.

Those who have made requests and those who have offered gifts . . . both groups of people are givers.

This is huge, I think:

What we’re doing here- The Truth about Holiday Hands . . . is that we’re not really just helping people buy stuff. We’re not trying to alleviate material poverty.

Here is what we’re really doing: We’re alleviating the poverty of loneliness. The poverty of disconnection. The poverty of feeling unneeded and unwanted . . . the greatest poverty that my hero, Mama T, referred to above. And that kind of awful poverty is alleviated by receiving AND by giving.

Because when the givers give they remember . . . I am needed. I am powerful. I am capable of Loving my neighbors. There is enough. And when the receivers receive they remember . . . I am loved. I am cared for. I am not alone. I have not been forgotten. There is enough.

And that’s why we don’t need to judge whether someone’s particular need is worthy. It doesn’t matter. Because we are not really about meeting that particular need. We are just meeting that particular need in an effort to meet the REAL need. Which is: “TELL ME I’M NOT ALONE. PROVE TO ME THAT LOVE WINS.” We just prove it through a gift card, or a handwritten letter, or a check for $15 dollars or $1000, or a box full of well loved toys or a new ipad or a handmade tea cosie, or an email.

So that's why if somebody tells me she needs a ferret, I’m gonna find a way to get her a ferret.

Because it’s not about the gift. It’s about what the gift represents. It’s about Love. It’s about reminding each other that We Belong To Each Other. It’s about proving what we believe: that Love Wins. You gotta prove what you believe to somebody, even if it’s just to yourself. Otherwise your belief doesn’t matter much.

*Sweet Jesus, please don’t tell me you need a ferret. Scared.

Now, down to Monkee Business. So far we’ve placed about 175 Monkees in Monkee Holiday Families.

“He places the lonely in families. He sets free the prisoners and gives them joy.” – Psalm 68:8

As of this morning, I still had fifteen Monkees waiting to be matched. Fifteen Monkees chomping at the bit to GIVE.

I’ve got you ladies. You are on my trustee spreadsheet. I’ve not forgotten you.

This morning, I received a message about a mother of five struggling with cancer, so a few of you waiting Monkees will be matched with this family this evening. Expect an email from me regarding your new Monkee Family.

Here is where I’d like to go from here:

If you have requested help, but have not yet received an email from me matching you with a Monkee family . . . please email me right away at momastery(at)gmail(dot)com. If you already have emailed me, please do it again and be patient with me. It might take me a while to get it all right, but we will leave no Monkee behind.

Also- I definitely have (at least) another week left in me to dedicate to this project. So go ahead and get quiet and listen. Listen for the name God whispers into your ear, and then send this post to her or him or them. There is enough. We can help more people and allow more people to help.

And to you - If you need: ASK. If you have: OFFER. Become a part of this miracle, one way or another.

Finally, I just wanted to say thank you. Being a part of this Love Project is one of the greatest honors of my life.

Love, G