Pirate Princess Party - Part 3

And now for the finale!

 Let us take a moment and remember how we've come this far.  Two years ago, I asked my friends to bring with them to dinner an assortment of toiletries and gift items that could be assembled into bags for Redeemed Ministries.  I brought home a few shopping bags full of things.  Last year, I asked my friends to go shopping with me for items to put in similar gift bags for the same organization.  I'm glad I had help getting the trunk load of goodies home that night!  This year, I asked my friends to collect change to make a change.  Oh my goodness!  The result was amazing!

I have to share something, and I'm not just being all English teacher symbolic about this.  Maybe I am.  It is part of me.  As I was going through the change, I was amazed at the pieces.

First, the pennies were amazing!  My friends collected $30 in pennies!  A few pennies from a Sonic run for a happy hour cherry limeade doesn't seem like much until you add it together with everyone else's change.  Likewise, individually we can only do so much.  Together, we can do amazing and big things!  My friends amaze me every year that they indulge me in this adventure.

Next, the condition of the coins varied tremendously.  There was one coin that was so beat up that I'm not really sure it was a penny or even if it was from this country.  My hands were dirty from sifting through the coins because most of them had been through circulation a few times.  There were also some of the shiniest coins I've ever seen.  Did my friends just go to the bank and request a few rolls of coins just so they could fill up a bottle?  I have no idea.  Do you know people who are beat up?  Dirty?  Strangers to this country? Or still clean and brand new?  Redeemed Ministries takes care of those beat up and dirty women and some strangers too.  I'm working on the brand new people to let them know about human trafficking.  People need to know about it because it is often hidden.  People need to know so they can help stop it.  Young girls need to know so they don't get mixed up in it.

Finally, some of the coins were foreign.  I found one coin that is from the Philippines.  I will be honest and say that I kept that one because a dear friend just moved there with her husband to work at a seminary.  The problem of human trafficking is not just in the United States.  It is everywhere around the world.  I can't help them all, but I can help some.

When I asked the abolitionists at Redeemed Ministries what they need this year, I was told that they need help with their operating costs.  My friends came through with $800 for the ministry.  I couldn't have donated that much by myself.  I had the help of about 20 friends.  20 people more who are fighting against human trafficking than before.  $800 more than there was before to help the lives of women in the area
.

Those women are all valuable.  I am so thankful and amazed at the generosity of my friends.  Yes, I am claiming them with a zealous nature.  They are a powerful group of women!  I only wish we could have done more.  I can dream of next year and adding to the 20 to do more and be more!

Pirate Princess Party - Part 2

On the night of the Pirate Princess Party ATD, the crew assembled in small pizza establishment in a tiny, out of the way, small Texas town.  We probably doubled the business of the eatery that night.  I was just a little late on arrival as I was waiting for two crew members to meet at my own house before setting sail for the party. The costumes and the energy that these ladies have every year for the theme is fun!  Seeing them already invading this place was so exciting!  Let me tell you about these amazing ladies!


There are a few pictures of ladies who either jumped ship before the group picture or sent in a tiara picture later because they were not able to attend that night.  I could ramble on about each lady individually and how awesome they are.  Do you want to know each one?  Maybe some people reading this don't know all of my crazy friends.  Let me summarize this group if it is possible.

There are moms, ladies who want to be a mom, single moms, and just single.  Our kids range in ages from not here yet to college and grandkids too.  There are teachers, secretaries, office managers, a law enforcement officer, 31 sales rep, and leather worker, and more!  Don't let me leave out physical therapy and massage therapy.  Our education ranges from not out of high school to MA degrees.

 What is the point of all these distinctions?  The point is that we are regular, (sort of) normal women.  We work, study, live life big, and love strongly.  Together we can do something that will impact our world for good.  We do it every day in our normal lives as we speak Christ to others.  We come together one day a year to make a specific difference for ladies affected by trafficking.

This is who we are!

Stay tuned for Part 3 - Learn what we did!

Pirate Princess Party - Part 1

Before the ATD (annual tiara dinner), I had a serious fit of silliness in coming up with this year's theme: Pirate Princess!  Pirates of the Caribbean was on television several times recently.  Several people, including my mother, asked what I was thinking.  They all knew the answer.  I like to be silly and dress up and have fun.  It was going to be my 39th birthday party the way I wanted it.  Do I sound spoiled?  I am.  I am spoiled by my friends who indulge me in this every year.

I liked the idea of a treasure hunt.  "X" marks the spot of the treasure.  Each clue had an "X" with it.  You will see that some of the messages are about us as God's treasure.  To top that, the red "X" is the symbol for the End It Movement, which is an anti-human trafficking organization.  I borrowed that idea because it all fits together perfectly.

To start the pirate proceedings, I lined out specific clues to lead the princesses to the treasure.

My friends had to decode the date, time, and location.  I picked two history teachers to receive the coordinates.  Everyone posted their clues to Facebook so friends could help figure out the meaning.  Posting the clues in this way also helped a few people to be involved in the event who couldn't make it to the actual event that particular evening.  

Some messages were about getting together and just for fun.  I either included a scripture or wrote a quatrain for each person.  Then I put it in a bottle, labeled it and mailed it for $2.32.  Yes, I mailed a message in a bottle.  Each message was tied with a cord of three strands.  I also tossed in a dozen pearls, flower petals, and some red glitter!  

Again this year, my friends and I planned to make a donation to Redeemed Ministries.  Because we were doing a pirate theme and messages in a bottle, I asked them to collect change for change in a bottle.  Each person was to collect pocket change to help change the life of another lady.  

The last thing to do in preparation for the event was to create a tip jar.  Another friend had put together redneck wine glasses for her own birthday party and gave me an extra as a donation to the ATD.  She knew that we could use it for the tip jar.  Some restaurants add gratuity to the check for large groups, but we do a tip jar anyway.  The tip we give is a reflection of who we are and not necessarily the service we get.  Sometimes we have great service and sometimes not.  I include a card with some scriptures that tells about who we are and what we do.  Then we stuff that sucker with cash!  I'll show you the full jar in the next installment of this story.  Here is the jar I created just to bless the people who served us that night.  No matter what kind of service we might have, I trust that our waiter needs the blessing we are sharing.  

I wrapped the stem in the cord of three strands.  Flowers, sea shells, and gold glitter are hot glued to the top.  I think it fit the whole pirate theme with treasure included.  

Then I had to wait and see how many friends dared to join my silly crew and drop anchor at the given coordinates that night! 

{This is not actually me, but it is a cool picture!}