Taking Action and a VERY SPECIAL GIVEAWAY

First and foremost, welcome to 2013, lovelies! 

I hope this year is filled with memory making, fun having, and  lesson learning for each of you.

Last year, my word for the year was 'simplify'.

 It turned out to be the perfect word for 2012;
 nothing says simplify like quitting your job and going to Africa not once but twice, right?

Well, when it came time to choose a word for 2013, the answer was so obvious:
  action.

I want to be a do-er. 

Not just a talker or a planner or a good intention-er, but a doer.

 And doing requires taking action.

In the past two years, I think I've grown more than just about ever before. 

And through this time of growth, my eyes have been opened. 

Words like 'slavery', 'injustice', 'fair-trade', 'service', and 'poverty', are regularly thrown out over dinner at our house. My desire to serve others and live out Isaiah 58 and 1 Peter 4:10 is stronger than ever.

Our family is different. 

Our marriage is different. 

Our parenting is different.

 And we are ready to take action.

And just how do I plan to do this, you say?

Well, I'm not entirely sure what the new year will bring, but I have a good idea of where to start:
Noonday.

In September when I signed up to become a Noonday Collection ambassador,
I had no idea just HOW MUCH Noonday was doing to help combat poverty
 and provide a source of LASTING CHANGE to artisans around the world.
To say I have fallen head over heals in love with this company simply doesn't do it justice.

And while I love the products and the process and the chance to be a voice for our artisans and their families throughout the year, I also love something that caught me off guard, something I wasn't expecting...

I love the other ambassadors.

Noonday has given me a front row seat to watch some of the most motivated, driven, Godly women out there 'do their thing' to battle some of the many injustices in this world.

These women are world-changers in the truest sense. 

They inspire me. 

They encourage me. 

They challenge me.

They motivate me. 

And I'm not talking about 'selling'; I'm talking about 'doing'. 

They inspire me to do more and give more and serve more. 

Women like Jessica (the amazing woman who founded Noonday), Wynne, Whitney, Beth, and Brandi (just to name a few) have set the bar high. They are being a voice for the impoverished; they are setting a standard for women everywhere to go and be the change they hope to see. 

I want to be one of these women. 

It's not enough for me to sit on my comfy couch and talk about all the things that need to be done to help those around the world. And while I realize that I can't do everything (or anything even remotely close to it), I still feel called to do what I can. 

And Noonday is a great place to start. 

So, in my first attempt of embracing my word for this new year, I have a little treat for you. 

It started with an idea to help spread the 'Noonday goodness'. 

So, I went to the amazing group of women  I like to call my 'Noonday family', and we have quite the treat for you this month:

Thirty-one ambassadors sharing thirty-one days worth of thoughts, ideas, and stories about all things Noonday, all things good, and all things justice. 

And giveaways. 

Did I mention that part? 

That's right. 

Thirty-one posts from thirty-one blogs belonging to some of the most amazing women, each with a Noonday giveaway for one of YOU....starting here. 

And to kick off this new year, I thought we'd start with a $50 Noonday gift card. 

If it were mine, here are a few things I'd consider: 

*These amazing bowls handmade from magazines by a group of  HIV+ women and their children in South Africa

*This stunning necklace made from seeds by a group of artisans in Ecuador

*This eye-catching bag made from recycled VHS tape (yes, you read that correctly) made by a special needs group in New Delhi

*These gorgeous earrings made in New York City by a group of refugees from Tibet

*Or this little beauty made in Ethiopia from...get this....upcycled artillery (yes, that would be melted down war weapons...talk about taking something terrible and turning it into something beautiful)

How would YOU spend the credit? 

I'd love to know. 

Some other plans for actions this coming year: 

-Host more Noonday adoption fundraiser shows- I love the idea of helping kiddos come home to their forever families!

-Sponsor a child (more to come on this)

-Keep working with Clean Water for Malawi and get a least one well donated this year

-Spread the good in my own community via random acts of kindness

-Share, share, share with others about ways they can get involved and do more where they are with what they have

And if you'd like to know more about the conversations, ideas, and stories floating around in this ole head of mine, here are some great places to start: 

Radical

Half the Sky

When Helping Hurts 

58: The Film

I'll be back soon with a more in depth list, also known as my 'to read in 2013 list'.

And if you'd like more information on Noonday Collection or want to know how YOU can host a trunk show to help change a life, I'd LOVE to talk to you about this. We have some AWESOME incentives in January and February and what I expect to be the most breath taking spring line coming soon.

 Live in Mississippi? I'm your girl. Don't live in Mississippi? I can help you find your girl. 

And I hope that you'll follow along on the Noonday Ambassador blog train this month. 

I can only imagine that this group of inspiring women won't disappoint. 

Who knows...they might even inspire you to take a little action.

You can check out tomorrow's post (and giveaway) over at my friend Beth's blog. 

And the giveaway? 

Entering is easy, although I am trying something new this go round.

The winner will be announced on January 7th, which also happens to be my birthday. 

And if you have a word for the year, I'd love to hear about it in a comment, and please be sure to include a link to your post about it so I can check it out!

Happy entering and a very happy start to 2013 to you and you and you.

Here's to a year filled with a lot of love, some good friends, fresh adventures, and a little action.

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