Pretty Pretty just 7 short days away!

Many of you who keep up with my few and far between blogging lately have read about the upcoming event I am so proud to be part of called "Pretty Pretty".  I am so excited and a little nervous now that is just a week from tomorrow!  August 24th will be an amazing day not only for me but many many amazing woman who will be shown the love of Christ with a night of beauty!  A friend and I recently went all over Minneapolis (some areas I have never seen in my 10 years of living here) to drop off all our posters and invites to Pretty Pretty.  These places included many homeless shelters, Emergency Food Shelf's, and battered woman's shelters.  I never in my life saw all the homelessness and poverty.  All I could think of was this is only 15 minutes away from my home, there all so many kids, so many people, how, and why?  My heart was so saddened and I immediately felt changed.  Annie who was with me made a very good point as we drove away from our final shelter...she said "Erica the people who work in and for these shelters are the hands and feet of Jesus, they do this day in and day out."  I think we both teared up for a moment and it made this event we are part of much bigger.  For one day these woman and children get to do what a lot of people do just as a day to day thing, get there hair cut, get some new clothes, get a message, get a manicure, eat some pizza, put on some makeup, and maybe talk to someone who cares.  For a moment in there lives they get to feel beautiful, loved, respected, special, and taken care of.  For many it will be the 1st time in a long time or maybe the 1st time ever.  Bottom line we need prayer not only for this event but for where these woman and children go after they walk out the doors.  I wish I could give them all a home or a job or get them away from the touch situation they are in.  A night to forget about it, a night to be loved, a night to be pampered, and for the kids a night to eat a meal, maybe the 1st in days.  I believe God has BIG things in store for August 24th 2012.  If you find yourself wanting to do something make a difference come join us in doing something for the woman and children in OUR community who need us.  I can't wait to share my experience with all of my blog followers!  I also really wanted to share all the amazing things people have already done to be part of Pretty Pretty!

Cub Foods gave a 20.00 gift card, Salon ROX gave a free haircut and color certificate, Papa Johns gave us large cheese pizzas at employee discounted price, Lunds and Byerleys gave us 500 paper bags (.25 cents a bag) and 10 cases of water, Sam's Club gave 200 free cupcakes, Panera Bread gave a certificate that will bless someone with bagels and cheese once a month for a year, and so many people have donated clothes, money, jewelry, handbags, shoes, pantry items, makeup, and things we need to make this event possible!  AWESOMENESS!  If you have anything to offer or want to be part of this event or have questions email ambercvc@gmail.com or contact Amber Linz at 612-210-8564.  Its almost here please keep this event in your thoughts and prayers!  Love and Blessings!

Let the FUN begin!

So now that August has creeped up on us and summer will soon come to a close we are getting ready for a fun, crazy, and maybe realxing??? time at Kamp Dels in Waterville, MN!  Jade and I have taken the kids every year now for the past 3 years!  This year however the Linz family of 4 and the Madden family of 6 will be joining our Erhart party of 5!  We are so excited and busy getting everything we need for a memorable camping trip with good friends!  Here are some of our past "Kamp Dels"  pictures!  Enjoy!  Can't wait to blog about our camping experience!  With 5 toddlers 2 babies and a 7 yr. old I am sure we will have more then enough stories to share!  Love and Blessings!

on the way home!!!!

It clicked!

So I used to write daily in a journal for many many years.  I was so passionate about writing and then "life happened" and I kinda left all of that behind.  Not intentionally but the time was put in different areas and I really just simply forgot about what I LOVED doing for a long time.  Anyway shoulda woulda coulda right?!  So that all brings me to today...I was downstairs looking for a folder I could use for all of my "Pretty Pretty" event notes and I came across my leather journal.  I started reading it and I couldn't put the thing down.  WOW I not only realized how messed up I used to be but I also realized it all brought me to where I am!  I came across this poem I wrote.....


Could I be Loved?
Not for who I am looked to be
but for who I am
for my thoughts, my wishes
my dreams, successes, failures?
My complaints my happiness
my fears and my comforts?
Could I be loved
not for the touch
but for the truth
my passions, my past?
Can someone love my voice, my opinion,
my obsessions...
Who could mold such a big thing together
the puzzle of forever?
Is there a piece for me?
Sometimes puzzles can't be completed
simply because of the missing piece.
If somehow throws everything off
yet its still noticeable.

Erica Erhart 10-28-03

I thought this poem said a lot and its funny how in almost 9 years the answer has been there all along.  God has always loved me for me.  He created me!  He knows every thing about me and all the tiny details simply because that's how he wanted to make me!  I felt so empty all those years and reading my journal made me realize I was lost and now found!  Anyway it was an "aha" moment!  I love to love and to be loved!  Even when I wasn't feeling loved God never left my side what an awesome thing right?!  This made me so much more excited about the event I get to be part of on Aug 24th called "Pretty Pretty" an outreach in the community to woman who are homeless, battered, jobless, single moms, and any woman who just is in a tough situation right now and we are going to give them a night of beauty and pampering.  We will be giving them haircuts, massage, painting nails, makeup, and they will each get to pick out an entire outfit in the "boutique".  We will also be giving them paper products such as toilet paper, paper towels, tampons, and pads (things you don't receive while you are on food stamps and wick).  We get to love these woman and make them feel beautiful just as God made them.  We get to be the hands and feet of our Jesus Christ!  If you want to help or get involved we need you!  Anyway I really felt in my heart I needed to share!  Love and Blessings!

PS.  Here are a few pics to what we Erhart's have been up too this summer!

 zoo