Wednesday, December 8, 2010
For The Men
Please read this link. It is a common thing, especially in the adoption world, but with caring for the orphan in general that typically the woman are the loudest most vocal on the subject. So to the men please click on this link and read away.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Depraved Indifference
Just watched this on another bloggy friends blog...Be touched, hear what God is asking you to do.
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010
National Adoption Month, Article 3 & 4
So since I am behind I am posting on the last day of the month the last two articles I wrote for my church. They actually haven't been published yet due to zero space in the scroll, but will be soon.
I could say a lot more on adoption, but this is a good start! :)
Article 3
The 3rd part of this four part series is about the hard truths in adoption.
I would like to start with a verse that I read during a trial when we were adopting Mo.
1 Peter 4:12-13 A
Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through... Instead, be very glad-for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering...
Before I dive into this verse let me start off with some very hard and tough truths in adoption.
Truth # 1- Most of us FEAR adoption; we fear the unknowns in adoption. You see our biological children do not typically start off their lives in loss and tragedy, or experience abuses we here in our safe homes and environment could ever fathom. So there are many of us who may have had the thought to adopt or foster that do not because we let this fear stop us.
Truth # 2- Adoption is sinfully expensive and that alone stops many Christian families from adopting.
Truth #3- My children have suffered huge losses. Loss of their birth family, loss of their culture, loss of their special mom’s who cared for them while we worked to bring them home. EJ wept the entire first night we had her, even in her sleep. She had lost her first mother at birth, and now her foster mother and everything she had known for almost 9 months in a matter of an hour. Our joy in the moment caused her great pain. Our son was malnourished when he came to the orphanage, his first mother had no job, no food, and he was starving to death. He was greatly loved by her and the many special mothers’ at his orphanage, and then came K and I. Who were we to EJ and Mo but another body that may be gone tomorrow?
Truth # 4- When you adopt there are people who will be against you. Perfect Strangers, friends, and yes even family.
Truth # 5- Adoption is a spiritual battle for these children’s lives. The first is stepping out and adopting them, and the second is a battle for our children’s souls. We teach them about God and Jesus, and Satan hates this and does everything he can to stop it.
You see our trials in adoption and with our children as they grow may have times of great suffering but it pails in comparison to the suffering of our Christ and he promises them life. Not life in their identity and where it lies, but life in their identity through him, through his love and saving grace.
Here is another verse to focus on until my final entry next week.
Exodus 22:22
“Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan.”
Article 4
The 4th part of this four part series is about God’s calling in our lives.
I have to say that I am extremely passionate about adoption and the orphan, and it is really hard for me to condense all of my passion in order to touch you with something that is a command from God.
A command might seem an odd choice of words to you, but it is in fact a command from God.
James 1:27 states this, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
If you noticed throughout this 4 part series I have quoted various scripture that commands us to care for the least of these. I have intentionally done this.
Now go back to James 1:22
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS.”
Did you read that? Do what the word says. Never mistake that God’s heart is for the orphan, the widow, and the lonely and he references them so much in scripture friends. Don’t wait another day. Do what God is telling you to do and care for them.
Adoption is not for the weak, and it is not the easy road, and it certainly is not the solution, or the only way to do what God commands us to do.
When I say it is not for the weak I say this because Satan HATES adoption. He hates that children are being placed in Christian homes and learning about the love and saving grace of our Father. He will do everything he can to stop us from doing such a thing. He will plague us with doubt, and he will bring crazy obstacles along the way, but GOD sees us through and he will bless what he ordains.
Adoption is a calling straight from God and it is not meant for everyone. Supporting families in this call may be how you are to help the orphan, or specifically praying for families adopting, or supporting one of the many organizations out there who do wonderful things for the least of these.
I will end with this. Our family believes we are here for a special purpose and that God has given us all we need to carry out his plans for us. We are all made for so much more than we realize and our hearts have to be ready to fight. Our time on earth is not for rest but it is to battle for the thing God wills us to do to bring glory to him. EJ and Mo are the children the Lord saw fit to bless us with and we cannot wait for what he has next.
I could say a lot more on adoption, but this is a good start! :)
Article 3
The 3rd part of this four part series is about the hard truths in adoption.
I would like to start with a verse that I read during a trial when we were adopting Mo.
1 Peter 4:12-13 A
Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through... Instead, be very glad-for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering...
Before I dive into this verse let me start off with some very hard and tough truths in adoption.
Truth # 1- Most of us FEAR adoption; we fear the unknowns in adoption. You see our biological children do not typically start off their lives in loss and tragedy, or experience abuses we here in our safe homes and environment could ever fathom. So there are many of us who may have had the thought to adopt or foster that do not because we let this fear stop us.
Truth # 2- Adoption is sinfully expensive and that alone stops many Christian families from adopting.
Truth #3- My children have suffered huge losses. Loss of their birth family, loss of their culture, loss of their special mom’s who cared for them while we worked to bring them home. EJ wept the entire first night we had her, even in her sleep. She had lost her first mother at birth, and now her foster mother and everything she had known for almost 9 months in a matter of an hour. Our joy in the moment caused her great pain. Our son was malnourished when he came to the orphanage, his first mother had no job, no food, and he was starving to death. He was greatly loved by her and the many special mothers’ at his orphanage, and then came K and I. Who were we to EJ and Mo but another body that may be gone tomorrow?
Truth # 4- When you adopt there are people who will be against you. Perfect Strangers, friends, and yes even family.
Truth # 5- Adoption is a spiritual battle for these children’s lives. The first is stepping out and adopting them, and the second is a battle for our children’s souls. We teach them about God and Jesus, and Satan hates this and does everything he can to stop it.
You see our trials in adoption and with our children as they grow may have times of great suffering but it pails in comparison to the suffering of our Christ and he promises them life. Not life in their identity and where it lies, but life in their identity through him, through his love and saving grace.
Here is another verse to focus on until my final entry next week.
Exodus 22:22
“Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan.”
Article 4
The 4th part of this four part series is about God’s calling in our lives.
I have to say that I am extremely passionate about adoption and the orphan, and it is really hard for me to condense all of my passion in order to touch you with something that is a command from God.
A command might seem an odd choice of words to you, but it is in fact a command from God.
James 1:27 states this, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
If you noticed throughout this 4 part series I have quoted various scripture that commands us to care for the least of these. I have intentionally done this.
Now go back to James 1:22
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS.”
Did you read that? Do what the word says. Never mistake that God’s heart is for the orphan, the widow, and the lonely and he references them so much in scripture friends. Don’t wait another day. Do what God is telling you to do and care for them.
Adoption is not for the weak, and it is not the easy road, and it certainly is not the solution, or the only way to do what God commands us to do.
When I say it is not for the weak I say this because Satan HATES adoption. He hates that children are being placed in Christian homes and learning about the love and saving grace of our Father. He will do everything he can to stop us from doing such a thing. He will plague us with doubt, and he will bring crazy obstacles along the way, but GOD sees us through and he will bless what he ordains.
Adoption is a calling straight from God and it is not meant for everyone. Supporting families in this call may be how you are to help the orphan, or specifically praying for families adopting, or supporting one of the many organizations out there who do wonderful things for the least of these.
I will end with this. Our family believes we are here for a special purpose and that God has given us all we need to carry out his plans for us. We are all made for so much more than we realize and our hearts have to be ready to fight. Our time on earth is not for rest but it is to battle for the thing God wills us to do to bring glory to him. EJ and Mo are the children the Lord saw fit to bless us with and we cannot wait for what he has next.
Monday, November 29, 2010
VERY Thankful as always, but especially
again this year...
Mr. Mo gave us quite the scare on Sunday the 21st. He had a fever and it was pretty low grade, but started to rise in the early afternoon. I had checked it at about 101.8 or something and not five minutes later it was up to 102.5. So I gave him some medicine and sat down with him and all of a sudden he started seizing. At first I just stared at him thinking is he really doing what I think, but I quickly realized yes and had K dial 911.
So Mo and I took our first ambulance ride and w/in a minute or so they cooled him down and he stopped seizing. Thank you God. We spent the rest of the day in the E.R. and he carried his fever for a few days, but is now doing very well.
We are so very thankful this did not turn into anything more serious.
We were recuperated by Thanksgiving, and Ms. EJ decided to break out in hives. I really think it was the stress of Mo's situation. She really was very worried about her little brother and she still has major anxiety when it comes to Dr.'s especially since it has only been a little over a year since she was in ICU. We are so thankful for her recovery as well.
Fast forward through holiday parties and the festival of lights parade to last night where we celebrated EJ's 3rd Forever Family Day. She received Tink and Vi and was so very super excited about them. First thing when she woke she had to go check on them because they slept in her desk drawer in her room. :)
Also note, my princess was adamant about wearing her M&M shirt with her Elmo Pants yesterday. I, of course, obliged because it was her day and really what is the harm.
I pray everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving this year.
Since the sickness' that reeked havoc in our home last week has me a little behind I will be posting my 3rd and 4th articles tomorrow for the finish of National Adoption Month.
Mr. Mo gave us quite the scare on Sunday the 21st. He had a fever and it was pretty low grade, but started to rise in the early afternoon. I had checked it at about 101.8 or something and not five minutes later it was up to 102.5. So I gave him some medicine and sat down with him and all of a sudden he started seizing. At first I just stared at him thinking is he really doing what I think, but I quickly realized yes and had K dial 911.
So Mo and I took our first ambulance ride and w/in a minute or so they cooled him down and he stopped seizing. Thank you God. We spent the rest of the day in the E.R. and he carried his fever for a few days, but is now doing very well.
We are so very thankful this did not turn into anything more serious.
We were recuperated by Thanksgiving, and Ms. EJ decided to break out in hives. I really think it was the stress of Mo's situation. She really was very worried about her little brother and she still has major anxiety when it comes to Dr.'s especially since it has only been a little over a year since she was in ICU. We are so thankful for her recovery as well.
Fast forward through holiday parties and the festival of lights parade to last night where we celebrated EJ's 3rd Forever Family Day. She received Tink and Vi and was so very super excited about them. First thing when she woke she had to go check on them because they slept in her desk drawer in her room. :)
Also note, my princess was adamant about wearing her M&M shirt with her Elmo Pants yesterday. I, of course, obliged because it was her day and really what is the harm.
I pray everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving this year.
Since the sickness' that reeked havoc in our home last week has me a little behind I will be posting my 3rd and 4th articles tomorrow for the finish of National Adoption Month.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Week 2 - National Adoption Month
So here is my second article for our church scroll that printed on Sunday and this was about our Mo.
In December of 2008 we submitted our pre-application to a wonderful agency called All God’s Children International to yet again begin the process of adopting, but this time from Ethiopia. This actually was not a quick and easy decision. You see when we decided it was time to start the adoption process again we thought we would go the domestic route and had all the paperwork and everything complete in order to do that, but God had a different plan. He began impressing Ethiopia on my heart and when I brought it up to K he wasn’t so sure and so he began to pray about it. God spoke to him as well and so we began the process to bring another child home.
The paperwork process was long and consuming as it was with EJ’s adoption, but more had been added since then even. Every adoption is different, but we were determined and we flew through this stage as quickly as possible.
By April of 2009 we had completed the paperwork and everything in between and we were officially on the waiting list with our agency in late April. We were #5 on the boy list and #26 on the girls list. Let me tell you how amazing these numbers are folks. Last I had heard was if we were to get on the lists now we are looking at the upper 90’s for the girls list and upper 60 or 70’s for the boys. Our Journey was a miracle from beginning to end as is every adoption journey.
In June of 2009 we received 2 different referrals that were not to be and they broke us. We couldn’t understand what God was doing, but the great thing about God’s plans is that he knows what we cannot see and we are to rest in that. Long story short we received the call about our son Mo on July 2, 2009.
God was moving big mountains friends. We had major timing issues that we could not believe were being moved. Typically Ethiopia closes in the month of August for the rain season and we feared having to wait that much longer to bring our little man home. Miraculously the courts stayed open longer that year, and we received a court date in August, passed court in August, and on September 4th, 2009 this Ma Ma was on a plane to pick up our 8lb 4 month old son in Africa!
Our process for Mo lasted only 9 months; this is so unbelievably short of a time in international adoption. We know that God wanted this little one home with us and he is so perfectly fit for our family too.
Please continue with us as I share more about adoptions next week.
Another verse to focus on:
Deuteronomy 10:18
“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.”
PICTURES
Also, I didn't get a chance to do it with my first article, but here are the first pictures we saw of EJ and Moses when we were called about them. Hard to believe they were once so tiny now!
EJ at around 2 weeks old
Moses at around 2 months old
In December of 2008 we submitted our pre-application to a wonderful agency called All God’s Children International to yet again begin the process of adopting, but this time from Ethiopia. This actually was not a quick and easy decision. You see when we decided it was time to start the adoption process again we thought we would go the domestic route and had all the paperwork and everything complete in order to do that, but God had a different plan. He began impressing Ethiopia on my heart and when I brought it up to K he wasn’t so sure and so he began to pray about it. God spoke to him as well and so we began the process to bring another child home.
The paperwork process was long and consuming as it was with EJ’s adoption, but more had been added since then even. Every adoption is different, but we were determined and we flew through this stage as quickly as possible.
By April of 2009 we had completed the paperwork and everything in between and we were officially on the waiting list with our agency in late April. We were #5 on the boy list and #26 on the girls list. Let me tell you how amazing these numbers are folks. Last I had heard was if we were to get on the lists now we are looking at the upper 90’s for the girls list and upper 60 or 70’s for the boys. Our Journey was a miracle from beginning to end as is every adoption journey.
In June of 2009 we received 2 different referrals that were not to be and they broke us. We couldn’t understand what God was doing, but the great thing about God’s plans is that he knows what we cannot see and we are to rest in that. Long story short we received the call about our son Mo on July 2, 2009.
God was moving big mountains friends. We had major timing issues that we could not believe were being moved. Typically Ethiopia closes in the month of August for the rain season and we feared having to wait that much longer to bring our little man home. Miraculously the courts stayed open longer that year, and we received a court date in August, passed court in August, and on September 4th, 2009 this Ma Ma was on a plane to pick up our 8lb 4 month old son in Africa!
Our process for Mo lasted only 9 months; this is so unbelievably short of a time in international adoption. We know that God wanted this little one home with us and he is so perfectly fit for our family too.
Please continue with us as I share more about adoptions next week.
Another verse to focus on:
Deuteronomy 10:18
“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.”
PICTURES
Also, I didn't get a chance to do it with my first article, but here are the first pictures we saw of EJ and Moses when we were called about them. Hard to believe they were once so tiny now!
EJ at around 2 weeks old
Moses at around 2 months old
Monday, November 8, 2010
Not Just Our THING
I will get to my title in a sec, but first I want to share that I did something a little out of my “norm”. I asked my Pastor if I could write something for our weekly newsletter and devotions, called the Scroll, for church. My something turned into four different articles over the next month in recognition of National Adoption month.
You might ask yourself how this is out of my “norm” when I sometimes write very personal things and feelings on my blog. The difference for me is I know some that read my blog, but there are a lot of people who read that I have no clue. So in my pea brain that means not that much exposure. For church, I know exactly who my audience is and that makes me feel a tad vulnerable, but at the same time I am excited for the things the Lord puts on my heart and I feel it is part of my mission to bring to light something that I feel is pushed to the side a lot, and that is the Orphan.
So my title today is something I or my husband has heard before and recently. For instance, that it is my hubby and I’s thing to adopt, and we could see why you are so passionate about it. Or, when we brought up the desire to adopt again and for me to be home with our growing broad and how we can do it, the comment was made to my hubby, "Well that’s your choice". Who in retrospect wished he would have said at the time, “No it is not our choice, but our responsibility.”
To go a step further the comments we have heard that aren't even made about us, but when I excitedly tell others about families I know adopting, and I receive the comment back, “What are they adopting for; they already have kids of their own.”
OH. MY. HEART.
I pray all the time to show grace and mercy in these situations and not let my passion for the orphan and the widow turn into anger over other’s ignorance, but rather I can use it as a teaching material to help bring to light what God clearly commands us to do. I will also say again that I am not saying God commands us all to adopt, but he clearly commands us to do something. So pray to him for what your something is.
Before I get too deep I will share with you my first article for church. I am just laying groundwork and briefly describing our adoption experiences, and my first one is about our daughter, EJ.
National Adoption Month, Week 1
My intent is not to have our story focus on tales of infertility or detail the years of trying to figure how adoption will play out for us, and what is God’s plan for us and children. I will say that we had no idea if we could ever conceive a child of our own, and we didn’t want to know because adoption has been on our hearts for a long time and we knew regardless if we conceived children God was calling us to adopt; we just didn’t know when, where, or how.
My husband K and I had been married for 10 years before our sweet daughter, our first born, came home with us forever from Guatemala.
In November of 2006 we began the journey to EJ. The mounds of paperwork gathering and approval began, and somewhere in this beginning stage of the adoption process we were told we had a girl and the next day we laid eyes on a precious picture of her at just 2 weeks old. It was at this beginning stage that we found out the child we had already conceived in our hearts finally had a face and a name, and the unconditional love we had for her was so intense. We couldn't’t wait to get this beautiful brown-eyed gift from God home!
Month after month we received updated pictures and medical reports and the process of waiting became so hard and scary, yet joyful and exciting at the same time. Guatemala was talking of law changes that were scary to parents waiting and these changes were going to be implemented at the end of the year 2007. We prayed God would lead us through before that change and he did big time! Time after time his plan came to light, and even when I thought we were going to get held up or even stopped in our process he showed me that it was all in his hands, a constant my husband kept repeating to me.
Jeremiah 29:11 states, For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. This verse became very near and dear to me during this wait to bring our EJ home.
November 29th, 2007 was our Forever Family Day with EJ who was not quite 9 months old yet. What a moment, what a day, what a time where love and joy filled every single inch of our hearts and souls. EJ was everything we expected and more and in just mere seconds our family was together.
Her story and our families story does not end here though and I ask that you continue to follow as I unfold our son Mo’s story and more on the hard joyous truths of adoption.
I ask that you focus on this verse until then.
Psalm 82: 3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
You might ask yourself how this is out of my “norm” when I sometimes write very personal things and feelings on my blog. The difference for me is I know some that read my blog, but there are a lot of people who read that I have no clue. So in my pea brain that means not that much exposure. For church, I know exactly who my audience is and that makes me feel a tad vulnerable, but at the same time I am excited for the things the Lord puts on my heart and I feel it is part of my mission to bring to light something that I feel is pushed to the side a lot, and that is the Orphan.
So my title today is something I or my husband has heard before and recently. For instance, that it is my hubby and I’s thing to adopt, and we could see why you are so passionate about it. Or, when we brought up the desire to adopt again and for me to be home with our growing broad and how we can do it, the comment was made to my hubby, "Well that’s your choice". Who in retrospect wished he would have said at the time, “No it is not our choice, but our responsibility.”
To go a step further the comments we have heard that aren't even made about us, but when I excitedly tell others about families I know adopting, and I receive the comment back, “What are they adopting for; they already have kids of their own.”
OH. MY. HEART.
I pray all the time to show grace and mercy in these situations and not let my passion for the orphan and the widow turn into anger over other’s ignorance, but rather I can use it as a teaching material to help bring to light what God clearly commands us to do. I will also say again that I am not saying God commands us all to adopt, but he clearly commands us to do something. So pray to him for what your something is.
Before I get too deep I will share with you my first article for church. I am just laying groundwork and briefly describing our adoption experiences, and my first one is about our daughter, EJ.
National Adoption Month, Week 1
My intent is not to have our story focus on tales of infertility or detail the years of trying to figure how adoption will play out for us, and what is God’s plan for us and children. I will say that we had no idea if we could ever conceive a child of our own, and we didn’t want to know because adoption has been on our hearts for a long time and we knew regardless if we conceived children God was calling us to adopt; we just didn’t know when, where, or how.
My husband K and I had been married for 10 years before our sweet daughter, our first born, came home with us forever from Guatemala.
In November of 2006 we began the journey to EJ. The mounds of paperwork gathering and approval began, and somewhere in this beginning stage of the adoption process we were told we had a girl and the next day we laid eyes on a precious picture of her at just 2 weeks old. It was at this beginning stage that we found out the child we had already conceived in our hearts finally had a face and a name, and the unconditional love we had for her was so intense. We couldn't’t wait to get this beautiful brown-eyed gift from God home!
Month after month we received updated pictures and medical reports and the process of waiting became so hard and scary, yet joyful and exciting at the same time. Guatemala was talking of law changes that were scary to parents waiting and these changes were going to be implemented at the end of the year 2007. We prayed God would lead us through before that change and he did big time! Time after time his plan came to light, and even when I thought we were going to get held up or even stopped in our process he showed me that it was all in his hands, a constant my husband kept repeating to me.
Jeremiah 29:11 states, For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. This verse became very near and dear to me during this wait to bring our EJ home.
November 29th, 2007 was our Forever Family Day with EJ who was not quite 9 months old yet. What a moment, what a day, what a time where love and joy filled every single inch of our hearts and souls. EJ was everything we expected and more and in just mere seconds our family was together.
Her story and our families story does not end here though and I ask that you continue to follow as I unfold our son Mo’s story and more on the hard joyous truths of adoption.
I ask that you focus on this verse until then.
Psalm 82: 3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
NOVEMBER IS HUGE!
...why you say??
It is National Adoption Month for starters!
I have a lot to say on this and plan to share more soon, when I can find the time, but please be aware and raise some awareness.
I have lots and lots of posts in my head, but not the time lately...I know you all miss my opinions! So hopefully more real soon!
And just for some cuteness...
I have tried many times throughout October to capture a pic of these two in their pumpkin shirts Grandma got them...this is the best I could get.
And last but not least,this handsome boy turns 18 months old today! Unbelievable. He really is attached to his blanket too, and loves to wave now and pick at his poor sister too!
Blessings to you all!
It is National Adoption Month for starters!
I have a lot to say on this and plan to share more soon, when I can find the time, but please be aware and raise some awareness.
I have lots and lots of posts in my head, but not the time lately...I know you all miss my opinions! So hopefully more real soon!
And just for some cuteness...
I have tried many times throughout October to capture a pic of these two in their pumpkin shirts Grandma got them...this is the best I could get.
And last but not least,this handsome boy turns 18 months old today! Unbelievable. He really is attached to his blanket too, and loves to wave now and pick at his poor sister too!
Blessings to you all!
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