Kindness and adjustments

"If the time should ever come when women are not Christians and houses are not homes, then we shall have lost the chief cornerstones on which civilization rests."  -Andrew Dickson White

I'm well-aware that I am preaching to the choir by posting this hear, but I like it and think it is a good monday morning greeting.  It would more appropriately hit a mark by posting it on facebook, so maybe I'll do that as well. 

Just imagine, if women were not Christians and houses were not homes.  I'm trying to picture it for this week alone!  If I were not a Christian, I would likely wake up, stumble to my coffee pot, then jump on facebook to "catch up"....oops, wait a minute, that is what I did.  And I am a Christian.  Hmmm.  Now what?  What should a Christian woman do when she gets up?  Pray?  Read scripture?  What if the toddler follows me out of bed and as I am standing over my brewing cup, she is crying at my legs, wanting milk and the warm arms of her mom?  OK.  A Christian mom just might delay the "devotion" hour and pour the milk, snuggle the toddler and pick up the first devotion book she can find laying beside the couch as toddler drifts back to sleep.  Lord, bless this child in my arms.  Keep her healthy and safe this week.  Lord, I am thinking of families who have lost a child in the past week and are grieving.....oh God......do what only you can do there, now.  God, I reluctantly yield the health and well-being of my family to you.  I trust you, I just don't want to give it up. 

Open the devotion book:  a prayer journal from Proverbs is handy.  prov 16:24 "Kind words are like honey-sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."  Is that my monday morning Word, Lord?  Speak kindly and sweetly?  Stir up health for my body and pleasure for my soul with kindness?  Reaching for a pen to journal on the opposite page....and no pen is within reach.  Heavy, 35-pound sleeping toddler smack-dab on my lap.  Digging under the couch cushion even....and no pen.  Sigh.  Well, there's always the computer plugged in beside me.  My laptop doesn't require a pen so "hah!"

If the time should ever come where women are not Christians and houses are not homes....around here, that would mean a 2-year old would be sobbing and I would be frazzled and crabby, rather than sit her pounding out a framework for my day that involves being flexible, resilient, prayerful and generous.  Grace must start with the moms.  We need to give it and receive it unto ourselves.  Lord, grant me an abundance of grace as I start this week.  Help me to generously forgive others and be forgiven in Jesus Holy name.  Make my house a home this week, Lord.  Let this place feel cared for, attended to, and a place of refuge from the storm.  As we enter this home time after time this week, God, let us feel relief and blessing and thankfulness every time we walk through the doorway to come in.  Send your angels to gaurd us each time we leave.  Keep my family close to your heart this week, Lord. 

Well, its 6:50.  My 45 minutes of peace and tranquility and preparation have passed for now.  It's time to start the week as a Christian mom in my home and get things moving.  I hope to maintain my small responsible part of keeping the chief cornerstone of my civilization and wish the same for all of you. 

Ayah love

Emma is out of the hospital.  Her ayah is loving on her in this picture and it honestly moves me to tears.  A few months ago, this child was found by a sweeper outside of a hospital.  She was barely alive, had no name, no hope and may not have ever, ever, ever felt a kind human touch.  Here, she is getting noticed, celebrated, fed and kissed all at once!  Oh, dear Lord in Heaven.....this.....THIS.....is how you love us!  Broken, bandaged, frail and helpless,, and yet you are behind and featured in every picture.  It is you feeding us, kissing us, holding us as close as possible without hurting us by the intensity of your Presence.  Jesus, thank you for Emma and all she represents to me.  Please continue to heal and care for this strong, fiesty, significant child.  amen.

Don't live safe

Woven into a wonderful conversation I had today with 2 ladies I love and respect, came a truth.  They may correct me on the "how" of how this came about, but as I reflect on it now, that is my truth.  Don't live safe.  Lucky for you and for me, "safe" means different things for different people.  For some, it means sell everything, pack up the family and and move to India for 2 years.....anything less would be too "safe".  For others, it may mean considering the truth that Jesus Christ died on the cross for each of us....even if we were the only person ever born.  That may be enough to make this person feel unsafe. 

I've wondered, lately, what it means to me, to live safe.  I think it means comfortable, predictable, not challenging and not threatening to my well-being or my plan.  I think, for me, it means being so happy and content with my life and my home and my family, that I experience a fear that something could go wrong or be taken from me, therefore I'd better hold on tight and block the "world".  I think, for me, safe means believing I have done enough and can coast on that, rather than to ask the Lord, "What, where, why, how, when?" and then expect an answer.  The American dream would say, find safe and then get there fast.  America is only a small part of God's world.  In the big picture, I believe it is also an unimportant part, other than the part you and I can plan in helping the Lord bring Heaven to Earth and lost souls to Jesus. 


Safe would be raising my family to be healthy, comfortable, intelligent and saved.  For me.  Believing that my kids would grow up to have their own families and careers and one day take care of us when we were old sounds very safe and lovely.  Except.  God's not so worried about safe....so maybe we shouldn't be either.

Claire told me this morning that after reading chapter 7 of the book Kisses from Katie....she feels changed.  "That chapter changed my life, mom."  I just looked back to chapter 7.  I'm nodding, smiling, and a bit worried.  Nothing about chapter  7 is safe.  I guess my 12-year old also understand's God to be saying, "Don't live safe."

It's thursday, but maybe, just maybe, this is my Word from God that could have come yesterday for Wednesday, so that I would have felt inspired to share it, in keeping with my theme.  But no.  Yesterday I was feeling frazzled and scattered and a bit sad.  He saved it for Thursday.  Isn't that nice?  Ok, Lord.  I'll try not to.

Love Never Fails - Brandon Heath

Pause the ipod music to play the video. I was freshly aware today, when I listened to this, that Love and God are interchangeable words. They do mean the same thing. He authored Love. It was His idea. It is the defining truth of whether something is of the Lord or of evil. Of heaven or of earth.....if it speaks to Love, and it resonates with scripture like 1 Corinthians 13.....and this song......the Love is God. May the Lord God love you and take up residence in you as you listen.

Life is messy

Look at this wonderful picture from last year, of the SCH crew.  See how the picture is mixed in with the other parts of the blog?  Isn't is messy?  Isn't it non-linear, unorganized, chaotic?  Yep.  That's life.  Life is messy.  Loving a ministry like SCH is so messy.  India is very far away.  It is expensive to travel there.  The needs are overwhelming.....and without God, quite unattainable.  My soul connected with SCH and it is so messy.  None of it feels peaceful and cohesive.  It's just messy.  I'm stuck with the mess.  I'm praying that God will help me make sense of it and clean up what should be clean and just embrace what will never be anything other than messy.

This past Sunday night, I was allowed to help with Sanctity of Human Life Sunday service for our evening worship.  We planned a worship team of kids with a few parents, we planned a few short talks with prayer, a moving video showing an autistic blind boy singing "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord" (many of you saw it....so great).  I was loosely "in charge" and I am not an organized, neat, administrative person.....that stresses me out like crazy.  I chose to approach the service like I do most things:  let the Spirit move, worship, dedicate it to the Lord and hope for the best.  Folks, it was messy.  The moms were nervous....the kids a bit uneasy....the format did not flow well or feel professional.  But lets face it.  It's Sanctity of Life time....and life is messy.  It's ok.  It can be jerky and not flow well.  It can be a bit akward.  It can be spontaneous and raw and beg for mercy.....just like real life.  Let's just be there, in real life, shall we?  Let's just be a bit messy and chaotic and see it for what it is. 

I felt God smile on us as we stumbled through our service.  I felt His humor, His awe, His pride and joy....I felt His annointing and His impartation of seeds of new spiritual gifts on children in our congregation as they stepped out for the first time to read, pray, sing, worship, perform, listen, bless.  I felt him double over in laughter at us dumb adults who were trying desperately to make it look nice, rather than to yield to the truth that Life.  Is.  Messy.  Especially the Sanctity of it.  Human life?  Get out of town....Human life is so messy. 

Enjoy the SCH picture.  Enjoy the sacredness of life through children, through uncharted territory, through orphan care, through Holy Spirit adventures.  Let go of the need to clean every single thing up all the time.  Life really is messy....and I intend to live it.

school girls

Here are 3 of the SCH girls just being silly little school girls.  Jeanette, on the far left, is blind.  We played with her our last days there in June.  Rachel, far right, is the child who caught my attention early on in blogworld.  She is wonderful, smart and adorable.  They all are.  The one in the middle....I don't dare say her name because I cannot remember if it is her blog name or her real name....she is a born leader.  The school girls follow her around.  This is such a typical picture of typical kids.  Thats why I love it.  It could have been taken on the steps of my kids' school, or at the library in town, or just about anywhere.  It makes India seem not so far away.....until you look for plane tickets....

Education for girls in India is priceless and costly.  We have opportunities to help defer that cost through donations.  Education is the only way for Indian girls, especially orphan girls, to have a future that is by their own design, rather than decided for them, or worse.....praying that all girls in India, especially the children of SCH, have access to quality education in the days and years to come!

the dry spell

You know how sometimes we feel like we are in the desert of life somehow?  That's where my blog is lately.  It's in the desert.  I'm going through a dry spell.  I don't plan to be here long, but for the moment, it's pretty dry.  Maybe it's because it is January and we haven't taken many good pictures to inspire me.  Maybe it is because life is so full, that there's not much time to write about it.  Who knows.  Lots of good things are happening.  I am reading lots of wonderful blog entries from blogs I follow.....My heart and mind and spirit are full of many things, but I'm afraid that most are things I've already written about ad-nauseum....or that if I write them I will get hysterical emails/phone calls/drop-in visits with casseroles.....and not in a good way.  I'm thinking of a poem with a phrase something like, "the winter of my discontent...." 

I  think the dry spell is rather nice once you name it.  Now I have the freedom to just be dry for a bit. 

My goal mid-November was to start to run and be able to run a 5K by late April on my birthday.  I have never been, nor desired to be a runner, so it's a strange goal.  I think mid-life crises spring up like that.  So I started walking/running at the track and last week I got to the 3 miles of the 3.2 or whatever a 5K actually is.  Guess I'll make that goal.  Wierd, cuz I usually don't meet goals. 

We started a study with our church called 40 days in the Word and I am eager for the Lord to teach me new things and refine me in this study.  I imagine I'll have lots of stuff to write about as we progress. 

Praying alot for families working at the process of bringing home some of the SCH kids through adoption in 2012.  They started in 2011 and I am contending for them, to have their kids home sooner than later.  I am falling in love with all the new kids from SCH via facebook pictures and stories and am just aching to go back again.  Praying for the Lord to give me direction on that.  Praying for continued health and goodness over my family.  Precious is so much healthier this winter.  It's been a long time since I have sat over her, counting her breathing, holding meds to her airway to keep her from crumping on me.  It's been a long time since I was afraid for her life and begging the Lord to heal her.  He has been so good to us, providing for our every need and I am so grateful.

Well, my exercise buddy is probably at the track waiting....and then it's off to a full work week so until later, blessings to any and all who sit with me in the dry spell.....may we all get soaking wet again soon.

rocks

sometimes rocks and stones are the key to the path that leads to the art.  just sayin.

words wednesday

Last week while I was doing my run/walk routine, I was praying.  I was mostly asking/begging/demanding but since it was directed to the Lord, lets just call it praying.  I wanted some direction, some clarity, some insight.....but in hindsight, I probably wanted a crystal ball.  I wanted God to show me my future so that I could be excited.  It never dawned on me that I might be disappointed, or worse yet, worried or fearful.  I just assumed my future would be wonderful.  That's nice, isn't it?  I know hard times come because they always do....but when I was seeking the Lord for answers to what's to come.....I was just hopeful.  Hopeful, but not patient.  In this prayer time doing lap after lap on the track I stopped talking long enough to breathe (needed oxygen since I was jogging) and God quick got a word in "edgewise"....(what does edgewise mean, anyway?)

Yield.  Trust.

I need lots of words to get my point across, but God....not so many.  Clearly from the Lord.  Clearly a response to my whiney prayer.  Yield.  Trust.  Ok.  I will. 

I considered that answer from the Lord for several days.  Yield.  Trust.  The trust part I can easily do.  He's got it under control.  The yield part?  That is much harder.  Yield/submit/surrender/give in/don't resist, lean forward not back.....and yet when I actually looked up scripture with the word "yield" in it, I was enlightened.  God just loves to shine a light on His own words to help us understand Him...and ourselves.  In the bible, "yield" often means: to produce.  Like, a tree yields its fruit in its season, and the field will yield a harvest.....so yield can mean to be productive, useful, available, fruitful.  Isn't that wonderful?  It's like He was telling me, "don't just sit back and wait, or give up on a dream, or give in to dispair.....but yield.  Give me the plan but produce much fruit and work the harvet field....oh and trust me, because I, the Lord your God, give good gifts to my children.

Yield.  Trust.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Last year I think I posted his speech:  "I have a dream"....this year, I mostly just moved through my day feeling grateful.  Without civil rights leaders like him, Precious Maryn could not have been my daughter.  She would likely have been aborted.  Instead, we could say, "yes....if an African American woman wants to place her child for adoption because she feels like she cannot parent her, then yes, we would be most grateful and excited and ready to adopt her as our child."  Precious is our daughter, equal to the other 3 kids.  She has equal value, love, merit and inheritance in our home.  We knew that the minute God declared her ours.....how is it that 40 years ago, Christians didn't see that?  It baffles me. 

And it challenges me.  Where are our ignorances?  Where is our social disparity?  Who are the MLK Jr. personalities of our day?  Maybe Precious Maryn will be.  Maybe she will have a voice and speak to the injustice of racial inequality and oppression and poverty in the south.  Maybe she will bring respect and authority and dignity to a place it has not been yet.  Lord Jesus, I pray it will be so.  I pray she can go back to the state of her birth some day, as a proud black woman, who is educated, articulate, and saved unto Jesus Christ her Lord.  I pray she can go be a Mother Theresa to the community she was born into, and rescued from, to be adopted into our family.  I pray she can be part of the solution to pain and hardship and injustice.  I don't forget ever what it felt like to be in the town of her birth, with her birth mom and to notice what her life could have been like.  Without Martin Luther King Junior, it would not have even been a dream, much less a reality.  I honor his memory, his life, his purpose in the world.  I believe he is dancing with Jesus today and Jesus is smiling.

I love this picture.  I love it today more than ever.  This morning, Precious Maryn was jumping around in her diaper, as she does....before church.  We were having breakfast and she pointed to Jeremiah and said, "you brown...no.  You white.  I brown."  then she looked at Isaac, "you white.  Precious brown."  Then Claire....and then she turned to me.  She gave me a puzzled look, then looked at my arms.  Something inside her registerd a truth.  "mom, you white.  me brown."  Yes hun.  I fought back tears and could not look at her for a minute.  I didn't want her to know just yet.  She doesn't know she didn't come from my tummy.  She doesn't know I wasn't there the day she was born.  Yet. 

When we said "yes" to a transracial adoption, it was suggested that we consider adopting more than once so that our adopted child would not feel like the only "different" one in the family.  As many of you know, I am all for that but other members of the family are fine with the size of our family as is....so for now, I can just pray and know that Precious is beginning to understand that flesh comes in many different shades.  I wish her crayola box had that many colors with a flesh label. 

Word from God wednesday

In keeping with my theme, I'm writing about God words on Wednesdays.  Lately he said, Equip my saints.  Raise up a generation of worshippers, intercessors and those for missions.  Today I'm thinking about the last part...."and those for missions".  Here's why.

The other day Claire and I were in the kitchen doing typical kitchen stuff:  talking, unloading the dishwasher, listening to music, etc.  She said, "Mom, I've been thinking.  Maybe I don't want to be a teacher when I grow up.  (All she has ever wanted to be was a teacher....)  "Oh", I said.  "So what do you think you want to do then?"  Her answer suprised me, and yet, in light of God's words, not so much.  I think I want to be a missionary."  Quiet smile....quick prayer...careful words.  "Wow....that's awesome Claire.  I bet a trip to India to work with orphans sometime in the future would help you make that decision, huh?"   Warm fuzzies in the kitchen...(and I don't mean the dust bunnies, or the sock lint from the laundry.....I mean smiles from heaven and on earth.)

why she is "Precious"

Here is an example of why God named her Precious.  P has a quirky little mannerism.  Well, there are many, but this one was so sweet I have to share.  When she sits on my lap to read books, she molds softly to my body, her funky hair just under my chin.  I can kiss her sweet head over and over this way.  The precious, quirky part is this.  She gently places her soft fists inside my hands as I hold the book.  Picture holding a board book open with both hands....and feeling small hands nestled perfectly into your hands, as you read, turn pages, and read some more.  I have never had the pleasure and wonder of holding a book and a set of hands all at once.  It is simply delightful.  It is quiet, passive, agreeable and just plain Precious.

Her voice is soft and wise.  She sings alot, even when she doesn't know the words.  She wants to be held close all the time.  She is a treasure beyond any I could imagine.  she is my daughter, but she is so much more.  She is so full of suprises and tenderness and challenge and laughter and silliness and deep love.  Man, do I love this little girl.  I just cannot imagine life without her.  Many tried to discourage us from adopting because of worldly, practical things.  None of them matter when I look down in awe of those sweet little hands tucked in to mine as we read books at night.

Lord God, please help me to never forget how it feels to have those little hands tucked into mine as we sit and read books at night.  I don't have to remember everything but I desperately want to always remember how this feels.  Amen.

light or heavy?

Often, it is hard to know whether to post light or heavy....they are both equally available.  I often feel both.  I want to keep a balance of light and heavy....example:  When I wake up, I go to my lovely keurig coffee maker.  I turn on the machine and look at my options.  If I pick heavy coffee...I need light cream and vice versa.  If I choose a heavy lunch, I need a light supper.  If I do a heavy work-out, I need a light household chores day....etc.  You get the point.

For today, the heavy is about suffering.  I have a deep and unexplainable understanding of the human bond between a mother and her child.  I honestly don't even know how to write about it.  My heart hurts because of it.  It fuels my love for my children, for the work I do, for orphans.....and today I spent some time with all 3 of those parts...and it was heavy.  I am so proud of my kids.  They are absolute joy and wonder to me.  They are amazing creatures, created by God.....and I am moved by my love for them.  I ache for a family I work with.  The mom is a mess, and is trying hard, and the system is failing her, and the future is tenuous for them....and it is heavy.  I am in spiritual warfare this week, for the orphan.  I am taking thoughts captive in obedience to Christ, I am declaring the power and plan of God in Jesus Name and demanding that evil flee.....and it is heavy.  There is so much suffering when you consider the bond between a mother and child.

Blow up the balloon....fill it with air.....tie it with string.....let it float up to the sky....and feel weightless, and light and silly and happy.  Therein lies "the light" of it.  Precious defiantly threw garbage out of the car onto the street while I was clenching my teeth, growling..."don't you dare....you'd better not....." and yes, she did it anyway.  I slammed on the breaks, got out of the car, and picked up the pretzel bag....and...yes..., I did....I shook my finger in her face.  Sigh.  You should see her shake her finger.  She's better at it than I am.  I let my boys watch Fear Factor tonight....and laughed while they gagged and watched dumb contestants eat roaches and maggots.....I played peek-a-boo with a toddler....and got paid for it.  I made meatloaf for supper.....the light side still lives.  I laughed and smiled alot today.

My boys participate in a swim-a-thon on thursday.  They raise money for their swim team by swimming x-amount of laps in 20 minutes.  We didn't raise money, we didn't solicit donations.  After trying hard to raise money for orphans without families in India, it seems just plain dumb to ask for money for our affluent, priveleged kids to keep their swim club going.  Maybe I'll tell them if they swim 25 laps in 20 minutes (more than I could ever do) I'll give them a month with no chores and put $50.00 in myself....then pay it out with PTO from work and go get a massage.  Hmmmmm.  Sounds like a really sweet deal.

A few "don'ts"

Don't try folding laundry and potty-training in the same room.  Clean towels become ....well, not-so.

Don't go out to carry your son in from the backyard, after he jumped from the tree house, and is screaming and can't walk......don't examine and ice his knee, say a prayer.....and then take a work phone call.  While your back is turned, he may bolt out the other door and head back to the game.

Don't let your two-year old help assemble the island you and hubby got for Christmas.

Don't send your friends to India to love on orphan kids.....and expect to not be left aching and longing and planning and hoping in a fresh, new way.

Don't stay up too late when you have a swim meet in the morning 90 minutes away, and plan to take the whole family.  (Don't forget to hit the ATM machine.....you will need cash)

Don't assume.  Ever.

Don't doubt the power of prayer.  Ever.

Don't understimate the Lord.....ever.

faithful

hit the pause button on the noisy ipod music on the right, then click on the play triangle on the post and enjoy Selah's Faithful One.  I heard this today on the radio as I was driving to my last visit of the day.  I was in prayer, and I was thinking about the Lord and this song became worship to me, at about 4:30pm.  It was simply beautiful.  I hope you can worship as well.

Faithful One - Selah

Words from God Wednesday

Recently, the Lord told me, "Equip my saints, raise up a generation"....last week I wrote about equipping the saints.  This week, I am thinking about raising up a generation....that's what us moms and dads are doing.  We are raising up a generation.  This is also the duty of the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, teachers, preachers and marketplace Christians.  We are raising up a generation.  If someone is about 20 years my junior, I consider them that generation.....so anyone 23 years or younger qualifies for me.  I think God wants me to "raise up" this generation.  It is more than just my 4 children I am raising up.  He has said in His Word to "train up a child in the way he should go"....but to raise up a generation.  Jeremiah would say that is "epic".  Yes, it is. 

To raise up a generation, it is more than just food, clothing, shelter, love.  Raising them up means literally lifting them to higher ground (prayers of protection, challenges, expectations).  Raising them up means holding them high enough that they don't get trampled on.  I have prayed with a couple of kids for almost 5 years, and my main goal was to hold them high enough that they would not get trampled on.  Now, they are young men and we will finish our season of praying together....but I will continue to pray for them, to watch them, to notice how they are growing and learning under heaven....as God continues to raise them up.

To raise up a generation includes caring for orphans, and volunteering in the church programs.  I'm a pretty lousy sunday school teacher (I've tried it 4-5 times).  I don't have the energy for youth group (did that for about 4 years a decade ago) but I can take my turn in the nursery and equip my kids as helpers in other children's programs and be a driver for the summer VBS.  I can work at raising awareness within the children of our church, for orphans and those in need.  I can focus my nursing career on this generation, breaking cycles of dysfunction and teaching nurturing parenting and holistic health.   To raise up a generation means to live a life walking with the Lord, striving to do His will and modelling that for the generation coming after me. 

To raise up a generation is a high calling.  It is an honor to know that God wants me to spend my energy and passion and time and heart on this.  Like "equip the saints", "raise up a generation" is not my sole assignment.  I sure can't do it alone and I sure don't want to take all the blame or credit for what this generation is capable of.  I know God's eyes are on our kids.  His hand of love and provision and his hope for the future is in His gaze.  I am a mama, through and through and my job is to raise up the next generation to know and love and serve the Lord.  How?  Good question. 

I believe God is faithful.  He is faithful too provide the skills, the hope, the energy, the inspiration to do it.  He created this generation.  They are here.  He has written their lives into His plan already.  All we have to do is agree, and listen, and watch, and help.  It starts with food, clothing, shelter and love.  It grows into much, much more under the watchful hand of our faithful, mighty God.

Mercy

I'm thinking about mercy this morning.  I read a devotional today that spoke about God's mercy.  One quote of the book said this, "In a perfect world e could have demonstrated His power, His purity, His wisdom, His creativity-all of His attributes.  Except one.  Mercy.  How can a merciful God be known in a perfect world?  He can't.  The imperfect had to come."  I just love that.  It helps me understand why God allows sin and pain and darkness to be here with us.  It may not be the only reason, but it is a reason and a good one.  To show is mercy.  What that tells me, is that even when the dirty devil thinks he is winning, he is not.  All he is doing is painting a scene for God to step in and display His mercy.  Through Jesus, the ultimate mercy came, but daily, in the walking out of faith, God desires to show us mercy. 

I am often failing at my daily walk with the Lord.  I give in to doubt, dispair, uncertainty.  I am weak and broken and a mess much of the time.  I strive for the fruit of the Spirit in my life and instead, give in to self-indulgence, temper tantrums, lack of patience, lack of joy.  Yet.  I am striving.  Why?  Mercy.  Hope.  The Holy Spirit who dwells in me desires greater things of my life.  He is nudging me toward holiness.....with a strong dose of mercy this morning, to keep me going strong. 

Ephesians 4:32 defines mercy with a few different words:  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Mercy.  Kindness.  Compassion.  Forgiveness.  Christ. 

I copied this pictures of sweet Max from Deanne's facebook page.  Max has had our heart since he first came with the most recent bunch of kids this fall.  Jeremiah has a tender spot for Max.  This is partly because he had named his fish Max, his stuffed monkey Max, and most other things for about a year or two.  When he learned there was a sweet orphan boy at SCH named Max, he was committed.  He began to pray for Max.  When Max had heart surgery, he knew about it and asked about him and prayed for him.  When there are new pictures of the kids on facebook, I always make sure to show Max to Jeremiah.  Isaac thinks we should adopt Max because he wants a littler brother....Jeremiah just wants Max. 

Today we were admiring all the recent pictures from India that Brian and Deanne have taken.  Jeremiah stood behind me and said, "Mom, is $120.00 enough money to go get Max?"  I happen to know that after his Christmas gifts, that is the sum total of his net value on this earth.  He had just counted it.   I really believe that if I had said "Yes" that he would have turned over all his money so that we could bring Max home.  My heart aches over this because if we felt that way, truly and completely, we would adopt many more times and just keep adding kids to the family, to give them a hope, a future, a family.  If we could want a child so much, that we would turn over everything, just to bring him or her home.  I sure wish $120.00 was enough.  What I said to my sweet son was this:  "Well, Jeremiah, it's not enough to adopt Max but it is more than enough to start to climb the mountain of prayer for Max.  We can pray and pray that God will make a plan for Max, and if it includes us, then we will make that $120.00 grow and grow and grow"......or something like that. 

I would bet that each of my 4 children will adopt some day.  That makes me so proud.  If there are still orphans in the world, my kids will not turn away and ignore them.  It is my prayer, and hope, for 2012 to bring that same longing, aching, and ownership of God's heart cry for orphans to my church kids, to my kids' schools, to our friends, to any one who will listen.  We can all fall in love with a Max or two....God already loves them, and so can we.

Max

Old Year's celebrating: New Year's Eve and Wii Dance 3....

New Years Sweetness