Adoption Awareness

As we near November 7th, National Adoption Awareness Sunday, my thoughts are focused again on adoption. As an adoptive parent and adoption advocate, I am frustrated as to why so many families don't see the need for them to adopt. At the same time, to be fair, I remember the very real fears and uncertainties that the devil sent my way while we were in process, trying to get me to back out. I wish people could see their excuses for what they are, and see into God's heart for the fatherless.

1. We are not comfortable with the thought of adoption. The scriptures constantly confirm that we were not left on this earth to be comfortable. That is one of the biggest tools of the devil. If we get comfortable we lose the will to act. Adoption is not about our comfort. It's about the life of a child who will never have a family unless we are obedient. True faith requires action and true love requires sacrifice. John 3:16
2. We cannot afford to adopt. This is also a lie of the devil and an affront to the provision of God. We are really saying, "God, this one is to big for You to provide for, so we cannot obey in this area." We can never be in debt to God and if we are acting upon His heart and His commands, He is willing and ready to provide. So many miracles are missed because we hold too much to our security in our money and we fail to trust God. Luke 12:13-34
3. We need to pray about adopting. We don't need to pray about doing something God has already commanded. He says over and over again that caring for the orphan is what true religion looks like. Instead, ask God to open the doors where He desires and then step out where God leads! James 1:27
4. We are too old to adopt. This excuse may be valid for some legally, but not in the eyes of God. He gives us so many options in scripture. He constantly speaks of taking care of the orphan or the fatherless, the stranger, and the widow. We already know that adoption requires leaving our comfort zone, making a sacrifice of time and money, and stepping out to actually do something. What could that look like?

• Adopting an orphan is obvious, but what about "the fatherless?" That could be a single mother who needs some help, or even a military wife whose husband is overseas. How could you incorporate the family into yours? How could you help them meet their needs?
• The stranger could be a homeless person, a neighbor you have not met, a foreign exchange student at the local college who has no family in this country. How could you meet their physical needs? Could you share your holidays with them?
• Widows are everywhere...in your church, in a nursing home, on your street, etc. Do you know a widow with no family that cares for them? Can you adopt them into your family?

I wish everyone could see that adoption is possible. Adopt a child, adopt a widow, adopt a stranger, adopt a family. It does not matter, just do it. But, remember that adoption is not comfortable and it will cost you something. To adopt us, Christ left His home and all His riches and gave up His very life. By choosing to obey and love, the blessings you and your family will receive will last into eternity! Matthew 25:31-46

Adoption Fever

It may sound crazy to some that after adopting 1 child, I am ready to adopt another. I guess you could say I have Adoption Fever! Once you have seen where your child could have been, and you have fallen in love with your child, and you see how close you could have come to missing the incredible, life-changing gift from God that adoption brings to your family, it is hard to not want to do it again with another child.

People say that I am crazy...my husband included. :) I realize that I already have 4 children and I am currently going through treatments for breast cancer, but I just can't help myself. I realize the timing is not for right now, but I am holding out hope for the future. I realize that my children will not have everything other children have and they will not get to go everywhere and experience everything that other kids do, but somehow that is not important to me. My heart is elsewhere and I hope that my treasure, while meager here on earth, will be much greater in Heaven someday. If I follow God's heart, I am not worried about His ability to provide!

So, that being said, right now God is whispering to my heart that He can help us to care for another child. I don't know what that might look like, or what the future holds for us, but I am waiting with anticipation to see what the Lord will do!

Shoes for Orphan Souls

This week at our church we are concluding our Shoes for Orphan Souls shoe drive. It is the first year we have acted as a host drop-off site for shoes. I am particularly excited about this ministry now that I know who they are! It is a ministry of Buckner International. Buckner was an adoption/humanitarian agency that recently joined forces and merged with Dillon International another adoption/humanitarian agency. Dillon is the adoption agency we used for our adoption! Now, Buckner is able to do all the humanitarian side and Dillon handles the adoption side. It makes both agencies able to do so much more!

Please check out the links above. Especially the one for Shoes for Orphan Souls. Since 1999 they have distributed over 2 million pairs of shoes to orphans around the world, while at the same time sharing God's love with the children! What an awesome ministry! Check it out!

Little Man

My little man is growing up so quickly. He is only 2, but seems so grown up sometimes. Maybe having 3 older siblings plays a small part in that, but I am constantly amazed by Micah. He is talking sentences and constantly has us in stitches at his antics, facial expressions and conversations.

Last night he was carrying around my husband's cell phone. When my husband asked for it back, Micah began moving his thumbs all around and said, "No, Dad, I'm texting." When my husband replied, "No, you are not," Micah then said, "I'm checking my e-mail!" Such a little smarty pants! :)

Tomorrow, my other children will all be in school and it will just be Micah and Mommy at home. Already he is missing them. Every morning he begins by asking, "Where's Daddy? School? Class? Singing? Meeting?" Then he proceeds to go down the list..."Where's Hallie? Where's Emma? Where's Nay Nay?" It's going to be a long school year. :)

I must remind myself to make the most of this time with my precious child!

Mother Teresa

September marks the 100 year anniversary of the birth of Mother Teresa. Time magazine has put out a special issue dedicated to her life. It is a great read and well worth the money. The fact that she spent her life serving in Calcutta, the city of Micah's birth, makes her all the more fascinating to me.

I read in the first couple of pages that she began her ministry in Calcutta at the age of 38. That is my age! Wow. I had to step back and look at my life. Am I living a life devoted to Christ? What would it look like in my family if I were totally devoted to serving and pleasing God as she was? We are not all called to live the life she lived, but we would all do well to live by a wonderful quote of hers...

"God doesn't ask us to do great things. He asks us to do small things with great love."

Lovely Language

Life flies by so quickly. If anything, my cancer diagnosis has made me more aware of needing to take time to document and cherish each moment that I can. I hope to someday make this blog into a book for Micah. Maybe he'll have as much fun reading it as I am having writing it.

I love watching each of my kids as they are growing up, but we are all especially aware of Micah right now and he cracks us up. It has been so hilarious watching him grow and learn and even listening to him speak. He imitates everything we say. So, for the purpose of documenting some of his "lovely language" I will share some of my favorites right now.

• Maybe because he hears everyone else, but for some reason, Micah has started dropping "mommy" and "daddy" part of the time and he is calling us "David" and "Candice!"
• Sometimes we call our second daughter "Emma" and sometimes we call her "Emma Kate." Micah has picked up on that and he calls her "Emma Cake!"
• Micah has started counting to 10, but most times it is just...one, two, flee!
• We are anxiously anticipating the arrival of the new Veggie Tale movie "Sweet Pea Beauty," a veggie version of "Sleeping Beauty." Micah loves Veggie Tales right now, but this new title is a mouthful for him. The best we can get is "Sleepy Booty!"

Thank you, Jesus, for the joy of watching this little boy grow up!

Gotta Check it Out!

For those of you interested in some great Indian recipes, and some fun reality TV, you need to check out this new web site that I just found. It is aartipaarti.com! This is the web site for a sweet lady named Aarti. Her mother was Indian and she has started her own little online cooking show with some great Indian recipes. She was also selected for and is currently on the new season of "Next Food Network Star," which shows on Sundays. Her site is very lighthearted and fun with live video, recipe how to's, and links to updates from the show. She also is not afraid to share her faith in God, at least on her site...I have not seen her on the reality show yet. I plan to watch the upcoming third episode this Sunday! I am also going to try out her Dal recipe once I get my taste buds back! :) Enjoy!