We Are ALL Called To Care



Issac (9 months) and Kenny (8 months)
They don't really know that they are not twins!

  I have friends and I have acquaintances and I read blogs of mom's who are passionate about adoption. Passionate. I love that. James 1:27 says, "Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corupt us." James does not say, "if you feel like it", and it does not say, "if it's convenient" and it does not say, "when you have time". It says, "care for orphans and widows in their troubles". It does not say, "adopt them all - as many as you can", and it does not say, "go to the ends of the earth and adopt a child from a foreign land that has special needs". I do get that there is a huge need. Huge. There are some 143 million orphans in this world. They do indeed need to be cared for. And we are ALL called to do that. To care. Cause James 1:27 says we are called to care. There are many ways each of us can care. I want to talk about one of them here and then leave you with some other ideas.

Foreign adoptions cost from $20,000 on up. Foreign adoptions take so much time and energy and stress. I think that foreign adoptions are necessary and an amazing way to care for our orphans. I read a blog written by a gal who has recently moved from Woodland Park and is now living on the east coast. She is so passionate about foreign adoption and has a huge following and a huge impact to the world on her blog which you can read here: http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2010/11/reckless-abandon.html She has led families to orphanages around the world to bring home sometimes more than one child with special needs. Some of whom have been lying in a crib for 5 years. As far as we know there are not places such as this in the United States. But the need is great. The call is there. The leap is huge. The reward is unfathomable.

Did you know that there are currently 115,000 children in the foster care system in the United States waiting to be adopted. Did you know that these adoptions cost nothing? Did you know that many times the state will pay the adoptive parents a monthly stipend every month until that child turns 18? Did you know that these children can remain on Medicaid until they are 18 years old? There is no expense. Not one. Besides a monthly stipend there are funds available for respite and there are funds available for therapy and other needs outside of what is covered by your monthly stipend and Medicaid. Most people do not realize this. Do you know how many times I have heard people say, "We would love to adopt but the money is just not there" or "We would love to adopt but..." But what? The need for foreign adoptions is great and if you feel called or feel like you can raise the support to do that, then by all means DO IT! But if you feel the tug to adopt or you feel the tug to inquire about adoptions...consider that there are children in your state, in your town, in your neighborhood, and maybe at the foster home next door that are waiting for a forever family. Someone to care. Someone to love. Someone to give them a chance and show them what unconditional love is. Someone...

It's not easy. No one said that doing what we are called to do would be easy. So that said...Today - what are you going to do to care for orphans and widows? Here are some ideas:

• inquire about foster care
• inquire about adoption
• financially support a missionary overseas who directs an orphanage - need one to support? go here: http://www.breannashouseofjoy.com/BHJ/home.html
• read my friend's blog - it will motivate you  - to do something: http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/
• read this post from another friend's blog about ideas on what you can do: http://www.lauraleighparker.com/2010/11/practical-ways-help-orphans/
• help a foster mom - bring her dinner or babysit for a few hours while she runs to the grocery store
• take a widow a meal just for the heck of it
• go visit a widow for 30 minutes and pray with her

need more ideas?
need more information?
leave a comment or e-mail me
I have lots of ideas...
but whatever you do...do something...

Multitude Monday

One Thousand Gifts

78. sleeping in

79. Josh home 4 days in a row

80. a blessed time with Gabriel and Arianna and their new forever family getting to know their new family and just playing...with the hope that our relationship will continue

81. an hour with Julia and Will

82. brief correspondance with a previous foster daughter that I have not talked to in over a year

83. time with Friesema family

84. best friend cousins



85. sweet time with my little family at home for 2 days straight doing nothing but playing with legos, hot wheels, board games, and sewing

Check back next Monday for another installment of Mulitude Monday. God IS good!

Multitude Monday

One Thousand Gifts

71. sweet much needed date with my hubby. We went to Tabaguche Steakhouse here in WP. Never been there before and we were very impressed. Ever since the bear broke our freezer and ruined 300 pounds of beef we have been craving a good steak and this did the trick.

72. my Bible Study gals. An amazing group of women who have grown so much in the last four months. I love growing in my walk with them. It was a precious group.

73. a fun night with our sweet friends Shawn and Terri Willoughby. They were one of the first couples that befriended us when we moved here 8 years ago. They adore our children and we LOVE to spend time with them.

74. special time with the kids at IT'Z for Josh's work Christmas Party. It was fun to just run around and let the kids have fun and I got to play skeeball! Fun for me to see Keith and Tana's kids too. (2 new little cutie girls recently adopted from Haiti that I had never met.)

75. super fun time having dinner with great friends. Relaxed, ate, played games, played with the kids, ate, ate, and had awesome fellowship with true, real, great friends.

76. I love this time of year. Relaxing. Enjoying friends. Baking. Fun time with the kids. I have been very purposeful the last few years to make Christmas what I want it to be and not what the world or other people want me to make it. It's about Christ coming in the flesh so that we could choose to recieve grace and be saved.

77. Luke 2:11 "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord." THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL!

Check back next week for another installment of Multitude Monday. God IS Good! 

Flashback Friday

Christmas 2007 - Kenny is 17 months - Oh so sweet

Multitude Monday

One Thousand Gifts

59. special time with Melanie, MC, Emily, and Laura and their families

60. talking with my big brother till 3:30 in the morning
61. great wine from my sister
62. getting together with family that I have not seen in 10 years. It was such a great weekend together.

63. my Gram
64. my parents' generosity
65. my big car
66. my amazing husband who I adore and respect and appreciate. He gave me the gift of grace and patience. He was amazingly helpful and completely stepped up during a hard time for me.

67. getting to see Scrooge, the play, with the most amazing friends I've ever had
68. rest
69. ebay
70. special tea time with the Friesema girls

Check back next week for another installment of "One Thousand Gifts". God IS Good.

Flashback Friday

Isaac (means laughter) - December 2006 - 6 months old



Flashback Friday

My Gram

 Gram and I were always taking pictures like this - me holding the camera out in front of us. It was usually because it was just us. But this time I did it for fun cause we always used to do that. It's a dreadful picture of me but I have it beside my bed and I kiss it every night and pray for her.

My prayer tonight sounded different. It wasn't my usual, "Dear Jesus come quick. Wrap your arms around her and carry her home today. She is ready to meet you Lord Jesus. She is ready. Let go Gram. Go to Him. I know you are ready." No...tonight it sounded like this, "I miss you so much. I miss you. I miss you." My Gram went to see Jesus today. She had longed to meet Him for so long. I am so thankful that she has a new body and can see and can dance and can laugh and can be happy. But...I miss her. She was so special to me. A relationship like I've never had, like I never will again. We loved to hang out. I have so many memories of her, with her. I am so grateful that Ellie does too. Starting when she was 4 months old.

When Gram was 89 years old I asked her if she could do anything or go anywhere for her 90th birthday what would it be...She said she wanted to go back to Colorado one more time. So we did...

 Ellie and I made 3 trips to Florida to see Gigi. Amazing memories were made. That lady knew how to have fun!

 One summer we even vacationed to her house in Wichita and went to the zoo and swam in our wading pool on her patio.

A few years ago was our last Florida trip to her condo. I've had fun there since I was very young.

I miss you Gram. I miss your smile the most. I miss going to the zoo with you. I miss going to the beach with you. I miss boat rides. I miss talking. I miss watching chick flicks. I miss wearing your clothes. I miss your poached eggs and fried chicken. I miss your pink geraniums...and that silly orange coat...and your roses...and your pink frosting...and going to the candy store...and to the club...and shrimp cocktail...and the theater...and Sunday afternoons...and talking...and your smile...and your stories...and spades...and orange juice...and oyster stew (not really)...and talking...I miss you. I will see you again...