So here I sit with 2011 winding down and I really can't believe all that has transpired over the past year, particularly over the past 6 months. I went from a close-minded husband that constantly said, "no honey, I'm sorry but I just don't see how it can work out. The initial cost alone is overwhelming, but then you add the cost of raising another child....clothes, lunches, books, sports teams, COLLEGE!!!??? We just can't do it." I went from that guy to the guy that says, "How can I be concerned with somthing as trivial as money when there are children out there concerned with life. When will they eat next? Could anyone love them as their own? Does anyone even know that they exist?" These days I also don't worry so much about getting ahead in the corporate world. I've worked for the same company for 23 years and my attitude was often, 'well after 23 years you would think that I would deserve to get that promotion'. Today, I don't think about the success (whatever that means) or the added income. I find myself more and more wishing that there was a way to travel around the mid-west and share with others that there are children that need help. I feel so privileged that we are going to be helping a child, but at the same time I can't help but feel how insignificant it seems in the grand scheme of the world of children without families. This I can promise you, though. It will not be insignificant to our new child when we bring him/her home. Luke 15 tells us that Jesus taught that the shepherd would "leave the 99 in the open country and go after the one lost sheep until he finds it." Did you catch that? The ONE lost sheep. It doesn't say that he would find all 150 million lost. It doesn't say that he would wait until what he felt was an adequate number of lost to spend his time searching for. He would go after the one. I take great comfort in following the guidance of our Savior and going after the one. All we need now is for 150 million other families to find their one. Do you think it's hard? Do you think that it's a "nice idea" but it's for someone else? Afterall, your biological children are really involved in their sporting activities. You help out at church...teach a Sunday School class...you even give to charity from time to time. But to be able to take on such a committment? Impossible. I get it. I understand that point of view completely because that's where I was. It's totally ridiculous, but I get it. But thank God that Jesus didn't use that argument when he left to search for me. Wow. It scares me to think of what my life might be like if Jesus hadn't sought me out and saved me from myself. Shouldn't I pay it forward and do the same? One child. That's all. Just add one to your family . One less orphan in the world, one more joy in your family. One Less / One More. My wife is currently reading a book called Kisses from Katie. It is available on the website http://www.147millionorphans.com/. If I can figure out what I'm doing (technologically advanced I am not), I'll add a link to this on our site where you can help our adoption cause though this site and get this book and some amazing apparel at the same time. Michelle is crying, laughing, ready to bust wanting to tell me all about everything she is reading about this remarkable young woman. I get the feeling that after reading this story, my little concerns over adopting a child will seem a little petty. Come to think of it, I already felt that way a little after meeting Kiel and Carolyn Twietmeyer who have 14 children: 7 biological and 7 adopted. They are doing amazing things in the world of adoption as is this young Katie from the book. But God doesn't compare us to others and judge us by whether we DO as much as our neighbor. All God asks is that we follow Him. Blindly. Faithfully. Even when it's hard. Even when it doesn't make sense to us or our friends or our family. Just follow. I'm learning to do that. It's a struggle for me at times as I feel my fleshly nature WANTING to do other things. But the rewards of those wants are fleeting and not nearly as satisfying as I thought they might be. The rewards of following Christ? Well, He's gotten me this far in spite of myself. I can only imagine where else he will take me.
I hope you choose to follow along with us on this blog. Sometimes you'll get posts from me, sometimes from Michelle. We'll try to keep you up on our own adoption process at times (though I'm sure you will respect that we will be discreet about the details for now). And at times it will be like today's post with just some thoughts and insight from someone that is searching to do what God is asking of him. Is it enough? To our child it will be more than enough....it will be everything. One Less / One More.
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