Well, I’m not so proud of myself for letting two months go by without blogging. I haven’t slowed down enough to really gather my thoughts. However, I am at home today drinking a colossal cup of coffee and that helps!
Christmas is now fast approaching. It’s hard to comprehend that it is already less than two weeks away. We have been enjoying our Christmas décor and shopping for others. Thankfully we have been finished up with shopping for a couple of weeks and haven’t really had to brave the crazy mall areas. Good job by us, for not procrastinating this year.
With the holidays staring us in the face, I can’t help but think of what it would be like to have our Simeon here with us on Christmas morning. To put him in a snuggly little outfit and play with toys in the floor with him, while watching his reaction to everything. It is almost impossible to think of what it will feel like to be able to pick him up and hold him and love on him at any time. I know that this Christmas is going to be a little different from any other. It is hard to describe the feeling of knowing your baby is so close to being home, but yet he isn’t. He is literally on the other side of the world.
His personalized stocking hangs front and center on our mantle and he already has ornaments on the tree. His room is ready to go and his clothes are hanging in the closet or folded neatly in the chest of drawers. The picture is coming together, but it will not be complete until he is here with us. With that being said, we remain hopeful that we are closer than we even know. We may be in for a New Year’s surprise! We are thankful that God has brought him into our lives and is preparing our hearts. We are blessed beyond words. We are also very thankful that other families are able to be with their little ones this Christmas.
Merry Christmas! Now, time for more coffee and to get busy.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Pause and Review
As I sit here and write, it is way past my bed time, but my thoughts will not currently allow me to sleep. Rarely is my sleep stolen away by my melancholy thoughts and emotions, however, that personality inclination has a tendency to flare up from time to time.
Ever have a day where everything is a little bit sadder, where you feel great compassion for people who you are around often, but don’t usually feel that way toward them? You know…that guy that you see at church who really has no friends or family and is going through a tough time? You think about how you should be reaching out to him, but you get “so busy”. What about when you just can’t stop thinking about your family and all the memories that are shelved in the pantry of your mind? You try to sleep but you just can’t stop sifting through the times past. You pray that they are okay but you really wish you could just wrap your arms around them. Ever have a day where you hold your spouse a little tighter in thankfulness and gratitude? Where you ponder about the remainder of your life together and what God has in store for you.
That has been my condition today. I know it is just one of the ways that God sometimes realigns our life perspectives. I know much of it has to do with the fact that we are in the final days before our little boy will be with his forever family and it has been a long wait to get to this point. We both want so badly to bring Simeon home and take care of him and give him all that he would ever need, but more waiting remains and it can take a bit of a toll. Deep down you don’t really want to have emotional times like this, but I believe they are often God ordained. He is teaching us what love is and is really preparing our hearts for more of Him. He is preparing us for the rest of our lives. This is just a reflective pause and review I guess.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Baby Referral!
Hello
The week leading up to the final acceptance is documented perfectly in my wife’s blog, so I won’t even attempt to one up that one. I will just say, there are no words to describe how happy I am or how excited I am to go get him and bring him home. It is still so astounding to me that God can fashion a family together from opposite sides of the world, with no regard to distance.
So, on Friday we received a hefty pile of additional paperwork. Wasting no time, Amy and I began to assess all that was required for completion and over the weekend we were able to get the documents finished and shipped this afternoon. Whew!! That was no doubt the most I have ever signed my name (including signing day for our house purchase). We just about emptied the cartridge of ink in my G2 gel ink pen! But we were just happy to be able to do it!!! We wanted to turn the forms around as quickly as possible and we did it.
More later obviously, but I had to record our excitement and thankfulness to God for His awesome faithfulness. We are now praying for a speedy trip for our paperwork through the finalization process.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Softball and Soreness
How many times do we say, “Sure, I’ll be a part of this or that recreational team that requires physical activity” without even batting an eye? In my case it was, “Sure, I’ll be a part of the church softball team!” Well, even if I had batted my eye several times I wouldn’t have been prepared for the muscle soreness that followed a day in the batting cage and another day on the practice field.
Now, I know you might think, “Softball should not make your body ache with soreness!” But on the contrary, I’d argue that even if you are somewhat athletic and work out other muscles a little bit, softball can and probably will make you sore (especially if you haven’t swung a baseball bat or thrown a baseball/softball in about 3 years). I used some muscles I hadn’t used in a while and they are revolting because of it!!!
God help us to not allow our Spiritual muscles to lie dormant only to break them out once every couple of years. The muscles will not develop using that approach. When a ground ball is hammered directly at me, I want to be able to pick it up and throw it to first base. I don’t want to be so out of shape and sore that I can’t make the play. I don’t want the ball to skip past me into nomad’s land. I want to make the play for Christ. Offensively, when the pitch is tossed my way, I want to pound the ball up the middle for a base hit. It is hard to do that with sore, unexercised muscles.
Time to go exercise!
Now, I know you might think, “Softball should not make your body ache with soreness!” But on the contrary, I’d argue that even if you are somewhat athletic and work out other muscles a little bit, softball can and probably will make you sore (especially if you haven’t swung a baseball bat or thrown a baseball/softball in about 3 years). I used some muscles I hadn’t used in a while and they are revolting because of it!!!
God help us to not allow our Spiritual muscles to lie dormant only to break them out once every couple of years. The muscles will not develop using that approach. When a ground ball is hammered directly at me, I want to be able to pick it up and throw it to first base. I don’t want to be so out of shape and sore that I can’t make the play. I don’t want the ball to skip past me into nomad’s land. I want to make the play for Christ. Offensively, when the pitch is tossed my way, I want to pound the ball up the middle for a base hit. It is hard to do that with sore, unexercised muscles.
Time to go exercise!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Is it June???
Well, Good Monday! I just sort of left my blogspot hanging out to dry a little bit over the last couple of months. Not that I was filling the web with a great deal of text anyway. I guess I have had a little case of writers block. I’ve actually had tons of stuff flash and disappear in my mind over and over the last few months, but I guess there really hasn’t been any one thing to go off writing about.
There is a bit of good news concerning the removal of a brief roadblock in the process of adopting our baby. The orphanage that our adoption agency is directly linked to has received approval from CARA (Central Adoption Resources Agency) for the renewal of the orphanage’s license to continue its work. We were both ecstatic upon hearing this news, knowing that the procedure of child referrals can now resume. God is good!! He knew we needed a bit of good news concerning that particular situation. It had been weighing on both of us.
Psalms 40:1 ~ I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
There is a bit of good news concerning the removal of a brief roadblock in the process of adopting our baby. The orphanage that our adoption agency is directly linked to has received approval from CARA (Central Adoption Resources Agency) for the renewal of the orphanage’s license to continue its work. We were both ecstatic upon hearing this news, knowing that the procedure of child referrals can now resume. God is good!! He knew we needed a bit of good news concerning that particular situation. It had been weighing on both of us.
Psalms 40:1 ~ I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Saying Something
I ran across this article tonight and it is really weighing heavy on me right now. I'm not exactly sure what to do with this at this point. I'm praying that God will give me some direction and strategy so that I can do my part in being a part of the solution.
Read this...
http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/india.htm
Read this...
http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/india.htm
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Time To Speak Up!
Oppression - The act of using power to empower and/or privilege a group at the expense of disempowering, marginalizing, silencing, and subordinating another. It is particularly closely associated with nationalism and derived social systems, wherein identity is built by antagonism to the other. The term itself is derived from the idea of being “weighted down”
The word oppression is a word that for the past several weeks I have been unable to get out of my head or my spirit. It is a word that I, as an American, realistically have no familiarity with. Only recently have I come to realize that much of the world’s population is all too familiar with the reality of it. This is especially true in India, where my thoughts have often been. India is a land of people who are mostly of the Hindu religion. The caste system plays a huge role in the oppression of the poor in India. It is something few Americans have any knowledge of, but in a quick summary it is basically a division of social classes. The poorest of poor are beggars, plumbers, garbage men, etc. The wealthiest are government officials, etc. Children who are born into these castes often never supersede their current caste. They are really offered no assistance in advancing from their current caste because this is considered their “karma” or “lot in life”. Many Hindus believe that these people are getting exactly what they deserve, wherever they fall in the system.
I posted a blog back in January titled “American Mentality” which pretty much explains why Americans are either unaware of the world around them or we just don’t care.
With that being said, I had to do a little research on what the Bible says about oppression and what we as children of God should be doing about it. This is what I’ve found so far:
Proverbs 28:27 NLT –
Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing. But a curse will come upon those who closed their eyes to poverty.
Luke 1:52-53 MSG –
He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud. The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold.
Ezekiel 22:29-30 MSG –
Extortion is rife, robbery is epidemic, the poor and needy are abused, outsiders are kicked around at will, with no access to justice. I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses on the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land so I wouldn’t have to destroy it. I couldn’t find anyone. Not one.
Jeremiah 5:24-30 MSG –
It never occurs to them to say, “How can we honor our God with our lives, The God who gives rain in both spring and autumn and maintains the rhythm of the seasons, Who sets aside time each year for harvest and keeps everything running smoothly for us? Of course you don’t! Your bad behavior blinds you to all this. Your sins keep my blessings at a distance. To Stand for Nothing and Stand Up for No One “My people are infiltrated by wicked men, unscrupulous men on the hunt. They set traps for the unsuspecting. Their victims are innocent men and women. Their houses are stuffed with ill-gotten gain, like a hunter’s bag full of birds. Pretentious and powerful and rich, hugely obese, oily with rolls of fat. Worse, they have no conscience. Right and wrong mean nothing to them. They stand for nothing, stand up for no one, throw orphans to the wolves, exploit the poor. Do you think I’ll stand by and do nothing about this?” God’s Decree. “Don’t you think I’ll take serious measures against a people like this? “Unspeakable! Sickening! What’s happened in this country?”
More on this vein of thoughts later...
The word oppression is a word that for the past several weeks I have been unable to get out of my head or my spirit. It is a word that I, as an American, realistically have no familiarity with. Only recently have I come to realize that much of the world’s population is all too familiar with the reality of it. This is especially true in India, where my thoughts have often been. India is a land of people who are mostly of the Hindu religion. The caste system plays a huge role in the oppression of the poor in India. It is something few Americans have any knowledge of, but in a quick summary it is basically a division of social classes. The poorest of poor are beggars, plumbers, garbage men, etc. The wealthiest are government officials, etc. Children who are born into these castes often never supersede their current caste. They are really offered no assistance in advancing from their current caste because this is considered their “karma” or “lot in life”. Many Hindus believe that these people are getting exactly what they deserve, wherever they fall in the system.
I posted a blog back in January titled “American Mentality” which pretty much explains why Americans are either unaware of the world around them or we just don’t care.
With that being said, I had to do a little research on what the Bible says about oppression and what we as children of God should be doing about it. This is what I’ve found so far:
Proverbs 28:27 NLT –
Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing. But a curse will come upon those who closed their eyes to poverty.
Luke 1:52-53 MSG –
He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud. The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold.
Ezekiel 22:29-30 MSG –
Extortion is rife, robbery is epidemic, the poor and needy are abused, outsiders are kicked around at will, with no access to justice. I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses on the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land so I wouldn’t have to destroy it. I couldn’t find anyone. Not one.
Jeremiah 5:24-30 MSG –
It never occurs to them to say, “How can we honor our God with our lives, The God who gives rain in both spring and autumn and maintains the rhythm of the seasons, Who sets aside time each year for harvest and keeps everything running smoothly for us? Of course you don’t! Your bad behavior blinds you to all this. Your sins keep my blessings at a distance. To Stand for Nothing and Stand Up for No One “My people are infiltrated by wicked men, unscrupulous men on the hunt. They set traps for the unsuspecting. Their victims are innocent men and women. Their houses are stuffed with ill-gotten gain, like a hunter’s bag full of birds. Pretentious and powerful and rich, hugely obese, oily with rolls of fat. Worse, they have no conscience. Right and wrong mean nothing to them. They stand for nothing, stand up for no one, throw orphans to the wolves, exploit the poor. Do you think I’ll stand by and do nothing about this?” God’s Decree. “Don’t you think I’ll take serious measures against a people like this? “Unspeakable! Sickening! What’s happened in this country?”
More on this vein of thoughts later...
Thursday, February 14, 2008
I've Been Tagged!
8 things I'm passionate about:
1. My relationship and faith in God
2. My DAZZLING wife
3. My family and friends
4. Our adoption
5. The country of India
6. Promoting adoption
7. My church
8. Sports
8 things I want to do before I die:
1. Live in India for a while and work in an orphanage
2. Meet Jancy - our sponsored child in south India
3. Send our parents on an awesome vacation
4. Give a load of $ to people and ministries that I love/support
5. Travel the world (visit Israel and revisit Hawaii)
6. Adopt another baby from India
7. Learn to play the harmonica
8. See a basketball game at Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke)
8 things I say often:
1. I love you!
2. What would you like to reset your password to?
3. Did you backup your data?
4. What’s up beast?
5. I could tear up so food right now!
6. Thank you Lord!
7. Weekends go by too fast!
8. Are you serious?
8 TV shows you love:
1. American Idol
2. Almost any football or basketball game
3. Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives
4. Top Chef
5. Man vs. Wild
6. Survivor Man
7. Mythbusters
8. 24
8 Things I learned in 2007:
1. How truly amazing our Pastor’s are
2. To walk in a deeper level of trust
3. That God is stirring up a desire in us for something bigger than us
4. That coaching Upward basketball is fun
5. That you can be in love with a baby across the world that you have never met
6. People definitely misunderstand adoption
7. How much God loves adoption
8. Wiring up a building with network cable is tedious
Who am I gonna tag?
Everyone who reads this!
1. My relationship and faith in God
2. My DAZZLING wife
3. My family and friends
4. Our adoption
5. The country of India
6. Promoting adoption
7. My church
8. Sports
8 things I want to do before I die:
1. Live in India for a while and work in an orphanage
2. Meet Jancy - our sponsored child in south India
3. Send our parents on an awesome vacation
4. Give a load of $ to people and ministries that I love/support
5. Travel the world (visit Israel and revisit Hawaii)
6. Adopt another baby from India
7. Learn to play the harmonica
8. See a basketball game at Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke)
8 things I say often:
1. I love you!
2. What would you like to reset your password to?
3. Did you backup your data?
4. What’s up beast?
5. I could tear up so food right now!
6. Thank you Lord!
7. Weekends go by too fast!
8. Are you serious?
8 TV shows you love:
1. American Idol
2. Almost any football or basketball game
3. Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives
4. Top Chef
5. Man vs. Wild
6. Survivor Man
7. Mythbusters
8. 24
8 Things I learned in 2007:
1. How truly amazing our Pastor’s are
2. To walk in a deeper level of trust
3. That God is stirring up a desire in us for something bigger than us
4. That coaching Upward basketball is fun
5. That you can be in love with a baby across the world that you have never met
6. People definitely misunderstand adoption
7. How much God loves adoption
8. Wiring up a building with network cable is tedious
Who am I gonna tag?
Everyone who reads this!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
American Mentality
What is it that as Americans, going about our day, doing what we do, living comfortably in our homes with our families, and having plenty to eat, causes us to often forget that there are literally millions of people around the globe who have absolutely nothing? I’m not entirely referring to worldly possessions, although that goes without saying. I’m also referring to hope, peace, joy, love, sympathy, the feeling of worth, and the list continues into an endless catalog of things that can only come from One who is higher than we.
Now, after posing such a loaded question, it should be known that I am as guilty as anyone for having this casual mindset from time to time. As Americans, we are free people living in a country that allows us to worship as we wish, take on the career of our choice, marry who we decide to, and establish a surplus of wealth if we so choose. Obviously, all of these things are great and God has allowed us to be a part of this amazing nation, but why? Why did God predestine us to live in such a blessed and prosperous country? Why did he sanction us to such a life of peace and opportunities? Was it so that we could live in a proverbial box and live our lives as comfortably as possible? Was it to establish a routine that prevented us from seeing the needs of others as we maintained our “crucial” schedule?
Being a part of adopting a child from the absolute opposite side of the earth is beginning to open my eyes and heart to a fresh way of thinking. Not exclusively in terms of adoption, but in seeing the bigger picture of life and God’s purpose. Too long have I maintained an American mindset where everything I worry about and am concerned with lies inside my precious little box. Too long have I not looked around and contemplated what it is like to have no family, no food, no shelter, no peace, no income, no love, and no hope.
It is my desire that this nation, especially the people of God, break off the mentality of selfishness and egocentricity. Throughout scripture the topic is touched on over and over again concerning the needs of others. For example, James 1:27 says this in the Message translation, “Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world”. I understand that we have our own set of problems that must be dealt with; however, no matter how big your problem appears to be, there is someone who is skirmishing with difficulties ten times worse than yours.
I just read this morning that 80 percent of India’s population lives on the U.S. equivalent of 50 cents per day! 80 percent! 50 cents! Now, it is easy to look at the condition of the world’s population and become overwhelmed at the endless number of people in dire straights. However, I don’t think God intended for one person to help every person on earth. I believe He is simply asking us to reach out to our neighbor. By neighbor I don’t mean the person who lives next to you necessarily. By neighbor I mean anyone you cross paths with who is in need, physically, emotionally, financially, etc. A neighbor could also include groups of people or a foreign land.
I have had those, when I express the needs of the people of India, tell me this: “Well those same needs are right here in this country and in this city”. They are correct and are telling the truth (even though they are doing nothing in the way of meeting those local needs), but why are Americans afraid to acknowledge needs that exist elsewhere? It appears that in the conversation I had, the American mentality really shines through. It becomes visible, that in some cases, Americans think American lives are more important for some reason. This same mentality is brought to light through the topic of international adoption. Some people don’t understand why people adopt from foreign countries when, “we have American children that need to be adopted, why would you adopt from over there”. My question to them would be, “Does it make a person anymore of a child of God based on where they were born?” Just in case there is any question, the answer is NO!
Let’s break out of the small town America mentality and understand that the world is bigger than our box. Let’s begin to look at what God says about loving our neighbor as ourselves. Let’s consider how blessed we are and determine in our hearts that we are going to make a difference in someone’s life today. Sponsor a child, go on a missionary trip, give someone a hug, complement somebody, do something. Let’s eliminate the American mentality and take on God’s mentality.
Now, after posing such a loaded question, it should be known that I am as guilty as anyone for having this casual mindset from time to time. As Americans, we are free people living in a country that allows us to worship as we wish, take on the career of our choice, marry who we decide to, and establish a surplus of wealth if we so choose. Obviously, all of these things are great and God has allowed us to be a part of this amazing nation, but why? Why did God predestine us to live in such a blessed and prosperous country? Why did he sanction us to such a life of peace and opportunities? Was it so that we could live in a proverbial box and live our lives as comfortably as possible? Was it to establish a routine that prevented us from seeing the needs of others as we maintained our “crucial” schedule?
Being a part of adopting a child from the absolute opposite side of the earth is beginning to open my eyes and heart to a fresh way of thinking. Not exclusively in terms of adoption, but in seeing the bigger picture of life and God’s purpose. Too long have I maintained an American mindset where everything I worry about and am concerned with lies inside my precious little box. Too long have I not looked around and contemplated what it is like to have no family, no food, no shelter, no peace, no income, no love, and no hope.
It is my desire that this nation, especially the people of God, break off the mentality of selfishness and egocentricity. Throughout scripture the topic is touched on over and over again concerning the needs of others. For example, James 1:27 says this in the Message translation, “Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world”. I understand that we have our own set of problems that must be dealt with; however, no matter how big your problem appears to be, there is someone who is skirmishing with difficulties ten times worse than yours.
I just read this morning that 80 percent of India’s population lives on the U.S. equivalent of 50 cents per day! 80 percent! 50 cents! Now, it is easy to look at the condition of the world’s population and become overwhelmed at the endless number of people in dire straights. However, I don’t think God intended for one person to help every person on earth. I believe He is simply asking us to reach out to our neighbor. By neighbor I don’t mean the person who lives next to you necessarily. By neighbor I mean anyone you cross paths with who is in need, physically, emotionally, financially, etc. A neighbor could also include groups of people or a foreign land.
I have had those, when I express the needs of the people of India, tell me this: “Well those same needs are right here in this country and in this city”. They are correct and are telling the truth (even though they are doing nothing in the way of meeting those local needs), but why are Americans afraid to acknowledge needs that exist elsewhere? It appears that in the conversation I had, the American mentality really shines through. It becomes visible, that in some cases, Americans think American lives are more important for some reason. This same mentality is brought to light through the topic of international adoption. Some people don’t understand why people adopt from foreign countries when, “we have American children that need to be adopted, why would you adopt from over there”. My question to them would be, “Does it make a person anymore of a child of God based on where they were born?” Just in case there is any question, the answer is NO!
Let’s break out of the small town America mentality and understand that the world is bigger than our box. Let’s begin to look at what God says about loving our neighbor as ourselves. Let’s consider how blessed we are and determine in our hearts that we are going to make a difference in someone’s life today. Sponsor a child, go on a missionary trip, give someone a hug, complement somebody, do something. Let’s eliminate the American mentality and take on God’s mentality.
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