i'm a big fan of give-aways. head on over here to win a super-cute headband and a pair of earrings. seriously, i've been dreaming about that headband ever since i saw it, and i don't normally wear headbands!
and if you didn't catch yesterday's post about adoption and advent, check it out. it's one of my favorite posts i've written in awhile.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
advent & adoption
last week, i shared a few words at our church about advent from the perspective of adoption.
i have gained a new appreciation for israel and how God's people waited centuries for the promised messiah. in many ways, i know what it must have felt like to have little affirmations throughout history that God would one day redeem his people, and yet, at the same time, still anxiously have to await the day when the promised messiah would be revealed.
for us, we have had those same little affirmations along the way in our adoption process. we celebrated each time a new piece of paperwork came back, when we had the money to pay for one more fee, when we finally got on the waitlist. with each little step, we have known that we are closer to the day our children will be revealed.
and the waiting, at times, has been laborious. it has brought tears and anxiety and heavy hearts. i imagine this was true for God's people as they awaited the messiah. despite all the prophecies -- that the messiah would be born in bethlehem, out of the tribe of judah, out of david's line, to a virgin, etc. -- the people of israel had no clue when the messiah would come or what he would look like or even how the world would be changed when he arrived. all they really knew was that he was coming to rescue them from their sins and sorrows -- to restore them to God's perfect shalom.
i don't know yet what it feels like to receive a referral -- to experience the moment of having our children revealed. but i do know that the essence of christmas is the celebration of promises being fulfilled. we celebrate christmas because the messiah has come -- the promised hope of the world was revealed to us. and for those of us on this side of christ's birth, we now know him and all he has done.
on christmas, i often feel in the depths of my heart, that i have inadequately celebrated christ's birth. and this year, like so many, i have felt that. there may be little i can do to fix that because i am human, prone to allowing other things to overshadow the great miracle of christmas. but i want to foster a deeper sense of celebration in my heart not only for my sake, but also for my children's, because i want them to understand that christmas is the celebration of christ's birth, his coming, his revealing -- and not a celebration of presents, santa claus, memories, or even family. and as i have imagined over and over in my mind what it will be like to receive a referral, i have now seen that that moment may be a litmus test of sorts for my heart each christmas. because i know that my heart will overflow with such celebration, joy, peace, and contentment when my children are finally known to me.
and if that is true, how much more should my heart overflow with celebration, joy, peace, and contentment not only at christmas, but everyday, knowing that jesus -- the long-awaited, promised messiah -- was revealed to the world more than 2000 years ago!
come, thou long-expected jesus, born to set thy people free. from our fears and sins, release us. let us find our rest in thee. israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art. dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
*oh, and if you haven't heard, we are very close to a referral. we will receive the next referral for unrelated children. our agency is currently waiting on paperwork for children they know is being completed. please pray the paperwork comes in this week so that we will receive our referral next week when our agency re-opens january 3rd.
i have gained a new appreciation for israel and how God's people waited centuries for the promised messiah. in many ways, i know what it must have felt like to have little affirmations throughout history that God would one day redeem his people, and yet, at the same time, still anxiously have to await the day when the promised messiah would be revealed.
for us, we have had those same little affirmations along the way in our adoption process. we celebrated each time a new piece of paperwork came back, when we had the money to pay for one more fee, when we finally got on the waitlist. with each little step, we have known that we are closer to the day our children will be revealed.
and the waiting, at times, has been laborious. it has brought tears and anxiety and heavy hearts. i imagine this was true for God's people as they awaited the messiah. despite all the prophecies -- that the messiah would be born in bethlehem, out of the tribe of judah, out of david's line, to a virgin, etc. -- the people of israel had no clue when the messiah would come or what he would look like or even how the world would be changed when he arrived. all they really knew was that he was coming to rescue them from their sins and sorrows -- to restore them to God's perfect shalom.
i don't know yet what it feels like to receive a referral -- to experience the moment of having our children revealed. but i do know that the essence of christmas is the celebration of promises being fulfilled. we celebrate christmas because the messiah has come -- the promised hope of the world was revealed to us. and for those of us on this side of christ's birth, we now know him and all he has done.
on christmas, i often feel in the depths of my heart, that i have inadequately celebrated christ's birth. and this year, like so many, i have felt that. there may be little i can do to fix that because i am human, prone to allowing other things to overshadow the great miracle of christmas. but i want to foster a deeper sense of celebration in my heart not only for my sake, but also for my children's, because i want them to understand that christmas is the celebration of christ's birth, his coming, his revealing -- and not a celebration of presents, santa claus, memories, or even family. and as i have imagined over and over in my mind what it will be like to receive a referral, i have now seen that that moment may be a litmus test of sorts for my heart each christmas. because i know that my heart will overflow with such celebration, joy, peace, and contentment when my children are finally known to me.
and if that is true, how much more should my heart overflow with celebration, joy, peace, and contentment not only at christmas, but everyday, knowing that jesus -- the long-awaited, promised messiah -- was revealed to the world more than 2000 years ago!
come, thou long-expected jesus, born to set thy people free. from our fears and sins, release us. let us find our rest in thee. israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art. dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
*oh, and if you haven't heard, we are very close to a referral. we will receive the next referral for unrelated children. our agency is currently waiting on paperwork for children they know is being completed. please pray the paperwork comes in this week so that we will receive our referral next week when our agency re-opens january 3rd.
Monday, December 20, 2010
the most humble gift
i have been humbled by the generosity of a woman i barely know.
rachel has been attending our church for the past 6 months or so. i remember the first sunday she visited. she came clunking down the steps of our sanctuary (it's an old school auditorium with stairs leading from front to back) in a wheelchair, apologizing with every thud her wheels made as they hit the next step. she was completely different than the rest of our congregation -- older, a little more rough around the edges. as time went on, i found out rachel lives mostly on food stamps and disability payments. she once struggled with addiction. she uses a motorized wheelchair to get around town. i also learned she loves art and playing the flute.
she is one of the kindest souls i've ever met.
last night, she approached us at church with a gift haphazardly covered in bright red wrapping paper. "i picked a gift for you that i thought you would think was pretty, and that jamie could feel the texture," she told me. when i unwrapped the present, i found three small wooden pieces -- a teapot, tea kettle, and frying pan -- that can hang on the wall. my heart was crushed in a million pieces as i thought about rachel's generosity to us. she said, "i had been praying God would help me buy christmas presents, and then someone left a box of gently used stuff on my porch one day. so i prayed over the things and asked God to show me what i should give each of my friends."
thank you, rachel, for reminding me that generosity is not about how much you give someone but rather the heart from which you give.
rachel has been attending our church for the past 6 months or so. i remember the first sunday she visited. she came clunking down the steps of our sanctuary (it's an old school auditorium with stairs leading from front to back) in a wheelchair, apologizing with every thud her wheels made as they hit the next step. she was completely different than the rest of our congregation -- older, a little more rough around the edges. as time went on, i found out rachel lives mostly on food stamps and disability payments. she once struggled with addiction. she uses a motorized wheelchair to get around town. i also learned she loves art and playing the flute.
she is one of the kindest souls i've ever met.
last night, she approached us at church with a gift haphazardly covered in bright red wrapping paper. "i picked a gift for you that i thought you would think was pretty, and that jamie could feel the texture," she told me. when i unwrapped the present, i found three small wooden pieces -- a teapot, tea kettle, and frying pan -- that can hang on the wall. my heart was crushed in a million pieces as i thought about rachel's generosity to us. she said, "i had been praying God would help me buy christmas presents, and then someone left a box of gently used stuff on my porch one day. so i prayed over the things and asked God to show me what i should give each of my friends."
thank you, rachel, for reminding me that generosity is not about how much you give someone but rather the heart from which you give.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
for our dog...
we know a girl who came back to faith because of dogs.
sounds funny, right? but the more i know our dog, hudson, the more i understand how a dog could've played such a pivotal role in her life.
we rescued hudson 2 years ago today. and since then, he has caused us a lot of trouble. in the first month we had him, we visited the emergency vet twice and spent $1200. i can't even count the number of things hudson has destroyed since he's been in our family. our life revolves around his separation anxiety and the simple fact that he needs his humans all the time. he has inconvenienced us, frustrated us, angered us...we have had moments where we've wished we'd never seen his cute picture on the rescue page.
but we love this dog. i mean, love him. one day, he accidentally got himself locked in our laundry room, and we couldn't find him. i seriously thought he was dead somewhere and bawled before i even thought to look in the laundry room.
i think God is like that with us. he loves us unconditionally. no matter how many stupid things we do, no matter how many terrible messes we make, no matter how inconvenient or frustrating we are to him...he loves us unfailingly and unwaveringly. and it has nothing to do with how good we are, but rather all to do with how good he is. so that no man can boast.
so thank you, hudson henley dean, our 4-year-old labradane. you have shown me God's heart for me. i can't wait for some little ones to be riding on your back.
*please note that while i love my dog, i do not want this post to seem like i view him like i do my children. children and animals do not have equal value, and the adoption of a pet is not the same as the adoption of a child.
sounds funny, right? but the more i know our dog, hudson, the more i understand how a dog could've played such a pivotal role in her life.
we rescued hudson 2 years ago today. and since then, he has caused us a lot of trouble. in the first month we had him, we visited the emergency vet twice and spent $1200. i can't even count the number of things hudson has destroyed since he's been in our family. our life revolves around his separation anxiety and the simple fact that he needs his humans all the time. he has inconvenienced us, frustrated us, angered us...we have had moments where we've wished we'd never seen his cute picture on the rescue page.
but we love this dog. i mean, love him. one day, he accidentally got himself locked in our laundry room, and we couldn't find him. i seriously thought he was dead somewhere and bawled before i even thought to look in the laundry room.
i think God is like that with us. he loves us unconditionally. no matter how many stupid things we do, no matter how many terrible messes we make, no matter how inconvenient or frustrating we are to him...he loves us unfailingly and unwaveringly. and it has nothing to do with how good we are, but rather all to do with how good he is. so that no man can boast.
so thank you, hudson henley dean, our 4-year-old labradane. you have shown me God's heart for me. i can't wait for some little ones to be riding on your back.
*please note that while i love my dog, i do not want this post to seem like i view him like i do my children. children and animals do not have equal value, and the adoption of a pet is not the same as the adoption of a child.
Monday, December 6, 2010
tukula giveaway!
this is just a friendly reminder that it's christmas shopping season and tukula is open for business! i'm a little obsessed with this wonderful organization based out of uganda because they have designed some beautiful (and brilliant) products that support three female tailors AND a community water project.
if you happen to be a little tight on cash this year but still want to give your bff a present (or if you keep hinting to your husband or brother or friend or whomever that you'd like a new purse for christmas and they're just not getting the hint), you should enter tukula's giveaway that ends TOMORROW. all you have to do is get the word out about tukula over facebook, twitter, and your blog. and if you buy a tukula product, you can get more entries towards the THREE beautiful products you are eligible to win. go here to read more.
if you happen to be a little tight on cash this year but still want to give your bff a present (or if you keep hinting to your husband or brother or friend or whomever that you'd like a new purse for christmas and they're just not getting the hint), you should enter tukula's giveaway that ends TOMORROW. all you have to do is get the word out about tukula over facebook, twitter, and your blog. and if you buy a tukula product, you can get more entries towards the THREE beautiful products you are eligible to win. go here to read more.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
10 months
today marks 10 months that we've been on the waitlist for a referral. i'm beginning to feel hopeful that we will get our referral in the next couple of months. last year about this time, we were rushing around getting things notarized for our dossier and saving the last chunk of money we needed to send everything. it's hard not to look back and think that if i'd only gotten a certain paper signed earlier or if we'd been able to save the money just a little quicker, maybe we'd have a referral by now. but it's frivolous thinking, because i really believe God chose two specific children for us at the beginning of time and everything that has happened (or not happened) is leading us to those children.
i think that [our children being chosen for us since the beginning] is the concept most difficult to explain to others about adoption. and yet, it's the concept that really holds this whole thing together. my mom called me yesterday to ask if i'd watched a video that's circulating in blogland. she said, "i really think it explains to people why you are adopting." so i watched the video and was blown away. literally, i was doing those heaving cries that made jamie worry i was going to stop breathing. one particular part pierced my heart, because it's exactly what i'm trying to explain.
eric ludy, the preacher in the video, said he encountered a 4-year-old boy on the streets of liberia. the boy was orphaned, starving, and probably homeless. ludy said he was awakened in the middle of the night by the voice of God asking him, "what if that boy was hudson [ludy's son]?" and ludy realized that if that little boy was his son, nothing could get in the way of him getting to him. and as i was watching the video, i could only think to myself "that is my son." my son has been orphaned and is physically without a family. my son might be malnourished. my son doesn't have a home yet. my son might be sick. my son is probably lonely, scared, and sad.
my children are not just some random orphans in africa. they aren't a charity case, a nice project, or a humanitarian endeavor. they are my children. and when you see it from that vantage point, it should make sense why i would do any number of seemingly crazy, unsafe, and inconvenient things for them. so often i bemoan when people act like i'm not a mom, but i think it's even more frustrating when people don't act like our kids are really our kids, and prefer, instead, to keep treating them as perpetual orphans. it's like people assume just because our kids will have spent time in an orphange, it must be OK for them to stay there longer than they have to because it might be unsafe for me to be in ethiopia. when people question my decisions regarding our kids in this way, i always want to ask them what they would do in my position if it were their kid.
please watch the video.
i think that [our children being chosen for us since the beginning] is the concept most difficult to explain to others about adoption. and yet, it's the concept that really holds this whole thing together. my mom called me yesterday to ask if i'd watched a video that's circulating in blogland. she said, "i really think it explains to people why you are adopting." so i watched the video and was blown away. literally, i was doing those heaving cries that made jamie worry i was going to stop breathing. one particular part pierced my heart, because it's exactly what i'm trying to explain.
eric ludy, the preacher in the video, said he encountered a 4-year-old boy on the streets of liberia. the boy was orphaned, starving, and probably homeless. ludy said he was awakened in the middle of the night by the voice of God asking him, "what if that boy was hudson [ludy's son]?" and ludy realized that if that little boy was his son, nothing could get in the way of him getting to him. and as i was watching the video, i could only think to myself "that is my son." my son has been orphaned and is physically without a family. my son might be malnourished. my son doesn't have a home yet. my son might be sick. my son is probably lonely, scared, and sad.
my children are not just some random orphans in africa. they aren't a charity case, a nice project, or a humanitarian endeavor. they are my children. and when you see it from that vantage point, it should make sense why i would do any number of seemingly crazy, unsafe, and inconvenient things for them. so often i bemoan when people act like i'm not a mom, but i think it's even more frustrating when people don't act like our kids are really our kids, and prefer, instead, to keep treating them as perpetual orphans. it's like people assume just because our kids will have spent time in an orphange, it must be OK for them to stay there longer than they have to because it might be unsafe for me to be in ethiopia. when people question my decisions regarding our kids in this way, i always want to ask them what they would do in my position if it were their kid.
please watch the video.
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