Never Gone to Bed Hungry

Friday morning I turned on public radio as I made my way through the hub bub of the morning in my kitchen. Public radio was already in the middle of a piece about hunger in the world. They specifically mentioned Eygpt, Cuba, and Haiti. Anyway, they were talking about a place where the children never miss school. And, the reason they never miss is because the school serves a meal of rice and beans fortified with vitamins daily. For these children that simple meal will be their only meal of the day. They went on to talk about people who come to the local hospital pretending to be in need of health care on the days the hospital will hand out food.

This story really gripped me. I have been thinking it over the past fews days. I cannot imagine being a parent unable to provide a meal for their child. The pain those parents must go through! They have to want to feed their child/children but cannot. I have never been hungry a day in my life. Yet, tonight all over the world even tonight many people do the best they can to quiet their starving, sleepy children.

My children to my shame can be pretty picky eaters. Often I ask them, "what do you want for lunch?" I have wondered if they would survive if we truly hit an economic crisis and all we could feed them was beans. I have heard that if you are hungry enough you will eat anything.

Sometimes I have complained and wished that we had a little more money. And yet my pantry is full of luxurious foods like chocolate chips, oil, honey, tortilla chips, not to mention the staples of bread, rice, vegetables, meat, etc. Having access to this much food is a real privilege.

I cannot imagine my husband having to fight for our family to have bread. Can you?

We spent 15 months in the country of Sudan. If you dial 911 there, no one is coming. I did not know before moving there what luxuries 911 and health insurance really are. If you are able to get your loved one to the hospital but do not have the money to pre-pay for the health care needed you will not get it. We had a dear friend from Malawi who needed a c-section and she could not have it until the money was in hand. If you cannot get the money then you die and so does your baby. I suppose if the hospitals help one impoverished person with free health care then what will they do with the next 500, 1,000, or 10,000. You get the idea.

God, help me to be thankful for what I have. God, help me to live a more selfless life so that others can have a little more of the things they need. God, help me live a loving life in front of my children. God, help me to make a difference in this world. God, save our country from our self-centered narrow-minded lives. God, feed the hungry tonight. God, provide for the sick and the dying. Amen.

Don't Want to Miss What He's Saying

In all of life God is working and He is doing something. He doesn’t just randomly act and His purpose will be accomplished. He is doing something in me and in you. Don’t miss it!
It seems like wherever I turn these days I am reading or hearing the question, "what is God saying to you through this?". And, I am being reminded not to miss the lesson or God in his mercy will keep repeating it.
I have been struggling with stomach pain that is probably an ulcer. I say probably b/c it acts like it but I have not had a scope to confirm it. Ulcers can be brought on through stress which is probably my case. Anyway, through this I have been able to examine thoughts under the surface that are contributing to this problem. To get specific I am a major people pleaser. When I don’t have approval from others it devistates me. One thing in the midst of this I hear God saying to me is to live for his aprroval alone.
I think I may have to come back and edit this blog and continue these thoughts b/c the baby I babysit is waking up. But, it has been so long I just wanted to write something. More later.

A Funny Elie Story

Sunday morning I was getting our 4 year old, Eleanor, ready for church. As I was helping her with her tights she said with concern in her voice, "mommy, I am getting some hair on my legs." I responded, "Why yes you are! That's what happens as we grow up. That means you are turning into a bigger girl." She said with a big sigh of relief, "oh, I thought that meant I was turning into a daddy!".

A Real Love Story

Alex, my husband, is in a group called Men's Fraternity. They meet on Tuesday mornings before work to encourage each other in loving God, their wives, and their children. This past week the man who led the meeting used this youtube video in his closing. Alex came home and shared it with me and it has really touched my heart. You might want to have a box of kleenex handy when you have the time to watch. It is about 10 mins. long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flRvsO8m_KI

A Great Time!

About a month and a half ago I had a candle party. I found myself desiring the Hostess special for the month at a candle party I attended a few weeks before. I wanted this beautiful candlelit nativity and I couldn't even come close to affording it so I decided to have a party to receive the incentives offered. As I was writing out the invitations I felt so guilty. I was inviting my whole circle of friends, family, and acquaitances hoping to get this nativity set. Yes, I know the people who wanted to attend would attend but it just didn't sit well inviting people to a buying/selling party when I hadn't ever invited them to a party just for the sake of getting together.
Well, out of that experience grew a renewed desire to try and connect more with family, friends, and acquaintances just for the sake of getting together. I decided to throw a Christmas party for my daughter and all of the girls in her 2nd grade class. It was a precious experience. We had it at her Great Grandpa's apartment building in the atrium. It is a lovely place with high ceilings, sky lites, and live plants. As a bonus they also decorate at Christmas. I borrowed glass dishes with matching little cups from our church. I served sugar cookies, red and green sweet popcorn, and hot drinks including hot cocoa with loads of marshmallows. When the girls walked in it looked like they thought they walking into a magnificent ballroom as princesses. That alone may the day worth all the work!
I have a great reusable advent calendar that I took along to tell the story of Jesus being born. We sang many Christmas songs. And, the residents of the apartment building attended the party and added so much to the experience. We took turns sharing favorite memories of Christmas, traditions, and really anything we love about this special holiday. It was so fun being together.
We moms are going to plan more events like these where we spend time with our kids and their friends and get to know each other better.
My grandma says that when she was young friends and neighbors had potlucks and parties many Friday nights of every month. People just wanted to spend time together. Little kids would fall asleep on couches while older kids and adults played cards and danced and enjoyed good conversation. Now we like to go into our automatically opened garages, close the doors, and stay to ourselves. I know I do anyway.
It was really fulfilling and enjoyable to spend the day with my daughter and her friends yesterday. I hope it is the beginning of a new season filled with lots of great times with family and friends.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you!
Currently listening : A Charlie Brown Christmas By Vince Guaraldi Release date: 10 October, 2006

Hope for Orphans at Christmas

My mom was adopted in December of 1952 when she was just 3 days old. She has always viewed her adoption into a family who loved God and loved her as God's abundant provision and protection for her life. My grandpa and grandma openly discussed her adoption and the adoption of her siblings from different families. Around the time I was in high school a dream began to form in my heart, the desire to adopt. The Bible says, "God places the orphan into families". He also says, "true religion is to care for the orphan in their distress." Over the years this desire has not diminished but has grown for me. Some days tears and prayers flow like rivers as I think of children sitting, waiting to be loved.
If I could adopt from anywhere I would choose China. Little girls in China are literally thrown away like garbage or even drowned in rivers like unwanted puppies. Realistically, I will never be eligible to adopt from this country. They have 3 prerequisites: husband and wife must be at least 30 years old (this one my husband and I now fulfill), you must own your own home (we live in a home that our church owns so I don't know if that would count), must make a minimum of 30K per year and an addition 25 K per each child you have (this one kills us b/c we would have to make 130 K per year and as a pastor there is no way). So, in light of this we have discussed adopting from Khazakstan or Romania b/c their poilicies are less stringent.
The adoption process for adopting one child from another country ranges between $20,000-$35,000 for everything from preparing your dociet to paying for your flight. I am not writing this blog to discuss whether or not these requirement and fees are just. The plain fact is they are what they are and if I want to adopt I am going to jump through the existing hoops. Now, I do feel daunted and frustrated by the costs as they are a year's wage or more for our family. I have the desire and the mommy skill needed to love and orphan but lack the funding. If I could afford it I would be in the middle of the process today.
It seems like everywhere I turn people are discussing justice for people in poverty, the AIDS crisis, and orphans. Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, Steven Curtis Chapman, and many others are pleading for the people of God to care for orphans. I hope we can be a family who adopts. I hope you and your family will consider adoption or helping someone else who has the dream but may need help to do it.

If you would like to see some pictures of kids waiting to be adopted visit the photolisting at http://www.rainbowkids.org/ But, prepare to have your heart broken.

The Hope of Constancy

I am entering a sweet season with my husband and children that I hope to sieze while it lasts. Traditions are finally in place and it finally feels natural to be the mom setting the tone for the holiday season in our home. This new sense has finally emerged after going through several years of grief and significant life changes.

My senior year in high school I cried at every major holiday or event thinking this will be "my last....at home" Some of my family members teased me about this. And, I think I was pretty melodramatic. But, I didn't want things to change. Getting together with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins was the BEST! I wished we could all be together more often, that every day could feel like a holiday, and we could stay the same for always. I knew that was impossible and cried my way through it.

Since high school my family really has changed a lot. Some family members (including my dad) have passed away. There has also been loss due to divorce. We have also added to the family through many marriages and births. These losses and additions have been a lot to adjust to. Some adjustments have been easier than others. Some I have liked and some I haven't.

It is strange to be the mom buying the gifts and baking the cookies but I am finally getting used to it and I am really am enjoying it. I see my kids secure and enjoying the holidays. They are counting down to our trip to Pappy and Nana's. Wondering how long it will be until they get to play with Brooklyn, Amorie, and Rebekah? Are the new babies coming into the family this year going to be boys or girls? It is a precious time. Again, I find myself like I was in high school wanting this season of life to go on forever and wishing it for my kids too. I know that it won't though. If I would let myself I think I could already cry my way all through these golden years. I don't know why I am this way. But, I am not going to cry my way through.

Instead I am going to enjoy the time I have with all those I love as much as I can. And, I am going to let this knowledge push me closer the My Hope, Jesus Christ the Constant One. He is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever. And, some day I will be with Him and all the ones I love who love Him. And, we will all live in the same house and it will never end. It will go on forever and it will be like a holiday, everyday.