Uganda Adoption Article

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Reagonomics 101

Posted by guest blogger, Keith.

I was not a contributing member of society when Reagan was in office. On the contrary, I was trying to survive junior high. Still, I am a subscriber to the trickle-down theory that Reagan espoused. Not just economically, mind you, but in the family and church as well.

If I come home from work cranky, everyone becomes cranky. If I come home from work happy, everyone is happy. If the pastor of your church stands up on a Sunday morning and spends 20 minutes talking about the heart of God for orphans and that we WILL do something and he DOES expect adoptions to take place, there will be change. It starts at the top, and moves down to the bottom. We were immeasurably blessed that our pastor came to us. No convincing needed. Soap-box issues are great, but there is power in the voice of the pastor to move and mold his flock like no one else can.

Our pastor did that. He quoted James 1:27 and said (paraphrased) "I know some of you well and you do the last half to keep ourselves undefiled, why do we ignore the first half to take care of the widow and orphan?" Good question. There are a lot of churches that pick and choose the best parts of scripture to create a warm, fuzzy vibe. We all know that's not right, though. So how can we ignore God's call to the orphaned and fatherless? Our church isn't anymore.

Words can't express how we felt last Sunday as our pastor called for committment to adoption and orphan care. He challenged. He quoted scripture and statistics. He moved his flock.

My advice to those of you who want your church to start an adoption and orphan care ministry: Talk to your pastor. Change his heart and the rest will be downhill.

Orphan Sunday

Tomorrow is Orphan Sunday... if you don't know what that is.... check out www.orphansunday.org.

I don't know what you are planning.
Us?
Amazing day ahead!
Our church is kicking off our adoption and orphan care ministry. It's gonna be sweet. Not a little sweet.... rather really super duper sweet!

Then we get to end the day with 'Live From Nashville'. A live stream concert by Stephen Curtis Chapman. Music, speakers passionate about orphan care, a children's choir.... it's gonna be good! So if you live where I live... head on over to 1st Pres downtown at 5-7!

Adam Cunningham

A while back we called Adam (woke him up actually) and asked him to write us an adoption song. And write a song he did! Sheesh! Tears a flowing! While we were in his neck of the woods, he gave us a performance during church. I don't know who cried more, me or Adam. Or the lady behind me......

You Made Me Your Own

Feeling like I don't belong
to anything or anyone
am I not good enough
for anyone to love

Every single day that passes
I'm well aware that my chances
go from good to bad
to find a mom, to find a dad

Then, someone told me bout the father
and someone told me bout the son
I got down on my knees right there
and now i am one

And you made me your own
you gave me your home
and the love that i need
you made me your own
you gave me your home
and now i am complete
you made me your own

I'm looking for someone to love
asking praying God above
why it's not fair
I just want someone to care for

When they call out in the night
sing a lullaby til it's alright
and kiss away your fear
I will be right here

Well, now you came in a different kind of way to me
but i will love you more than that you see
the father brought me into His perfect family
now I can see

And you made me your own
you gave me your home
and the love that i need
you made me your own
you gave me your home
and now i am complete
you made me your own

You made me your own
you gave me your home
and now I am complete
you made me your own

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
You made me your own

Ala-Bama

The Pack is going on a road trip.
The Pack is invading a friend's home.
9 kids.
4 adults.
15 hours in the car.

Can't. Stinkin'. Wait.

Christmas Shopping Anyone?

Aprons for Africa Who doesn't love an apron? Several styles for the whole family! All profits go to... you guessed it, orphan care projects in Africa.

Water for Christmas sells the most beautiful ornaments, coffee cozies, burp cloths, hair bows, bracelets...all profits used to build fresh water wells in Liberia, West Africa.

Saints Coffee How many of us buy coffee, mugs or tumblers for teachers or friends? Buy coffee here, feed an orphan for a month.

Sseko Designs was created to help bright young women continue their education. The Ugandan school system is designed with a nine month gap between secondary school and university. These nine months are intended to allow time for students to earn money for tuition before continuing on to university. However, in an impoverished and male dominated society, many of these young women struggle to find fair work during this time.

Sseko Designs hires recent secondary school graduates for this nine month period to live and work together, while earning money that will go directly towards their university education. These women will not make sandals forever. They will go on to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, writers and teachers that will bring change and unification to a country divided and ravaged by a 22 year-long war.

Sponsor a child through Children's Hopechest. This is a fabulous gift from your family to your family. Every child needs the confidence to fly and a safe place to land.

Nothing But Nets provides mosquito nets to malaria filled regions.

Chirstmas Lists

Every year, as soon as the kids see the Christmas hoop-la in the stores, they begin compiling their Christmas Wish Lists. They get excited. You can see their little personalities in their list making.

Kendric and KaiaRose are cutting and gluing machines.
Briley wants the same thing every year...a video game, an xbox live account and a trip to Oregon.
Grant starts listing tons of stuff, then feels bad that he asked for so much. So he throws it out, starts over finding the three top things he really wants. Then he throws that away and his list ends up being what he wants to give others.
Clark has categories, color coded lists and he actually just asked this morning for graph paper so he could work on his list some more today.
Elena wants a hand made blanket with matching pillow, cute hair accessories and a new pair of shoes.

Each family has their own traditions. Please don't think I think you should do everything the way we do. I don't. But just like when we as the church agree about biblical foundations...Jesus died on the cross for our sins and three days later rose from the dead....we have personal or family convictions. Personal, meaning... what you think is best for your family. These just don't match up family to family, nor should they. Nor should we only be friends with people who we match up with. Come on people, live a little! Agree to disagree! Major on the majors, minor on the minors (another Josh Lindstrom golden nugget of truth).

Our traditions?

Each child receives three gifts. We don't break the bank on the three things either. Elena is simple. I get her fabric the day after Thanksgiving at 50% off ($8). Kmart has a goody bag of hair accessories which includes no less than 10 hair items...most of which glitter and or sparkle ($3). Shoes? I don't know. But I know they'll be on sale. And I know she is 8 years old. And I know I don't spend more than 20 bucks on anything we wear. Kendric will cost more money than Elena. He loves music. He needs to quit swiping my ipod. We're gonna get him some mp3, music playing something or other this year. Do we love Kendric more because we spent more money on his three things? No. Does everything have to be "fair"? Nope. If we can spend less than $30 for Elena's Christmas and she is perfectly happy and content...why in the world would we spend more?

And speaking of spending more... I would like to challenge you to agree on this next part. To do Santa, to not do Santa? Who cares? Figure out what works for your family. But let's agree on this next part. We, as Americans, spend WAY TOO MUCH FREAKING MONEY ON CHRISTMAS GIFTS. There. I said it. And I might just feel so strongly about it that I might even say, I think Jesus would throw me an "Amen".

Someone living within a mile of you can't pay the electricity bill.
Someone living in your city went to bed hungry last night.
Someone living in your state is so broken they don't know what to do next.
Someone in America doesn't know how to make it til payday on the $2.38 they have left.
Someone in our world just took their baby to an orphanage because they don't have the money to take care of the baby... yet they love that child just as much as you love yours.

I am not suggesting we give our kids nothing. I am suggesting we get creative. I am suggesting it's okay to hurt a little in the process. A slight discomfort might just teach us, and our children, something.

I am suggesting we spend this Christmas season doing the following:
Worship fully
Spend less
Give more
Love all

Please join the conversation. Don't know how? Meet you back here tomorrow with some thoughts and ideas. For now...watch this.

My 132 minute car ride

Today I was in the car 132 minutes schlepping kids to and fro. Pick up here. Drop of there. You know the drill. The kiddos must have known I needed a laugh. So today, for your pleasure...

Said in my car today.
"I think I'd like to get some exercise this afternoon. I'm thinking finger drills. Via the arrows on the computer. Playing a game. That'd be some good exercise, right?" -Grant

"I can't stand the singing. Let me out here. I'll jog home." -Briley

"Mama? Can I skip snack time and head straight to laundry?" -Elena

"Is it hard having kids as cute, funny, smart and witty like me?" -Clark



And my favorite of the 132 minutes.....

"We have a pretty good family here. I think I'll stay." -Kendric

"I don't know. I still think there may be a funner family." -KaiaRose

Irate KaiaRose...

The girl has her panties in a wad, but it's all good! I can sooooo see this irate characteristic she has coming in handy in her later years. She will spend her life fighting for justice. I know it! And in time, she will learn to tone down her righteous anger for good. But come on, give the girl a break... she is five!!!!

At school we are celebrating Red Ribbon Week with a different theme each day. For "I can, you can, we can...say no to drugs" each child was asked to bring canned food for our local food pantry. As we were gathering the cans to head out to school she was asking many questions. Clark and Elena were trying to explain that some people don't have food to eat and they may be hungry. People donate food to our local food pantry and then people who need food can take the food home and eat.

Remember on "I love Lucy" when Lucy would make Ricky very angry and he would start muttering in an angry voice in Spanish at an extremely fast pace? Replace Ricky with KaiaRose and insert Lugandan. Oh. My. Goodness. Irate may be an understatement. She went on for a good minute or two and then looked at me and said,

"America hungry is not like Uganda hungry"

Oh, sweet Jesus, let her use what you have given her for the good of your kingdom. She is a beautiful mess, a challenge to parent and we are so very blessed to have her as our daughter. And one day she will understand that unfortunately, there are hungry people everywhere.

Some are hungry for food. Some are hungry for truth. Some are hungry for compassion. What are you hungry for?

American.

It's official.
Kendric is now officially in deed and attitude.... American.

As we passed the fire station that is one block away from the school this morning I reminded him that his class would be walking to the fire station. I went on to tell him what he would see because he does better when he knows ahead of time what will be happening. Don't we all!

So then, Mr Uganda that use to walk, no joke, 45 minutes one way to school during rainy season or dry season says...
"Mama. What I do if I get tired."

I have no more words....