Thursday, March 21, 2013

foster to adopt

This weekend we start taking our first big steps toward fostering to adopt!  We've already had one short meeting but this weekend we will start taking classes that will bring us closer to having a foster baby/child in our home with the hopes to adopt.  Crazy!

As I look back, I can see God's hand leading us here.  For Kevin, his side of the family has had a lot of experience with fostering and adoption.  Aunts and uncles have fostered and adopted.  And his parents have always worked with needy kids.  They ran a youth home while Kevin was growing up and have also worked with unwed moms and adoption.  His grandparents, as well, were involved in the same ministry to unwed moms.  He has a heritage of ministry to needy youth.

I've always just loved kids.  Babysitting, teaching and aiding in preschools and classrooms.  Together Kev and I taught Sunday School when we dated.  I've been involved in MOPS (Mother's of PreSchoolers) for years with our five babies.  And I also worked to earn my 4 year degree in Early Childhood Education.

This is one way I see God's hand leading me.  I had to pick a topic for a paper in one of my classes in college.  I picked Abuse and Neglect.  Heavy.  Why did I pick that topic?  Not sure.  Then as college rolled on it was just easy to build on the topic I already had researched so my final paper, along with several papers in between, was on Child Abuse and Neglect.  I even thought maybe I should pursue Social Work but my heart is really to be involved more personally in kids' individual lives.  (I know some Social Workers are involved personally, too.  Maybe just for a shorter period of time?  Maybe the job just seemed intimidating...?!)  Now I see how God was probably preparing me, 15 years ago, for this season in our lives.  He's so cool that way.

I have to say that I took several Special Needs classes, too...  Not quite enough for a second degree, though, but several.  Hum...

We have been blessed with our own special needs baby.  And we have worked in a special needs orphanage.  We have already pursued adopting two little girls overseas with special needs and been open to adopting a third little girl who we were told needed a family.   (The first two have families now and we are still open to adopting the third, though it looks like she has a family, too.)

We are excited (and nervous) to see what's next!

Following His leading with my eyes alert and my heart reflective.

We Love Snow!

March in North Dakota...  It can either be 70 degrees or -10!  This winter we've had a few good days of snow storms with even a blizzard or two.  Most people right now are talking about how tired they are of winter and how ready they are for spring!  It's the first day of Spring, anyway!  Where's the sunshine and tulips?! 

Well, our family dances to our own beat, I guess.  I told the kids today that we're supposed to get another 2-4 inches of snow in the next day or two...  Whoo-hoo!!  They were so excited!  They even wish we'd get more snow.  Their sleds are ready.  Their snowpants are getting holes.  They're on their third or fourth hat of the season...  Our kids make the most of the snow!  Forts, slip n slides, snowball fights, snow angels, sledding.  One of our kids even made a snow baby who has since melted/broken away....   While they were playing in the last snowstorm, I heard one say that they wished it was more windy!?  Ha!  One hopes we get enough snow to swim in!  More snow!  We love snow.

Snow is like manna from heaven for us!  It's like God just dumps tons of white imagination in our yard and we bundle up and play hard, come in and drink tea and hot chocolate and snuggle down to a movie or some such thing.  So fun.

Their excitement got me to thinking.  Why does our family love snow when the others are ready for summer already?!  Why do I like the snow?  Well, for one thing, I like it because the kids love it and have so much fun imagining and playing together.  They play hard and come in ready to snuggle down together.  Good for everyone, right?

I also think I like the snow, and even the storm, because when we are all home and safe inside, we look out the window at the wild wind and the white flakes flying by and we sip our tea and hot chocolate.  It's crazy out and cozy in.  Kind of like the life of a Christian sometimes.

We can have crazy situations flying around us.  Moves, financial problems, broken down cars, family or kids issues...  Life is flying at us.  But we can retreat and sip some refreshment in the Word.  Refocus.  The Lord is a safe, quiet place in the middle of chaos.  We an sit back and look at the storm around us with His Word in our lap and know that we are protected and safe.  He sees us and He sees our storm.  And He is our refuge, our provider, our comfort.  He is the shelter in the storm. 

I am reading the book One in a Million by Priscilla Shirer and a line popped out at me the other day.  "Often when external blessing seems to elude us, internal spiritual gifts come tumbling our direction."  That seemed to tie in with my snow storm pondering.  When life looks like a a mess and we're left under a pile of snow, that can be the time that we receive the most from the Lord.  Or perhaps, that's when we look up and notice the most of the Lord's blessings?  This seems to be the time we grow the closest to Him.  Picture driving up in front of a house and through the whiteout, your eyes make out a glowing light coming through the window.  You run up, open the door, and take off your coat and foggy glasses.  Outside is crazy.  Inside is cozy.

I love being safe and warm in the middle of the storm.  Kind of like - In yo face, blizzard!  You can be wild and out of control and I'll sit here with my tea, and the Word, and watch you - knowing that God's got it all under control and takes care of me. 

Maybe we'll just go out and build a snowman in the morning!?


Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.