No more Llama Drama

Can I just say how thankful I am for the election to be over?  Lands sakes alive, I was not enjoying all the political talk and the ugly snarky posts amongst even those who love Jesus.  I do not believe all those that have given their hearts to Jesus have to see politics eye to eye.  And I have been saddened by disrespectful comments here and there about the results of the election.  I am ready for this nation to get down and get dirty working to recover itself locking arms together.  There are still enough of us that claim Jesus as our Savior to actually live out the love He commands for us...and we can change the nation.  But we have to stop bickering, blaming, and trying to force other people that do not love Jesus to abide by our rules and values.  We have to speak love, and quit shouting about what we do not believe in.  Non-believers already know what we hold as sinful (which is so ironic because we are all sinners).  Why oh why do we think we need to keep trying to change others instead of loving them into knowing Jesus and letting Jesus change them?!?! 

 We met Daddy Danny (Emery's birthdad) at the science museum in OKC!

 Sometimes I just have to squeal at her adorable face, smile, cheeks and hair!  I mean who can look that precious with free hair!?!?  She can, that's who!

 We went up to see him when the boys were in school and an off day for the girls.  Its so much fun to see Danny come to life around his sweet Emery Faith.  We are so thankful to have him in our life.

I believe recovery begins with each and every one of us. But we have to be ready to live incredibly different lives than what we have planned. We have to lay everything down at the foot of the cross and if we are truly ready for a change in this nation, ask God what we are supposed to do. Not what a leader can help us to do, but what are we supposed to do? Because it really does not matter who our leader is, it is always Jesus Christ. Our nation is going down fast, and it's time that we all quit pointing fingers and realize we are all to blame for trying so desperately to live out the American Dream. This was my FAVORITE part about the book Radical. It pointed out so many ways in which we are raised and believe that we deserve certain things. And its all bull crap. No where in the Bible does it promise us the things that as Americans we think we deserve. I beg you to read this book. So many times I found myself scratching my head with my jaw to the ground with the truths that Platt pointed out. 

 These are from our adoption agency's annual hayride and weenie roast.  And look at my Owen's smile!!!  That's his real smile (note the dimples!). When he fakes it there are no dimples ;)

 She wasn't so interested in eating the marshmellow as she was in playing with it!

 Well, hello gorgeous!  She had so much fun as Gabby Douglas for Halloween that she wanted to continue to be her...she requested her leotard for school the next day and kept introducing herself as Gabby :)  Love this pic of Cooper below...such a handsome fella!

I am ready for the drama to be over and for the work to begin.  The church has got to stop focusing on blessing the blessed, and start spending more time spreading the good news to all people.  Whether that mission is in it's backyard, or across the world or both.  Last week was Orphan Sunday in hundreds of thousands of churches across the world.  This Sunday our church will be a voice for the fatherless.  I am so excited to see the response of our church family, but I also know this will be slow and steady.

As an update to the last post about our family applying for emergency foster care, we had our homestudy and our first 3 sessions for the 27 hours of training!!!  We will meet again this Wednesday to hopefully get a good chunk of it behind us.  Our social worker rocks and she is desperately trying to get our home open before Christmas. 

Stir Crazy

I have been neglecting this little blog thing here.  But for good reason. 

God has moved something awful crazy in my heart.  My family thinks I need help. 

I am not a reader.  I rarely take the time to read anything, and sadly even reading the Bible had become blah.  (horribly sad to admit because of my deep love for Jesus). 

One of the more influential women in my life (Jen Hatmaker) wrote a couple of books.  And I had to read them because I love her and trust her. 

Well then that led to me finishing a book in 3 days which is UNHEARD of for me.  I usually get the the very end and then quit.  Wha?

So from June-now I have not been able to stop the constant reading.  She mentioned several books and other friends did too.  I am hungry again for words from Jesus, even if it takes these authors hitting me over the head with the reality that I have been ignoring some pretty big things. 

Here they are.  If you are needing a good read and are ready for something serious to happen in your heart, you cannot miss these. 

Radical- David Platt
Crazy Love-Francis Chan
Kisses from Katie-Katie Davis
Interrupted-Jen Hatmaker
7- Jen Hatmaker

I cannot think straight I am so conflicted with our life in America and the needs of those around us.  How did I become so comfortable with this?  How did I not see so many suffering and truly believe they are my responsibility?  How did I miss that in the Bible? 

I am ashamed.  I am disgusted.  I am achy.  I am stir crazy for wanting to DO SOMETHING.  And poor Blake has known all along that I am odd, but now I want to be really weird and actually do what Jesus asked us to do...lay down my life for Him. 

In the midst of all of this wrestling in my heart, we have gone full force into the foster care ministry with our new church.  We are floored by the needs in our community and state.  So two weekends ago we brought home 2 kids from the shelter for 3 nights over Labor Day weekend.  Our church got involved with DHS in a program called Home for the Holidays.  The idea is for faith families to become certified (approved?) to take children from the shelter for a holiday weekend.  We were honored to join 13 other families from our church in taking home 17 kiddos! 

It was such a great experience.  Don't get me wrong...it's wasn't convenient (we already have 4 lovies).  It wasn't comfortable.  It wasn't easy.  But hello believers...God never told us life would be any of those.  He kept whispering to me all weekend when I would get discouraged, "Life is not supposed to be comfortable sweets."  How have I let myself believe these lies for so long? 

As we drove the kids back to the shelter I was sick to my stomach.  Every child begged to not go back.  Not for lack of love, cleanliness and care there, but it's a shelter for heaven's sake!!!!  Kids belong in families.  And I didn't have any good reason why the kids couldn't stay (besides we needed more training to be certified).  I have room.  I have Jesus.  This weekend just felt like a band-aide for this gaping wound that was in my city.  The reality hit me that why do I not think that these children are just as much my children as the ones God has already blessed me with.  Didn't He say they are all His?  None of them are really "ours".




Please watch this amazing video.  Pray with me about what God has already asked us to do.  God doesn't call us...He already commanded us to do this.  When we give our hearts to Jesus, then we must do as He commands. 

Consider reading these books.  I beg it of my brothers and sisters. 

The Mercy Project

There’s an estimated 7,000 children who work in the Ghana fishing industry. Some of
these children are as young as 5 and 6 years old.  All of these children are slaves.

–Mercy Project

Today many in our country will take a day off from our jobs to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers.  No matter if we’re celebrating at home or at the beach, we’re entering into a tradition that has largely been shaped by Labor Unions - organizations that are dedicated to protecting workers’ interests and improving their wages, hours, and working conditions.  Today as we lounge around or hang out with friends and family, we’re not only celebrating hard work, we’re honoring fair, ethical working practices and the laws that prevent discrimination, abuse, and child labor in our country.  Without these laws in place (and enforced), the most vulnerable members of society suffer.  Who are the most vulnerable? Children. 

Today as we’re celebrating the systems in our own country that strive to prevent injustices like child trafficking and child labor, we’re mindful of the many child slaves around the world who are unprotected and the organizations, like Mercy Project, who are working to free them.

As a mother, it’s difficult for me to imagine my children working 14 hours a day, 7 days a week.  I’m unable to wrap my brain around the thought of my children engaged in long, hard days of physical labor, eating one meal a day, and then falling asleep at night on a dirt floor filled with other slave children.  Yet this is the daily reality for kids who have been trafficked into the fishing industry in Ghana, Africa.  As with much of Africa, there is a great deal of poverty in Ghana. Unfortunately, this leaves many mothers in an unimaginable position: sell their children to someone who can take better care of them or watch them starve to death. Most of the mothers are told their children will be given food, housing, and an education. Instead, the kids are often taken to Lake Volta where they become child slaves and their mothers never see them again.  Thankfully, Mercy Project is working to break the cycles of trafficking around Lake Volta by providing alternate, more efficient, sustainable, fishing methods for villagers – ultimately eliminating the need for child slaves.  Because of the work Mercy Project is doing in Ghana, the first group of children will be freed this month from Lake Volta.

 

We invite you to watch this moving, 10 minute documentary about the issues surrounding child labor and trafficking in Ghana and most importantly the hope Mercy Project is bringing to children and entire communities in Africa.  Mercy Project is the only NGO working on Lake Volta addressing the injustice of child labor and child trafficking at its root - by strengthening the Ghanaian economy and eliminating the structures that cause the demand for trafficked children.

Whether these ideas of child labor, child trafficking, and modern-day slavery are new to you or you’re aware of these injustices, but need to hear some good news every once in awhile, we invite you to become a part of what Mercy Project is doing in Ghana.  When Mercy Project frees their first group of children this month, we can all celebrate together.