There are things in this life that I just can't wrap my mind around. Some things that I imagine must grieve the very heart of God. I think of things like child abuse, or any abuse for that matter. I think of human trafficking. I think of homelessness and poverty and I think of children who go to bed at night without a mommy and daddy.
These are all crazy big problems. They are not the kind of issues that can be solved overnight. We all have a job to do in the eradication of these issues and many make it their life's work to help in the solution.
However, there is one major, grieve the heart of God, issue that CAN be halted. Today, it can stop - with YOU.
Racism.
It is an ugly issue and one that I believe is appalling to our Creator. He is the one after all, who created us in every beautiful shade of the rainbow. I often hear the statement "love is colorblind." Maybe those who say that mean well and certainly it is great if their intent is to stop racism. However, I believe God made us all different colors on purpose. He could have made us all the same, but He chose not to. I don't believe those differences need to be ignored or that in any way we need to pretend that we all look alike. That just seems silly to me. It would be like the proverbial elephant in the room, everyone tiptoeing around the obvious. I know so many people who have adopted internationally - everywhere from China to Africa. Without exception, they embrace their family and the "rainbow" of colors within. They do not pretend that their African children do not have gorgeous chocolate colored skin. They don't ignore their Chinese children's beautiful almond shaped eyes. They celebrate! God has seen fit to mesh together a family made up of members from around the globe!
There is most definitely a spiritual parallel to that. Just like in Heaven where one day we will live and worship for all eternity with people from every tongue, tribe, and nation. It will be glorious!
Sadly, though, racism is alive and well. I'm sure all over the world, but since I live in America, I can only speak for us. Our dear, dear friends over at A Place Called Simplicity encountered racism alive and well just the other day - here in Phoenix. It makes me very sad to think that people right in my new backyard are raising their children to hate others, purely based on the color of their skin. It is disgusting and it must grieve the heart of the Father who created us all with such love and His son who died for us - all of us, every single shade.
It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I believe that God's heart is for he orphan. I believe that adoption and caring for the poor, fatherless and the widow is the crux of the gospel. It is how we live out what we believe. (It is NOT how we obtain salvation. Salvation comes ONLY from placing our hope and faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone.)
It is also no secret to anyone who knows me, especially my poor husband who hears this every.single.day of his life, that I want to adopt dozens more children - ok, right now I have told Stan three more, because eight children seems like a more doable number than 36 - we're just going to get there slowly, so as not to give Dad an immediate heart attack! After all, one of the only families we hang out with here in Phoenix have eleven children and one more adoption in process. Eight (soon to be nine) of them are adopted. When we take our five children and head over to their house for dinner, it is fun and yes, loud - but, it is certainly doable. We have a great time - Dad included! Using them as an example, he clearly has to admit that eight children is not such a big number.
Our sweet P is a domestic adoption, which I love! I think my next children will come from Africa. Where, I am not totally sure. I have always thought Ethiopia, but recently I have been learning more about adoptions from Uganda and Ghana. Makes no difference whatsoever to me.
I am so excited about traveling to these gorgeous places and I can not wait to bring home one of those beautiful chocolate skinned princes or princesses. I know it won't be easy. I know we will encounter questions, skeptical looks, and maybe even scorn. I will be honest, though, we encounter that already just because we have five children. Seems the "world" in general thinks 1.6 kids and a dog is more than enough. I think that until they are all fed, there is no number that is ever "enough."
I also know that parenting a large family is not for the faint of heart. I love being a mom. Since the day my oldest were born, eighteen years ago, it is all I have ever wanted. It is hard, many times I feel like I fail, but I can promise you, I am never short on love. And with every child it just multiplies. I can not imagine being without a little one in our home.
You choose your friends based on their character not their skin color and you love everyone that God puts in your path, because He has commanded it.
I can't wait to stand with my friends who have "rainbow" families - and where ever my next child is born, whether America, Africa, China, or anywhere in between, my prayer is that Stan and I can raise children who love Jesus and walk with Him, no matter where He leads - even to the hard places.
It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I believe that God's heart is for he orphan. I believe that adoption and caring for the poor, fatherless and the widow is the crux of the gospel. It is how we live out what we believe. (It is NOT how we obtain salvation. Salvation comes ONLY from placing our hope and faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone.)
It is also no secret to anyone who knows me, especially my poor husband who hears this every.single.day of his life, that I want to adopt dozens more children - ok, right now I have told Stan three more, because eight children seems like a more doable number than 36 - we're just going to get there slowly, so as not to give Dad an immediate heart attack! After all, one of the only families we hang out with here in Phoenix have eleven children and one more adoption in process. Eight (soon to be nine) of them are adopted. When we take our five children and head over to their house for dinner, it is fun and yes, loud - but, it is certainly doable. We have a great time - Dad included! Using them as an example, he clearly has to admit that eight children is not such a big number.
Our sweet P is a domestic adoption, which I love! I think my next children will come from Africa. Where, I am not totally sure. I have always thought Ethiopia, but recently I have been learning more about adoptions from Uganda and Ghana. Makes no difference whatsoever to me.
I am so excited about traveling to these gorgeous places and I can not wait to bring home one of those beautiful chocolate skinned princes or princesses. I know it won't be easy. I know we will encounter questions, skeptical looks, and maybe even scorn. I will be honest, though, we encounter that already just because we have five children. Seems the "world" in general thinks 1.6 kids and a dog is more than enough. I think that until they are all fed, there is no number that is ever "enough."
I also know that parenting a large family is not for the faint of heart. I love being a mom. Since the day my oldest were born, eighteen years ago, it is all I have ever wanted. It is hard, many times I feel like I fail, but I can promise you, I am never short on love. And with every child it just multiplies. I can not imagine being without a little one in our home.
You choose your friends based on their character not their skin color and you love everyone that God puts in your path, because He has commanded it.
I can't wait to stand with my friends who have "rainbow" families - and where ever my next child is born, whether America, Africa, China, or anywhere in between, my prayer is that Stan and I can raise children who love Jesus and walk with Him, no matter where He leads - even to the hard places.
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