Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to my bestest friend and the one who is keeping me sane and grounded these days.  Love you tons!!!!

Children from Hard Places

Our local newspaper, the Journal and Courier did a story today on family court in our county.  http://www.jconline.com/article/20111211/COLUMNISTS30/112110316/Inside-family-court-Drama-tears-sadly-typical-day?odyssey=mod|mostview  Previous to this article, I thought I knew what goes on in family court.  After all, there are 2 children sleeping in our bedrooms that are a product of what goes on there and I continue to be amazed at the depth of the damage done to them.  Still, I am stunned.  And sad.  And sick.  And mad.  Really, really mad!  Now, I could blast the parents, sometimes generations of parents, who have used and abused their own children.  But, I refuse to do that because I know from a former job that we have no idea what is behind it all.  I can't change them or their circumstances.  What I do know is that there are many children in our country - in our state (11,257!!)- in our county and yes, in our towns that no one wants because they come from these very hard places that this article refers to.  They are wounded and broken and messed up.  What hope do they have?  None.....except in Jesus Christ. And who is going to tell them about the love of a heavenly Father when no one even wants them?  Anyone who claims the name of Christ should be praying about how they can be part of the solution.  Should everyone run out and adopt a foster child?  No.  It's hard.  It's very hard.  Dr. Russell Moore puts it way better than I can in this post, titled "Don't Adopt!":  http://www.russellmoore.com/2011/10/12/dont-adopt/ .  One quote from the article says, "We need a battalion of Christians ready to adopt, foster, and minister to orphans. But that means we need Christians ready to care for real orphans, with all the brokenness and risk that comes with it. We need Christians who can reflect the adopting power of the gospel, which didn’t seek out a boutique nursery but a household of ex-orphans who were found wallowing in our own blood, with Satan’s genes in our bloodstreams." 
Tom and I are reminded daily....no hourly that we have Satan's genes in our bloodstream which makes us all the more humble and so very grateful for the power of the gospel and our adoption in Christ. 
And while I'm ranting, I would like to go ahead and say that I believe those of us who are a tad older than the typical parents of young children are in possibly the best position to consider adopting kids "from hard places."  But that will have to wait for another post since this one is so long.  The above jc article gives ways that you can get involved and help, even without fostering or adopting and I would beg you to begin asking God earnestly how He would have you help!!!