Have you ever thought that you would like to do something to promote adoption, but don't feel that you are called to adopt and don't feel like you have much money to give? Well here is something that you can do, simple and easy.
Macy's is having a Million Dollar Makeover contest. One of the finalist is Amy Sandberg Corder Ferrell. She is mom to 5 kids including 3 who were "older" when adopted from Ghana. She also lives in WA state so I look forward to a day when we might meet in person.
Not only would a million dollars allow her family to move into a home better suited for a family of 7, but she has plans to use the money to "do some wonderful things in adoption and also in creating after-school programs for at-risk youth". She is a kindergarten teacher who has a passion for her students and for adoption.
What do you have to do to help? Just vote via facebook. Search for "Macy's Million Dollar Makeover" and vote for Amy.
Want to learn more about Amy? Read her blog and/or friend her on facebook.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
20% of the World's Population Consumes 86% of the World's Resources
I think most of us have heard the statistic that 20% of the world's population consumes 86% of the world's resources. I was reminded of this again today while reading the Hole in our Gospel. Almost immediately a picture came to my mind. Try to picture it if you can:
Josh and I are sitting at a large table. There are 8 other people at the table sitting with us. It is not our house. We are guests at the table. The table is covered with enough food for all 10 of us to eat and be satisfied. But as soon as the prayer is said, Josh and I snatch up most of the food off of each person's plate and pile it on our own leaving them only a tiny fraction of what they had. We proceed to eat and eat in front of these 8 people until we can't possibly eat anymore and then we throw the rest in the trash. Then the next day comes and the same events take place. Day after day we continue to take and have, believing that it is owed to us, that it belongs to us.
Obviously this is metaphorical and yet I don't think it is too far from the truth. I have to wonder how God can tolerate watching his children behave like this. Would you let your one child steal treats or even basic food from your other 4 children?
Jesus said "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24 Now I do believe this is also metaphorical, but I believe that Jesus said it for a reason. It weighs heavily on my heart. God has given us so much but I don't believe that His reason for doing so was so that we could live comfortably on earth. So why did God give us so much? What are we meant to do with it? It feels like so much responsibility. We have to get this right; it is just too important.
Josh and I are sitting at a large table. There are 8 other people at the table sitting with us. It is not our house. We are guests at the table. The table is covered with enough food for all 10 of us to eat and be satisfied. But as soon as the prayer is said, Josh and I snatch up most of the food off of each person's plate and pile it on our own leaving them only a tiny fraction of what they had. We proceed to eat and eat in front of these 8 people until we can't possibly eat anymore and then we throw the rest in the trash. Then the next day comes and the same events take place. Day after day we continue to take and have, believing that it is owed to us, that it belongs to us.
Obviously this is metaphorical and yet I don't think it is too far from the truth. I have to wonder how God can tolerate watching his children behave like this. Would you let your one child steal treats or even basic food from your other 4 children?
Jesus said "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24 Now I do believe this is also metaphorical, but I believe that Jesus said it for a reason. It weighs heavily on my heart. God has given us so much but I don't believe that His reason for doing so was so that we could live comfortably on earth. So why did God give us so much? What are we meant to do with it? It feels like so much responsibility. We have to get this right; it is just too important.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Enjoying My New Found Free Time
Now that I am done with school, I have all kinds of free time. You would think I would be bored. Instead I feel busier then ever. And it's great!
I have been enjoying a 90 minute yoga class every Saturday morning. Yoga is something that I have enjoyed for many years but has fallen by the wayside over the past couple years. Getting back into it is painful at times, as my body is slow to get back in the habit, but so worth it.
I recently learned that my church offers zumba classes every Tuesday and Thursday. One of the pastor's wives teaches it and she is so much fun! I have only been 4 times but I am totally hooked. The only draw back is that I have to repeatedly tell myself to go easy until I get stronger as my body inflicts significant payback if I get too carried away.
Currently we have family in town for the week. Later this month my parents will come to visit. And then Josh's youngest brother and his brother's wife will arrive. During our down time we have plans to babysit our nieces and nephew in order to catch up with them and spend a little quality Chucky Cheese time. Later I have a Boston trip and a St Louis trip planned.
I have a book sitting on my nightstand that I have been dieing to finish reading but I have yet to get back to it. I would like to studying for my CPCU (an insurance designation) but I have no idea when that is going to fit into the picture and I have to admit that I have been enjoying the lapse in time spent studying.
I have so much free time these days and yet I can barely find time to do everything. Perhaps I am just making up for lost time!
I have been enjoying a 90 minute yoga class every Saturday morning. Yoga is something that I have enjoyed for many years but has fallen by the wayside over the past couple years. Getting back into it is painful at times, as my body is slow to get back in the habit, but so worth it.
I recently learned that my church offers zumba classes every Tuesday and Thursday. One of the pastor's wives teaches it and she is so much fun! I have only been 4 times but I am totally hooked. The only draw back is that I have to repeatedly tell myself to go easy until I get stronger as my body inflicts significant payback if I get too carried away.
Currently we have family in town for the week. Later this month my parents will come to visit. And then Josh's youngest brother and his brother's wife will arrive. During our down time we have plans to babysit our nieces and nephew in order to catch up with them and spend a little quality Chucky Cheese time. Later I have a Boston trip and a St Louis trip planned.
I have a book sitting on my nightstand that I have been dieing to finish reading but I have yet to get back to it. I would like to studying for my CPCU (an insurance designation) but I have no idea when that is going to fit into the picture and I have to admit that I have been enjoying the lapse in time spent studying.
I have so much free time these days and yet I can barely find time to do everything. Perhaps I am just making up for lost time!
No News Is Good News... Or So They Say
I often get asked for an update on our adoption. First let me tell you that you need never worry about asking this question. Telling you that I have no news is a little dull but I can assure you that it does not upset me to give this answer. That is not to say that I am without anxiety, but I know that they question is asked out of interest and caring.
Currently we have no news. It could come tomorrow or it could come a year from now. This last Christmas we felt certain that we would have kids home by that time next year. But now I question that.
Yes, we still think that God has 4 siblings planned for us. But keep in mind that we are not looking to take anyone's child from them. An ethical adoption only involves adopting children who need adoption. So it is hard to say why we have not found our children yet. Perhaps their story has not played out to the point of needing adoption yet. Or perhaps God has something totally different in store for us. It seems that God's path is a winding one that leads us to His plan. So while it appears to us that His plan is for Him to bring us 4 siblings, perhaps this is just the direction we need to go to find His true plan.
We did however get fingerprinted by homeland security this past Friday. It is part of the process for getting our i-600. (Remember that the i-600 is pre-permission for our children to immigrate.) This isn't much news in that it doesn't change the timeline for bringing our kids home since the timeline at this point is completely determined by when we get a referral. (Remember that a referral is names and faces that are ready for adoption.) If you are someone considering adoption, please don't let our timeline concern you. If we were looking for one or two children, we would very likely have a referral already. Instead we are being difficult in looking for the most unlikely.
So I am sorry to say that my update is not much of an update, just more of the same.
Currently we have no news. It could come tomorrow or it could come a year from now. This last Christmas we felt certain that we would have kids home by that time next year. But now I question that.
Yes, we still think that God has 4 siblings planned for us. But keep in mind that we are not looking to take anyone's child from them. An ethical adoption only involves adopting children who need adoption. So it is hard to say why we have not found our children yet. Perhaps their story has not played out to the point of needing adoption yet. Or perhaps God has something totally different in store for us. It seems that God's path is a winding one that leads us to His plan. So while it appears to us that His plan is for Him to bring us 4 siblings, perhaps this is just the direction we need to go to find His true plan.
We did however get fingerprinted by homeland security this past Friday. It is part of the process for getting our i-600. (Remember that the i-600 is pre-permission for our children to immigrate.) This isn't much news in that it doesn't change the timeline for bringing our kids home since the timeline at this point is completely determined by when we get a referral. (Remember that a referral is names and faces that are ready for adoption.) If you are someone considering adoption, please don't let our timeline concern you. If we were looking for one or two children, we would very likely have a referral already. Instead we are being difficult in looking for the most unlikely.
So I am sorry to say that my update is not much of an update, just more of the same.
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