The Statistic That Matters Most: One person can make the difference in the life of an orphan

Creation Groans from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Here Am I, Lord

True Religion from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

One Less

The Forgotten Ones

Orphan Sunday from Greg Buzek on Vimeo.

Because He Loved Us

Why Love Orphans? from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Hope is Fading

Hope is Fading – Orphan Sunday from Allan Rosenow on Vimeo.

Reality and Our Faith

Please read this powerful piece by Heather Hendrick. It is so touching, and so moving, and so true.

Though I have not seen the suffering in Haiti, the scenes that Heather describes rush me straight back to Ethiopia. Back to the crowded, muddy streets where I saw and touched the filthy, precious street children dressed in rags, begging for food. It was a life-changing experience. How absolutely heartbreaking to come home to our comfortable life and leave so many of God's little ones hurting and hopeless!

I'm still struggling to figure out what to do with this reality, so sharp and fresh and raw, even now. Where do I put those images in my mind? Just exactly how can God use me?

Reality is a weighty thing.

Making Myself Get Real. Again.

I just cleaned the bathroom. Again. For the gazillionth time, I cleaned it. And while I cleaned I had a little pity party. Poor me, on my knees on this dirty floor, scrubbing away like Cinderella. 

Ahem, excuse me? To clean my bathroom I simply walk through my air conditioned house, get the cleaning supplies, then wipe all those smooth surfaces until they sparkle. I can then throw the dirty rags into my washing machine and let them clean themselves while I sip an iced tea in comfort (well actually, I watched the kids play monopoly, but the point is that I could have sipped an iced tea in comfort. I have both iced tea, and I have comfort!)

My little task did not involve a long walk through dangerous countryside to haul dirty water from a river. There was no standing outside over a fire, stirring a boiling pot of water to clean the rags when I was done. In fact, my bathroom flushes and the water runs from the tap. It smells nice, and it doesn't harbor germs that threaten the health of my family. In fact, it's a really pleasant place, compared to some of the "bathrooms" I've visited in developing countries. The very least I can do is wipe it down without complaining in my head.

So, I'm getting real. And now I'm off to clean the other bathroom with a smile on my face.

18 Seconds

Healthy Eaters

I was asked again the other day how I "lucked out" because I  have four children who are healthy eaters. Well, pardon me, but it's not luck.

There are lots of things I do not take credit for with my children. I had nothing to do with their stunning looks, their mischievous smiles, or their athletic abilities.  But I do take credit, thankyouverymuch, for teaching them not to be finicky. 

I've been accused of having some secret formula, some amazing trick that helped me accomplish this feat. Pshaw. There are no tricks in parenting, just planning and consistent execution. Here's how we teach our kids to be healthy eaters. 

1. Love your kids. I love mine, so I don't want them to be fueled on junk food and have a mouth full of rotten teeth. I want the best for them in every way.  Teaching them to enjoy healthy foods is just one of the ways that I love my children. 

2. Don't be a short-order cook. I, for one, have just about all the work I can handle keeping these kiddos bathed, fed, and in line. I'm not about to start cooking separate meals for picky people three times a day. Don't start it when they are little. When they are little I offer healthful foods over and over again, until the child finally tries it. They may like it right away, or they may spit it out, and then try it again next time. Eventually, my kids have all learned to like just about everything, if given enough time. 

3. Don't make a federal case of it. They don't have to like everything, and they don't have to like asparagus just because you do. Each of my children has a few things they just don't like. That's fine. They are never required to eat every single dish I serve at a meal. For many years, R didn't like lettuce. So, when I served a big salad she could dip around the salad greens and choose the sliced peppers, olives, tomatoes, green onion, and shredded cabbage for her veggies. HA loves every veggie except tomatoes. So he gets to pick around those when he dips a pile of salad onto his plate. When I make sauteed onions and garlic, I always provide some other veggie choices, too, because HW is not an onion guy. So far, Baby S  likes any vegetable or meat, but prefers most things ground up. So, I'm still grinding lots of her meals for her. And I continue to offer her bits of everything we eat at every meal on her tray, just in case she wants to try it.

4. Serve a variety. I always serve a variety of healthy choices, especially if I already know one of the kids doesn't prefer something on the menu. And just so you know, offering "variety" around here is as simple as slicing up an apple or cutting some carrot sticks ~ I don't make multiple amazing recipes for each meal. Far from it.

5. When we have a new dish, everyone tries a bite. If they don't like it, they say, "No thank you" when they are offered a full-serving.  No violent retching or gagging is allowed. There is nothing more disheartening to a busy mama who has sweated in the kitchen over a new recipe, than for children to come to the table and say "Yuck!" I work hard to make wholesome meals, so if a dish doesn't float their boat they can taste it, then decline it politely. That's basic manners.

5. Don't do fast food and don't buy junk. People's tastes tend toward what they usually eat. Therefore, restaurant food and grocery store junk are rare treats around here. Steering away from the drive-through is not only good for the budget, it also helps kids develop a taste for good food. They learn early on that real food really does taste better than junk.

6. Let them grow it, and let them cook it. Children can't resist trying things that they grow and cook themselves!

7. Teach them to be thankful. When we pray at mealtimes, we strive to be truly grateful for the food in front of us. Our trip to Ethiopia gave us some insight into the reality of need in our world.  We saw and touched people who face the challenge every day of having enough food. Frankly, it's shameful for us to feel any way other than thankful for every single bite we have. 

Be Moved

Orphan Sunday is November 8, 2009.

Orphan Sunday from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Chores

A family of five can create lots of dirty clothes. I let it get ahead of me sometimes and soon find Mount Laundry waiting to be scaled in my mudroom. And then there are the dishes. We manage to dirty a sinkful, and then some, every day. It's constant work, keeping things clean around here.

Some days I think "Whew. This is hard. Wouldn't it be nice to have a break from my endless chores?" 

Then I tell myself to GET REAL.

When Love Takes You In

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and turn off the blog background music in the playlist at the bottom. You have to hear this beautiful song by Steven Curtis Chapman. No matter how many times I hear it, the tears still come. Every time.

Hope for Ethiopian Children

Before you watch this clip, please scroll down to the bottom of the page.

In the green playlist box click the volume button to turn off the blog background music.

Holt's Blog

Since our family is learning about Ethiopia right now, I thought I'd share some of our resources with you in the coming weeks. 

One great spot to bookmark is Holt International's Blog. These entries are posted by Holt staff in the field, working to care for children in need all over the world.

The new adoption program in Ethiopia, of which we are a part, is highlighted in several of the posts. You can see photos and videos from Holt's work in Ethiopia and learn about how and why children in crisis come into Holt's care. 

Famine in Ethiopia

This link to an article in Christian Science Monitor details the desperate situation that families in Ethiopia are facing right now. As Americans, we simply can't imagine the agony these parents feel. 

May we be truly thankful that the needs of our children are met tonight, and may we work diligently where God give us opportunities to do His will in His world.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick and in prison and go to visit you?'

The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:34-40

Waiting

Waiting is hard. Waiting in line to check out at the grocery store gets boring. Waiting for a letter or a check in the mail makes us anxious. I've even found myself nervously strumming my fingers on the counter while waiting for the microwave to finish the popcorn. That last 30 seconds really dragged. Yep, waiting is tough.

Turn your sound up and check out these precious little ones who wait.