hands and feet...

I was writing a letter to a new friend recently telling her a bit about our family when I realized I hadn't shared this on my blog so I thought I would step out and let the pieces fall where they may...

We have 5 kiddos- 2 adopted from China. We started in foster care before we adopted and finally had to step away after having 2 placements fall through on the eve of the children's arrival...it was VERY hard on my other kids and we made the painful decision to step back for a bit until they were older....it seemed, at the time, like we were a pawn in the system--a way to threaten bio parents to straighten up or else...

But I am still involved in the system by serving on a judicial panel that reviews cases and works with families to either bring them back together or find permanent loving homes for the children. HONESTLY-Every time I go--(once monthly) I am wrung out for the day and swear I am resigning before my next meeting...but Jesus keeps calling me back and I love following the success stories of both families that work things out and follow their case plans AND the ones that end up with TPR and find wonderful families. I keep thinking we will meet a child in need of us in either a big way or small way. I volunteer with the sweetest women and they set a wonderful example for me and how I can get involved...helping to pay for art lessons, donating books to a voracious reader, etc.

My heart is always called back to His children. When extra money comes in- I think of ways to save for another adoption or sponsor a child or send supplies to an orphanage. I really want to be open to God's plan for my family and not just do what's "COMFORTABLE". I want God to show up BIGTIME so I can point to Him & sing his glories but I also know sometimes God shows up in small ways and that is where my familiy is right now: daily doing the small things like praying and studying His word, doing mission projects with my church, smiling at strangers in the grocery store, counseling a couple on adoption, giving a kind word to a depressed friend, changing the stinky diapers of my 3 year old, giving a snuggle to the 4 year old who is getting on my last nerve with her neediness(just being honest), being patient with the 15 year old learning to drive, modeling kindness for my 11 & 13 year olds so they will be kinder to eachother (argh!). And thanking my Jesus when He shows up each and every time in those situations...because he does--he cares about all those seemingly mundane things!

So I challenge you to be the hands and feet of Jesus- you do not have to adopt a child from China or homeschool or be a foster parent...you just have to reach out or be available to God's calling in your every day life...listen for him...I certainly get it wrong A LOT. But I am trying to get it right more often.