Random thoughts during an election season …

October 25, 2012 Leave a comment

Some things I believe and have been wanting to say …

(I sent this to my friend Dr. Rob Buchanan for his review … some of this comes up in our weekly get togethers.  His comments are included)

  • I believe Jesus is the King of Kings and that His kingdom will continue no matter what happens in elections.
  • I believe Mormonism is a cult (definition: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents) … in other words, I believe it is a religion that has embraced SOME, but strayed in too many ways from the orthodox tenants of Christianity… and that anyone who is, or has been a bishop in Mormonism is deceived about spiritual things.
  • I believe that someone who is not a Christian can be president of the U.S. and that God can still accomplish his purposes.  (We have surely had MANY men in the white house who were not in a personal relationship with Jesus!)
  • I believe that it was wrong for BGEA to remove their list of cults for he sake of politics or “the greater good”.
  • I believe that the United States of America is NOT now a “Christian nation” (even though we were clearly founded by men who believed in God and founded our nation on the basis of His word.)
    • Thoughts from Rob …re a Christian nation, I think I understand what you mean, we certainly are not a Christian nation, but I think the underpinnings of our Judeo-Christian heritage are still there (I know you agree with this as well) – I think the real concern should be, first of all how the Christians are living for Christ, or not – and how we can share the love of Jesus with those in our nation who don’t know the Lord (again, I think this is what you mean in that point).
  • I believe Christians should vote! (As should all U.S. Citizens)
  • I believe God is grieved when we (Especially evangelical Christians) put so much energy and concern into politics.
    • Suddenly, so many have a prophetic word.
    • Suddenly, preachers are preaching “political sermons” and sending them to the IRS?
    • Suddenly, everyone is calling prayer gatherings (Our own church is currently in a 21 day prayer period)
    • Suddenly, everyone is fasting and declaring THIS IS THE TIME …
    • I believe the church gets too worked up during election cycles … as if it is in the elections that we REALLY make a difference.
    • Thoughts from Rob on the urgencies of this election:
      • 1 – economic, we are truly hurting and headed for disaster, evangelical Christians are voting for a better economic approach (would we vote for a wicken, a satanist if it meant a better economy?  maybe not, BUT…
      • 2) culturally, ideologically Obama is so far left liberal that it’s scary… (Mormonism is a cult, but it’s one that promotes/teaches good moral ethical behavior.  I think one of the real ironies in all of this is that the mormon has better morals than the vast majority of “Christian” politicians out there…the motivation, albeit, may simply be their belief system that is works based, BUT still, good morals…_)
  • I believe people are hurting every day of every year and are in need of their savior, Jesus.
  • I believe that some genuine Christians will vote for each candidate.
  • I believe that God can sort through it all and does not need us to define which vote is truly Christian.
  • I believe that God’s story is going to continue to HIS purposes no matter who’s in the White House
  • I believe that Christians should ALWAYS be active in the political process.
  • I believe that God is able, and I put my eternal hope and trust in Him, in His Son, and in His plan for America, for the Church and for our Families!

God, I pray that in all of this, you will be glorified … that men, women, boys and girls will turn our hearts to You and many will receive you as Lord and Savior!

P.S.  IF there are any comments … I probably won’t respond here … I also happen to believe that “conversations” held through blog “comments” are rarely fruitful and I believe it is just fine for you to not hold the same beliefs I have … just needed to get these off my chest.

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Filed under Definitely ... other stuff, Politics, Prayer and Fasting

My Learning Curve: Never Give in… (Re-post from “A Bushel and a Peck”)

December 7, 2011 Leave a comment

I wrote this post months ago, and it sat in my “Drafts” folder as I contemplated whether I should post it.  I read it again last week and the timing was perfect because I was discouraged at the moment, and weary, and feeling like life was just harder than I could manage.  My own words smacked me right in the face. I must have been very fired up when I wrote this – that’s all I can say.  If you think you are ready, read on.

When we adopt children from “hard places,” we are willingly devoting our lives to a challenge.  We must prepare ourselves for battle, not with our child, but for our child.  We may find ourselves fighting for her physical health, emotional health, and mental health. Without a doubt we will be fighting a spiritual battle like none other.

This is not a battle against flesh and blood, but a spiritual battle for our children’s healing and wholeness.  But you and I both know who will win this battle – who has already won it – the Lord Jesus.  He placed your children in your family and my children in mine, and He does not make mistakes.  I don’t mean that in a trite “greeting card” way – He is the Lord of the universe and He is sovereign and good.  He loves us and He loves our children who come to us with broken hearts and bodies.

We may be hurt in the process.  Our hearts will be wounded by burdens we never imagined we would face.  Our bodies may be hurt as we love a raging child.  Our minds will be easily led down a road of anxiety over the future.  Sadly, our other children may also suffer and we will need to protect them and heal their wounds as the home they once knew is changed before their eyes.

But, this is it, this is the battle we have been called to fight and we cannot fight it alone; we need to gather people around us.  We need friends who love us and our children and who understand the significance of this hard work .  We need fellow adoptive parents to encourage us and remind us of the value of our calling. We need friends who will not only pray but bring dinner on long therapy days; friends who will support us when we feel we cannot go on.  And we need the Church, the Body of Christ, to shelter us and be our “safe place,” the place where we can always go when there is nowhere else to turn.

When our days are very challenging, we may cry out to God and ask him, “How long? How long will we struggle?”  I don’t know the answer, but I can tell you that our first adopted children arrived home over 4 ½ years ago.  Dimples is making significant progress, but it has been 54 months, two weeks and 3 days of working toward her healing, which we are seeing slowly happen.  There is no quick fix, and if we are hoping there is we will be sorely disappointed.  This is a marathon, not a sprint.

When I am weary, familiar phrases from God’s Word bring me encouragement.  We are running a race.  This world is not my home.  God heals the brokenhearted. But today, the words that come to me time and time again are those of Winston Churchill,

Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never–in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.

This is what I need to hear today.  Never give in – never yield to force or to what may appear to be the overwhelming might of the enemy.  When we wake in the morning unsure if we can make it through another day of parenting our special children, we must remember that the Lord will give us the strength to do the work He has called us to do. When we are tempted to give up the fight, we must stay in the battle believing the promises of our God who will strengthen us.

To our children we must say, “I will fight for you.  I will never give in –  never, never, never, never.  You are mine, you are precious.  You are of such great worth that Jesus died for you.  You are worth weeping  for, praying for, sacrificing for; I love you and I will not let you go.”

After all, there is One who has fought for us, wept for us, prayed for us, and even died for us.  He loves us and He will not let us go.

Note: Are there times when “convictions of honor and good sense”  bring us to a place where we cannot continue the fight for our child?  Yes. This not a message to those parents and is in no way meant to judge them.  If you have been released by God to seek other options for your child – I pray for grace for your family in this difficult journey.

#481 – 490 giving thanks

Noah taking the girls to school so Russ can keep working and I can stay home

birds flocking to our birdfeeder

Eby lying on his bed during Quiet Hour watching the birds from his window

Rusty helping me with a creative Christmas project

the sun coming up as I write – orange, pink, deep blue

three candles lit on the kitchen counter

Samuel working with the youth at church

Ladybug’s amazing good attitude

medications that keep my children alive – a miracle of medical science

a new week, just beginning, and all that it will hold

(p.s. One more thing – my apologies for the Deepak Chopra ad that keeps appearing in my sidebar.  I have emailed BlogHer three times asking them to remove it.  This is the first time they have not responded when I’ve made a request regarding removing an ad.  I will contact them again today.)

Encourage one another,

Lisa

Filed under Adoption

The Nitty Gritty of Adoption (Repost from ‘We Are Grafted In”)

December 5, 2011 Leave a comment

The Nitty Gritty of Adoption

When we first announced our plans to adopt, many (though not all) of the responses we received were…shall we say…less than ecstatic. We weren’t expecting the same thrills and cheers that people receive when they announce when they’re pregnant. But, when sharing something that has begun to consume your heart receives a negative response, it stings a little bit.

This pic was our initial announcement.

To those who have never thought about adoption and have only been educated about it through the nightly news, it can be a foreign concept that stirs up feelings of risk, danger, impracticality, and fear. Why would you adopt when you can have biological children of your own? What if your adopted child is mean to your biological child? Why would you put your family at risk for something difficult when your life is so easy right now? You’re adopting from Africa, does your adopted child have a communicable illness? Are you sure having an interracial family is a good idea? (Just look at a current family picture for the answer to that one.) How can you love an adopted child the same as a biological child? You’re going to have all girls…doesn’t your husband want a biological son to carry on his name?

We’ve spent a lot of time defending our decision to adopt and will probably continue to do so. We realize it’s not something that everyone does and the unknown can be very scary for some. Not only is adoption changing our lives, but it’s changing the lives of our friends and family. Even though we are the ones who made the choice to adopt, our decision impacts many people. That can take awhile to come to terms with.

So why are we doing it?

To sum it up, we’re adopting because Christ loved us first and has adopted us into His family and kingdom. He has been to those dark, sick, nitty gritty places over and over and over again. I’m not talking about orphanages. I’m talking about places like my own heart. Had I seen the depths of my heart before I was rescued by Christ, I would have considered myself unadoptable because of the sickness in me. But Christ fought for me because I am worth it to Him. Love hopes and believes all things. We know that adoption won’t be easy. This will very likely be the most difficult thing we will ever do in our lives, but we are not afraid because the greatest glory and treasure often comes out of the greatest struggle. There will be challenges, sleepless nights, rebellion, bitterness, feelings of not belonging, doctor’s visits, inappropriate questions from strangers and friends, bad hairdos, delayed milestones, and much more. There will also be cuddles, laughter, new traditions, milestones reached, birthdays, “gotcha day” celebrations, 3 cultures to honor, shared clothing, sleepovers, and unconditional love and commitment.

We are not afraid.

We are not looking for easy lives.

We are looking for glory, hope, redemption, and love in every corner and crevice because our Creator God has placed it there. We’re not about the practical. We’re about the impractical, incomprehensible, wild and ridiculous love of our great Redeemer who has led us from brokenness and pain into His restored and delivered heavenly family.

To get to the point, we’re adopting, not in order to avoid challenges and risks, but to call out love and hope in the dark and difficult places. It’s there and we will not give up, because we were not given up on.

________________________________________

Sarah Pascual

Sarah Pascual lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Jonathan and sweet 16 month old daughter, Aurora. Sarah works for a non-profit and Jonathan is the best stay-at-home dad ever. They began their adoption adventure in March 2011 when God opened their eyes to the millions of African children needing a family. Their initial plan was to adopt one child under age 2, but God enlivened their hearts to a set of 3 1/2 year old twin girls they are hoping to bring home within the next few months. Their journey is a road of grace, thankfulness, adventure, and love. You can follow their adoption journey here.

Filed under Adoption

Confessions of a Sorry Father (Re-post)

October 12, 2011 Leave a comment

And another excellent post from someone else’s blog today.  I find the information at “Empowered to Connect” to be excellent, biblical, sound parenting advice for all those desiring to stay connected with their children.  Today, “Confessions of a Sorry Father” speaks of the times when we blow it and simply say things, or do things that disconnect us from our kids.  Fathers especially, I encourage you to take a moment to read the post and ask the Lord to speak to our hearts.  Then watch as Dr. Karyn Purvis explains why it is important for parents to repair their mistakes, and how repair can actually encourage growth and strengthen the relationship between parent and child.

I want to be a good father. I even like to think I work pretty hard at it – certainly much harder than I ever imagined I would. But despite my best intentions and in spite of all of my efforts, I am still a pretty sorry father at times. Sorry as in bad, rotten and no good. I can think of some other ways to say it, but I think you get the picture.

Take this morning for example. Mornings before school can be dicey in general, but for the most part we have our routine down and we’ve learned – parents and kids alike – how to make things run smoothly. Every once in a while, however, someone decides to mix things up. Maybe it’s because the kids went to bed late or one of them isn’t feeling well. Or maybe it’s for no reason at all, as was the case today. Whatever the reason, my kids need a father that can handle whatever they throw his way. I want to be that kind of father. Not some of the time; all of the time. But today I wasn’t. Today, I was the problem.

It started simply enough – Amy asked Grant (our 9 year old) to take his medicine. It happens every morning. It’s no big deal. But today he didn’t want to – and he made that clear. That happens. I know it shouldn’t, but it does. So I heard what was going on and decided to get involved to “help out.” But somewhere along the way I lost my focus…and then my perspective…and then my way.

In my response I wounded my son’s spirit and damaged our connection. In my attempt to stop disrespect, I was disrespectful. In my attempt to respond to a fear-driven response, I responded in a way that brought about more fear. In my attempt to thwart my son’s bid for control, I was controlling. In my attempt to stop the yelling, I raised my voice. Who am I kidding – I yelled. In my attempt to keep things moving forward, I caused us all (as the other kids watched on) to take a huge step backward.

There is no doubt my son was wrong, but that’s really not the point at all. My litany of wrongs didn’t make his wrong right. Instead, my behavior made everything worse. I was the problem today – and if I am honest, this wasn’t the first time and, sadly, it won’t be the last.

And I know I’m not alone. None other than the Apostle Paul had this very same problem – no, not as a parent, but my real issue is not limited merely to being a sorry father. My issue is that I am imperfect, woefully so at times, and I live in a world that is imperfect and made up other imperfect people. It is the age old problem of sin and the brokenness that sin has created.

Paul talked about this very plainly in his letter to the church in Rome: “I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary. But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?” (Romans 7:14-25, The Message).

But Paul was not without hope – and neither am I. He continues, “The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2, The Message).

The hope of this truth is that by God’s Spirit I can be empowered to become the kind of father that I long to be…the kind of father my kids need me to be. Because of what Christ has done and is doing, I have access to the source of strength and power that can equip and enable me to handle this and every situation in a way that shows love, builds connection and leads my children in the way of the Master. So this is the hope that I find comfort in today, even as I wrestle with the guilt and shame that rolls over me like waves.

Once we both calmed down, Grant and I were able to begin to repair our connection before he left for school. And frankly, I cannot wait to get home today to continue that healing process. I think maybe we will take a walk after baseball practice and I will explain to him (again) that I love him deeply, even though I make mistakes and don’t always show it like I should. I think I will ask him again to forgive me for each offense – my anger, my yelling, my frustration and disrespect – and ask him if we can start over. And I know what he’ll say. After all, we have lots of experience with second chances and trying again in our family.

Filed under Parenting

“SPD Meltdown” – Re-post from “We Are Grafted In”

October 12, 2011 Leave a comment

The following is a re-post from the blog “We Are Grafted In“, which is a compilation of excellent posts about the joys, trials, and challenges of adoption.  SPD refers to a condition called “Sensory Processing Disorder”. Jean Ayres, PhD, likened SPD to a neurological “traffic jam” that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly.

Many adoptive parents find themselves facing SPD and wondering what they have done wrong.  SPD is not limited to adopted or foster children.  The following post, from adoptive mother Stacey Richards describes it well.  For families facing this issue, emotional strain can be great.

Here is the post:

She starts crying…lots of stiff, foot stomping crying…crying “mommy, mommy, hold me.” It’s the beginning of a meltdown. Of course, I immediately bend down and scoop up my precious crying babe. But, what’s different about this cry? The cause? It’s sensory processing disorder. It’s a cry and pain that cannot be comforted, a cry that can’t be stopped, a cry that the more you try to comfort and soothe, the more intense and raging it becomes, a cry that is actually more like a blood curdling scream, a continual scream that will only stop when her body has fully let it all out. SPD is holding her hostage in her own body.

I pick up my crying babe just for her to start screaming, “don’t touch me, put me down.” I put her down. She changes her screams of “put me down” to “I want to hold you…hold me, hold me” and this goes on for at least 40 minutes, sometimes much longer. We sit in a chair as she screams and kicks, fighting me, fighting herself the entire time, her body is extremely tight, rigid, stiff. She clings to me for dear life and pushes me away at the same time. We try walking around but it’s extremely difficult to carry her because of the intense kicking. The love that a mama normally pours out for her hurt child–the singing, the caressing, the holding, the kissing, the whispers, the beautiful loving–actually causes my girl to spiral even deeper.

She kicks violently, she slaps my legs until they are red, she frantically rubs her feet together until they are raw and almost bleeding. I try to protect her. I try to hold her feet, separate her feet, anything to keep her from rubbing them together. But, her adrenaline is raging. The child who has hypotonia is just about stronger than her mama. The more I try to stop her, the more persistent and focused she becomes in rubbing her feet. The more I ask her to stop kicking and flopping her legs all over, the more she flails, the more she screams “don’t touch me, hold me, put me down, I want you.”

This will only end when her body, her brain, and neurological system will let her rest, when her disorganized little body can calm long enough to get her grounded.The screaming, kicking, feet rubbing, stomping, pushing, slapping is starting to fade. Her body is exhausted and will finally let her rest. She collapses on my shoulder and her SPD cry turns into an exhausted weep.

It’s over; the meltdown is done. She will weep for a few moments, sit up, and carry on like nothing ever happened. I can still see the exhaustion in her eyes. But, for now, her body is at peace and communicating properly. She hums and skips around as if all is well.

But, this mama doesn’t forget. This mama grieves for the deep, internal wounds my baby girl carries, for her disorganized little insides. This mama grieves that no matter how much I try to comfort her during these times, the more pain it causes her.

Lord, continue to heal our miracle girl, the precious babe you fashioned and created to be our girl, the precious babe you had us fight for, the sweet girl that we are still fighting for. Equip us to help her heal. Show us everything she needs and how we can help her. Amen.

________________________________________

Please visit Stacy’s blog to read 4 Years Living With Sensory Processing Disorder about how they discovered their daughter had SPD and how they have walked through it medically. It’s worth your time. Truly.

Filed under Adoption

Info on “Feast of Trumpets” (Yom Teruah aka Rosh Hashanah) This Friday Evening

September 29, 2011 Leave a comment

From Following the Ancient Paths Blog

Yom Teruah, or the Feast of Trumpets, is the day that is marked on most calendars as Rosh Hashanah. Yom Teruah means “Day of Shouting” and can refer to the shout of a trumpet or a voice. It’s a day of remembrance and shouting, or Zicharon Teruahmeaning remembrance shouting. It is a day to hear the sound of the shofar or a trumpet, it is a day to make a joyful noise unto the L-RD! For if we don’t praise Him the very rocks will cry out in our place. The cries of the trumpet or shofar on Yom Teruah serve as a warning cry for us to wake up and repent, to be prepared for YHVH. Yom Teruah is the first day of the seventh month, so it takes place on Rosh Chodesh Tishri – the new moon – the beginning of the month of Tishri. This is the first celebration of the fall festivals. 10 days later is Yom Kippur and 5 days after that is Sukkot.

In Scripture you can find references to Yom Teruah in these locations: Leviticus 23:23-25, Numbers 10:1-2, 10:10, 29:1-6, Nehemiah 8:2-3, 8:8-12.

The month before Yom Teruah is a season of repentance, spiritual awakening and preparation for the fall festivals. Yom Teruah begins a traditional 10 day period between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement. These days are called the Days of Awe. Then we have the highest holy day of the year – the day the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for all of Israel. This is a solemn time to be sure. Then Sukkot is the time that it is expected that Yeshua the Messiah was born. It is a time to remember living in temporary dwellings on the road from Egypt to Israel, it is a time to remember that the G-d of Heaven came to tabernacle among us. It is a time to remember that our earthly tabernacles are temporary and that He is preparing for us heavenly bodies to last us for all of eternity. The fall festival season is powerful!

Back to Yom Teruah. This is a day that is referred to as a day that no man knows because it is Rosh Chodesh and it means we must be watchful of the signs. Today we have computers and programs that will tell us when the new moon will be visible. Way back when they knew too because they watched the skies. But have you ever noticed that some nights there seems to be no moon at all, for a night or two? No man knew if this month would have a one night or a two night “no moon” or how long it would take to actually be able to see the moon. Once the new moon is spotted it signals a new month. Yom Teruah being on Rosh Chodesh has special significance in this way. We are to wait with anticipation for this day to be revealed, just like we wait for the Messiah to return. There is much tradition that says that this is the time that the Messiah is expected to return.

Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanah is celebrated in many homes as the New Year. While it is not the start of the Biblical New Year (it is the 7th month), it is the start of the civil year. It will be the year 5767 according to the traditional calendar when Rosh Hashanah comes this Friday night. This holiday will be celebrated with sweet breads, other sweet foods, apples and honey, and wishes that you be inscribed in the book of life. This year Yom Teruah falls on Shabbat, making it a doubly special Shabbat.

I am going to list a few links to several articles I found this week for further reading.Yom Teruah – The Day of the Awakening Blast, Yom Teruah is a holiday on the 1st day of the Seventh month (Tishrei), Yom Teruah: Day Of The Shofar Blast ,and Yom Teruah are all articles that might be of interest to those who would like to read further.

May you all have a sweet and wonderful Yom Teruah and may your spirit be stirred as you wait for Him. May you make a joyful noise unto Him in praise and worship and may your time with family and friends be blessed. Shabbat Shalom!!

Filed under Uncategorized

Please Pray Today … and Praise God for Adoption Miracles

September 28, 2011 Leave a comment

Two adoption stories for your prayers today.

The first is a call for prayer

for a pending adoption in Uganda … the story, the process, the family involved is amazing … the bottom line is that they need your/our prayers today for a critical meeting with the birth mother of one of the two girls they are in Uganda to adopt.

Cheaper By the Dozen Image

The second is a call to praise God

for his miracles and for the amazing ways He uses to bring and sustain life.  Please read the latest update on this little boy who was just recently brought home from China.

As you think of both of these situations, please continue to pray for God’s heart for the orphan to be embraced by the church overall and by you and me specifically.

Filed under Adoption

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