"It's an admirable thing you're doing."
"Oh, he will be SO blessed! He has no idea!"
Those words were spoken to me in the past day or two. Countless other sentiments like that have been shared with us over the past 8 months. Something inside me gets uncomfortable when I hear it, and I'll share more about that when I have more time. But, the overwhelming feeling I have when I hear those well-intentioned words is... "We're not rescuing him, he's rescuing us!" Or it could be that in some ways we're rescuing each other.
What is he rescuing me from? Among other things... from a life that's increasingly becoming more about "me" as my kids get older. From the temptation to not stretch myself or avoid effectively communicating with someone who speaks another language. From a hard heart. From complacency. From blending in and feeling comfortable doing so. From parenting within my "comfort zone." From being not as "fun" a homeschool teacher as I used to be. From avoiding grief (when I have a Savior Who modeled otherwise). He's rescuing me from missing out getting to know a huge part of God's heart. He's rescuing me from these and SO many other things.
I'm heading out the door this morning... but I just had to link this wonderful article written by a friend of ours who just joined the staff of World Orphans:
We Need The Orphan As Much As The Orphan Needs Us
It's a wonderful thing Minte's doing.
We will be SO blessed. We have no idea.
5 comments:
I loved this post, Cindy. And you are so right. Adoption blesses both parties with a double portion.
Congratulations on your new son! What a blessing! I just found your blog. We are also a homeschooling Christian family and we are preparing to bring home our 8/9 year old daughter from ET. She will be our second adopted, but fifth child. Enjoy your trip. It is such an amazing experience. I can't wait to go back.
I just stumbled upon your blog today. We live in Saskatchewan, Canada and have been waiting close to 14 months for our referral of siblings under 36 months. It's been a long road! And we hope it begins its new chapter very soon. Beautiful post, I couldn't have said it better myself (well, I know I couldn't have). Congratulations on your new addition!
Rhonda
www.rkturgeon.blogspot.com
Mhm, I agree 100%, and I received similar comments when I went to africa. I couldn't help but think, "It's not about me or what i'm doing, it's about what HE is doing with me and through me."
Reminds me of this Oswald Chambers quote:
“The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and “the lilies of the field”— simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us.
If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live— yet you will be unaware, on the conscious level of your life, that you are being used of Him.”
It was good to briefly see you last night. I'm continually praying for you and your sweet family.
-Elizabeth
hello, i just 'found' you off another blog and just had to stop by after reading your profile! 'YES' to our Lord!! thanks for that encouraging, wonderful idea..to just wake up saying 'yes Lord'.
we're in saskatchewan, too, waiting, ok, 'only' 3.5 weeks for our referral of sibs from Eth. :) I'll be back to read back in your story-I can tell I'll enjoy it alot. God bless you this day. darci, homeschooling mom to 3 'soon' to be 5 (am I CRAZY??)
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