In this time of differing opinions, lets remember:
Jesus honored the dignity of people whether he agreed with them or not. Power smothers love. Politics draws lines. Jesus's love crosses lines. Love and humility must be part of activism.
This is either a paraphrase or quote and I'm not sure who it came from, but I'm guessing Philip Yancey.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Quotes of the Day
1. Let me preface this quote with my own opinion that God often allows painful things to happen, but seldom causes it. No matter how we find ourselves in a painful position, God can use it to our improvement and benefit in His will.
"Something painful happened to me. This is how I met it. I was quiet for a while with the Lord, and then I wrote these words for myself:
First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place: In that fact will I rest.
Next, He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace as His child.
Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He needs to bestow.
Last, in His good time, He can bring me out again--how and when only He knows. Let me say I am here first, by God's appointment; second, in His time; third, under His training; and fourth, for His time."
Dr. V. Raymond Edman, late president of Wheaton College
2. And along the same lines:
"The flame shall not hurt you
I only design
Your dross to consume
And your gold to refine."
From the hymn: How Firm a Foundation
"Something painful happened to me. This is how I met it. I was quiet for a while with the Lord, and then I wrote these words for myself:
First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place: In that fact will I rest.
Next, He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace as His child.
Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He needs to bestow.
Last, in His good time, He can bring me out again--how and when only He knows. Let me say I am here first, by God's appointment; second, in His time; third, under His training; and fourth, for His time."
Dr. V. Raymond Edman, late president of Wheaton College
2. And along the same lines:
"The flame shall not hurt you
I only design
Your dross to consume
And your gold to refine."
From the hymn: How Firm a Foundation
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
QUOTES OF THE DAY
1. "Children spell love with four letters: T-I-M-E."
From Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado
2. "Power, no matter how well intentioned, tends to cause suffering. Love, being vulnerable, absorbs it. In a point of convergence on a hill called Calvary, God renounced one (power) for the other (love)."
From The Jesus I Never Knew (one of my all-time most clarifying books about who Jesus was) by Philip Yancey
From Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado
2. "Power, no matter how well intentioned, tends to cause suffering. Love, being vulnerable, absorbs it. In a point of convergence on a hill called Calvary, God renounced one (power) for the other (love)."
From The Jesus I Never Knew (one of my all-time most clarifying books about who Jesus was) by Philip Yancey
Thursday, July 16, 2009
The Less Serious Me
If your looking for something a little more light hearted, see my blog listed at the right (Sidetracked by my Life). I refer to these as my fun and serious blogs. My daughter calls them my right and left brained blogs.
Done without a single injury
These pictures will make you wonder.
Lucky for them we were shooting with cameras
Done without a single injury
Someone needed to teach them to crow and cluck
Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How do your brussel sprouts grow?
A loner or ostracized?
Tired and guilty
Why all the squawking, Hawk?
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Pray for and Act on the Behalf of Young Children
I am becoming more and more aware of cases where young children in foster care are not being appropriately considered in placement. Too many times, with little to no consideration to what is best for the children, they are returned to biological parents who have demonstrated poor choices in every aspect of their lives with little to no evidence of any improvement in those judgment skills. In our state, many cases have come to light recently where biological parents proved in fatality causing behaviors to not have instincts to protect and care for their own children.
Not only are many judges prone to favor reunification of the family, but our own state laws lean in that direction. Here are some cases I have been personally aware of in the last several years.
In cases where divorces occurred due to dangerous and/or inappropriate behaviors, one little girl at the age of 3 described "games" her daddy made her play with him. The courts felt she didn't know what she was talking about (how could she have made up this detailed stuff???) and ruled he should continue to have unsupervised and overnight visits after the divorce. In another case, the father had been hospitalized for mental illness with a history of alcohol abuse. Psychologists testified that he should not have unsupervised visits, but his little girl is grown now and can remember being left in a truck, locked in the parking lot of bars late at night. Not only that, but he was known to always keep a loaded gun in that truck.
More recently, there have been a couple of acquaintance situations involving unmarried parents with severe drug related problems that often landed them with rotating sentences in and out of jail. In one case the out of state aunt and uncle had custody of the 1 and 4 year old while both parents were in jail. After they were out, the kids went back immediately and inspite of social workers reporting drug paraphenalia out in view in the home, the foster aunt and uncle could not get them back. (Crossing state lines complicates things further) The odd ending to that story is that the kids' father was killed in a car accident while under the influence, and the mother moved back to where her sister and family (the foster aunt and uncle) live and cleaned up her act after moving in with them for a while and getting a job. She sites being away from the influence of the people she was "friends" with as being the key for breaking that cycle.
In a current case, the unmarried parents are no longer together and the mother is having her 8th baby out of wedlock while having a drug problem. Two year old twins have been with a foster family since birth and have bonded with not only the parents but extended family and friends. The father, who has a drug history, no job, and living with friends in a tiny trailer has recently emerged and wants the kids now. This judge is said to have a hisory of always favoring biological parents. Letters have been written requesting consideration be given to the needs of the children (rather than biological or foster parents) and what the possible ramifications of this change at this time in their life would have on them long term. Concerns mentioned to the judge also include the need (if there is unification) for the state to educate, support, and supervise these parents as they deal with what is sure to be a difficult transition for the kids as well as long term costs into the next generation and beyond if the kids are not properly guided and do not become productive members of society. (It doens't hurt to point out possible future costs to the state) This judge apparently is reviewing the case again as a result and has instructed supervision to focus specifically on the level of bonding between this newly appeared father and the foster parents. I respect him for this reconsideration.
Please keep this current case and the thousands of other unnamed children going through this situation in your thoughts and prayers. Seriously consider writing letters to state legislators and judges. Check for ways you can help with local agencies that provide support as court appointed special advocates (CASA) or other ways to support and fight for these children. We need to show Christ's heart by being His eys, ears, hands, and feet.
Not only are many judges prone to favor reunification of the family, but our own state laws lean in that direction. Here are some cases I have been personally aware of in the last several years.
In cases where divorces occurred due to dangerous and/or inappropriate behaviors, one little girl at the age of 3 described "games" her daddy made her play with him. The courts felt she didn't know what she was talking about (how could she have made up this detailed stuff???) and ruled he should continue to have unsupervised and overnight visits after the divorce. In another case, the father had been hospitalized for mental illness with a history of alcohol abuse. Psychologists testified that he should not have unsupervised visits, but his little girl is grown now and can remember being left in a truck, locked in the parking lot of bars late at night. Not only that, but he was known to always keep a loaded gun in that truck.
More recently, there have been a couple of acquaintance situations involving unmarried parents with severe drug related problems that often landed them with rotating sentences in and out of jail. In one case the out of state aunt and uncle had custody of the 1 and 4 year old while both parents were in jail. After they were out, the kids went back immediately and inspite of social workers reporting drug paraphenalia out in view in the home, the foster aunt and uncle could not get them back. (Crossing state lines complicates things further) The odd ending to that story is that the kids' father was killed in a car accident while under the influence, and the mother moved back to where her sister and family (the foster aunt and uncle) live and cleaned up her act after moving in with them for a while and getting a job. She sites being away from the influence of the people she was "friends" with as being the key for breaking that cycle.
In a current case, the unmarried parents are no longer together and the mother is having her 8th baby out of wedlock while having a drug problem. Two year old twins have been with a foster family since birth and have bonded with not only the parents but extended family and friends. The father, who has a drug history, no job, and living with friends in a tiny trailer has recently emerged and wants the kids now. This judge is said to have a hisory of always favoring biological parents. Letters have been written requesting consideration be given to the needs of the children (rather than biological or foster parents) and what the possible ramifications of this change at this time in their life would have on them long term. Concerns mentioned to the judge also include the need (if there is unification) for the state to educate, support, and supervise these parents as they deal with what is sure to be a difficult transition for the kids as well as long term costs into the next generation and beyond if the kids are not properly guided and do not become productive members of society. (It doens't hurt to point out possible future costs to the state) This judge apparently is reviewing the case again as a result and has instructed supervision to focus specifically on the level of bonding between this newly appeared father and the foster parents. I respect him for this reconsideration.
Please keep this current case and the thousands of other unnamed children going through this situation in your thoughts and prayers. Seriously consider writing letters to state legislators and judges. Check for ways you can help with local agencies that provide support as court appointed special advocates (CASA) or other ways to support and fight for these children. We need to show Christ's heart by being His eys, ears, hands, and feet.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Life Changes
Changes in life and new stages of life can be hard. Although it is my nature and self-expectation to always be joyful and positive, I am learning that it is okay to allow myself to feel sad briefly. In my ideal little world, my kids and all my friends’ kids were going to grow up, have their own little families here, and the get-togethers would continue and grow even larger and more fun. This is one of those cases where expectations did not happen and it is okay to grieve for that loss and then move on. Being an only child means all my family is older and we are gradually missing family members as years go on and this is also difficult.
I share all this to prepare and suggest mothers develop some outside interests that they can pursue as their children grow up. A real key for me also is to spend time with the Lord daily, developing an attitude of gratitude, seeking my joy from that source, and listening for opportunities of service so I can focus outside of myself. While I loved pursuing my interest and passion for education by working toward a doctorate, I don’t see that as a cost effective distraction at this point. I have always liked cooking for big parties and groups, which gave me an outlet for living with a strictly meat and potatoes man. My outlet will be trying recipes with a little for me to eat and my husband to try (maybe he will like something) and taking food to 3-4 people/families who could use meals for a variety of reasons. I may also pursue doing some sewing and other crafty things I enjoyed.
I guess my approach to peace about the empty nest and the occasional underlying sadness is threefold: 1) develop deep roots of joy and a thankful heart with God’s help while taking time to listen to needs of others that He plants in my heart. 2) focus outside of myself on needs of others and things I can do for them. 3) start finding things of interest and trying them and doing things I know I enjoy, but haven’t done for a while.
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