Dawn of a simple but radical idea- 2 thoughts

I have been reading the book by David Platt called Radical. I shared about Crazy Love last year and this book is right up there as far as encouragement and how I want to live.....The very beginning chapter had 2 thoughts that I wish to share and hope to encourage you with.

Many of you have already read the book and I have read your comments but I thought these 2 thoughts that David shares are very profound for the believer in Christ that I have to share my thoughts as well. First he draws us to a radical faith in a radical savior... and invites us to a radical abandonment to Jesus. Ordinary people living a life that is radically different than those around them even other believers....He desires for us to be serious about taking this journey but mentions 2 preconditions that need to existin order to fully embark on this journey.

First , one has to commit to believe whatever Jesus says. As a Christian he cautions us not to make a mistake to come to Jesus and say, " Let me hear what you have to say, and then I'll decide whether or not I like it." If you approach Jesus this way, you will never truly hear what he has to say. You have to say yes to the words of Jesus before you even hear them. I love this thought....Meaning you love Jesus so much that no matter what words ( the Bible says) you believe them ! Period !

Second, we need to commit to obey what we hear. The gospel does not prompt us to just reflect but the gospel requires a response.....In other words when you hear Jesus- we are compelled to take an honest look at our life, our family and our church and don't just ask what is he saying? but also ask, "What shall I do?" Do is a verb that requires us to act.

He says we must evaluate where true security and safety are found in this world, and in the end we will determine not to waste our lives on anything but uncompromising, unconditional abandonment to a gracious, loving Savior who invites us to take radical risk and promises us radical reward.

This is a journey I intend to walk...anyone else with me ?

No wonder Andrew is still up tonite at 10:20...

After his bath tonite Andrew was in the best mood. He loves movement and so Lily and Cate were letting him jump up and down - over and over...then when they let go he would sort of sign "more". When they finally let him go he was twirling and doing movements like he was break dancing...He was having the time of his life... He was put to bed at 8:30 and we could still hear him...He is the happiest after his afternoon rest time until bedtime... Tonite he was not very happy all morning - some days he is like this but he sure was different tonite. He really misses his jolly jumper. I will have to google to see what I can find for an older child....any suggestions for this for him ?

Happy Birthday Luke "Sky Walker" the man at 9 yrs of age

We had a big and fun nite on the 24 celebrating Luke's 9th b-day. He went to breakfast with Paul and I...and we ate pizza and chips for dinner ( his choice :) . Then we had a "fire camp", watching the 4th Stars Wars movie on the back deck and a camp out...He wanted a Stars Wars party. It is so special to be celebrating each child's birthday. The transformation of this little guy into our 9 yr old has been an amazing journey. We love you buddy.

This is where we found Andrew...

Andrew moves all over our home now... and one day he found our laundry room and the towels. He loves to be held tight and have things around him. He often pulls his shirt over his arms so that his arms hug him. Today he was happy as a lark in the dirty towels...silly boy.

Mady loves Wii

After a short nap with her Uncle Josiah... she was ready for a game of Wii that her other aunts and uncles were playing... Since she needs help sitting they got the Bumbo and away she went... Guess who won ?

Have you ever heard of putting peanut butter on a strawberry pop tart ?

These two- Caleb and Lily thought of the idea of smearing peanut butter on their strawberry pop tarts yesterday at breakfast...Not to diff. than a p and b sandwich....Yummy and made even more healthy with a "completed" protein. In my college nutrition class I remember this term as meaning taking a protein ( usually not meat and adding it to a carbohydrate ) like mac and cheese or peanut butter on bread, milk and cereal- this raises the protein content of the food they eat...Can you tell it is important to me what my kids eat ?

A walk thru our Peace garden in the morning....

These are some of the flowers left blooming in our peace garden.. with the drought, heat and soon coming frost I wanted to take a picture of them before they all die... of course these kiddos were following me and posed too....I am not sure which ones have bloomed the most.... these beautiful flowers or the beautiful children :)

These are the children we have been "collecting"

I have a feeling if any of you had the chance to meet our wonderful children you would wish for them to be in your FAMILY too. Of course my title is being sarcastic... look below and you will understand my posts for today.

Orphan Hoarder- What is that ?

These are 17 of the 19 orphans my husband and I have been accused of hoarding by a fellow adopter :) A person who has struggled and is stuggling with her adopted children. I have know her since she was in Ukriane doing her adoption of these boys... thru emails, phone calls and a yahoo group. I will not reveal most of our personal conversations about her struggles because I do respect her privacy. I have listened to her story and her situation about her adoption. I have read her emails on the yahoo group as well...I do not doubt any of her experiences with these boys at all... I don't even doubt her faith ( as she feels I did ), I don't even doubt her education, or effort in trying to help her boys...

She has shared many accounts of what her family has endured ( again I don't doubt them at all) but she generalizes that ALL orphans are like this or ALL orphans will have RAD or ALL newly adopting families will go thru Hell with their adopted children and I adamantly oppose the use of ALL. Because in ALL of our 19 adoptions we have not walked the journey she has. We have not struggled in the areas she did or does and we certainly have had way more positive experiences with ALL of our adopted children than she has ( and just figuring the statistics of that it is amazing).

She also chooses to sign off her posts in ways to me that seem flipant and uncaring to anyone elses differing opinions... She will say , "Don't bother replying or flaming me" Which makes readers think "Only what she feels is important" and Only what she has experienced is important. She also will sign her posts , "Blessings to all of you! :0 We are blessed to be a blessing, and it has been my genuine blessing-to share this journey of faith with you! Rev. -----

Again I don't doubt her faith or her Rev. credentials at all... I just expressed that I feel offended when someone who signs there "job" title on a support group as well as, are we suppose to throw some form of credibility towards her words because she is a pastor. I just think if you are sharing the way that she wrote about adoption it would be a much better witness and reality to not have this on your post. I am not saying that she should not share her experiences which have been very horrible...not at all. Families who are beginning to adopt should hear and know about all families experiences... and we ALL have diff. ones. Some of us have been blessed to not go thru the struggles like other families have. I would never generalize that everyone has to "do it my way" or that ALL orphans are like my children...

Now as to why I am even addressing this.... This person publicly attacked me and my family on a very large yahoo group. I realize that this woman is hurting and needs help... We have prayed for her and I have even shared my phone number and time with her. I will not allow someone who is a Rev. or any other title spew her poison at me or my husband or my children... You may be in a state of depression, despair and pain but that does not give you the right to say the things you did. My husband and I have been childhood sweethearts and have been married only to each other ever- now for 33 almost 34 yrs... We do not hoard orphans we happily and sometimes painfully give birth to all of our children either thru my own womb or our hearts....We are a family who happens to function well as a large, mega family called by the Lord to love especially orphans but all children. If we do "explode" it is with joy and fulfillment at doing the Lord's will. I also never even think of "herding" my children thru their class day... I am also a certified- home school teacher with a BS college degree. I do not "handle" my children but help them to learn, expressing themselves as the valued children of the Lord's that they are... I would prefer if you did not pray for us or even bother "thinking" up suggestions to our lives... We are a functional family who has our struggles but we have a strong church, family and others who support us.. and most importantly a strong faith that we are doing just what the Lord called us to do. I don't run on adrenaline - my love comes unending from the only giver of this type of love- JESUS . Nothing manmade or emotional- He alone can share this type of love with anyone who asks and then maybe you would be able to understand How we love ALL of these children.

I wake up to this "Hoard" every morning :)

This is just part of the kids I get to wake up to every morning... and I love it. Some would call them a hoard of kids... we call them our family..but more on this later :)

Update on the escaped convict or not....

Some have asked and so I thought I would share what I know. The answer to : Have they caught him yet... is no. On Friday of last week we decided to return to "normal"... whatever that is :) Except we are more careful about locking our doors and being outside. Funny how you go thru something like this and it makes you more aware of things and how unsafe it can be. When I went to our pediatricians on Monday with Naty and Rachel for their check ups the nurse there was telling us about another situation about 40 min. from us a few yrs. ago... Another escaped convict was on the loose and broke into her great uncle and aunt's home when they let the cat out... It was horrible she said and they never really got over it....So for now I feel like I am being over cautious with the kids but I can't be any other way....Teaching the kids to be more careful... things like when a stranger's car drives into our driveway than come inside immediately to me if I am not outside with them. Do not ever get close to the car... and never go off of our property...We do not live in an unsafe area...but these things can happen anywhere.

These kids sure love their dogs...

Lily and Mya covered Willi and Katy up while they were sleeping... They love to love on them and the dogs love all the attention.

Invasion of the bugs...

Even though we have had lots of stink bugs this fall ( because of the extreme heat and no rain they say) we have lots of grasshoppers too. This one was spotted on the front door until he/she decided to hop off the door. I remember boys catching them and throwing them on girls at school... they don't hurt you but I don't like when they surprise me either ....