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1 Month Old

Posted on by Wick

Many “Connected Child” books talk about “Family Age” as the amount of time a child has spent in their forever home. In this regard, Phoebe is officially 1 month old now!! 🙂

It has been an incredible month. There are still new things we experience and understand daily. She is learning English exponentially, and there has been an increase here even in the past few days. (by “Learning English”, I don’t mean you’d understand much of what she says. Rather, I mean 1 out of 10 words might be English-ish.) Our local church family has been an incredible gift, and the time/transition back into work schedule has been extremely gracious – which has helped a ton. We knew this would be work, but we had no idea this. Would. Be. Work. 🙂

This past week, Phoebe attended church for the first time Wednesday night to see her FullSizeRender(1)sisters receive their awards from our church children’s programming. It was obvious she wanted to be on stage with them. Yesterday was her first official Sunday morning worship experience. I’m sure there was some familiarity with it, but also a whole lot of foreign-ness to what was happening still. I can’t imagine what she’s thinking as everyone around her knows her name and is so excited to see her. Her face shows – “I’m not against this, lol, I’m just a little overwhelmed and weirded out.” She enjoys just being with her sisters, and takes her cues from them.

Bedtimes can still be difficult – but hey, they were difficult before bringing her home too! This morning was almost too awesome for me as a father, as all three girls stayed in bed all night long until 6am – and Phoebe cuddled a bit with me this morning as Sarah and I still laid in bed. (By “cuddle” I mean she included me in the playground/jungle-gym she considers her parents’ bodies in bed to be.)

There have been some important moments of struggle: a 45-minute stand off between Phoebe and daddy after she had a meltdown and wanted to leave the room. In French, I reassured her several times, “Daddy is gentle. I love you. Daddy will not hurt you. I will wait for you to be finished crying.” It ended with a long hug that is still burned in my memory. 🙂

Even on nights where we all want to just climb into bed, Phoebe asks for the dependable evening routine of family prayer. When asked if she wants to pray, she often agrees and prays “Jesus thank you. (several unintelligible words and phrases) Aaaaamen.” That about sums up many of our best prayers, eh?

More and more families continue to receive word they can come bring their children home, and we are celebrating with all of them – even as we pray for their struggle in country. We look forward to the day we can say all adopted children have been allowed to go home…and we look forward to the day all children are born into healthy, stable homes even more so!!!

Pray for the DRC, and a peaceful transition of power. Even last week, as John Kerry met with President Kabila – it seems like the same generic rhetoric: “Kerry urges timely/credible elections, Kabila expresses need for funding/logistical support. Both smiled for a picture and went about their day.” Meanwhile the Congolese people need someone to lead them who champions the hopes/causes/needs and rights of the people.

Today as I write this, Sarah and the girls are preparing for a trip to the Amish areas nearby. I can’t even imagine what this girl thinks of her new home country. We watched some videos last night of our first visit to see her, and the videos included her friends from the orphanage, and foster home, etc. She smiled, and was obviously shy about seeing herself.  She also kept asking where Addie/Sophie/Ruby were, and wanting to watch videos that had her with each of them instead. That seems like a pretty good thing. 🙂

Thank you again for all of your prayers and encouragement, and for celebrating with us – as our family continues to discover its’ new shape and schedule. 🙂

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SHOCKING TRUTH that ALL remaining candidates have in common…

Posted on by Wick

As the pack of candidates thin out, more investigations were made possible.  CIA, and FBI, and MI-6 all have these candidates on their radar, and yet each of them might still be unaware of the shocking truth being revealed today.  Ready for the bombshell?

Each of these candidates is beloved by God.

Gasp.  I know.  It’s true.  They each find themselves shoulder to shoulder with those God has smiled on, and loved enough to enable to bear pointingHis image.  That has important implications for how we are to respond to each of them, and how we might also need to repent of how we’ve responded so far.  The fact is, most political races end up having ugly moments.  A few bits of name calling, and an accusatory tone here and there.  But let’s confess – no matter who you’ve supported or disavowed – this race has not brought out the best in us.

 

Read the words of 1 John chapter 4, and you’ll quickly be reminded that one of the marks of the church was their love.  The response to what is happening in our world is not fear or anxiety, but love.  It is not anger or retributive violence in action or word – but love that will help us to stand out as God’s “image bearers”.

Does this mean we have to embrace all possible leadership candidates with flowers in our hair, and let anyone take the oath who might be interested?  No.

But it does mean we are careful with our words and actions (and retweets).  It means even as we examine policies, determine who might best lead us forward, and discuss these things with others – we are careful to realize even as we critique the lives of others, our lives are being noticed by a world who wonders “Does Jesus make any difference in the lives of those who claim Him?”  The answer should obviously be – YES!

How often have we genuinely prayed for the candidates we disagree with?  Each of these brothers and sisters of ours is under extreme pressure and in a national spotlight.  With very little regard for personal privacy, and with every word they speak or write being critiqued and examined under a thousand unloving microscopes – they need our prayers.  These are mothers, fathers, and grandparents who have entire families who celebrate with their victories, and mourn with their losses.  No matter what happens in 2016 – each of these will go on to laugh and smile at children’s birthday parties, and shed tears at funerals of loved ones.  May we not buy the rhetoric that reduces ANY of them to a 2-dimensional caricature, in an attempt to make it easier to treat/view/speak of them as less than someone loved and valued by God.

1 John 4:20 – “Those who say ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.”

Luke 6:27 – “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”

Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths (or typed/liked/retweeted by your fingers), but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Of course, the list here could go on – especially highlighting the life and words of Jesus himself.  As we continue forward on our journey through Lent this year, we are offered an opportunity here.  May we choose to respond humbly, repenting of how we might have misrepresented the love of God, and offer ourselves to bear His image anew…

 

ps. If your first inclination is to defend unloving words, citing scriptures where God or Jesus showed their anger/disapproval – you may be missing my point.