A Little Child Will Lead Them

"Mom, at the last minute I put dollars in the bag." Julia softly and carefully shared her act of bold love from the back seat. "You did?" "Yup. I put a 10, a 5, and a 1...that's, let's see, 16 dollars." So it was her all along.

Our director issued a lost change challenge to help with the cost of our dear friend's adoption. Our whole Classical Conversations community brought in loose change to contribute. At the end of the day we were counting it, and folks were commenting on the dollars in our bag. I wasn't paying much attention to much and had no idea where the dollars came from, but knew it wasn't me. I brought change. It was a competition so we were all laughing that someone broke the rules. Our community raised a whopping $339.00 to bring little Zoe Amaris home and I certainly think that's nothing to sneeze at. That was, predominately change! Then the dollars.

I wasn't sure what to say. I felt like she had been so kind and selfless. It's not like she gets money everyday, we're certainly not handing it out! "What made you want to put dollars in at the last minute, Jules?" She was gazing out the window and almost whispered, "Well, I put some change in, and it wasn't that much and something just didn't feel right." In my minds eye I can see her reaching into her little wallet, her little savings to participate in a cause that she believes in. Bringing a little one home. Where did she get that sort of generosity? I didn't even feel like I could be proud...because I didn't do anything. I felt humbled that I get to be a part of her life. Honestly, I felt like I had to give her money back or repay her or something. But, wouldn't that totally undo the work that God began? Doesn't He say that all the believers came together and gave all that they had so that no one was without. She commented that when we meet Zoe for the first time she'll know that she played a part in bringing her home. Imagine that day. When that entire family is united for the first time and all of the people that will rally around so full of love because we've been talking about her, calling her by name...loving her before we even laid eyes on her. And Julia just wanted to be a part of that. How about you?

This weekend we were part of a Trot to Adopt fundraiser and I totally dropped the ball and neglected to get sponsors and while I was standing in this crowd of excited families I thought, "I robbed folks." There are bigger things going on around us. Bigger than my piles of laundry and my little broken and dirty world. There are families to be put together...children to be brought home. Chairs to be filled and beds to be "tucked in." So, for those of you who would like to contribute to the Wilkerson's, please head over via the link below and chip in. Maybe all you have is change...it adds up. Maybe you have some dollars...those add up too. They have been on this journey for a long time and have asked a lot of people. So, I'm asking you. Maybe you would rather give to someone that you know, so that you can,like Julia see the little one and share in their life knowing that you played a small part. I just want to encourage you to share. Jesus will certainly make up the difference.

This is the the link, I was told that the donation part will be up for a week.

This is a link to Audrey's blog with a sweet little video with the big brothers hoping to bring their sister home...SOON!
Have a great day!!!

He loves me.

I remember when I realized that he loved me better than I loved him and when I finally found rest in that fact. I knew that he would love me like Jesus loved the Church. Selfless and beautiful even though my heart was wounded and incomplete. My heart was still tangled with another love. A young love that was strong and real. He loved me knowing that he wasn't my first love. He loved me knowing that the ghosts in this town sometimes bump into my life, catching me off guard and throwing me off kilter. Then there was the breakthrough. The confession that set me free and changed my view of marriage. I shared that I had been, for 5 years, silently mourning the loss of my best friend. The relationship that God called me to lay down and never pick up again broke my heart. He listened to me cry and pulled me even closer. How bold is his love? How is that possible? Since that time we have welcomed more babies and more adventures and still he loves me better. He is kinder and gentler and more generous when he scoops ice cream. He is tender when I am bruised and firm when I am doubtful. He laughs with me and trusts me. So, today when the dog rolled in poop...AGAIN, I thought, "I'll let Mike deal with that when he comes home." It caught me. Really? He's been gone all day, I'm going to dinner with friends and I'm going to leave him with the 4 kids and a poopy dog? After all he has done to love me well? So, I will bathe the dog and something else...everyday he eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and for the most part he makes that himself. He doesn't love packing his own lunch. Neither do I. Couldn't I do that, though? Couldn't that small act of kindness show the man of my life that I'm thinking of him. When he comes home and finds his sandwich made and ready, would that bless his heart? More importantly, would that lead to greater acts of kindness that would preserve my marriage and our love for one another? I bet it could. I bet it will. So, along with other random resolutions I will make one in particular. I will pack his lunch. I will not let go first when he stops me in the kitchen to hug me and tell me that he loves me. I will not believe that anything is more important that the institution of marriage. I will receive his sweet and unconditional love. Have you seen marriages crumble around you? I have. Have you seen the enemy's attach on the Church in this area? We are hardly different than the rest of the world. How about you? Any small acts of kindness that will communicate how thankful you are for the man God gave you? The world is watching us. Waiting to see a difference. Let's give it something to talk about!