Easter Sunday

Noah was asked to give a short talk to his Bible study class this morning. Thought I would share:

John 20:1-16

When God created man He put man in a Garden - The Garden of Eden must have been a beautiful garden. It was on high ground, with four rivers flowing through it. It had trees and plants everywhere. It also had The Tree of Life and The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In the garden's rivers there was gold. In the ground there was silver. The fruit on all the trees where luscious and good to eat. It was, probably, the most wonderful and beautiful place on earth!

In the garden, Man was able to talk and walk with God. Adam and Eve were able to talk to God face-to-face! Wouldn't it be just amazing to see and talk to God face-to-face?

But after all the gladness, sin enters the world. God said not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but Man disobeyed. Sin is the reason we die. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the tree and sin entered the world and with it death. As a result of this sin we all die. In fact, death is a reality for all living things in this world. And as another punishment they were kicked out of the garden, the most wonderful place on earth!

Winter, more than any other time of year, reminds us of the power that death has in our world. When winter comes the trees start to lose their leaves, the flowers lose their petals, the grass turns brown. Everything loses its beauty and begins to look dead.

That is what sin does to us. We lose our beauty, the beauty of man created in the image of God. The end of this loss of beauty, is that we die.

But we are in the season of Easter, in the season of spring. When I think of Easter, I think of when Jesus was risen from the dead.

What is so special about Easter is that when Easter comes all the plants and trees bloom. In the winter all the plants are dead, but in the spring, they all come back to life. In the bible when I think of plants, I think of the Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden was the place where Man could be with God. He could talk, face-to-face, with God. But since sin entered the world, man has been longing to get back to the garden. To have the face to face communion with God in the garden. To get back into Eden.

So know we see that Jesus' tomb was in a garden. When Mary Madeline saw Jesus she thought he was the gardener of the garden. So, what John is trying to saying to us, is that because of the resurrection of Jesus, Man can be able to walk and talk with God, face-to-face, once again. It can be like we are back in the garden!

So when I think of Easter I think of being dead one day then blooming the next, Jesus death and resurrection and of that sweet taste of chocolate bunnies .

Molly Jones

Today is a day of rejoicing. My beautiful daughter, Molly, has decided to give her life to Christ through baptism. She will be baptized tonight and I have a heart so full that I wanted to take a moment to write down my thoughts.

It is unimaginable to me how great our God is. I think about the sacrifice God made of his Son so that my daughter can live. Can you imagine it? My daughter has promises and blessings unending because of a God who desires a relationship with us. How can I not be full of praise? How can I not fall down in the awe of such a God?

There are few people I have known that are more faithful than Molly. Molly is faced daily with special medical challenges that cause her to rely on her faith. It never fails that in the midst of these challenges, Molly will be the first to say, "I really think we need to pray." She recognizes that it is only through God we can be sustained and she relies on Him in a way that humbles me and encourages my own faith.

For more than six months Molly has talked to Nathan and I about her faith, her hope in Jesus, her desire to be claimed by Him through the act of baptism. We, in our own weaknesses, detered her, but she stayed persistent. In fact, Nathan shared with me today that he feels we have made a huge error in judgement, by asking her to face her challenges without giving her the peace that she will receive by God's cleansing hand, we have added to her burden. We became that one who would be better to have a millstone around our neck, for we prevented OUR little child to come to Him. May we be forgiven. May we now lift her up to Him with boldness and thanksgiving.

As a mother, the dreams and hopes I have for my children abound, but in the end the one thing I desire for them is the peace and comfort that comes from being in relationship with God. Tonight my biggest desire for Molly will be realized and I will be lifting my heart and hands in praise to My God, who is MIGHTY to save.

God in Heaven, There are no words that can properly express the thankfulness, the fulness of joy, the overwhelming love that fills my heart. You, My Father, are extending Your Hands to my beautiful little girl, and my heart cries out, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
Because of Your Son, I rest with peace and hope for my daughter.
Amen.

October 4, 2010

Do you ever find along your journey that your life is so full of moments that are hard to describe but when you add them all together it makes the magic of your life?Our journey is a bit like that right now. There are hundreds of moments passing by. They don't warrant a blog entry, but they are the letters making up my life. They are good. They are bad. They are perfect in their timing and their happening. Much of what is going on in our life is protected by the privacy laws of this government entity or that. I can only write vague generalities about the children who are in our care so I have not been writing much--at least for public viewing. But I feel compelled to tell you not a day goes by I do not see God in the faces of the five children who are placed in my care. There are no nights that pass I don't find myself concerned about their individual futures and their collective happiness. Their tears stain my life walk and their laughter brightens my days. They are doing well, they are growing, they are healthy and for now they are mine.

The truth is I have no idea what the future holds for any of the children. But I have faith in a God who will love them through it all. And I know I am forever changed.

A Case for Dignity

My son Noah is an amazing little boy. There are about a million things I love about him, but I think my very favorite part of him is his compassionate heart. Noah is not much of one to just notice a problem and not want to find a solution and so it is with a little organization he is getting off the ground called A Case for Dignity. You can check out his website ACaseforDignity.blogspot.com. The website was a school project we began at the end of the school year last year and he will actually be making a professional (non blogger) website this year with the help and direction of a friend who knows much more about these things than I.

This year we have found that all things bureaucratic from adoptions to charitable organizations are slow, require a TON of paperwork and work to get you to quit before you get started by their very nature. Not wanting to lose momentum or heart, we chose to ask our church and our family to help us meet our goals. Noah set a goal of 60 bags filled to give to the Cabinet of Family Services to help the kids who will be removed from their home.

Members of our church donated the bags and supplies for 27 bags. My parents and Noah's Uncle Jason and Aunt Andee's efforts put him well over the 60 bag goal. Andee wrote me and let me know that there would be enough bags with the help of their friends to push Noah over his goal. When I told Noah, he stood with his mouth wide open and began to tear up. He was so moved by the support of our family and was so glad his desire to get bags to kids was going to be fulfilled.

There are a lot of good people with giving hearts who are willing to pitch in and help everytime we have asked. There is nothing more faith affirming than to see people so freely giving of themselves, their expertise, their time and their resources.

Noah has been able to sit at the feet of successful business men (Warren Guyer) to learn more about what he needed to do to get bags in bulk, he has sat with skilled artists (Mike Cary) and been allowed to develop a logo for stationary and printed materials. He has been given valuable information on developing and maintaining a user friendly website by a web developer (Matt Robison). He has had a ton of financial and resource support from our friends and our family. How blessed he is.

Mainly I stand amazed at how one little 10 year old boy can have an idea and a God big enough to motivate the hearts of countless people to help children who are desperate for the help. As a citizen of the world and a christian I am so thankful for everyone who is helping to meet the need of those children. But as a Mom, I can not extend enough thanks for everyone who has taught my son, little ideas can make big differences, that there are good people all around you and that with a little faith, God can make very BIG things happen.

My love and appreciation to everyone who is helping Noah with his goals.

A VERY proud Momma.


Prayer for the Day:
Lord, I just want to praise you for all you do and for all the people you have placed in our path. Thank you for making big things happen for A Case for Dignity. May all the good that comes from this endeavor be for your Glory.

Because of Jesus, AMEN

You'ses House

There is no easy way to hear the words of a three year old saying, "I am not happy because I am at you'ses house." The reality is I know she is not happy. If I were in her place I would not be happy. But it does not take the sting away. When we were in training classes there was an exercise they had us do ( I am sure I have written about it earlier, but I am too tired to go find it right now) where the teachers had us close our eyes and go on a journey. I want to take you on this journey, but don't close your eyes--it will make it hard to read what I want you to do.


Imagine you are sleeping in your bed. You are living a life that is familiar to you. You are in the only bed you have ever known, living with the only family you have ever known. You don't know any other life than the one you have, so you don't know if you have a good life or a bad life, it is just your life. You are awakened by strangers in the middle of the night. Police officers are screaming at your family. You are grabbed by a strange person and told to grab a few things. You are not given a chance to get an explanation. Your family is screaming and crying for you, but the strangers won't let you go to them. You are placed in a strange car and are driven away from your home. There is no explanation for why you are being taken from your family. You turn to see what is behind you and there is nothing and no one there.

You are taken to a new house. It is a beautiful house. It is clean and full of all the nicest things. The refrigerator is full of food like you have never seen before. The people there are acting like they know you. They want to hug you and kiss you and tell you how much they want you to be there. How do you feel? Do you want to go back home? Do you want to return to your spouse? Your life? Now these new people insist you call them family. They give you new clothes, they have you sleep in a new room. How long before you stop longing to be with your family? Just because these other people are willing to give you things are you wanting to be a part of their family?

Imagine they will not let you see your family, you can not talk to your family, you have none of your favorite items. This family lives a very different life than you are used to. Are you comfortable? Do you want to be there? What if they allowed you to see your family for two hours a week? How would you react when they said, sorry it is time for you to leave again? Would you be happy to be there?

The reality is that no one would be happy to be there.....but it sure does sting when a little voice is telling you her unhappiness is taking up residence in your home with her.

Dear Birth Mother,

It seems strange to me that someone I have only met once and will only see for minutes a week can have such a profound effect on my thoughts. There are few minutes to pass before I am contemplating you, your situation and how you could live in such a way that your precious little ones are living at my house instead of yours. They are precious and precocious and perfect. They are sad and scared and sick from not being old enough to understand why strangers pulled them from your arms and placed them in mine. They cry at night as I put them to bed begging to go home, wanting "Mommy and Daddy." Imagine the confusion that must be going on in their heads when sentences like, "Mommy, (meaning me) I want to go home and see my Mommy (meaning you)" Imagine my confusion when they hurt or are sad and they cry out for "Momma" and I don't know if it is me they want or you.

You should know I don't believe it to be God's plan for me to raise your children. He entrusted them to you. He made them to look like you and their Daddy, to share special natural likenesses in tastes and mannerisms. He gave these children to you as a precious gift to love and cherish so you could feel in a very minute way the love He feels for you. It is not His plan for you to live your life in such a way your own children can not be with you. He wants you to love them. But I believe, it is His plan for me to raise them if you refuse to take care of His gift. Please know I have no doubts in my mind I could love these children as if they were my own flesh and blood if you refuse to do whatever it takes to be what they need.

My heart's request is for you to choose quickly and make a solid commitment to either be the best mother you can be for these children by removing the demons from your life or be the best mother you can be for these children by removing yourself from theirs. Please do not make these children spend years of their childhoods bouncing back and forth between you and your demons. Please don't let them know they have come 2nd or 5th or 100th in your life, but instead let them know you love them first and foremost. Whether that is by using the time they are with me to improve yourself, your life, and your situation and never looking back in the direction from which you came or if by realizing you never will and letting them go...please don't selfishly hurt them for your own needs.

I pray for you hourly, I am trying so hard not to judge you. I love your children.

Sincerely,
Me

Our First Year as Foster/Adoptive Parents
By
Sara Kinser Jones
June 16, 2010

Presentation given to new class of foster/adoptive parents completing MAPP classes.

Good Evening. I would like to thank Fonda and Michelle for giving me the opportunity to come and speak to you about our journey as foster/adoptive parents. About a year ago we sat where you are sitting excited about the prospects of having children come into our home and very clear as to what we thought we knew and what would happen. I have never been accused of lack of confidence and as I sat in your seat I felt prepared and confident about who we were, what we wanted and what was going to happen over the coming months.

I guess like all journeys, the plan should be set, but the plan should always be flexible and the best way to meet your destination is to be willing to accept and keep going even when detours are placed in front of you.

My name is Sara Jones and my husband and I decided about two years ago we would like to foster with the hopes of adopting a child in need of love and a home. We spent the first year praying over the decision and after that first year we called and enrolled in the MAPP classes. We came into the classes and set out on the journey to just adopt. We have three children and we were afraid that they, and we, would not deal well with having to say goodbye to children we became attached to. We set out to adopt, preferring to adopt a boy--not interested in babies, looking mostly to adopt a child between 3-6.

We felt as we completed the classes that we knew what we wanted and that was one little boy to love and to make our own. Soon we would realize that what we thought we were so confident about would become a very organic idea and we were moved and we were changed by the experiences that were afforded us through the year.

As we completed the paperwork, we were matched to two little boys. We were more than willing to take a sibling set and were so excited to move forward. We felt so blessed to be matched to children so quickly. The more we thought about it, the more excited we were that there would be 2 children to adopt. They would have each other, someone they looked like, someone that shared their personal history. This was the first change to our original plan. Over the next few months, we developed a very real relationship with two little boys we never met. We read their history, we studied their pictures and we waited to meet them. We scheduled the meeting with the team that supported the boys, caseworkers, foster parents, and etc. We learned a lot about the boys and at the end of the meeting we had agreed to move forward and with a set visitation plan.

The morning of our first visit, we received a call from Fonda letting us know the foster parents who had the boys for the past 2 years just could not let them go. Nathan and I were heartbroken because for months those boys were our boys. We grieved this loss, we for a few weeks were not sure if we wanted to continue on this journey, but we came to the second change of heart on our journey. We reaffirmed that our goal was to provide a home to a child who needed one. We found comfort in the fact that these two little boys did not meet our criteria, they did not need a home, they had a home and two parents who loved them. We had played a part of them finding a home in the home they were used to and we were at peace and excited for the boys.

We went through a few files, we asked a lot of questions and nothing felt right. We talked with Fonda and she supported our decision to say no when our gut was telling us no. We received an email at the beginning of this year about 4 little girls, ranging in age from 4 to newborn. This was nowhere close to our plan, but we took a night to pray over the situation and think about it. Nathan and I both came to the conclusion that this felt like something we wanted to learn more about. Fonda ultimately shared with us that she did not think this particular situation was not in the best interest of our family. But for a week or so we really had the chance to think about our original idea of what we wanted. I guess the problem was that statement, “What we wanted.” We decided it was not about us. It was about giving a home to a child in need. We realized that for now, for our family and our set parameters, the need was there for foster parents as well as adoptive parents. If our goal was to give a home to a child or children who needed one, then we need to take a leap of faith and open ourselves up to meeting the need--so we called Fonda and shared with her our desire to open our home to foster.

This past week we received our first placement a sibling set of three children ages 7, 4, and 20 mos. It was a short term placement of six days, but it was an amazing experience and we know we are now doing what we had set out to do. We do hope to adopt and open our home to a child or children on a permanent basis, but we are glad to be sharing our hearts and our home now to children in need. We have had a very emotional year that has changed us and opened us in many ways. We look forward to what the next year on this journey will bring. I pray that each of you finds your heart expanding as we have found ours.