So Isaiah was wondering, "If you're a Christian family and you haven't considered adopting, why not?"
It's a good question!
There are so many families out there who have enough love, space, and time in their lives to do it! Yet, since we've started this process and especially since getting Isaiah, I've had more families and couples than I can count say, "It's great but we just don't feel called." Or, "Maybe one day." or "We've always thought about it..." (and it just trails off)...
(This post may step on your toes so I apologize in advance. I just can't be namby-pamby about it and act like this isn't a big deal. Some of you need to be challenged, so here goes...)Don't get me wrong. It's not something to be taken lightly. Like saying, "Hey, you should try honey crisp apples! They're delicious!" and on your next trip to Wal-mart pick a few up. Oh, if children could make their way into good homes that easily it'd be fantastic!! But it doesn't work that way.
Yes, adoption takes time. Time to pray about it as to what your family can do to be a part of it. Time to fill out paperwork. Time to wait for a baby.
Yes, adoption takes money. Money that's going toward that new car or grown-up toy that you've been saving for. Money that seems like a mountain, but really is nothing for a God who owns everything to get you some of it to adopt a baby. Money that sometimes has lots of zeros behind it.
And adoption takes something else. I can't quite find the term for it, but its something like "gumption" or "courage" or maybe just good old fashioned Christian "obedience."
(I warned you about the preachy thing! You kept reading!)James (as in from the Bible "James") said the religion that is purest is to take care of widows and orphans.
I won't go so far as to say that the bible commands outright that we adopt children but I will say a few things that are pretty close to that... hear me out... couple things, then I'll leave you to your day...
First thing-
Jesus told his disciples to pray that what is done in heaven, be done on earth as well.
This is one of the reasons we sing praise songs. The angels sing them in heaven. Well. As far as I can tell, none of us born on earth except Jesus were naturally a part of God's family, and yet, how many millions of believers are sharing the glory of heaven with Jesus Christ, God's Son, at this very moment? How many more of us have put our faith in Jesus and thankfully expect to receive that inheritance ourselves? Uh, me for one! We DO NOT DESERVE IT...HEAVEN IS NOT AN "UNALIENABLE RIGHT"... it was given to us because of our salvation and was purchased at a great price (talk about adoption prices!)
Paul told the Romans we get to call God "Abba Father" because he adopted us. How flippantly do we say, "God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit"... if we hadn't been adopted that whole "Father" part would be near blasphemy! (I'm not theological enough to know if it actually would be, but Jesus kept getting in trouble for it in the gospels because he said "Father" and they charged him with blasphemy...makes sense)
So. If we're asking God to help us to do his will on earth as it is in heaven, it seems to me like
God's will for our lives is adoption. He did it for us in the heavenlies, we do it for others on earth. That's huge!
"WHOA!!!" Says Zay!
Second, and this one is admittedly a tad less straightforward, but still.
If we're to care for the orphans like it says we should in God's Word, then why not adopt?
I know I know..."Whoa Sharon, you're gettin' a bit ahead'a yerself there."
Ok then.
What have we done to care for the orphans of the world?
What have you done?
There's a gazillion of them! And honestly, adoption has been the first way I've ever gotten first-hand involvement in caring for the orphan. I think I've given to like a food-pantry that maybe some kids without families was to receive at Christmas or something a few years back, but to be frank...there was ZERO obedience in my life in this realm.
That was before. Now, I have a son! What a gift! And all because I was willing to obey! And there are already ways floating around in my head that I hope we can get our family involved even more. It's amazing how much I've even heard about other ways to get involved. And I think it's God giving me even more of a chance to teach me and mold me in this area...opportunities that I wasn't even looking for before. I still have a long way to go, but it's definitely a start!
Pause for a family photo... I love Isaac and my dad in this pic...they're both making a similar face.
And lastly- at least for this blogpost...
We're to share our lives with others and to tell them about Christ. You see this little guy here?
We're already telling him and we can't wait for the day when he asks Jesus into his heart! What a priviledge to be his mommy!
I'll apologize for being a bit preachy in this blogpost. I have to work REAL hard on mercy. My goal in writing all that above was to hopefully get all you INCREDIBLE families who read our blog to look at your spouse (today, tonight, or first availablity:) and say,
"What do you think about us adopting?"
Or especially maybe this one,
"Honey, I think we should just ask God to speak to our hearts about adoption. Ask him what he thinks and to guide us as to what we should do."
Then pray. Pray together.
We recently met with a friend who her and her husband are following God down this path. He was opposed for a long time...especially since they had two biological children. He's a fire-fighter, and a country-boy and it was just not something he was really open to. She's been good with it all along and has prayed for years for him for God to open his heart. To her surprise, one day (right after Isaiah's adoption) he came home and told his wife he had already talked to an adoption agency and that they had a meeting scheduled on November 7th! HA! When my friend told me all this she spoke honestly and said, "We're terrified. We have NEVER prayed together like this. We both feel so vulnerable before God because this is so out of our hands. If he doesn't lead us, then we can't take another step. Yet, he keeps showing us the way and we keep following him."
I think my next post will be about some of the emotions some of you may be feeling about all this. You're probably like our friends...or even more terrified... terrified to even pray because you have no clue what God might say! But do it... pray. God knows perfectly well and you can be sure whatever he tells you to do is going to blow your socks off! So what are you waiting for?
Isaiah's Finalization day was yesterday. December 15, 2009.
We got to the courthouse early only to discover that the judge who was supposed to preside over the hearing didn't come to work that day. She was the same judge who had done my sister's family hearing and she was a tad on the unfriendly side. She didn't even want to take pictures with my sister's family but when our lawyer (who rocks!) asked her in front of the courtroom to take just a couple, her reply was, "Well, I guess I have to now." So needless to say we weren't super disappointed to not get her, but our lawyer came through and found another judge who would see us.
This judge, Judge Thorpe, was great. She seemed excited for our family and welcomed us behind the bench to take pictures after the finalization...even saying "You know you're gonna have to hand over that baby, right?!" 
She let Isaiah hold the gavel in it and said, "However tight they hold on to this shows how much you're gonna have to pay for law school." After the picture Isaiah didn't let go and she kept trying to pry it from his hands and commented, "Well, if that's not the face of a judge, I don't know what is!"
Afterward we went to Downtown Disney to celebrate Rivers Day at the T-Rex Restaurant.
It was SO cool! After growing up near Disney, themed restaurants often fail to impress me, but this one was incredible.
The hostess gave us the best seat in the house (she said, we believe her!) in the "Ice Room" that looked like a prehistoric ice cave with changing lights. Very cool.
The food was scrumptralescent! Then when they brought us this ginormous dessert (Chocolate Extinction-complete with dry ice!), the staff sang a "Happy Adoption Day" song. (This picture looks like my sister is shooting a ray-gun at it!)
We then did a little shopping and went to Hollywood Studios to finish the day. As we were driving home we kept commenting on what a perfect day it had been!
