My Overthinking

Philly Area mom, Life forever changed by adoption

What Orphan Sunday is Not {Orphan Sunday 2015}

Child with Down Syndrome October 2015 - 1Orphan Sunday.

It’s not about a movement. Movements eventually fade with time.

It’s not about a cause. Causes are embraced by only a few and can distract us.

It’s not about providing content for pastors who preach every Sunday. There are nearly 775,000 words fully able to provide content for a lifetime of 52 weeks.

It’s not about checking a box. One designated Sunday service of 52 Sunday services even if every word and moment of those 2 hours bled a particular topic does not allow anyone to say a box can be checked and their job is done. 

It’s not about telling people they need to do more. It’s not about urging the Church to adopt. It’s not even about adoption.

If it’s not about a movement, a cause, content, checking a box, rallying people to do more, or adoption, what is it about? 

It’s about the heart of God. It’s about who we are as His children.

A devoted and faithful child cares about the things that his or her father cares about. As those who follow Christ, we are called to mirror His heart. And, His heart is for the one without, every single one without.

On Orphan Sunday, the Church reminds those within its 4 walls of the ones without its 4 walls who are dear to our Father’s heart—the approximately 153,000,000 children around the world who are orphans—and need to be dear to our hearts not just during a nice service, singing songs that stir our hearts, watching videos that leave us in tears, or hearing His Word preached and responding with Amens. Those things are not without purpose; they are tools He uses to grow our hearts to look more like His own. It just can’t end today because tomorrow is Orphan Monday and the next day is Orphan Tuesday then comes Orphan Wednesday, Orphan Thursday, and Orphan Friday…

His call. Our call. It isn’t about today; it’s about everyday.

Learn to do good. It doesn’t come naturally and is not easy. But, we have the best teacher to help us.
Seek justice. It can be hard to find in a broken world.
Help the oppressed. If you have been comforted, you can be comfort.
Defend the orphan, every orphan. They are His and, therefore, our little brothers and sisters.

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To the cast and staff of Sight & Sound

moses pic 1Our lives have been full of firsts lately. Today was no exception.

In November, we welcomed Helen and her 3-year-old son into our home all the way from China. She’s expecting her second child, a baby girl, a wonderful gift that unfortunately isn’t considered wonderful in every corner of the world. At 29 years old, she had never seen a play before. In fact, she had never even been to a movie before coming here. But today, along with our family of 6 and two other couples who work alongside us to serve in China, she and her son saw Moses.

Her eyes were wide in amazement—as were all our eyes—as we watched a river appear out of nothing at the very start, and we watched a mother as she dramatically surrendered her child to the God she loves. It took only a few minutes for me to realize that while today was a first for Helen, the story was a familiar one.

Helen’s 31 weeks now. Not unlike Moses’ mother, she was willing to do whatever she needed to do to protect her child. In her case, that meant leaving her husband and all she has ever known to live in a foreign land and live among people who don’t speak her language. While we desire to be a part of God’s blessing to her as she’s here, I know we can’t keep her from asking hard questions when she feels lonely and is missing her family, family who do not even know of the precious life in her womb yet.

As I watched the show today and as I watched her watch it too, I realized that the blessing was not so much in giving her the experience of a stage performance for the first time, it was in giving her a reminder of the truths the show told.

moses pic 2

There is a bigger story than the one we can see right now.

Our God is faithful and unchanging even when all else is not.

He not only will use us in our brokenness but loves us in our brokenness and makes us whole despite it.

We are never alone; even in the wilderness, He is there with us, speaking to us always, sometimes in just a whisper and sometimes through burning bushes.

He not only knows our needs; He knows our hearts. His provision is not only for physical needs but for the desire of our hearts. He loves us that much.

He goes before. He makes a way where there is no way. He makes the impossible possible.

We can be a part of big things if we just come to end of us and follow Him on dry land.

And, just like God, as we named these truths tonight as a family, we realized that maybe He wanted to remind us of the same things.

So, thank you. Thank you to those who serve through the gift of singing, those who dream up creative ways to tell the story, those who program computers to move lights in ways we didn’t know was possible, those who care for the animals that your stage is famous for, those who greeted us as we entered, those who served us during intermission with a smile, and those who prepared the theatre for us early this morning while we were just waking up and getting dressed to come. Thank you for all being a part of the blessing He had for Helen and the blessing He had for all of us today. You are all a part of something big.

Humbly,

Kelly

P.S. How in the world did you get the staff turn into a snake anyway?

Team at Sight and Sound

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Room in the inn

IMG_3854

We take the same picture every Christmas morning. The kids give out their gifts, we read about the three gifts of the magi, we give them their three gifts, and then we pull them away from their stockings and the piles of ripped paper to take a picture. This year was no different; every kid stood in front of the tree with a favorite gift. But, this year, there was an extra kiddo in that picture. Yeah, that boy in the puffy vest holding a toy robot? He’s not mine in case you haven’t noticed. But, he sorta fits right in, doesn’t he? I swear that I didn’t even pose the picture. They all just sorta stood like that equidistant from each other in perfect formation.

There have been people who have praised us for bringing Helen and Caleb into our home. I always tell them that it’s a joy to have them, that Helen is a sweet friend and that Caleb is smart and funny and the perfect little addition to our four. And, all that is true. But, there’s more to it than that.

We went to a live nativity right before Christmas. It wasn’t just kids dressed up with some token animals standing by. It was a full play complete with angels singing on top of the barn. I watched as Joseph and Mary knocked on the Innkeepers door, and he waved them away. I’m sure he was so busy, and his inn was crowded. I get that. But, because there was no room left in the inn, at least in his opinion, he said no to a very pregnant woman and ultimately declined the incredible opportunity to have the very son of God enter into our world in his home. I wonder who he was. I wonder if the wise men stopped there too and asked if he knew where the king of Jews had been born. I wonder if he remembered that night when he heard about Herod trying to find the baby. I wonder if he regretted it later or justified it in his mind or to his neighbors.

This past fall, when we told Frank and Helen that our home was full but not too full for them, that we’d make room, we did what was right not because we are heroes. We most definitely are not. We just knew we couldn’t be like that innkeeper. We could not live with not inviting them in. Bringing them here wasn’t the only option to keep them safe; but, it was the only guaranteed safe option as her belly grew. We could not simply name those possible options for them and wave them on and miss the opportunity to love them and experience Jesus in a new way in our own home by making room in the inn. We were compelled. At this point, about one third into their stay with us, I can say that it’s not always easy to share a home. It’s not always comfortable, and it’s nearly never quiet. But, it’s very much worth it because we’re all experiencing Him in real ways.

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My Psalm of Response #2014top10 #10

Kelly in park with fave

O Lord, Sovereign God, maker of all things, sustainer of life.
You know all things; nothing exists that you do not know.
But, you don’t stop there. You don’t just know all things; you are engaged with all things.
You are always present, always active, always working.

Lord, it was you who nudged me. It was you who stirred my spirit.
It was you who gently led me and fully provided.
It was you who picked me up and carried me across the world as your ambassador.
It was you who whispered encouragement in my ear and into my heart and upheld me.

You said, “This is my servant. I am her God. I delight in her,” proving yourself faithful not because of who I am but because of who you are.
Your song over me and your joy in me sustained me when my knees were weak and lifted my spirit when I was weary.

You led me on a path I did not know, a path I thought would bring your light to a dark place.
But, that path led me to you, father to the fatherless, companion to the lonely, the One true friend to the seeking.
You were already there, already at work, already drying tears and healing broken hearts.
You were already closing the gaps on tiny lips and in people’s lives.

You don’t need me to bring you there. You don’t need me to be a savior.
I lay down before you knowing I am unable, aware of my frailty and my own need to be saved.
But, you lift me up and welcome me as your child to be a part my Father’s work.
You invite me to love with my heart, head, and hands despite of myself.

You are higher than the mountains, louder than the cries of humanity, bigger than the greatest walls man can build.
You show compassion to those without a family and those who grieve not cradling their children.
You guide the hands of even those who do not yet know you to do your work. You give glimpses of you.
How can I not know you more, crave you more, love you more?

O Lord, Sovereign God, maker of all things, sustainer of life.
You know all things; nothing exists that you do not know.
Thank you for calling me, saving me, loving me, using me.
You are the only sovereign Lord, and I am your servant.

China group shot
China picture
Kelly holding child

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