Sunday, February 21, 2010
Grace for the moment
Amidst all the chaos of packing, organizing for the trip and cleaning out the house, I find that it is often tempting to stress about the details. What if I forget a crucial detail? What if I leave behind something important? What if things don't work out the way we've planned? What if we're not ready in time? What a joke! I am learning to let God be God, and just focus on what He wants me to do in this moment. I haven't perfected this skill yet; really it just a discipline that I aspire to apply to my life. Practice makes perfect.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
I have always believed that God has had a plan for Cole from the very beginning. Though I was devastated when I learned that he had Autism, I have never loved him any differently. He has a captivating presence wherever he goes, twirling and squealing; uninhibited by the opinions of others. His loving and tender personality has won the hearts of many who have gotten to know Cole. He has no pride, no fear, no judgement; he accepts everyone without question and has an unexplainable understanding of God that I am envious of.
Over the years we have come to realize that God has given us a tremendous gift through Cole; the gift of acceptance for those who are different than we are. In Canada it is widely expected to show some level of tolerance for individuals who live with a disability. In other parts of the world, these differences are rarely understood or accepted.
This March we are travelling to Guatemala as a family to work in a home for children with disabilities. Most of these children have been abandoned by their parents because they don't necessarily even know what their physical and mental needs are. They don't have access to a diagnosis and support to learn how to manage the illness or disability. If medications are needed, they are often too expensive for the family to provide. There is no Ministry for Children and Families in Guatemala to distribute government support to families. Children with Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autism and other disorders are often abandoned because there is just no other options for the parents who have other children to look after as well. Most orphanages do not accept these children because they are not government funded and run off of donations which is not enough to cover the expenses of raising children with extra needs.
Joy Filled Homes is one of only a handful of organizations that is working to provide care for the forgotten children of Guatemala. Take a moment to check out the link on the side of my blog under favorite websites to see for yourself how they are changing the lives of these children. If he was born to a different family in a different country, Cole could be one of these kids. Instead, God gave him to us to teach us about how much He loves these precious children, how His heart aches for their pain when they are abandoned and die alone.
There are ways to help the children in Guatemala who are in need of miracles. We are going to spend several weeks there in March and April to spend time with the children, loving on them and blessing them as God made them. Our desire is to serve at the home, fixing some of the many maintenance issues in the facility and improving the building to the best of Steve's handyman capabilities. I will bring all the resources that I posses to increase the Individual Education Strategies for each child and offer my limited experience to support the speech and physical therapies. Most of all, we want to share the love of Jesus in a practical way through servant hood.
If you know in your heart that you want to help in some way, contact me about doing that. You can join us in our mission by supporting us financially and in prayer.
I will keep you updated on my blog. You can also reach us at kaybe79@yahoo.ca .
Over the years we have come to realize that God has given us a tremendous gift through Cole; the gift of acceptance for those who are different than we are. In Canada it is widely expected to show some level of tolerance for individuals who live with a disability. In other parts of the world, these differences are rarely understood or accepted.
This March we are travelling to Guatemala as a family to work in a home for children with disabilities. Most of these children have been abandoned by their parents because they don't necessarily even know what their physical and mental needs are. They don't have access to a diagnosis and support to learn how to manage the illness or disability. If medications are needed, they are often too expensive for the family to provide. There is no Ministry for Children and Families in Guatemala to distribute government support to families. Children with Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autism and other disorders are often abandoned because there is just no other options for the parents who have other children to look after as well. Most orphanages do not accept these children because they are not government funded and run off of donations which is not enough to cover the expenses of raising children with extra needs.
Joy Filled Homes is one of only a handful of organizations that is working to provide care for the forgotten children of Guatemala. Take a moment to check out the link on the side of my blog under favorite websites to see for yourself how they are changing the lives of these children. If he was born to a different family in a different country, Cole could be one of these kids. Instead, God gave him to us to teach us about how much He loves these precious children, how His heart aches for their pain when they are abandoned and die alone.
There are ways to help the children in Guatemala who are in need of miracles. We are going to spend several weeks there in March and April to spend time with the children, loving on them and blessing them as God made them. Our desire is to serve at the home, fixing some of the many maintenance issues in the facility and improving the building to the best of Steve's handyman capabilities. I will bring all the resources that I posses to increase the Individual Education Strategies for each child and offer my limited experience to support the speech and physical therapies. Most of all, we want to share the love of Jesus in a practical way through servant hood.
If you know in your heart that you want to help in some way, contact me about doing that. You can join us in our mission by supporting us financially and in prayer.
I will keep you updated on my blog. You can also reach us at kaybe79@yahoo.ca .
Monday, January 25, 2010
Divine romance
About a year ago, a woman in our church shared about being in love with Jesus. It was not a new concept to me; I knew that Jesus wants to be the lover of our souls. I had just never experienced that kind of intimacy with him before. Following this new curiosity and desire growing in my heart, I began to seek God for direction in cultivating a new and deeper relationship with Jesus. The answer is in James 4:8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." I began to realize that just like any other relationship, I could only go as deep as the time that I was willing to put in through Bible reading, prayer and worship. Let me tell you, it is impossible to build a relationship one day a week! As I read the Bible throughout the week, I began to notice that frequently I would encounter situations that related to the scriptures that I recently read and I would often hear the same verses in church or in books that I was reading. As I began to draw near to God, He began to draw near to me by bringing His words to life! The Bible is not just a manual for how we should live, it is our key to understanding the nature and the very heart of our God. The more I learn about my Jesus, the hungrier I become for truth.
I also began to play worship music more often and worship God at home and in my car, as well as on Sunday mornings. I have found that it is much easier to enter into worship when I don't have to think about whether or not my children are behaving themselves. ( I also began to see my kids entering into worship at home where they aren't inhibited by trying to behave!) Spending time in worship is an act of love to Jesus. It is like spending time with someone whom you are in love with; you can't wait to be with them, you hang on every interaction with them and when you leave their presence you feel like you are walking on air!
Growing in intimacy with the Lord has been a beautiful journey. I have learned to trust him more, I've learned to hear his voice, I have found such joy in his solitary presence! I am finding it easy to make time to be alone with the Lord, in fact I often can't wait to get a moment to pray and read my Bible. I find that every word is a vision of his nature, a key to his heart. This is the greatest romance that I have ever known!
One of the coolest things that God has showed me more recently is that as the image bearers of God, and as temples of the Holy Spirit with Christ dwelling in us, we are the glory of God fully alive! This means that our relationships with others are an intricate part of our relationship with God himself! In Matthew 22:37 Jesus says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." I can't say enough how God has touched my heart in this area! When I view others the way God sees them, I have deeper intimacy with God; and I'm sure that my family can attest to feeling more love from me when I see them as God does! I know that every relationship in my life will dramatically change when I apply this to all the people that God has placed around me. take a second to consider how the world would be different today if everyone understood and applied just these two commandments to their lives! We can all experience radical changes in our lives and greatly impact others for God's kingdom just by loving God and loving others!
I feel like a young girl in love! Jesus is my first love. It is the most amazing thing that I have ever experienced! I could not have ever imagined the depths of God's love for me without knowing Him this way! Like a young girl, I want to tell everyone about it; I want to invite everyone to fall in love with their Saviour!
I also began to play worship music more often and worship God at home and in my car, as well as on Sunday mornings. I have found that it is much easier to enter into worship when I don't have to think about whether or not my children are behaving themselves. ( I also began to see my kids entering into worship at home where they aren't inhibited by trying to behave!) Spending time in worship is an act of love to Jesus. It is like spending time with someone whom you are in love with; you can't wait to be with them, you hang on every interaction with them and when you leave their presence you feel like you are walking on air!
Growing in intimacy with the Lord has been a beautiful journey. I have learned to trust him more, I've learned to hear his voice, I have found such joy in his solitary presence! I am finding it easy to make time to be alone with the Lord, in fact I often can't wait to get a moment to pray and read my Bible. I find that every word is a vision of his nature, a key to his heart. This is the greatest romance that I have ever known!
One of the coolest things that God has showed me more recently is that as the image bearers of God, and as temples of the Holy Spirit with Christ dwelling in us, we are the glory of God fully alive! This means that our relationships with others are an intricate part of our relationship with God himself! In Matthew 22:37 Jesus says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." I can't say enough how God has touched my heart in this area! When I view others the way God sees them, I have deeper intimacy with God; and I'm sure that my family can attest to feeling more love from me when I see them as God does! I know that every relationship in my life will dramatically change when I apply this to all the people that God has placed around me. take a second to consider how the world would be different today if everyone understood and applied just these two commandments to their lives! We can all experience radical changes in our lives and greatly impact others for God's kingdom just by loving God and loving others!
I feel like a young girl in love! Jesus is my first love. It is the most amazing thing that I have ever experienced! I could not have ever imagined the depths of God's love for me without knowing Him this way! Like a young girl, I want to tell everyone about it; I want to invite everyone to fall in love with their Saviour!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
All of the little monkeys jumping on the bed!
It is easy to think that one should definitely be finished having kids once they've had 5! I thought that once too! After Autumn was born, I felt like I had my hands full. I was so sure, in fact, that I made an appointment for Steve and he went and had the procedure to ensure it.
As the years have gone by, we have both started to feel inclined in the other direction. Of course we already have a substantial family of our own, we feel that maybe we should consider giving a home and a family to one of the many orphans in this world. There are many options to choose from. With our plans to go to Guatemala in the future, we have figured that it is likely that we will fall in love with a child while we are there. We plan to work with children with special needs, so we have even considered adopting a child that may have autism or Down's syndrome.
As God has been cultivating in us this love for more children in our hearts, He has also begun to bring up old passions that He planted there over 3 years ago. I had heard a radio program on Focus on the Family by Dr. James Dobson. He was pleading with North Americans to consider adopting one or more of the hundreds of thousands of "snowflake" babies that are leftover from in vitro fertilization and remain frozen, pending a decision on their existence. These babies have only a few options once their parents are done having kids; they can be discarded, donated to science for stem cell research or adopted out to other families that either cannot have their own children or families who are so inclined to rescue them from one of the other not so glorious fates. My heart was 100% certain, at that time, that someday we would have one or more snowflake babies. Of course, having just given birth to Autumn, I soon forgot all about it!
When God truly places something on your heart, it isn't always the right time, but He knows just when to bring it up again. I believe that God truly cares about these little babies. Though they have not yet formed in their mother's womb, He knows them. He has a plan and a purpose for them. Not to diminish the needs of orphans already in this world, these babies have been conceived yet not given the chance to live. Their alternatives are horrific.
I have done a lot of research on the internet, made phone calls and talked to people whom I look to for insight. There are many positions to take on the subject. One could argue that this is a man made mess that Christians should stay out of. I tend to think that in a fallen world these types of issues abound, and are most definitely situations where Christians should take action. This is not to say that everyone should have snowflake babies, but pray about it, talk about it, let people know; they might be in a position to consider this type of adoption. Because I assure you, science has a passionate interest in these embryos for stem cell research! There is money to be made, and where they do not consider these babies to have any moral value, they are nothing more than lab rats to be grown and experimented on at the discretion of science. "All for a greater good" right?
I will post a few websites, though it is hard to find information in Canada. There is no legislation regarding embryo adoption, as they are considered to be biological material and therefore considered as property of the parents. One adoption agency in B.C. does embryo adoption, but you don't really need an agency at this time. If you find a family with extra embryos through a fertility clinic or someone you know, you can get a lawyer to write up a contract before the embryo is implanted. Upon the birth, everything is the same as having a child of your own.
This issue goes right back to the abortion issue. As long as abortion is legal, these embryos will not have rights either.
I could go on, really, I could! I will leave this out there for now, and if anyone has questions, I'd be more than glad to answer them to the best of my knowledge.
As the years have gone by, we have both started to feel inclined in the other direction. Of course we already have a substantial family of our own, we feel that maybe we should consider giving a home and a family to one of the many orphans in this world. There are many options to choose from. With our plans to go to Guatemala in the future, we have figured that it is likely that we will fall in love with a child while we are there. We plan to work with children with special needs, so we have even considered adopting a child that may have autism or Down's syndrome.
As God has been cultivating in us this love for more children in our hearts, He has also begun to bring up old passions that He planted there over 3 years ago. I had heard a radio program on Focus on the Family by Dr. James Dobson. He was pleading with North Americans to consider adopting one or more of the hundreds of thousands of "snowflake" babies that are leftover from in vitro fertilization and remain frozen, pending a decision on their existence. These babies have only a few options once their parents are done having kids; they can be discarded, donated to science for stem cell research or adopted out to other families that either cannot have their own children or families who are so inclined to rescue them from one of the other not so glorious fates. My heart was 100% certain, at that time, that someday we would have one or more snowflake babies. Of course, having just given birth to Autumn, I soon forgot all about it!
When God truly places something on your heart, it isn't always the right time, but He knows just when to bring it up again. I believe that God truly cares about these little babies. Though they have not yet formed in their mother's womb, He knows them. He has a plan and a purpose for them. Not to diminish the needs of orphans already in this world, these babies have been conceived yet not given the chance to live. Their alternatives are horrific.
I have done a lot of research on the internet, made phone calls and talked to people whom I look to for insight. There are many positions to take on the subject. One could argue that this is a man made mess that Christians should stay out of. I tend to think that in a fallen world these types of issues abound, and are most definitely situations where Christians should take action. This is not to say that everyone should have snowflake babies, but pray about it, talk about it, let people know; they might be in a position to consider this type of adoption. Because I assure you, science has a passionate interest in these embryos for stem cell research! There is money to be made, and where they do not consider these babies to have any moral value, they are nothing more than lab rats to be grown and experimented on at the discretion of science. "All for a greater good" right?
I will post a few websites, though it is hard to find information in Canada. There is no legislation regarding embryo adoption, as they are considered to be biological material and therefore considered as property of the parents. One adoption agency in B.C. does embryo adoption, but you don't really need an agency at this time. If you find a family with extra embryos through a fertility clinic or someone you know, you can get a lawyer to write up a contract before the embryo is implanted. Upon the birth, everything is the same as having a child of your own.
This issue goes right back to the abortion issue. As long as abortion is legal, these embryos will not have rights either.
I could go on, really, I could! I will leave this out there for now, and if anyone has questions, I'd be more than glad to answer them to the best of my knowledge.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Woes and blunders
This post may not have any spiritual content, so if that would lower your perception of me, please stop reading now! Just kidding.
Have you ever noticed that some people, like my sister and my brother, seem to effortlessly adorn themselves in completely stylish attire on most every occasion. (They get it from my mother who was a trend setter in her day. somehow I missed that gene.) Special events feature the elegance that actors only hope to duplicate on the red carpet. Random outings showcase the most creative styles accessorized to perfection. Even casual wear is donned with grace and ease. On the other hand, there are people like myself who struggle endlessly over the subject of style. Not that I never look good or even great on occasion. I just don't have the glorious ease of knowing exactly what to wear every time. I don't even have a natural understanding of fashion common sense! At the age of seven, I remember being told by my sister AGAIN that I could not wear my favorite pants with my favorite shirt! "They do not match" she said. Well, of course they match, they are both my favorite! The pants were red with baggy pockets and the shirt had teal and magenta stripes. They made me feel happy even if they did clash! This was just the beginning of my style woes. I tend to be a bit of a cross dresser. What I mean is, I like to put together items that I like, even if the styles contradict each other. Like heram pants with a brightly colored tank top and a shrug and converse sneakers. (It's okay to laugh at this point.) I really do like ethnic boho styles. The culture of it is fascinating and wearing clothes that are so different from current local style is freeing because there is no comparison. There have been times when I am tempted to just wear saris and be done with it all together! One thing is for sure; when I manage to put together an outfit of notable distinction, I sigh in relief. One more day in the fashion jungle. Speaking of the jungle, that reminds me of a scripture verse about how God clothes the lilies in the fields and the birds in the air and how I shouldn't worry about what I have to wear.....but then that would be a spiritual spin and a huge paraphrase.
Have you ever noticed that some people, like my sister and my brother, seem to effortlessly adorn themselves in completely stylish attire on most every occasion. (They get it from my mother who was a trend setter in her day. somehow I missed that gene.) Special events feature the elegance that actors only hope to duplicate on the red carpet. Random outings showcase the most creative styles accessorized to perfection. Even casual wear is donned with grace and ease. On the other hand, there are people like myself who struggle endlessly over the subject of style. Not that I never look good or even great on occasion. I just don't have the glorious ease of knowing exactly what to wear every time. I don't even have a natural understanding of fashion common sense! At the age of seven, I remember being told by my sister AGAIN that I could not wear my favorite pants with my favorite shirt! "They do not match" she said. Well, of course they match, they are both my favorite! The pants were red with baggy pockets and the shirt had teal and magenta stripes. They made me feel happy even if they did clash! This was just the beginning of my style woes. I tend to be a bit of a cross dresser. What I mean is, I like to put together items that I like, even if the styles contradict each other. Like heram pants with a brightly colored tank top and a shrug and converse sneakers. (It's okay to laugh at this point.) I really do like ethnic boho styles. The culture of it is fascinating and wearing clothes that are so different from current local style is freeing because there is no comparison. There have been times when I am tempted to just wear saris and be done with it all together! One thing is for sure; when I manage to put together an outfit of notable distinction, I sigh in relief. One more day in the fashion jungle. Speaking of the jungle, that reminds me of a scripture verse about how God clothes the lilies in the fields and the birds in the air and how I shouldn't worry about what I have to wear.....but then that would be a spiritual spin and a huge paraphrase.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Inconsistency
Well, if you've been following my blog, you will have noticed that I am not very consistent, to say the very least. It is that way in most areas of my life; always has been. I have spurts of focus and dedication, durring which time, I attempt to acomplish enough to carry me through until my next spurt of vision. This is the manner in which I aproach housework, gardening, reading, exercising, all hobbies and now blogging. As you can imagine, some areas of my life would really be more successful if I were more consistent. Take gardening for example, once the seeds are planted, well, I'm about worn out for a while. When the weeds are getting to be the dominant presence in the rows, I become determined once again to be a good gardener and I attack them with a vengence. However, upon viewing a flourishing garden of growing vegetables, I relax yet again, only to repeat the cycle a few weeks later! Housekeeping, similar story; though I have been amazing myself since our house has been up for sale. We aren't even going to talk about exercise at this time.
I guess it all comes down to priorities for me. I place high value in time spent with God and my family; should be in that order, but that isn't always the case. I also feel that it is important to spend time with friends and peers, developing relationships that encourage and uplift myself and others through the Holy Spirit.
I am working on the area of consistency in my life. Nothing is too big a task for God!
I guess it all comes down to priorities for me. I place high value in time spent with God and my family; should be in that order, but that isn't always the case. I also feel that it is important to spend time with friends and peers, developing relationships that encourage and uplift myself and others through the Holy Spirit.
I am working on the area of consistency in my life. Nothing is too big a task for God!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Heartfelt
Since it is my Birthday week (I'll explain later), it is a good time to look at myself and assess my facets. I'm not talking about my physical appearance, though I could evaluate my situation there as well, but about my heart condition expressed in outward behaviour. Luke 6:45 The good man (woman)brings good things out of the good stored up in his/her heart, and the evil man (woman) brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his/her heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. My personal habits, actions and words are an outward expression of my heart condition. Awareness of this fact helps me to remember to bring my heart before the Lord and ask Him to create in me a clean heart. He is faithful to finish the work He has started in me!
About my Birthday week; it was Steve's idea last year that I get to have a whole week of Birthday celebration: coffee with friends, special treats and massages. This year he remembered again and told me that I get to buy myself a new Starbucks mug in celebration of Birthday week. Today I am going to Prince George with my good friend, Sarah, and I will be picking out my "love mug" from my husband! In fact, Sarah will be here to pick me up any minute, so I must go make myself pretty.
You can pray for me this week that God shows me the areas of my heart that he wants to work on next:)
About my Birthday week; it was Steve's idea last year that I get to have a whole week of Birthday celebration: coffee with friends, special treats and massages. This year he remembered again and told me that I get to buy myself a new Starbucks mug in celebration of Birthday week. Today I am going to Prince George with my good friend, Sarah, and I will be picking out my "love mug" from my husband! In fact, Sarah will be here to pick me up any minute, so I must go make myself pretty.
You can pray for me this week that God shows me the areas of my heart that he wants to work on next:)
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