It's time!!

I've been called an amazing Mom so many times this week, it would make my spin. I've even been told we're crazy. Who would want more than 5 children? I'm not an amazing Mom, just a Mom who loves children, who doesn't believe that ANY child should live without a Mom and a Dad. I'm a Mom who delights in spending all of my time with my children and my husband, delights (most of the time) with the amount of laundry I have, with the many voices at my dinner table and the quiet whispers in my kids's rooms, as they talk each other to sleep at night. I'm not amazing, just amazingly blessed.

I've copied the following thoughts from Lorraine Patterson's blog. I've followed their family's journey for some time, and spent countless hours praying for them. Please read this in it's entirety. I could have written it, but am thankful that it was written for me to pass on.

It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.” ~Mother Teresa

I was going to stop with that powerful quote, but there's so much more I want to say.

Basically, I'm tired. I'm not tired of the things you might think...not tired of dishes, laundry, kids...those are all blessings, and I never tire of blessings. I'm tired of people sitting back thinking that theyr'e waiting for some magical moment to step in and make a difference in the life of just 1 child.

Waiting to sponsor that child until they get a larger paycheck.

Waiting for our "own" kids to grow up and move out and then we might consider helping someone else's children.

Waiting for our house to get cleaned up before we think about a home study.

Waiting for more bedrooms before we can possibly add another child into our home.

Waiting...

Waiting...

Waiting...

While we wait for our lives to be perfect before we consider helping another child, guess what?

There's someone else, a helpless child, who is waiting...

waiting...

waiting...

for us to get our act together and decide that RIGHT NOW is the time to make a difference. Right now is the time to step up to the plate and say YES. Right now is the time to trust God with our lives, our homes, our finances, instead of relying upon self.

Right now is the time to realize that as we wait for the right time, a child dies of starvation. A child dies of neglect. A child dies of malnutrition. A child is ignored. A child is abused. A child wishes for a clean cup of drinking water. A child is sold into sex slavery. A child aches for a mom and a dad. A child yearns for just one person to tell her that she's special. A child wastes away in a crib in an orphanage, waiting for someone to rescue him.

All of this while we wait at a fast food restaurant, getting angry when it takes longer than 3 minutes to get our food. While we wait for our pocketbook to grow larger, wishing our waists would grow thinner, and hoping our gym memberships will get us in shape so that we'll be in a better position to help others.

When will you decide that RIGHT NOW is the time to make a difference?

"To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world." ~author unknown

One life matters! There are so many ways to help, to make a difference, to help orphans and live out James 1:27 (to care for orphans and widows in their distress).

Feed 1 child. (through a child feeding sponsorship)

Pray for 1 child. (that he/she would find a home and be kept safe until God unites them)

Foster 1 child. (it's free...you actually get paid to do this)

Adopt 1 child. (yes, adopting 1 child really does make a difference)

If you're ready to commit to making a difference RIGHT NOW, go register to attend the Together for Adoption 2010 Conference to find out how YOU can make a difference in the life of 1 child. Or more. :-) There are SO many ways for you to make a difference. Come find out how. CLICK HERE to register.

"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat." ~Mother Teresa

"We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty". ~Mother Teresa

"There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation in this world than for bread." ~Mother Teresa

"The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread." ~Mother Teresa

"The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved." ~Mother Teresa

Thank you Lorraine. Now is the time. There are children waiting..I've met some of them. They are beautiful..they need the love of a family and the church needs to step up and say "YES!!!"