We are now three weeks after Christmas, and I'm sad to report that no, Ty did not make it home before the holiday. At my last post, there was no news and then suddenly...a glimmer of hope! On Friday, December 21 my phone rang. It was our social worker, Teresa. We were 4 days before Christmas and my heart stopped at the sight of her name on my caller ID...could this be the call we've been waiting for? She said, "Carey, I've run across a situation, but we haven't talked about it before so I wanted to see what you thought. I've found a baby boy in the foster system in Missouri. He is 11 months old today...and his name is Tai'Vone." (pronounced Ty - Von). I asked her to repeat his name, just to make sure I heard her right. She said she had limited information and in order to learn more about him we had to submit our homestudy, but she needed our permission to do so. I didn't know what to say. I've envisioned a newborn in my mind for the last year, so I didn't know what to do with this twist. I called Toby and he said without hesitation, "Yes, let's learn more about him."
With that, Teresa sent the necessary paperwork and requested more information on baby Tai'Vone. I just knew in my heart that if I could see a picture of his little face, I would know if he was mine or not. Teresa cautioned us that it would probably be after the first of the year before we heard anything, so we waited and prayed. Day after day the idea grew on me. This Tai and Jake would be 5 months apart...a great challenge now to manage two one year olds, but how fun to have a best buddy to grow up with. I quickly became attached to the idea and waited not so patiently for business to resume in the new year. Days and then weeks passed with no word. We prayed for Abba to fling the doors wide open or slam them shut as we proceeded with this child.
Today, January 21 is Tai'Vone's first birthday. Secretly, I had hoped that we would somehow get to celebrate this day with him. He has been removed from the available child registry where Teresa first found him and we have not received a single response from his social worker. Perhaps this is a closed door.
So what does this mean? Did my God fail me? Did He let me down on His promise? There are many things that I don't know, but I do know that my God ALWAYS keeps His promises...always. It is most likely that I misunderstood the original "deadline" of Christmas or maybe I was overly eager. Whatever the truth is, my God is still good. He is the one who planted the love for Ty in my and Toby's hearts and He will be the one to bring him home in His timing. Above all else, I know that Abba loves me, He sees and understands my hurt and impatience, and He has amazing things planned for me and my family...inlcuding Ty.
Toby and I are nearing the end of 21 days of prayer and fasting. My greatest plea is for Ty to come home during this window. This may or may not happen and that is ok. We are now praying for direction as we near the one year mark of this adoption journey. Do we continue to pursue a domestic adoption? Do we investigate international adoption? Do we put off adoption for now and have more biological children? I have so many questions and so few answers today, but I know that Abba has a plan...a great plan. And when He's ready, He'll tell us which road to take.
I have been so touched by the many, many people who have asked about Ty and have prayed for him. You will never know the depth of gratitude that comes from this mama's heart to hear of others who love my baby boy and are standing with us to see God's faithfulness. I know He'll come through...He always does.
Related posts:
12/18/12 - One week to go...
10/11/12 - Bread crumbs while we wait
9/23/12 - A bump in the road
7/10/12 - Save the adoption credit
6/29/12 - Bezi's Grand Opening
6/22/12 - We're over the first hump
5/21/12 - Out of the mouths of babes
5/13/12 - A far away dream comes near
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Monday, January 21, 2013
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
One week to go?
I have shared with you and stood firm on God's word to me that He would bring Ty home around Christmas. Well, here we are, one week before Christmas and no baby...not even a hint of a baby. At times I feel like Noah - standing on the corner proclaiming this absurd promise from the Lord. Some days I am confident and hopeful, other days I am full of doubt. Either way, my God is faithful, He is trustworthy and He is good. So many of you have been sweet to ask how things are going, but the truth is there's nothing new to share. Today we are still waiting to be matched with Ty's birthmother.
Should Christmas come and go next week with no sign of a baby, what does that mean? I don't know. I wish I had the answers. Maybe I heard Him wrong. Maybe I misunderstood. Maybe His timing is still different. Maybe we keep waiting. The one thing I do know is that my God doesn't need me to defend Him. I am human and I will do my best in hearing Him, loving Him and serving Him. So today, we continue to wait...hopeful to bring home our sweet baby boy in time for Christmas. Thank you for your continued prayers.
Related posts:
10/11/12 - Bread crumbs while we wait
9/23/12 - A bump in the road
7/10/12 - Save the adoption credit
6/29/12 - Bezi's Grand Opening
6/22/12 - We're over the first hump
5/21/12 - Out of the mouths of babes
5/13/12 - A far away dream comes near
Should Christmas come and go next week with no sign of a baby, what does that mean? I don't know. I wish I had the answers. Maybe I heard Him wrong. Maybe I misunderstood. Maybe His timing is still different. Maybe we keep waiting. The one thing I do know is that my God doesn't need me to defend Him. I am human and I will do my best in hearing Him, loving Him and serving Him. So today, we continue to wait...hopeful to bring home our sweet baby boy in time for Christmas. Thank you for your continued prayers.
Related posts:
10/11/12 - Bread crumbs while we wait
9/23/12 - A bump in the road
7/10/12 - Save the adoption credit
6/29/12 - Bezi's Grand Opening
6/22/12 - We're over the first hump
5/21/12 - Out of the mouths of babes
5/13/12 - A far away dream comes near
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New traditions
As I shared with you last year, Toby and I have adopted a less than traditional approach to Christmas. We hope to teach our children that Christmas is foremost about Jesus and His gift of Himself...presents are secondary. Our goal is that as our children grow up, their behavior and excitement is not focused on material possessions, but rather on Jesus and others.
Haley is now 3 and starting to understand a little more, so we worked hard this Christmas to start some new family traditions. Because this is a different approach than how Toby and I were raised, we're kind of going with the flow and "making it up" as we go along. Sweet Jesus has been good to guide our steps.
My MOPS group held a cookie exchange a few weeks before Christmas and consequently we came home with far more cookies than any one family needs. So, we bought some cute Christmas tins, divided them up and set out to bless our neighbors. I know that one of the reasons God put us in this neighborhood was to develop relationships with our neighbors...I think we get a B...we've done ok, but we could do better. These cookies were a great reminder that it's not about the cookies at all. People are blown away that you simply thought about them.
A few weeks before Christmas we took the kids to a local church for their "Bethlehem experience." They had built a little city inside plywood walls and truly we were transported to another time. As we entered the city, they treated us as if we were traveling to Bethlehem for the census, 2000 years ago. Our tour guide showed us around town, introducing us to the local baker and carpenter, sharing rumors of a special baby that had been born. We experienced the town with all of our senses: feeling the swaddling cloths new mothers used to wrap their babies, smelling the spices commonly available, and tasting the freshly baked bread. At the end the innkeeper excitedly led us to his stable where the Messiah had just been born. When we stepped out the back door, I was sad to see it end. I had to remind myself that it was all just a reenactment, but for the briefest time we got a glimpse into Bethlehem on that fateful night.
On Christmas Eve, we recruited the family to help us reenact our own Christmas story. I found a great script online and edited it to fit the cast we had available. Haley didn't have a speaking part since she can't read yet, but rest assured she'll be stealing the show next year. She did, however, help with the props. She loaned two of her stuffed sheep to Pop, our shepherd. She helped wrap presents in birthday paper for our wise person, adorned with a Burger King crown, to bring Jesus, and she proudly wore a white princess costume to serve as our angel.
In the spirit of giving, after our pageant we each took a minute to share what God had given us this year. Because He is the giver of all good gifts, I wanted us to focus on and give thanks to Him for blessing us beyond measure. These gifts ranged from a deeper relationship with Him to moving cross-country to financial blessings to health, healing and safety. As our kids get older, I hope to incorporate an offering of their talents in this tradition. I have visions of watercolor masterpieces and dance performances in my living room, all in an effort to serve Him with what He's already given us.
In future years I hope to move some of these celebrations to Christmas morning, but since Christmas fell on a Sunday this year we had to rearrange. This year we had the bonus of worshiping our Savior with our church family on Christmas morning. Before heading out to church we started the day just like we did on Haley's birthday...with birthday cake and candles. We sang happy birthday to Jesus and Haley anxiously blew out His candles. She was so excited, she could barely contain herself. And of course, because Jesus lavishes good gifts on us, we opened a few gifts too. For those of you who are curious, Haley's big presents were a baby doll bed and an art easel. I foresee hours of fun.
So there's our Christmas. We had a wonderful celebration and I pray you did, too. If you have any fun celebration ideas, I'd love to hear them. Please feel free to comment on this post or email me anytime. Merry Christmas!
Haley is now 3 and starting to understand a little more, so we worked hard this Christmas to start some new family traditions. Because this is a different approach than how Toby and I were raised, we're kind of going with the flow and "making it up" as we go along. Sweet Jesus has been good to guide our steps.
My MOPS group held a cookie exchange a few weeks before Christmas and consequently we came home with far more cookies than any one family needs. So, we bought some cute Christmas tins, divided them up and set out to bless our neighbors. I know that one of the reasons God put us in this neighborhood was to develop relationships with our neighbors...I think we get a B...we've done ok, but we could do better. These cookies were a great reminder that it's not about the cookies at all. People are blown away that you simply thought about them.
A few weeks before Christmas we took the kids to a local church for their "Bethlehem experience." They had built a little city inside plywood walls and truly we were transported to another time. As we entered the city, they treated us as if we were traveling to Bethlehem for the census, 2000 years ago. Our tour guide showed us around town, introducing us to the local baker and carpenter, sharing rumors of a special baby that had been born. We experienced the town with all of our senses: feeling the swaddling cloths new mothers used to wrap their babies, smelling the spices commonly available, and tasting the freshly baked bread. At the end the innkeeper excitedly led us to his stable where the Messiah had just been born. When we stepped out the back door, I was sad to see it end. I had to remind myself that it was all just a reenactment, but for the briefest time we got a glimpse into Bethlehem on that fateful night.
On Christmas Eve, we recruited the family to help us reenact our own Christmas story. I found a great script online and edited it to fit the cast we had available. Haley didn't have a speaking part since she can't read yet, but rest assured she'll be stealing the show next year. She did, however, help with the props. She loaned two of her stuffed sheep to Pop, our shepherd. She helped wrap presents in birthday paper for our wise person, adorned with a Burger King crown, to bring Jesus, and she proudly wore a white princess costume to serve as our angel.
My mom and Bob, graciously served as Mary and Joseph.
(Note the "stable animals" in the background.)
(Note the "stable animals" in the background.)
In the spirit of giving, after our pageant we each took a minute to share what God had given us this year. Because He is the giver of all good gifts, I wanted us to focus on and give thanks to Him for blessing us beyond measure. These gifts ranged from a deeper relationship with Him to moving cross-country to financial blessings to health, healing and safety. As our kids get older, I hope to incorporate an offering of their talents in this tradition. I have visions of watercolor masterpieces and dance performances in my living room, all in an effort to serve Him with what He's already given us.
In future years I hope to move some of these celebrations to Christmas morning, but since Christmas fell on a Sunday this year we had to rearrange. This year we had the bonus of worshiping our Savior with our church family on Christmas morning. Before heading out to church we started the day just like we did on Haley's birthday...with birthday cake and candles. We sang happy birthday to Jesus and Haley anxiously blew out His candles. She was so excited, she could barely contain herself. And of course, because Jesus lavishes good gifts on us, we opened a few gifts too. For those of you who are curious, Haley's big presents were a baby doll bed and an art easel. I foresee hours of fun.
Haley proudly blowing out Jesus' birthday candles.
So there's our Christmas. We had a wonderful celebration and I pray you did, too. If you have any fun celebration ideas, I'd love to hear them. Please feel free to comment on this post or email me anytime. Merry Christmas!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Christmas memories
I love to have a visual of the people and places I read about. Ok, Toby calls me nosy, but either way I realize that I haven't shared many family pictures with you...so late Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy a glimpse into our Christmas holiday. Thanks for following me this past year and I'm looking forward to many great things in 2011!
Making Christmas cookies at Granny's house.
Chef Haley working on cookie masterpieces.
Christmas cookies.
The kids put forth a fair effort, but wimped out pretty quickly. Aunt Susan and I finished off the rest.
Our visit with Santa wasn't as successful as I'd hoped. Haley was fine to watch him from a distance, but wasn't too excited to sit with him. (Go figure...not sure I'd want to sit on some stranger's lap either.) After getting a candy cane early and sitting with Mommy, we finally got a calm picture with Santa. Had I known I would be in the shot, I wouldn't have worn hot pink...lesson learned.
MiMi made Haley's Christmas dress with the help of Granny and Aunt Susan. One of my goals for 2011 is to learn to sew with confidence.
Haley had a Toy Story Christmas. Here she is with Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and Bullseye tucked under her Buzz and Woody blanket, all piled inside her blow up Toy Story tent. It's so fun to watch her imagination as she makes new "friends".
Haley playing in the backyard. One of my new favorite pictures of her.
Mommy and Haley at the Bellingrath Gardens Christmas in Lights.
Me and my love, Toby, enjoying the lights.
Toby and Carey
Finally, a decent family picture...aka Haley is smiling in the direction of the camera, the rest of us are irrelevant.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Making Christmas cookies at Granny's house.
Chef Haley working on cookie masterpieces.
Christmas cookies.The kids put forth a fair effort, but wimped out pretty quickly. Aunt Susan and I finished off the rest.
Our visit with Santa wasn't as successful as I'd hoped. Haley was fine to watch him from a distance, but wasn't too excited to sit with him. (Go figure...not sure I'd want to sit on some stranger's lap either.) After getting a candy cane early and sitting with Mommy, we finally got a calm picture with Santa. Had I known I would be in the shot, I wouldn't have worn hot pink...lesson learned.MiMi made Haley's Christmas dress with the help of Granny and Aunt Susan. One of my goals for 2011 is to learn to sew with confidence.
Haley had a Toy Story Christmas. Here she is with Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and Bullseye tucked under her Buzz and Woody blanket, all piled inside her blow up Toy Story tent. It's so fun to watch her imagination as she makes new "friends".
Haley playing in the backyard. One of my new favorite pictures of her.
Mommy and Haley at the Bellingrath Gardens Christmas in Lights. 
Me and my love, Toby, enjoying the lights.
Toby and Carey
Finally, a decent family picture...aka Haley is smiling in the direction of the camera, the rest of us are irrelevant. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Mary, my hero
As is our Christmas Eve tradition (ok, second year in a row and hope to continue each year), we watched the Nativity Story together as a family tonight. I'm always taken aback by the emotion and life that comes from the movie...more so than from just reading the story from Luke.
I am always struck by Mary's young age, yet her mother even commented that she was married even younger. This seems so foreign and almost abusive in our culture, but to understand that her father's act of giving her to Joseph was a great gift of love, paints the situation in a new light. To see the poverty and oppression these people lived under brings to life why they were so eagerly waiting for a political leader to free them from their abuse. Mary seemed to know that the Messiah would not be that kind of king.
When the angel appeared to her, she calmly agreed and offered herself in obedience. She couldn't possibly understand in that moment all that she was agreeing to...bearing a child out of wedlock and the stigma that would follow her, likely for the rest of her life. Yet, she humbly replied, "Let it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38) It makes me think, "How many times has God asked me to do something for His kingdom, even something small, and my response is opposition or a pitiful excuse? What would our world be like, if we all displayed Mary's humility, trust and obedience? Sure there have been times we have been hugely obedient, but what about the small things? "Carey, I want Toby to quit his job, for you to move back to Mobile and I'll fill you in on the rest later." We were eager with this big thing, "Sure! Let's go" "Carey, I want you to walk across the street and love on the lonely single mom that lives there." "Ooo, I don't know. I don't seem to have much in common with her. I'm not sure how she'll react to my friendship. Maybe later." What is that?!? How is it that we could so easily obey with the life altering command, but now I can't bring myself to pass on His love to the very people He brought us here for? Jesus, please help me to trust You and be obedient with Mary's great faith.
So Mary receives this earth shattering (yeah, literally) prophecy. What's the first thing a 14 year girl wants to do with big news? Duh, share it with the first person who will listen! Well, this wasn't quite that kind of news. She may not have known the full picture, but she knew enough to know that turning up with a baby while engaged could quickly get her killed. This was a BIG deal and Mary knew it. I doubt she even shared this news with her mother at first. I can only imagine the thoughts going through her mind with the gravity of what had happened. Now, she went to visit Elizabeth who immediately responded to her presence with excitement and blessing (Luke 1:39-56). Our sweet Jesus knows exactly what we need and when we need it. Mary needed to talk. She needed someone who understood and someone who supported her. By God's grace, Elizabeth understood before Mary told her one word about what had happened and why she had come to visit. As we watched the movie tonight, I let out a sigh as Elizabeth embraced Mary and the weight of all that she was carrying was lifted, if only for a while. Thank you God, for giving Mary the love, acceptance and encouragement she needed during such an overwhelming time!
Joseph will always blow my socks off. He was an honorable man and could have easily (and rightfully) had Mary stoned for her apparent infidelity, but his love of the Lord and his obedience spared her life. I wonder what their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was really like. In the movie, Mary and Joseph get to know each other for the first time and he proves to be a servant of the Lord and a servant to others. He is strong, humble, caring. Perhaps their trip really went that way. God knew that Mary and Joseph had a difficult road together, and He was working, even at this rocky, early stage of their marriage, to knit them into one flesh. Thank you God for your provisions for marriage. I pray a special blessing over all marriages today, that they would be strengthened and that husbands and wives will work together, with servant hearts for the good of Your kingdom.
When they finally made it to Bethlehem and Mary goes into labor, I can only imagine the myriad of emotions that coursed through them. Their was likely the excitement any couple feels as they prepare to welcome their child, but more than that great anxiety...where to settle to deliver the baby and the actual delivery itself. Perhaps Mary had been a part of Elizabeth's delivery of John, but she was still a girl herself with no mother or midwife to help her through. Men weren't generally invited to partake in the childbirth experience and having no previous children, Joseph was certainly completely lost and overwhelmed. Even though the fear of the moment was likely enormous, I like to think that God's mercy and supernatural peace filled every inch of that stable. My motto from the last year has become, "God will never ask you to do something and then not provide what you need to do it." I have to believe the same was true for Joseph and Mary on the scary night. He provided exactly what they needed, exactly when they needed it. He is so good and His timing is impeccable!
After the movie was over, I thought for a bit about how God's hand was fully involved with every single step of bringing Jesus into our world. Not only had He waited for the right time in history, but He had specifically chosen Mary and Joseph, out of all of humanity from all time, these are the two people He entrusted His son to. He knew that they loved Him, that they would be obedient to the scriptures and to His specific instructions to them, and that they would prepare Jesus for His ministry and ultimately His precious sacrifice. He protected Mary from stoning when she turned up pregnant out of wedlock. He orchestrated the census and coordinated the timing of Jesus' birth with the fulfillment of ancient prophesy. He protected the tiny baby Jesus from Herod's numerous attempts to destroy Him. God's eye did not leave that little family for one second. He had a great plan for that baby and He was going to see it fulfilled.
As I checked on my sleeping Haley tonight, I thought, "Jesus, I love her so much. I totally understand the adoration Mary had for that baby and her instinct to protect him with everything she had." I cannot fathom the thought of someone tearing into my home and killing my two year old right in front of me...a horror that many mothers in Bethlehem endured (Matt 2:16-18). The need to protect my Haley was overwhelming and physical. I couldn't tear myself from her room. Just then, I heard the beautiful, still small voice, "I love you that much. Just as I love Jesus and I had a plan for Him while He was on the earth and I protected Him all of His days, I love you that much." As soon as the voice finished, I heard a song of confirmation from Haley's stereo..."Yes, Jesus loves me." I am totally undone when I try to imagine the depth of His love for me. For ME! Carey! Of all people, I am nothing special. I'm not noteworthy in this world's eyes. I am not worthy of the love and affection of the master of the universe. But yet, He sees me. He knows every thought and He has a wonderful plan, just for me. And just as He used Mary, a nobody from a nowhere town, He can use me to change this world forever...if I would only respond with Mary's trust and obedience...."May it be done to me according to your word." And nothing more...no more excuses or procrastination. When He says "go," world changers go. They don't ask questions or complain or pout or negotiate the details. They trust the Almighty and they go.
Sweet Abba, I will never understand the depth of Your love for me. I will never understand how Your grace and mercy are never ending and You give them so freely and in such abundance. I will never understand how You were able to send your son here for me. Although I will never understand these things, please help me to never take them for granted. Thank you for sending Jesus to love me with all that He had. Thank you for loving me with the depth of love You have for Him. Help me to grasp this and trust it more each day. Help me to walk in Mary's obedience and faithfulness and to share Your love and Your mercy with every soul I encounter, without hesitation, from this day forward. I want to be a world changer like Mary. Please lead me closer to You, day by day. With all that I have to give...
Labor of Love by Andrew Peterson
This is a glimpse, please take a few minutes to quiet your soul and experience this incredible night with Mary.
You can read the entire story of Jesus' birthday below:
Matthew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 1:5-2:40
I am always struck by Mary's young age, yet her mother even commented that she was married even younger. This seems so foreign and almost abusive in our culture, but to understand that her father's act of giving her to Joseph was a great gift of love, paints the situation in a new light. To see the poverty and oppression these people lived under brings to life why they were so eagerly waiting for a political leader to free them from their abuse. Mary seemed to know that the Messiah would not be that kind of king.
When the angel appeared to her, she calmly agreed and offered herself in obedience. She couldn't possibly understand in that moment all that she was agreeing to...bearing a child out of wedlock and the stigma that would follow her, likely for the rest of her life. Yet, she humbly replied, "Let it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38) It makes me think, "How many times has God asked me to do something for His kingdom, even something small, and my response is opposition or a pitiful excuse? What would our world be like, if we all displayed Mary's humility, trust and obedience? Sure there have been times we have been hugely obedient, but what about the small things? "Carey, I want Toby to quit his job, for you to move back to Mobile and I'll fill you in on the rest later." We were eager with this big thing, "Sure! Let's go" "Carey, I want you to walk across the street and love on the lonely single mom that lives there." "Ooo, I don't know. I don't seem to have much in common with her. I'm not sure how she'll react to my friendship. Maybe later." What is that?!? How is it that we could so easily obey with the life altering command, but now I can't bring myself to pass on His love to the very people He brought us here for? Jesus, please help me to trust You and be obedient with Mary's great faith.
So Mary receives this earth shattering (yeah, literally) prophecy. What's the first thing a 14 year girl wants to do with big news? Duh, share it with the first person who will listen! Well, this wasn't quite that kind of news. She may not have known the full picture, but she knew enough to know that turning up with a baby while engaged could quickly get her killed. This was a BIG deal and Mary knew it. I doubt she even shared this news with her mother at first. I can only imagine the thoughts going through her mind with the gravity of what had happened. Now, she went to visit Elizabeth who immediately responded to her presence with excitement and blessing (Luke 1:39-56). Our sweet Jesus knows exactly what we need and when we need it. Mary needed to talk. She needed someone who understood and someone who supported her. By God's grace, Elizabeth understood before Mary told her one word about what had happened and why she had come to visit. As we watched the movie tonight, I let out a sigh as Elizabeth embraced Mary and the weight of all that she was carrying was lifted, if only for a while. Thank you God, for giving Mary the love, acceptance and encouragement she needed during such an overwhelming time!
Joseph will always blow my socks off. He was an honorable man and could have easily (and rightfully) had Mary stoned for her apparent infidelity, but his love of the Lord and his obedience spared her life. I wonder what their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was really like. In the movie, Mary and Joseph get to know each other for the first time and he proves to be a servant of the Lord and a servant to others. He is strong, humble, caring. Perhaps their trip really went that way. God knew that Mary and Joseph had a difficult road together, and He was working, even at this rocky, early stage of their marriage, to knit them into one flesh. Thank you God for your provisions for marriage. I pray a special blessing over all marriages today, that they would be strengthened and that husbands and wives will work together, with servant hearts for the good of Your kingdom.
When they finally made it to Bethlehem and Mary goes into labor, I can only imagine the myriad of emotions that coursed through them. Their was likely the excitement any couple feels as they prepare to welcome their child, but more than that great anxiety...where to settle to deliver the baby and the actual delivery itself. Perhaps Mary had been a part of Elizabeth's delivery of John, but she was still a girl herself with no mother or midwife to help her through. Men weren't generally invited to partake in the childbirth experience and having no previous children, Joseph was certainly completely lost and overwhelmed. Even though the fear of the moment was likely enormous, I like to think that God's mercy and supernatural peace filled every inch of that stable. My motto from the last year has become, "God will never ask you to do something and then not provide what you need to do it." I have to believe the same was true for Joseph and Mary on the scary night. He provided exactly what they needed, exactly when they needed it. He is so good and His timing is impeccable!
After the movie was over, I thought for a bit about how God's hand was fully involved with every single step of bringing Jesus into our world. Not only had He waited for the right time in history, but He had specifically chosen Mary and Joseph, out of all of humanity from all time, these are the two people He entrusted His son to. He knew that they loved Him, that they would be obedient to the scriptures and to His specific instructions to them, and that they would prepare Jesus for His ministry and ultimately His precious sacrifice. He protected Mary from stoning when she turned up pregnant out of wedlock. He orchestrated the census and coordinated the timing of Jesus' birth with the fulfillment of ancient prophesy. He protected the tiny baby Jesus from Herod's numerous attempts to destroy Him. God's eye did not leave that little family for one second. He had a great plan for that baby and He was going to see it fulfilled.
As I checked on my sleeping Haley tonight, I thought, "Jesus, I love her so much. I totally understand the adoration Mary had for that baby and her instinct to protect him with everything she had." I cannot fathom the thought of someone tearing into my home and killing my two year old right in front of me...a horror that many mothers in Bethlehem endured (Matt 2:16-18). The need to protect my Haley was overwhelming and physical. I couldn't tear myself from her room. Just then, I heard the beautiful, still small voice, "I love you that much. Just as I love Jesus and I had a plan for Him while He was on the earth and I protected Him all of His days, I love you that much." As soon as the voice finished, I heard a song of confirmation from Haley's stereo..."Yes, Jesus loves me." I am totally undone when I try to imagine the depth of His love for me. For ME! Carey! Of all people, I am nothing special. I'm not noteworthy in this world's eyes. I am not worthy of the love and affection of the master of the universe. But yet, He sees me. He knows every thought and He has a wonderful plan, just for me. And just as He used Mary, a nobody from a nowhere town, He can use me to change this world forever...if I would only respond with Mary's trust and obedience...."May it be done to me according to your word." And nothing more...no more excuses or procrastination. When He says "go," world changers go. They don't ask questions or complain or pout or negotiate the details. They trust the Almighty and they go.
Sweet Abba, I will never understand the depth of Your love for me. I will never understand how Your grace and mercy are never ending and You give them so freely and in such abundance. I will never understand how You were able to send your son here for me. Although I will never understand these things, please help me to never take them for granted. Thank you for sending Jesus to love me with all that He had. Thank you for loving me with the depth of love You have for Him. Help me to grasp this and trust it more each day. Help me to walk in Mary's obedience and faithfulness and to share Your love and Your mercy with every soul I encounter, without hesitation, from this day forward. I want to be a world changer like Mary. Please lead me closer to You, day by day. With all that I have to give...
Labor of Love by Andrew Peterson
This is a glimpse, please take a few minutes to quiet your soul and experience this incredible night with Mary.
You can read the entire story of Jesus' birthday below:
Matthew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 1:5-2:40
Monday, December 20, 2010
Redeeming Santa
Now that we are parents and have reached the Christmas season, the question of Santa as come up again. Growing up, both Toby and I were fully engulfed in the magic of Santa and his flight around the world delivering presents. The thrill and anticipation was almost unbearable on Christmas Eve.
Now that it's our turn to set Christmas traditions for our family, we've discussed how we want to approach it. I assumed we would teach our children all about Santa, elves, the North Pole, and all the magic that Christmas entails. I was shocked the year Haley was born when Toby said, "I'm not sure about the whole Santa thing." What?!? "I just don't think I can lie to my kids like that." I thought the idea was ridiculous, but seeing as how Haley was four months old that Christmas, we decided it wasn't that big of a deal that year and so we swept it under the rug. This year, Haley is 2 and while she doesn't really get it, she understands that people are giving her presents and that is SO much fun! Again, we don't have to make the call this year, but we know next year is going to be a whole different ball game.
We recently stumbled on a article that perfectly articulates how we've been feeling...click here to read it. Did you read it? You really need to read it to understand where I'm going...go on...it's a short read.
So, now that you've read that article, what do you think? We love his point of distinguishing between pretend and dress up and lying. Just as there is nothing wrong with watching the story of Ariel, the make-believe mermaid princess, there is no harm in telling the stories of Santa. The jolly fellow our culture has created is pretend and it's a fun story to tell. We fear that the danger comes from selling this make-believe story as truth. As a parent, I would never want my children to lie to me, and as their example of Christ, I should not lie to them either. The more I've thought about this and prayed about it over the last few weeks, the more unsettled I become with telling my children a bold face lie. I just can't do it. But our entire country seems to embrace this lie! It's ingrained in our cultural make up. So now what do we do? I don't really want to be seen as one of those parents who sucks all the fun out of Christmas, but I'm not ok with going along with the fable.
Now, before you get all in a tissy...I am not saying we will not celebrate Christmas or participate in present exchanges or stuffing stockings. I simply want my children to reside in truth...related to all things. In this instance, St. Nicholas was a real person. He did wonderful, generous things and we should celebrate his life and the example he left for us. From that perspective, Santa is wonderfully giving and his generosity should be duplicated. However, we will not tell our children that the presents on Christmas morning magically appeared in the middle of the night from a jolly man who flew around the world with his reindeer. They will know that their family has provided these gifts for them out of their love for them, and honestly, I doubt that knowledge will diminish any of the fun of Christmas.
As I've pondered this whole Santa idea, I've thought a lot about how do we turn the focus from the presents and the busyness to Christ...the reason for celebrating in the first place. We have to admit that the glowing tree and abundant wrapped presents can easily take center stage this time of year. And while attending a Christmas program at church, reading the birth story from Luke and playing with the nativity scene are nice things to turn our attention to Him, they often get overshadowed by the glamour of the gifts. So, as I prayed over this, God gave me the neatest idea! On Christmas morning, before any presents are opened, we are going to give Jesus His presents first! "What present?" you ask...the present of ourselves. All He's ever asked for is our hearts, so we will take His birthday to commemorate all that we have given Him throughout the year. The idea is to start a few weeks before Christmas and gather pictures and remember times that we have served Him...with our time, our talents, our money, our love...and make a card or a book to show these gifts. In addition, I would like to remember and celebrate all of the gifts God has given us...from the basic necessities of life to miraculous answered prayers. I have visions of years to come of my kids working diligently on their gifts, and on Christmas morning, we will each (Toby and I included) share how God has loved others through us, how we have allowed Him to use our lives for His glory, and how He has given so generously to us throughout the past year.
"What if we get to Christmas and we don't have anything to share?" Toby asked. Well, I think that's where our responsibility as parents kicks in. We need to be aware, year round, of opportunities for our family to serve others. Whether it be serving dinner at a homeless shelter, sharing Christ with a neighbor, helping another kid on the playground, giving allowance money to the church or a friend in need, or simply spending time with each other and offering encouraging words. I recognize this will require a bit of organization...a handy camera to catch a loving moment, a notebook to jot down memorable conversation, and a journal to document God's guidance and answered prayers so that these events easily come to mind at the year's end.
At the end of the day, Toby and I have learned a valuable lesson in our two short years of parenting...every family has to do what is right for their family, and deserves to do so without enduring the judgment of others. This applies to all areas of parenting...from breastfeeding, to bed time routines, to discipline, to education choices, to Christmas celebrations. There are a million ways to raise a child in a loving, God-fearing home and we recognize that each child is different. In the vast majority of situations, there is no right or wrong way, no better or worse way. There's only the way that works best for each family. For us, we have decided to celebrate Christ's birth by giving Jesus our time and talents, by remembering a Godly man called St. Nick, and by exchanging a few (not a ridiculous pile) meaningful gifts. I hope you are intentional as well to develop Christmas traditions that will draw your family closer to the best gift of all...sweet Jesus!
Merry Christmas!!
Now that it's our turn to set Christmas traditions for our family, we've discussed how we want to approach it. I assumed we would teach our children all about Santa, elves, the North Pole, and all the magic that Christmas entails. I was shocked the year Haley was born when Toby said, "I'm not sure about the whole Santa thing." What?!? "I just don't think I can lie to my kids like that." I thought the idea was ridiculous, but seeing as how Haley was four months old that Christmas, we decided it wasn't that big of a deal that year and so we swept it under the rug. This year, Haley is 2 and while she doesn't really get it, she understands that people are giving her presents and that is SO much fun! Again, we don't have to make the call this year, but we know next year is going to be a whole different ball game.
We recently stumbled on a article that perfectly articulates how we've been feeling...click here to read it. Did you read it? You really need to read it to understand where I'm going...go on...it's a short read.
So, now that you've read that article, what do you think? We love his point of distinguishing between pretend and dress up and lying. Just as there is nothing wrong with watching the story of Ariel, the make-believe mermaid princess, there is no harm in telling the stories of Santa. The jolly fellow our culture has created is pretend and it's a fun story to tell. We fear that the danger comes from selling this make-believe story as truth. As a parent, I would never want my children to lie to me, and as their example of Christ, I should not lie to them either. The more I've thought about this and prayed about it over the last few weeks, the more unsettled I become with telling my children a bold face lie. I just can't do it. But our entire country seems to embrace this lie! It's ingrained in our cultural make up. So now what do we do? I don't really want to be seen as one of those parents who sucks all the fun out of Christmas, but I'm not ok with going along with the fable.
Now, before you get all in a tissy...I am not saying we will not celebrate Christmas or participate in present exchanges or stuffing stockings. I simply want my children to reside in truth...related to all things. In this instance, St. Nicholas was a real person. He did wonderful, generous things and we should celebrate his life and the example he left for us. From that perspective, Santa is wonderfully giving and his generosity should be duplicated. However, we will not tell our children that the presents on Christmas morning magically appeared in the middle of the night from a jolly man who flew around the world with his reindeer. They will know that their family has provided these gifts for them out of their love for them, and honestly, I doubt that knowledge will diminish any of the fun of Christmas.
As I've pondered this whole Santa idea, I've thought a lot about how do we turn the focus from the presents and the busyness to Christ...the reason for celebrating in the first place. We have to admit that the glowing tree and abundant wrapped presents can easily take center stage this time of year. And while attending a Christmas program at church, reading the birth story from Luke and playing with the nativity scene are nice things to turn our attention to Him, they often get overshadowed by the glamour of the gifts. So, as I prayed over this, God gave me the neatest idea! On Christmas morning, before any presents are opened, we are going to give Jesus His presents first! "What present?" you ask...the present of ourselves. All He's ever asked for is our hearts, so we will take His birthday to commemorate all that we have given Him throughout the year. The idea is to start a few weeks before Christmas and gather pictures and remember times that we have served Him...with our time, our talents, our money, our love...and make a card or a book to show these gifts. In addition, I would like to remember and celebrate all of the gifts God has given us...from the basic necessities of life to miraculous answered prayers. I have visions of years to come of my kids working diligently on their gifts, and on Christmas morning, we will each (Toby and I included) share how God has loved others through us, how we have allowed Him to use our lives for His glory, and how He has given so generously to us throughout the past year.
"What if we get to Christmas and we don't have anything to share?" Toby asked. Well, I think that's where our responsibility as parents kicks in. We need to be aware, year round, of opportunities for our family to serve others. Whether it be serving dinner at a homeless shelter, sharing Christ with a neighbor, helping another kid on the playground, giving allowance money to the church or a friend in need, or simply spending time with each other and offering encouraging words. I recognize this will require a bit of organization...a handy camera to catch a loving moment, a notebook to jot down memorable conversation, and a journal to document God's guidance and answered prayers so that these events easily come to mind at the year's end.
At the end of the day, Toby and I have learned a valuable lesson in our two short years of parenting...every family has to do what is right for their family, and deserves to do so without enduring the judgment of others. This applies to all areas of parenting...from breastfeeding, to bed time routines, to discipline, to education choices, to Christmas celebrations. There are a million ways to raise a child in a loving, God-fearing home and we recognize that each child is different. In the vast majority of situations, there is no right or wrong way, no better or worse way. There's only the way that works best for each family. For us, we have decided to celebrate Christ's birth by giving Jesus our time and talents, by remembering a Godly man called St. Nick, and by exchanging a few (not a ridiculous pile) meaningful gifts. I hope you are intentional as well to develop Christmas traditions that will draw your family closer to the best gift of all...sweet Jesus!
Merry Christmas!!
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