A calling to adopt

I've known since I was a little girl that I wanted to be a mother.  I was probably the only 13 year old playing with baby dolls.  I loved playing with younger kids because I could pretend to be their mom, and they would listen to me!  I loved to babysit and spent as much time as I could with small children.  I knew I wanted a big family and I knew what my life long job would be.  When I met Andrew and we discussed children, we quickly got on the same page.  He originally said 4 kids and I was saying 6.  (My, how hearts change!) And we both talked of a love for and calling to adoption.

Many people feel a "calling" to a particular field.  Andrew has known he wanted to be a lawyer since he was young.  Many are called into teaching, medicine, engineering,etc.   It's never looked down on to have a passion for a career...unless it's mothering.  In our culture, being a mother is minimized.  Being a stay at home mom is even more absurd.  Being a mother to many is just down right ridiculous.  (Why would anyone want more than 2 kids?  Ok, MAYBE 3.  But that's going a bit far, don't you think?)  So now, as a stay at home mother to 5 kids and trying to become a mother to more, motherless children,*I* am the freak that people stare at and talk about.  (Not in my own circle of course, but in the public eye.)  I can only imagine what it's going to be like when I'm carting around a crew that doesn't look just like me.

I am delighted to be where I am right now.  I have 5 wonderful children.  I get to spend my days and nights with them.  I get to meet their needs, nurture them, love them, teach them to love the Lord.  Yes, it's a privilege!  I get to be the one they cry for when they scrape their knee.  Only my kisses will do to restore them.  They need me.  What they don't know though, is that I need them too.  Without them, I can't fulfill my calling.  Without them, I'm not a mom.

I don't have to adopt to be "fulfilled."  Many people don't understand why someone that can have biological kids would want to adopt.  Why would I want kids when I already have 5 that look just like me?  Why take on such a big responsibility of caring for more little people that are going to need, need , need.  It's such demanding work!  It's glorious work though!  I want to adopt because I can.  I can be their mother.  I can love them, provide for them, and most importantly,teach them to love the Lord.  I can be their REAL mom.  I can kiss their hurt finger.  I can sing "Jesus Loves Me" and 7 other songs that they request before bed.  I can feed them dinner, bake them cookies, take them to the park, and discipline them when it's needed.  I can provide stability for them and help them grow into mature adulthood as followers of Jesus Christ.  I can do all this by the grace of God and with His help.  The real question to me is, Why wouldn't I adopt?

Today's sermon was on adoption.  I'll be sharing it with you later this week.  My beloved Pastor/Father was talking about how we are all adopted through Christ, as God's children. Jesus himself was adopted by his earthly father, Joseph.  Joseph was His REAL dad.  Jesus,the King of Kings,was adopted!!

Jesus is the original adoption agency.  For it is through Him that we are brought into God's family.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

I John 3:1

Adoption is important work.  Not all Christians can adopt.  But many more can.  For such is the kingdom of God!

But Jesus called to him, saying,  "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for such is the kingdom of God."    -Luke 18:16