OUR PLANS MULTIPLIED

In the beginning, JD adamantly only wanted two children. I thought that four would be perfect. Once we caught God's vision of putting orphans into families, our plan was multiplied by God. We are currently blessed with 12 children; five biological, six adopted and one more waiting in Ethiopia. Our first adoption was from the U.S., the next three were from Liberia, West Africa, and our last two were from Ethiopia. We are supporting our 12th child in Ethiopia after her adoption could not pass court.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Adoption and Risk

Do you know how many times, before I adopted, people said to me things along the line of, "you don't know what you are going to get?" No, I didn't know what child I was going to end of with, but God did and He chose accordingly. This statement is really annoying along two lines. One is that people are assuming that other family's DNA is more flawed than their own. I don't know about you, but we have plenty of "issues" in our combined DNA that the statement, "you just don't know" certainly applies to a biological child as well. The second reason that I don't appreciate that comment is the simple fact that a child is worth a risk. To not provide an orphan with a chance because they are viewed as a risk goes against the very love and compassion that we are called to as Christians. Thankfully, people don't say that to me anymore after four adoptions. At some point, people consider you too far gone for their "helpful" advice and that's OK with me.

Here's a saying on risk that really hit me. I really like the line, "the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing." I don't think it's possible for most people, if anyone, to live the life they are called to without risk.

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To live is to risk dying,To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,
But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.
Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.

3 comments:

  1. This was my first time on your blog after clicking through some large family blogs and I had to already comment on this great post! It's so true! Thank you for sharing!

    Dawn

    Mommy of 4 bio boys and 2 adopted little girls...... so far! ;o)

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  2. My grandma once said, she lived her life the way she did because she didn't want to be old and have any regrets. That comment has taken me parasailing, to New Zealand and back, a year around Europe and to Africa to adopt one special little girl = and who knows what else?

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