Tough Love

This morning was my turn to drive carpool.  As I dropped the kids off I decided to run in and check the lost and found.  We're missing at least 5 sweatshirts, 3 pairs of gloves and 2 water bottles. 

As we walked into the school my 11 year old turned and said, "Oh no, I forgot to redo that assignment."  He began to explain that an assignment he turned in yesterday was not done correctly.  His teacher had given him grace and allowed him one more day but he forgot!  Tears welled up in his eyes. 

I glanced at the clock and realized he had enough time to quickly redo it.  I suggested that we grab a piece of paper from the office and I could help him.  He emotions were high and he began to argue that he didn't have time, it was impossible.  I tried so hard to help him but he walked away.

I spent the next few minutes digging through a huge bins of coats, hats, sweatshirts and water bottles.  I found a few items that belonged to us.  As I was finishing I looked up and saw him walking toward me, tears streaming down his face.  He said, "But mom, I'm going to get zero points and it is going to impact my overall grade."  I've been thrilled this past year that he has been conscientious of his grades and my heart ached to see him so upset.  I thought that maybe I could e-mail his teacher and ask for one more day, maybe I could comfort him with the promise of something special after school but as I peered down at my precious son I realized that the right thing to do, was nothing.  It's called tough love.  Yes, he would receive a zero, his grade would be impacted but the long term lesson was worth it.  He didn't know that but I did.

He walked back to class with tears still streaming down his face.  As I drove away, my heart ached.  I hated to see my son sad and hurting.  I began to question my decision to not help him.  I longed so much to make the situation better.  I struggled to remind myself that I was.  He forgot, he needs to deal with the consequences and in the long term, it's far better for him.

As I pulled onto the interstate I began to think about how God aches for me, how He longs to take away my pain and make it better.  However, daily He allows me to reap the consequences of my actions.  HE loves me! 

As a mom, I am thankful for the times when I see God so clearly through my children.  I think that being a parent is 49% about raising my boys and 51% about God working on me. 

Children are not a statistic to God

Every 15 SECONDS, another child becomes an AIDS orphan in Africa
Every DAY 5,760 more children become orphans
Every YEAR 2,102,400 more children become orphans (in Africa alone)
143,000,000 children are orphans in the world today
18,000 children die everyday from hunger related causes
2,000,000 children are believed to be exploited through the commercial sex trade
Worldwide 134,000,000 children between the ages of 7 to 18 have never been to school
5,000,000 children in Ethiopia will never attend school
Every 2.2 SECONDS, another orphan child AGES OUT with no family to belong to and no place to call home...

I have to be honest.  When I read the statistics above, I feel sad and then, I zone out.  My guess is that you do the same.  I think our minds just cannot grasp those numbers and the incredible pain that accompanies them.  I think that it is important to remember that,

children are not a statistic to God. 

He knit together each one of them in their mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

He created them in His image, he has His fingerprints on them. Genesis 1:27

He knows the number of hairs on each head. Luke 12:7

He LOVES each one of them so much that he sent his son, Jesus, to died for them. John 3:16

HIS heart breaks!

I think it is impossible for our finite minds to grasp those numbers, to understand what an infinite God sees and knows.  What we can do is take it to a level we can understand.  Below is a precious little girl.  She is part of those statistics listed above.  However, she is NOT a statistic to God and NOT a statistic to me.  She lives in a little village in southern Ethiopia with her widowed mother and 3 siblings.  She is 7 years old, in Kindergarten and she is malnourished.  I'm a sponsorship coordinator and she is on my list.  She needs a sponsor.

Sponsorship programs WORK!  If you want more information on her or the 17 other children on my list please e-mail me at ingrid@fovc.org.  Also, check out our website, Friends of Orphans and Vulnerable Children.

Sponsor a child today!  If not through my organization, please go to Compassion International and check out the 1,000's of waiting children.  God knows each one of them and LOVES them so much!  Don't let statistics hold you back.  If we all sponsored one, what a difference we could make!

This post is linked to



The Rusted Chain 

Somegirl's Thought Provoking Thursday

Chicken made easy!

It's no secret, I do NOT love to cook. However, it is a necessity and these past 16 months, thanks to Janelle at Comfy in the Kitchen, I've been growing to like it a bit :-)

I've have a time saver that I want to share. I have several recipes that call for chicken. My favorite chicken recipe is chicken enchiladas, Comfy in the Kitchen has the BEST recipe! I also have recipes for soups, stir-frys, casseroles and the list goes on, that require chicken.  I've found that the BEST, quickest, yummiest and money saving way to get chicken is to buy fully cooked rotisserie chickens from Costco.  If you don't have a Costco membership you can buy these rotisserie chickens at Sam's Club and most grocery stores.

I run to Costco once a month, the rest of my shopping is done at Aldi, LOVE Aldi!  At Costco I buy 3-5 rotisserie chickens.  They cost $5 each.  When I get home I spend about 30 minutes pulling off all the meat.  I LOVE the combination of white and dark meat.  I think it gives a great flavor to my chicken dishes.  I package the meat in 1 lbs. quantities and freeze them.  Over the next few weeks, when I need chicken, I just grab it from the freezer!  It has been such a time saver for me.

On my Costco shopping day I also plan to eat one of the chickens for dinner that night, along with fresh baked Costco bread and a nice salad.  After a big shopping day it is nice to not have to cook a big meal!  I hope this cooking tip helps you get "Comfy in the Kitchen"!

 

This post is linked to

Balancing Life In An Unbalanced World

One year ago today, I returned from Ethiopia.  I was exhausted, so happy to see my family and craving an old fashioned American cheeseburger.  It's still hard to believe that I took a 15,000 mile journey to the Horn of Africa and back.  My journey actually began twenty years ago and I know my guide was God.

Upon my return, I took a look at life around me.  It felt like I was looking at everything through a new pair of glasses.  This past year I've struggled to make sense of life, America and what God is expecting of me.  In Luke 12:48 it says,

“…from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

In this passage Jesus is telling his disciples a parable about the master, who is returning, and his servants are to be ready. The master wants to find them faithful and wise managers of what he has given them. It is interesting that this section, Luke 12:35-48, immediately follows several verses that begin with, “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life…” (Luke 12:22) and goes on to speak of the lilies of the field and how if God cares for them how much more will he care for me? So I shouldn't worry! I have enough, more than enough, so what am I to do with what I have?

This past year has been a struggle as I've tried to make sense of life.  This world is so unbalanced, how am I suppose to balance my life?  I've read the book of Ecclesiates multiple times.  I am going to try and express what this trip meant to me.  Check back soon!