Blogging for Me

I have written one of those Christmas update letters every year for eighteen or more years now. Every year I print it out and put it in a file to save it with all the previous years. Almost every year as I sit down to begin the writing process, I pull out this file and reminisce about my life with my husband and kids. Each letter is just a small snipit of what happened that year but each one brings back so many memories.

This past year I was in my room reading these letters when my two teenage girls walked in and asked me to read aloud. We had so much fun reading and reliving all the good times and the hard times we've had together as a family.

This is probably a little more important in an adoptive family such as ours because we haven't always been together as a family. There are years we read about what happened with my husband and I and our biological children knowing that our adopted children were not in a good place that particular year. So, the best years are the ones in which we all share the memories. Like the first Christmas after we adopted four of our children.....or our youngest child's first Christmas.

Because I know that these letters will be saved and re-read every year, there are things I include in them that may not be as interesting to those who recieve them in their Christmas card but I am writing them for me and my family first and foremost. I do pray that others who know and love our family will enjoy them as well.

I have begun to look at my blog as the same. As I write down my thoughts, feelings and lessons learned it is like therapy for me. I certainly hope that other mother's of RADlets will be blessed by what they read and I pray that I will be an encouragement to them. I even have dreams of one day writing a book that will minister to those raising RADlets....but for now I am writing for my own healing.

My Hero

My dictionary says that a hero is.... a person admired for bravery, great deeds or noble qualities....a person admired for contribution to a particular field....a person of superhuman strength, courage , or ability.

Last year my favorite radio station KLOVE had a contest in which you were to write about your personal hero and email the station. I don't usually enter those contests but for some reason this time I was compelled to. I wish I could tell you that my entry won but.....maybe next time.

My hero is my mentor and very best friend.....Teresa! I am so excited to be able to see her this weekend (we live in separate states) that I think I will just share my Hero entry........

My hero does not wear a cape or a mask

and is not know to the public as a

crime fighter. in fact if you talked to her

she would say that she's no hero.

She'd say she's just a Christian....

I would add that she lives her live by faith,

always "stepping out of the boat" like Peter,

trusting God every step of the way.

She would say she's just a wife...

I would add that she has been a faithful,

loving companion to her husband

of over 25 years.

She'd say she's just a mom....

I would add that she is an awesome mom to ten

kids (some biological, some adopted from foster care).

She would say she's just a home school teacher....

I would add that she finds the time not only to school her kids

but also to teach many co-ops as well.

She would say she's just a friend...

I would add that she understands me,

makes time for me and gives me advice and

insight on raising my eight kids.

So, although you may not have ever heard of my friend, Teresa,

she is a hero to me, her husband and her kids

but also a servant of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Teresa, if you're reading this know that I love you and can't wait to see you again. Thanks for all the advice and support over the years.....you are truly a hero, admired for your bravery, noble qualities and superhuman strength and courage. May God bless you richly through His love!

Perfection

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48

I have a RADlet that takes this verse very seriously. Well, I don't know if it actually has anything to do with this verse or not but she is extremely perfectionistic.

She was five when we adopted her and I can remember this sweet, talented, little girl coloring beautiful pictures then ripping them up and throwing them away. When I would stop her to ask why, she would yell at me something about how ugly they were and how she can't draw. Her Sunday School teacher even came to me to let me know that she would throw her papers away at church too.....every time she colored outside the lines.

She is very athletic as well but when we signed her up for soccer she cried if someone other than her scored a goal......even if that person was from her team! She felt like somehow she had failed if she was not the one to score.

Piano lessons were much the same way. She has a wonderful ear for music. But she is not very receptive to others telling her what she is doing wrong or how to improve. Somehow it is like an insult to her.

What a sad state to live in....feeling like it's your duty to be perfect and becoming angry every time you realize that you aren't anywhere near perfect.

She has come a long way but when she is nervous she reverts back to those tendencies. Control is her security blanket. She feels like if she can take control of the situation whatever it is she will be alright.

Right now she is nervous and today we had words. I stood toe to toe with my little RADlet and told her that she wasn't perfect, that she wasn't going to be perfect and that is why she needed Jesus. I told her that she was just like me.........a sinner and the only way to not feel like a miserable failure inside is to admit that you need a savior.........Jesus.

Other than our four year old, this RADlet is the only one of our children that hasn't made a decision for Christ. She understands all to well what it means for Jesus to be Lord or Boss of her life. She told me that she won't become a Christian because she doesn't want anyone to be the boss of her. When the Holy Spirit finally gets a hold of her she will be one kid on fire for Jesus.....until then we just pray for her.

Personally, I prefer these verses on perfection.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,

so that Christ's power may rest on me.

2 Cor. 12:9

[Pressing on Toward the Goal] Not that I have already obtained all this,

or have already been made perfect,

but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Phil. 3:12