October is...

RESPECT LIFE MONTH!

For those who didn't know, part of our original motivation to adopt was to be able to put action behind our pro-life talk and beliefs. So, I thought it fitting to include the celebration of respect life month in our adoption chronicle.

I just commented to my friend, D, today how as we have gone through the adoption process, we never cease to be amazed at the people we meet along the way. Sometimes, they are the people who make news stories, magazine articles, or at the very least, are of note in some small community grapevine. Sometimes their good goes even unnoticed. But why is it newsworthy? Praise anyone in one of those stories and you will find yourself face to face with the epitome of humility. People don't take on these *challenges* to make news. They do it to answer a deep calling that God has put on their hearts---which in today's world, makes news.

The people who adopt 4 African-American boys; or who choose to proceed with a pregnancy when the possibility of an "imperfect" (and who among us is perfect?) child exists; or who grieve the loss of a child through miscarriage--but with grace are able to comfort others in knowing that their child's life, however brief, gave much glory to God; or even the family that elects to move an aging parent in with them, however inconvenient, knowing that God gives us a finite number of days here on earth with our loved ones and not wanting to miss out; or the couple who longs for a child but still rejoices in the birth of a friend or family member's baby-even when it hurts; or the family who after adopting 18 children (yes, I said eighteen) decides to adopt another set of four siblings; or the family who makes a choice to adopt a child who has known medical issues--the list goes on and on. Just when we think it isn't possible to see something more glorious---we do. God is good. And he has put His goodness on the hearts of so many people who cross our paths in both big ways and small. It reminds us, with each of these stories as witness, of the inherent dignity and worth of the human person---whether the only child of a wealthy suburban couple in the USA or the 7th son of poor farmers in a third world country. Both have value, both have worth in God's eyes---and in ours.

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. Ps 127:3-5 (NAS)