Letters to our boys

Something Tammy and I did with Brooks when he turned one year old was to each write him a letter that would go in his baby book. We’ve done this with Brayden as well. They will both hopefully have these letters all their lives and can look back on them periodically throughout the years. It seemed a great thing to do at the time, but this last year, I had the thought, why just one letter? Why not write more often to them, sharing the prayers I pray for them, giving them a glimpse of what my hopes were for them during each year or season in their lives. I want to share with them through their dad’s eyes how I see them growing, how I see their personality developing, qualities I see being formed within them. I want them to know what I think is so special about them at age 3, age 7, age 17. I want them to know what it is about them that brings a smile to my face, to know the things I love about them. They are incredibly special to me, and I intend to allow them to see what was and is in my heart and my love for them as they are grow and mature from little boys all they way until they’re full grown men.

Asking for the Impossible

My blog post from December 30th, “10 questions for a new year” has been something I have gone back to and thought through several times the last few weeks. As I’ve considered each question, I’ve been challenged. Specifically question #2 (“What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?”) has been on my mind a lot since that blog post. I spent more time on that question it seems than some of the others, and have come up with a number of answers to this as to what I’m praying for. Here are a few of those "impossible" things on my list for 2010...

1. If you don’t know, we are in the process of adopting a little girl from Ethiopia. We had anticipated that this coming fall we would be able to bring her home, but during our homestudy last month, we were told that adoptions had slowed down quite a bit in Ethiopia. In fact, we were told our timeframe is now 12-18 months. It was disappointing to hear this news, but we know God is in complete control. Our desire is to bring our daughter home before Christmas, and although we were told the likelihood of this happening is slim and none, this is something we are both praying for. It may seem impossible, but we all know God can make it happen. If He doesn’t, we completely trust Him. He’s sovereign, His timing is perfect, and He knows what He’s doing. If He decides to allow us to bring our little girl home by Christmas, then that’s awesome. If He chooses to do otherwise, we trust in Him and know He’s faithful.

2. Our oldest son, Brooks (pictured below), God bless him, he is not the biggest fan of school. He doesn’t even go to kindergarten yet, just preschool, yet he’s just not real fond of going to school. I completely understand though…I hated school from day one (although Tammy has made me promise to never let our kids know that!). It seems impossible to us that Brooks would ever like going to school, but we are praying that somehow, someway his transition to kindergarten is easier than expected and that he actually enjoys going.

3. I’ll just leave #3 as an unspoken (or unwritten in this case). I wasn’t going to write anything for #3, but in honor of the humans I work with at iGoGlobal, who always like to add lots of unspoken requests whenever we pray as a staff, I had to at least write it here. So yes, #3 for me is an actual request I’m praying for, asking God to do something that to me seems impossible.

So, what about you? What’s the most humanly impossible thing or things you will ask God to do this year?

Haiti Relief

I’ve taken a few weeks off from blogging, but I’m back. Lots of thoughts rolling around in my head, and lots of things I want to write about, but just haven’t taken the time. As I’ve watched the news, seen the pictures and listened to stories coming out of Haiti the last week and a half, my heart has been broken. Seeing the pictures and hearing the stories about children, many of whom have lost their parents in the earthquake, is especially difficult.

What can we do? Most of us can’t physically go now, but we can certainly pray and we can give. No matter how big or small the amount, we can all give something. As has been said from numerous places, besides the need for medical personnel, money is the number one need right now. If you don't know where to give, Compassion International (compassion.com) is a great organization working in Haiti and 100% of funds given will go to relief efforts. No matter if you give to Compassion or some other organization, find a place to give and be generous.