Wise little children

Most nights before the kids lay down and I'm home with them alone, we end up talking for quite a while about the most random things. Usually it's something like "mom, would all of our organs fall out if we didn't have skin or would our bones hold them in?" Or "hey mom, I have this really great and LONG story to tell you about this one thing that happened at school." Or maybe "mom, what's the weirdest thing you ever did when you were little?" Ok fine. These kids know what's up at bedtime. I am a relational being, friends, and these children are not dumb.

Tonight was no different. Except that it sort of was. I was sitting on Jackson's floor getting ready to pray over them when Lanie asked the first question.

L - "Hey mom..."
Me - "Lanie. I already let you guys stay up too late. It's time to go to sleep"
L - "But I just have a question"
Me - "Seriously. You guys are gonna drive me nuts. You always have a question at bedtime. Every night. FOR REAL. You know I'm gonna answer you and the you'll be up for like 5 more hours coming up with 100 more questions I'll feel the need to answer. I'm gonna pray and then you guys need to go to sleep. Are we good?"
L - "It's just one question. I promise."
Me - "Ugh. Fine. One question."
L - "When a kid at school makes fun of my scars, do I tell a teacher or just ignore them?"

Silence.

And then instant anger towards whatever punk kid would say something about another kids scars... What is wrong with people?! And who should I call first in the school system to give this kid some serious talking to? (My immediate responses are not always my best folks.  At least they usually happen inside my head). Instead of flying off the handle and asking who this kid was and googling how I could get ahold of their parents, I took a deep breath in (partly to hold back my tears and partly because I needed to gather my sane thoughts) and smiled at Lanie.

Here was my little girl, sitting in front of me, waiting for me to answer. She wasn't mad. She was just sincerely asking me what to do. She was already choosing a higher road, she just didn't know what it was.

Jackson started asking who the mean kid was and told me that tomorrow he would tell the kid to leave her alone and tell them how dumb it was to say that, especially to a girl and that her scars are cool and that he wishes that he had some too because it looks like she was in a really awesome sword fight. Whew. This kid.

I thanked Jackson for his tenacity but said maybe we could just talk about it a little first (but also...let's do what Jackson said).

I told Lanie that kids question, and sometimes make fun of, the things that are different from them or the things they don't understand. I told her that this kid had probably never seen scars like hers and didn't know how to react or what to say, so instead they just made fun of her.

I asked her a couple of questions about the words that were used and how that made her feel. I asked her about what she wanted to do in that situation vs. what she did do. She answered my questions and then told me that usually kids don't see her scars but today at recess she was hanging off of a bar and her shirt came up. She then told me what the kid had said (KIDS CAN BE MEAN YOU GUYS!) and then she said she just pulled her shirt down and walked away to go play on the swings. Oh the grace. This one is a ball of fire and I usually have no idea what will send her over the edge and what she will allow.

I asked her what SHE thought about her scars and she looked up at me with a huge smile and shrugged her shoulders and said "I like them". "I like them too" I told her and smiled back at her.

I told the kids how proud of them I am; for Jackson standing up for his little sister and for Lanie not letting other people's opinions change her or discourage her.

I am blown away by the hearts of my children, you guys. I have one mean comment or snide remark thrown my way and I feel angry or defeated. I take so much to heart. And I allow myself to overthink the words spoken to me...or about me. And then here is Lanie: 8 years old and secure in who she is and unscathed by what she has endured. And proud of the marks this life has left on her.

I saw this quote the other day and thought instantly of Lanie and the strong and courageous beauty she is...and of all of the other children and adults we know fighting diseases and hardship and difficult life situations.

“Scars show us where we have been, but they do not dictate where we are going.”
― David Rossi

Scars are just scars. They are stories of what happened but they don't define who we are.

Man. I am thanking Jesus tonight for the way he protects little hearts and minds. And for the story that my kids will be able to tell about God's goodness and love.

Feeling Inspired

With all of the crazy and sad and terrible things happening in our world today, I feel like I have just been at a total loss as to what can actually be done to make any sort of dent in the atrocities taking place around the globe. There are so many issues to take a stand for. So many things that are just so wrong. So much poverty and homelessness and abuse and disease and trafficking and killings. So many things to shake our fists at and protest and pour ourselves into. You guys. It is honestly so overwhelming. And I think it's also debilitating.

It's easy to say "there's so much, what can I do?"

Or "how do I even choose what to fight for?"

And then to become apathetic or cynical and to hide out and in the comfort of our own lives and decide that it's better and easier to be ignorant. Except we're not ignorant, anymore.

I have been so incredibly inspired by my friends lately! They have said "things aren't okay and I want to do something. I want to be a part of something bigger than myself and my comforts and my life" and then they actually did something.

My friend, Jason, has been raising thousands of dollars and crazy amounts of awareness in regards to human trafficking all over the state of Texas. Today he is embarking on a sweet and rigorous journey, running over 30 miles for the next 30 days (850 miles across the state of Texas). I'm not saying everyone should do this (gross. I'm nervous about my upcoming races that are tiny in size compared to that).  But his creativity and passion excite and inspire me. If you want to follow along with Jason and his crazy awesome trek, you can on Facebook under Texas Freedom Run or on his website at http://texasfreedomrun.com/

Holly, who has been someone who has spurred me on to things outside of myself since I was 18, not only started a Royal Family Kid's Camp in Florida with her husband and some friends but also mobilized me, as well as many others to do the same. If you haven't heard of RFK, look them up. http://royalfamilykids.org. They are doing amazing things all over the world to confront abuse and change lives. 

Jenny and about one hundred other people I know, including my husband and son, have spent time in China at Bring Me Hope Camp loving on orphans for two to four weeks at a time and then coming home and advocating for their adoption. You guys! It is so beautiful to hear day after day that not only were these orphans loved well in China but now they are finding homes all over the world, and becoming family members and children who are loved and cared for. Get to know more about this at http://www.bringmehope.org. 

Lilli has spent time in Southeast Asia learning firsthand about trafficking and meeting the women and children who have been rescued as well as some who are still being trafficked and prostituted, too scared or hardened to know that there is anything else out there for them. Once back in the states, her passion for speaking up for these women and children didn't go away just because she was out of the trenches and back to her 'normal life'. In 2012, Lilli founded The Rescue Run, located here in Iowa City. Lilli organized it so that all of the proceeds from the run were invested into a sweet organization called Rapha House. They are doing some awesome stuff over there... See for yourself http://www.raphahouse.org. The Rapha Run is actually taking place THIS Saturday. It's never too late to sign up and I've made it easy for you. Here are the details. http://www.jogrunrace.com/Race/View/199226/the-rescue-run-5k-runwalk-2014-iowa-city-iowa-october-4-2014

Jess spent three months of her life in Uganda, working with Children's Hope Chest and the Orphans of Teso. What God taught her there is incredible and invaluable and beautiful and hard. You can read her newest blog about willingness and what it means to say yes at http://orphansofteso.com/2014/09/29/freed-to-love-by-jess-hanson/

Sharon decided to open her house to foster kids after seeing firsthand how many children in the local area have been abused or neglected. 

Aidy offers free counseling to people who are searching and struggling. 

Suzie and her husband generously support and give to an orphanage in Haiti and also have taken trips to meet the kids they are pouring into across the ocean. 

And the list goes on and on...

There are just so many beautiful things to be a part of. 

You guys. This isn't a feel bad message about the things we aren't doing. Believe me...that's not my heart. And it's not a post about being involved in these things because we should or feel bad or guilty if we don't. 

Its a totally freeing message. It's a message that says you CAN do something. We literally have the means and access. And I don't know what that something is. Maybe it's going somewhere and doing something. Maybe it's helping out locally. Maybe it's giving financially. And maybe it's mobilizing others to go when you can't. 

And not even doing these things because we should or because we'll feel bad if we don't but because it's what Jesus did so that God's name would be known. And the more people in my life that I think about, the more I am excited about what their yes's look like and the fact that they even allowed themselves to say yes at all! 

And suddenly I am inspired and overwhelmed by all of the pure amazingness taking place in the world by people saying yes instead of feeling cynical and apathetic by the overwhelming problems that we are confronted with day in and day out in all forms of media.