Thoughts

I came across this little article, written by World Vision President Richard Stearns.  It really struck a nerve with me, so I thought I would share it with you all.  Tell me what you think...

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"For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink ..."
--Matthew 25:35-36

Jesus' words are a powerful and inspiring reminder as I sit in my office browsing on news websites the stories and images of the staggering tragedy unfolding in the Horn of Africa.

Nearly 10 million people are "critically short of food," according to the United Nations, due to what UN officials say is the region's worst drought since I was born 60 years ago. Those 10 million people live in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti and war-ravaged Somalia.

For some, the stories and images will be reminders of the Ethiopian famine. Twenty-five years ago, the images of bloated, dying children, images unlike any others seen before by millions of Americans, prompted a massive outpouring of donations and offers to help. That outpouring culminated in the "Live Aid," concerts in Philadelphia and London, the latter of which brought a group I had never heard of before to the world's attention -- U2.

For others, the name "Somalia" brings back the events of 1991-1994 when hundreds of thousands of Somalis were starving, prompting a U.S.-led peacekeeping force to intervene. That effort led to a military operation against Somali warlords and, regrettably, the deaths of 42 American soldiers.

I am reminded of two things.

First, the faces, the voices and the stories of people I've met in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. Kenya was the first nation I visited after joining World Vision in 1998, and where I learned one of the most important lessons of my life: Poverty is not an image, or a statistic; poverty has a face, a name and a story.

Second, I am reminded of the powerful and provocative quote from Josef Stalin: "A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic."

I fear that for many Americans -- Christians and people of other faiths or no faith -- will devote little time or attention, let alone resources, to the people suffering in the Horn of Africa. Rather they are preoccupied with "First World problems":

~~  How fluctuations in the stock market are affecting my 401(k) investments;
~~  Where to go on my next vacation;
~~  Whether to buy "name brand" or "store brand" items in the supermarket;
~~  Which diet and workout regimen will enable me to lose 10 pounds in a month; or
~~  The struggle over my next computer -- a notebook, a laptop, or the new iPad2?

Or worse, they are obsessed with finding out where Casey Anthony might be living, now that she's been released from jail after being acquitted of charges that she murdered her daughter, Caylee. Thousands of Americans followed Ms. Anthony's trial closely, and expressed outrage when she was found not guilty. They wanted justice for Caylee's death. Where's their outrage or sense of justice for the millions of children at-risk of dying in the Horn of Africa? Their lack of attention proves the late Soviet premier's admonition.

Many "First World" Americans have never met a person with "Third World problems":

~~  Whose income is $2 a day and who has never heard of a 401 (K);
~~  Whose only travel plans are traipsing by foot from Somalia into Kenya to a refugee camp;
~~  Whose primary source of drinking water is infested with animal feces, and has never been inside a supermarket;
~~  Who lost 10 pounds in the last week because of too little or even no food, and who has no use for a health club membership; or
~~  Who has no access to electricity, and does not need -- and maybe has not ever seen -- a computer.

I have the privilege of knowing people facing both First World and Third World problems. It is a privilege because, I believe, Jesus would consider it a privilege. He met with, ate meals alongside and learned from those His society considered its lowest and its outcasts -- prostitutes, tax-collectors, the poor and victims of injustice.

He would have been honored to meet and serve people like Hawo, a woman believed to be about 75-years-old who lives in Kalabeyr, a remote town in northern Somalia. Thanks to my World Vision colleagues working in the region, I know more about Hawo, than I ever will know -- or even want to know -- about Casey Anthony.

After the drought killed the more than 500 goats and sheep Hawo and her eight children lived on, they were forced to abandon their pastoral way of life and move to Kalabeyr. The nine of them live in a makeshift tukul, a small room within the compound of one of the town residents.

It is Hawo whom Mark Bowden, United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, might have been thinking of when he said recently: "Resources are woefully inadequate. We have an appeal that is at the moment only 40 per cent met. ... (W)e find ourselves as the humanitarian community in a position that we want and are able to do more, but just don't have the resources with which to do it."

Jesus' words about hunger and thirst, as quoted in Matthew, led me a few years ago to create an NIT version (New Irreverent Translation), one that Americans obsessed with "First World problems" might relate to:

"For I was hungry, while you had all you needed.  I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water."

We did not create the desperate conditions of drought and famine threatening the lives of 10 million people in the Horn of Africa. But, as Christians, it is our responsibility to do something about it. It is our moral duty to help our neighbors in need -- here in the U.S. and elsewhere, and God commands us to help those we have the means to help. We cannot look at their situation -- on television, in newspapers or magazines, or on the Internet -- shrug our shoulders, and say, "Not my problem."   

Written by Richard Stearns.
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Why I Homeschool

It's that time of year again...BACK TO SCHOOL!!!

Everywhere I turn I see the reminders:  adds on tv and in the newspaper for back-to-school deals, posts on Facebook about first-day-of-kindergarten-tears and quiet houses and extra free time for Mommy, and of course the big yellow school buses everywhere.

Another year has begun. 

It dawned on me recently that this would be the year of a quiet house for me.  My youngest is in first grade now, and therefore all three boys would be gone from my home 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.  I would have so much free time, my house might actually get cleaned and STAY that way!!!  This is the year that at one point or another, most of us have dreamed about and looked forward to (and possibly even counted down the days until it came!).  I remember when I did...when the boys were infants and my days were so consuming and exhausting...

I looked forward to them leaving for a large portion of the time so that I could have "me time".  I day-dreamed about the time when I would take them to school and come home to a peaceful house where I got to choose what I wanted to do and when, where I could clean the mess and it would actually stay cleaned for longer than 10 minutes, where I could go to Costco without boys "exploring" in between boxes and running into other people, where I could spend hours at a time without raising my voice and my blood-pressure,  where I could read and write in peace, where I could explore interests that have been on the back-burner for years, where I could actually finish a cup of coffee before it got cold, where I could go back to work somewhere and feel useful again... I could go on and on and on....

All that changed a few years ago when various circumstances led us to pull our oldest son out of the public school.  That dream of future peace evaporated overnight.

Now here I sit, three and a half years later.  My house is "well loved" and rooms are never clean for more than a few minutes at a time, and never all at the same time.  My days are filled to the brim with doing things for others.  I juggle laundry and dishes while cooking three meals a day for five people; educating my 1st, 2nd and 5th graders; trips to the library at least once a week; grocery shopping with kids in-tow (which typically takes at least three times longer than I could get it done alone); managing the family finances; taking the boys to enrichment classes two or more times a week...just to name a few.  Add into that the typical parenting responsibilities such as frequent argument mediations, boo-boo bandaging, disciplining bad choices, rewarding good ones, etc.  I am always answering questions.  Everything I eat and drink is room temperature.  A shower is not necessarily a daily activity.  And anytime I steal a few minutes of "me time", I am inevitably interrupted.

Not quite what I was envisioning a few years back!

So why do I do it?

I am glad you asked!  There are many reasons why we chose to pull our son out of the public school back then.  And as the years have come and gone, the reasons to continue homeschooling are piling up.

I often hear the same questions (and I know the true sentiment behind them, as well):

Where do you get your curriculum and is it state accredited?  (Are you actually teaching them what they need to learn?  They are going to get a poor quality education.)

Do you have to have a degree to homeschool?  (What makes you qualified to teach?  There is no way you can provide as good of an education as a traditional school will.)

Do they participate in any activities outside your home?  (What about socialization? Are you keeping them in a bubble?  They are not going to be able to function in society.)

Then there are the loaded statements and blank stares I get from some.  Statements are as full as:

Well, you are an amazing woman for homeschooling...I could never do that!  (You are crazy!)

You are such an organized and patient person to do that.  (You must be a saint!)

And sometimes as simple as:

Oh.  (You are one of those...)

You quickly get used to the answering these same questions again and again.  So, I will do so yet again for all of you.

On the curriculum:

We do get to choose what curriculum to use.  There are currently hundreds of options...good options.  Some are geared towards different learning styles.  Some are heavy on classical teaching (Latin and logic).  Many are filled with hands-on activities.  Workbook-based.  Real-life-learning-based.  Memorization-based.  There are so many options, it can seem daunting in the beginning!  Some are quite expensive, some are free, and many are middle-of-the-road.  You can even use the public school curriculum at home, for no cost what-so-ever.  We have chosen a curriculum based on our kids' learning styles, on my teaching style, and on our beliefs.   

On qualifications:

There are no educational requirements for homeschool teachers in our state.  College degrees are not mandatory.  Research has shown that the level of education of the parent has little effect on the quality of education the student receives.  As a matter of fact, the income of the family and the amount spent on curriculum has little to no effect as well.  Homeschool students regularly score higher on standardized tests than their public school peers regardless of gender, income, and their parents' education level.  If you like graphs and charts, you can check out the numbers here from a study done in 1999, or here for an update study from 2009.  Both demonstrate the same fact:  homeschool students are well above their public school peers in academics.

Statistics aside, I may not have spent a good-many years and thousands of dollars getting certified to teach, but I know my own children better than anyone else on this planet.  I know what they are capable of; I know when they are truly struggling and when they are just slacking.  I have the freedom to go as fast or as slow as each child needs to go.  I can cater their individual education to their individual needs.  Difficulties, learning disabilities, hyperactivity and other such struggles are not as much of an issue in our school because we can adapt and change and find new ways that work better each day if necessary. 

I have at least one child who would quickly be labeled ADHD in a typical school setting.   I am quite certain that they would not thrive there.  When there are that many children in one classroom, with a prescribed amount of information that must be covered on a specified timeline, it is impossible to cater to the child who can't sit still.  At home, my boys are getting the individualized attention they need each day. 

On socialization:

We participate in numerous activities outside of our home.  My kids know how to play with other children and can carry on conversations with adults.  There are so many co-ops and enrichment classes and sports programs for homeschool children.  There are play groups for little ones, interning opportunities for older students, and community service projects for all. 

There are seemingly endless educational field trips and projects and arts programs to take advantage of.  Not to mention the daily free time they get to play with the other children in our neighborhood and at the park and/or pool. 

My kids are most certainly not lacking in the socialization department!

We are not keeping our children in a bubble, either.  As Christians, we believe the Bible is God's Word to us.  As such, we try to live our lives according to it's morals and principles.  As we have read about from numerous sources and seen for ourselves, what is being taught in the public schools goes against much of what we believe.  We choose not to put our children in that atmosphere.  I have heard the argument in favor of public school from many other Christians, saying that as Christians we are to be the salt and light to the world.  I fully agree with that statement, but not it's application to this issue.  When Jesus spoke these words in Matthew 5, He was speaking to full-grown adults, not small children.  The Bible also tells us in Ephesians 6:12 that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  As such, I do not think it wise to send a five, six or even ten year old to the front-lines of battle! 

The only battle they should fight at 5!

They are not even remotely prepared to stand against all that will come their way.  This is just one of the many reasons that I choose to spend my time and energy educating them so that they may be equipped to go out into the world and make a difference.  I get to introduce the harsh realities of life to them in a safe environment.  Our curriculum has a strong emphasis on learning about other cultures and peoples and reaching out to help those in need; we are trying to instill in our children the fact that life is not all about them and their own comfort.  We are teaching them how to reason and think through all information they are given.  We are teaching them to ask questions and seek answers. 

So, no, we are not keeping them in a bubble, away from all outside contact and influences.  We are training them up according to what we believe...preparing them for the future that lies in front of them.

On being a super-woman:

Let's just get this one out of the way:  I am NOT a super-woman, a saint, or even an unusually patient person.  I am not incredibly organized.  I'm not a morning person.  I am not always pleasant and am most certainly never perfect.  I have so many flaws and quirks, it's shocking! 

I am a typical woman, plain and simple. 

My kids frustrate me on a regular basis.  (I frustrate myself often, for that matter!)  But at the same time, my kids can fill my heart to overflowing.

I get tired and crabby sometimes.  But, I also get to play and have fun with my kids.  I get to see the light-bulb moments when they finally understand a concept they've been struggling with.  I get to explore with them.  I am the one who is shaping their character.  I am the first one to celebrate achievements with them.  I am the one who sees the best and the worst of them (often in the same day).

There are some moments when I wonder if I am doing it all the right way.  Am I making the right decisions for my children? 

 

Then I see them loving each other and loving learning...

I see the wonderful personalities and hearts that they are developing...




I see them being creative and learning how to entertain themselves...


I see them taking the initiative to help someone in need...



Is it exhausting?  Sometimes.  Is it overwhelming?  Occasionally.  Is it worth it?  ABSOLUTELY!

Because this entire homeschooling journey is not just about providing the best education for my children.  It is not just about providing them with a physically, emotionally and spiritually safe place to learn.  It is not just about building their minds.  It is not just about shaping their character.  It is not just about real-life experiences I can give them.    It is not just about teaching them how to help and serve others.  It is not just about learning how to navigate relationships.  It is not just about learning time-management skills.  It is not just about learning patience.  It is not just about my kids. 

It is all that and more.  I have said before that homeschooling is the sandpaper that God is using to smooth out my rough edges.  Some days, that process is more noticeable than others.  But, I wouldn't have it any other way.  Homeschooling has changed us all for the better, and continues to do so day by day.

We homeschool because we can see that it is absolutely the best choice for our family, with all the trials and triumphs included.

Cleaning Out the Clutter

Summer-time is always a nice distraction from the norm.  Soaking up the sun.  Playing in the water.  Visiting with friends and family.  Communing with nature.  I love every part of it.

As the weather turns cooler and we begin to settle back into our school-time routine, I have been focusing on simplifying our lives.  When the dust settled from all of our activities this summer, I looked around my house and found so much "stuff":  that bread-machine that at one time was used regularly, but now is collecting dust...that entertainment center that is just too big...that impractical desk...those dishes that were never used, but would be so great given the right occasion....that stack of chairs...those last remnants of baby clothes and gear...curriculum from five years ago...little odds and ends everywhere.  They all needed to GO! 

Now that our "I've-been-watching-too-many-episodes-of-Hoarders-yard-sale" is over, I am trying to reorganize our spaces so that they can actually be useful.  I am concentrating on using what we have to its fullest potential.

All of this has me reflecting on how much we need to be doing the same process with our hearts and minds.  What "clutter" are you holding on to?  What about those memories of times past that left a negative impact on you?  That defensive wall that was put up years ago to protect you against a situation that is now long gone?  Do you have a list of disappointments you keep revisiting?  How about all the "what if"s and "if only"s?  Let's not forget those stacks of selfishness and entitlement tucked away in the corner and the junk-drawer full of anger and resentment.  Oh, and that pile of pride over there with a blanket thrown over it, you're not fooling anyone.  It all needs to GO!

We don't have to do it alone.  Truth be told, it is impossible to do it alone.  Only God can clear out all of the years and decades-worth of junk in our hearts and minds.  Ask Him.  Nothing is too big--and nothing is too small--for our Father. 

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."  Ephesians 6:18

And as we work on clearing out the clutter, let us work on becoming useful.  We have so much potential in each one of us.  God can use the smallest offering and turn it into the biggest miraculous blessing.  (Can you say mustard seed?)  But we must offer ourselves to Him and to His service first.  God has gifted each of us with a unique set of qualities.  Are you using yours to their fullest potential?

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.  If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."  Romans 12:6-8

January 1st has never been tremendously significant to me.  This time of year is my "New Year".  As we head into a new school year, it feels so good to have "new", functional spaces in my home.  I want the same in my heart and mind. 

Time to refocus my mind, revamp my days, and renew my vision.  Will you join with me?

Empty out the clutter.

Use what you have been given to its fullest potential.

Let God take your small offering and turn it into a beautiful blessing.

"Behold, I make all things new."  Revelation 21:5

The Rocky Road

Passive-aggressive -- adj.  being, marked by, or displaying behavior characterized by expression of negative feelings, resentment, and aggression in an unassertive way (as through procrastination, stubbornness, and unwillingness to communicate).*

Ambivalence -- n.  the simultaneous existence of two opposed and conflicting attitudes, emotions, etc.* 

Perseverance -- n.  steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.*

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There has been so much on my mind lately.  This past month has been full of events that have created quite a stir in my heart and mind. 

Confusion.

Sorrow.
Empathy.
Anger.

Hurt.

Disappointment.
Frustration.

Uplifting, isn't it?!

People all around are me hurting.  There have been unbelievably tragic car accidents, tornados, and illnesses.  Families having to suddenly say goodbye to their loved ones.  Other families desperately trying to add little ones into their fold. 

I see struggles and sorrows.  Pain and uncertainty.  Lives shattered.  Lives on hold.

It is so hard to watch.  I am reading some more books by my favorite authors, Bodie & Brock Thoene.  I just finished Against the Wind last night.  Another amazing story set in England in 1940.  Fantastic book.  But there were parts of it that were so difficult for me to read.  The devastation.  The unfathomable loss.  Reading about children suffering and dying....it physically affected me as I read it.

Children.

Oh, how I want to reach out and save every single one from suffering and dying...all the children that have ever lived!  Oh, if only I could. 

But I can't.

Evil is real and it seeks to devour our children.  I could write about that alone for hours.  And perhaps I will at some point.  For now, I can feel the weight of it's effects.  The hurt.  The sorrow.  The confusion.  I see it in those around me who are mourning and those who are waiting.  I want to make it all better.

But I can't.

And so I have drifted into the world of passive-aggression.  I love God.  I trust God.  I know He knows what's going on.  I know He's got it all under control.  And yet, I have been pulling away from Him.  Blaming Him, almost.  I want to spend time with Him, reading and praying.  I want to feel the joy of praising Him.  And at the same time, I don't want to. 

I so don't want to be here, in ambivalent-land; I don't like it here.  It's like a nightmare-ish amusement park.  I can almost hear the carnival music in the back-ground.

I know it is not up to me to carry the weight of the world.  That is God's job.  But it is not ok for us to keep our blinders on to the suffering around us either.  So where is the balance? 

I am torn between being overwhelmed with it all and trying to ignore it all: ambivalence. 

I want to be bold in following after the Lord and yet, due to my ambivalence, I avoid Him: passive-aggression.

Not surprisingly, the more I avoid Him, the more ambivalent I get.

What an awful little merry-go-round I am on.

All in all, I know that the process of following God and growing closer to Him is a complicated one at best.  It is a road full of struggles and uncertainties, situations that require faith.  As the song by NewWorldSon says:

There’s a road, it’s a rocky road
Lined with sticks and stones
It’s a road where the thistle grows
And the freeway never goes
But even though this road is long
Everybody’s welcome on this rocky road

We’re all doing the best we can
We hurt from head to toe
And we fall short of Heaven’s plan
We stumble as we go
But even though we’ve all done wrong
Everybody’s welcome on this rocky road

I am stumbling alot lately.  But I know God will pick me up, dust me off, and set me back on solid ground each and every time.  It is the knowledge that Jesus is with me, even in the midst of my merry-go-round, that gives me strength and the ability to persevere. 

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." ~ Isaiah 43:2

This is a rocky road.  At times it is down-right painful.  But I don't want off of it...I know where it leads.  And when I get there, He will be there to heal my heart-aches and wipe my tears.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." ~ Revelation 21:4

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." ~ Psalm 147:3

In the meantime, I pray for His help in navigating this road and I keep walking: perseverance.

*Dictionary.com

Trust

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."   ~Proverbs 3:5

Ever since I became a Christian, this has been my "go-to" verse.  No matter what circumstance I was facing, I would turn to this verse to help me through. 

Loneliness as a single mom.
Stress beyond belief while working full time, caring for my infant son and being the care-giver for my brother as he went through chemo and radiation treatments.
Exhaustion when my boys were babies.
Pouring myself into a new ministry at church.
Devastation while I walked by my dear friend as she navigated the new world of widow-hood.
Heart-broken over the struggles of my friends and family.
Trying to make the best parenting decisions.
Navigating the wonderful and complicated world of marriage.

Changes.
Failures.
Successes.
Unexpected doors opening.
Others closing suddenly.
Miscommunications.
Blessings.
Consequences.
Losses.
Joys.
Struggles.

No matter the situation, I go to this verse.  I quote it.  I send others to it.  I have it on a picture in my room and on a 3X5 card on my kitchen cabinet.

I love this verse.

Until recently, however, I have never felt tested on it.  I would recite it and read it, meditate on it and pray it.  And it always brought me a sense of peace...sometimes large, sometimes small.  It was my reassuring verse.  It told me that even when I can only see a small piece of the big picture, He sees it all...beginning and end. 

But now, it is more of a challenge.  I am faced with circumstances that I do not understand at all, not even a little bit.  Even the small piece of the big picture is blurry and confusing.  The more I try to understand it and make sense of it, the more confused I get.  I seek Him and think I know His answer, only to have a door shut in my face.  Am I hearing His voice, or am I pursuing my own agenda?  I thought I was following Him.  I was trying to walk with Him.  Now, I don't know.  I am just one big ball of emotional confusion!

So now when this verse comes to mind, it challenges me.  Am I still going to trust God with all my heart when I am in the midst of chaos and confusion?  When things are not going the way I thought they would, do I still have complete faith that He is at work?  Do I fully trust God's plan when I cannot understand what's going on?

I can't lean on my own understanding right now because I don't understand anything! 

Maybe that is the lesson in it all.  Maybe I have been relying too much on my own understanding of things.  Maybe this is all to show me how to trust in the LORD with all my heart when I have not even an ounce of understanding. 

I am finding that to be a very difficult task indeed.

"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off.  You sit still and trust the engineer.” ~Corrie ten Boom

LORD, help me to be still and know that you are God.

Psalm 46:10

Update on Olga

***Their Chip-In account is up to $710!!!  If was all give what we can, they will be fully funded this week.  We can do this!!!***

I wanted to give you all an update on the precious little girl named Olga who truly has changed my life. 

About a month ago, I joined many other bloggers in an attempt to raise money so that her forever family could bring her home.  You can read my post here:  A Day to Save Olga.  What an amazing response we saw!  In just a few days time, so many people responded to the call by praying, donating and/or sharing the story with others.

I come to you now asking you to rally together once again.  While they have raised around $20,000 so far, the anticipated costs for this adoption is around $35,000.  For those not familiar with international adoption, you are probably looking at this number in shock!  I know I did when I first became aware of it.  It is outrageous that it should cost that much money!  But, no matter how disgusted we are by the complicated, over-priced system, the fact remains that these children NEED TO BE RESCUED!  If you haven't read my previous post, please take a minute to do so. 

These children are unwanted.  They are considered defective and disposable. 

And yet, there are loving families here that desperately want to open their homes to these babies.  The Abell family has the means to support another child.  They have the space, the love, the ability, and the desire.  But no matter how much they are willing and able to bring another child into their life, that $35,000 initial cost is overwhelmingly difficult to come by.  How many people do you know that have that kind of money just lying around? 

If they had chosen to bring another child into their family biologically, this would not be nearly as complicated.  Medical insurance covers most of the expenses involved in a pregnancy.  Unfortunately, there is not equivalent insurance coverage for adoption expenses.  So because they chose to rescue a child that is in desperate need of a family, they have this enormous up-front cost.

This is not a situation where the family is getting in over their heads.  They have not made this decision lightly.  They are not going into it blindly. 

They are following God's call on their family. 

Most of us at one point or another help to raise money for something.  We raise money so that people can get the medical treatment they need.  We raise money to help fund research for various diseases.  We raise money for organizations that help end human trafficking.  We raise money to help people recover from natural disasters.  We raise money all the time for so many different causes.  But they are all similar in that they are there to help others in their time of need.

This is not a welfare case.  This is not supporting someone who just doesn't want to work to get what they want.  This is not enabling someone who doesn't know how to manage their money.

The Abell family has cut out all non-essential expenses such as "cable, eating out, haircuts, birthday parties, vacation, knick knacks, etc."  Chris has taken on a second job and works extra hours any chance he gets.  They are scrimping and saving and working.  Jenn is making and selling various items.  Yard sales, bake sales, MaryKay sales.  They are doing everything they can to bring their daughter home.  You can read more about their journey, their struggles and their undying love, hope and determination for their daughter in their latest blog post here. 

Won't you be a part of helping them bring her home?

What can you give?  $10?  $25?  $50?  More than that?  Some tax return money that could be used to help a little girl get home?

I want to challenge you to be a huge part in this wonderful story. 

First, pray for this family.  Pray for peace and wisdom and strength.  Pray for miracles in the process.  Pray for Olga...for her safety and health. 

Go to the family's blog, Saving Our Starfish, and donate to their "Dossier Submission Chip-In" account on the right-hand side of the page.  Give what you can.  Check out all of their fundraisers and participate.  They currently have $635 towards their goal of $5458.  Let's all join in and blow the top off that goal!

Then, share this story.  Email it to all your friends.  "Share" it on Facebook.

I have seen what can happen when we rally together. 

Let's do it again.

To Serve and Protect

According to the Concerns Of Police Survivors website:  "Each year, between 140 and 160 officers are killed in the line of duty."  As of the writing of this post, there have been 58 line-of-duty officer deaths so far this year.  We are currently on day 115, so if we do the math we see that on average an officer has been killed every two days so far this year.

Can you imagine going to your job every single day, not knowing if it is going to be you next on that list?

There are so many people who bad-mouth the cops.  They see a news report of an officer injured or killed and they celebrate.  Maybe they even participate in the violent protests against officers. 

A saw a video on Facebook of three officers chasing down a crazy fan that was interrupting a soccer game.  The video shows the officers tackling the man and then fighting with him.  Shortly thereafter, hundreds of spectators descend on the officers, attacking them.  The comments that were made in regards to this video sickened me.  People saying the officers got what they deserved. 

Really?  Three officers doing their job, taking care of the crazed fan who chose to fight them and resist arrest...they really deserved to be attacked by hundreds of people all at once?  Yeah, that sounds fair.

People are so quick to complain about the police.  I am fully aware that cops are human.  All humans make poor choices from time to time...some more frequently than others.  I also believe that those in authority should be held to a higher standard.  However, to make blanket judgments regarding an entire profession is ludicrous.  Are all officers brutal and over-the-top?  No.  Are all officers crooked?  No.  Most actually are not.  Unfortunately, as our society loves to gawk at the negative rather than applaud the positive, all that is brought to our attention are the "bad apples". 

And even then, when we look at the various videos out there that show us the "police brutality", we are watching one short clip from a silent film!  Can you really determine the entire story from such little information? 

How about you put yourself in their shoes:  You have to fight for your life on a daily basis.  You frequently encounter people who hate you and want to seriously harm you and/or kill you.  And you never know at the onset if this particular person approaching you belongs in that category or not.  You always have to be on your guard.  You cannot assume that the person you are contacting is a rational, kind human being who just wants to live in a peaceful society.  Because as soon as you let your guard down, you could lose your life.  When others are running away from the gunshots and the fights, you run towards them.  You work long hours, dealing with people on the worst days of their lives.  You are constantly using yourself as a shield to protect others from danger.  You are regularly making split-second life-and-death decisions.  You rarely have a day that is not utterly draining physically, mentally and emotionally.  You see things that you wish you could erase from your memory:  the young family that was plowed down in a hit-and-run, the woman who was brutally raped and left to die, the man murdered and stuffed in a barrel, the mother sobbing uncontrollably at the news that her son who just graduated college and had a promising future ahead of him died in a tragic accident...just to name a few. 

Does this really sound like a job you would want?  Most of us would say absolutely not.  And yet there are so many people who are quick to criticize the men and women who do willingly take on this job. 

Thousands of men and women get up each and every morning, noon and night to face yet another shift full of catastrophic events.  Nobody calls the cops to celebrate a fantastic day in their lives!  They call when their world is falling apart and exploding all around them, and they expect the officers to come take care of the situation, then complain that the officers did just that.

What does your average work-day look like?  What is your job?  What constitutes a bad day at work for you?  I am picturing the work-safety signs that are found in most factory-type settings such as this one:

Now imagine having this poster in your workplace...and the number never gets above 2...and that's just for the fatal accidents.

I know some may feel that I am being a bit dramatic.  I wish it were only that.  Unfortunately, I have sat through numerous police officer funerals.  I have witnessed the pain and sorrow and devastation and shock.  I have also seen the honor and bravery and respect shown to those officers by their brothers and sisters in blue.  I have sat through those funerals full of the knowledge that I could be the one in the front row tomorrow.  I have dealt with the gripping fear that comes from that realization.  And it causes me to get very angry when I hear people spewing hatred towards officers.

These officers are husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, best friends.  When you celebrate an officer being beaten, shot or killed you are celebrating a child losing her father, a wife losing her soul-mate, a father losing his son.  That sickens me.

Four years ago, I sat next to my childhood best friend as she received the news of her husband's death.  I spent every moment with her that week as she faced her new reality of being a widow at 30.  I watched her twin daughters' 3 year old faces as they tried to comprehend the fact that Daddy was never coming home.  My heart physically ached as I watched the officer hand her the folded flag that had been draped over her husband's casket during the funeral.  So many tears shed.  That week is forever burned into my memory.  How painful it was to watch my dear friend go through that!  Every wife's worst nightmare.  Emotions I cannot even begin to describe.

So yes, I get a little worked up when people bash cops.  I have seen it during large-scale protests here.  Hundreds of people who want to kill my husband just because of the uniform he wears.  Many others who would stand by watching and not feel the least bit sad.  And that angers me. 

I want my husband to come home...each and every day.  I want us to grow old together and live to see our great-grandkids.  I pray that we get to.  But I am also painfully aware of the other possibility. 

For my husband, the risk comes with the job.  He knew what he was signing up for.  For me, the risk comes with the man.  I knew what I was getting as well. 

It is truly a noble deed to die serving and protecting others.  And I honor that fully.  But, it does get a little personal when others are wishing harm and death upon your loved one just because he is doing his job defending their rights.

So, please, next time you see an officer or hear the sirens, take a minute to pray that God would protect them and let them go home to their family unscathed.

On behalf of all the wives and families out there, I thank you.