Psalm 68:5-6

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

I am Stepanie Nance. My family adopted two little boys with Down Syndrome from Ukraine in 2010. I hope to educate and to inspire you. I hope to make you laugh and to make you cry.

Come along for the ride. It's a wild one!

Saturday, September 25, 2010

My thoughts today...

Aside from doing a lot of other things, I've been thinking lately about the reasons why people don't adopt. I mean, really! Check out this photo of Tori...


She's got that something special, don't you think? Why, why, why has she not been adopted? Why? She's beautiful! She's cognitively normal! I bet she's smart. Smart enough to know that she doesn't belong in a mental hospital.

This morning Ralph, in his Ralph-ish way, asked to watch some TV. I turned on the Netflix for him and I let him pick out what he wants to watch. I usually flip through a bunch of kid shows before he points to the one he wants. Then he plops down in his little director's chair and waits for the show to load. It's really quite cute.

Today he picked Veggie Tales. Not what I would have guessed for a Caillou and Pingu fanatic. But he asked, so put it on. Then I went into the kitchen to finish breakfast for the other little ones. French Toast, by the way!

Pretty soon I heard the familiar sounds of Larry the Cucumber being robbed and dumped upside down in a hole. (It's the Veggie version of the parable of the good Samaritan.) Along comes the mayor and then a doctor. The end up singing to each other about how important and busy they are. All the while, Larry is upside down in a hole, unable to help himself.

You'll have to forgive me, because my trip to Ukraine changed me, although not as much as I had hoped. I see everything through the prism of "this orphan crisis." Today I watched Veggies through that prism for the first time and I thought it was very profound. That, or my mind has finally gone soft!

Why are we constantly telling each other how busy we are? Why are we constantly trying to elevate ourselves in the eyes of other busy people? I'm just as guilty as anyone. Why am I not preparing myself to go back and rescue Tori or Masha or Noah or Anastasiya myself? Yeah, I'm busy. Yeah, I'm out of money right now.

Isn't it funny how the people who are most concerned with helping orphans are the ones who happen to be out of money? I wonder if there is a certain danger in comfort. A sort of sleepiness. Not the kind of contentment that I want to experience. Is there any one out there who is crazy this way like me? Feelin' a little lonely.

4 comments:

  1. I don't think you sound crazy. Know that there are many that would love to adopt but are waiting on a spouse. I sometimes wonder if it will ever be "our turn", kwim? Trying to do what I can though at the place I'm in now. I guess that is what is important for me now.

    Hugs to you!
    Leslie

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  2. You hit my "emotional button". Well said sister. I can not tell you how many times I've heard the line..."I would love to adopt...but".

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  3. Great post! On your 'no money' comment...I was told the other day that if I don't have the $ to send all my children to college then I shouldn't even think about adopting- I was told they would be better off staying where they are!!!! There's an interesting mentality for you- if we can't provide all the 'worldly' things for the children, then clearly our love and stability will never be enough. I pray that people stop seeing raising families that way. I don't think your mind has gone soft...I think it's right where GOd wants it to be!

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  4. I agree! Have you read "Radical," by David Platt? It really convicted me.

    Rhonda

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