A special day

Happy Birthday, Emma Grace!

She 3 today. Give or take.

What do I mean?

Emma Grace has an amazing past.  Because of her birth country's customs and laws, she was an outcast -literally-outcast.  Left in the darkness alone only hours to days old.

Her story is inconceivable to me.  I couldn't imagine being in a situation where I felt as though I had to turn my infant out in hopes of the kindness of others.

I have to wonder if Emma's birth mamma and papa think of her.  Do they still mourn her loss (to them)?  Do they ever wonder what became of that small creature of their own womb they left in the night?  I would have to think that Emma's image is engraved in their minds for all eternity.

Thankfully, Emma Grace's story doesn't end on the streets, God had amazing plans for her.

Probably one of the reasons, ok, the main reason that EG was left was because she has defects.  She had cleft defects which were obvious.  For the poor peasant scary.  Not so obvious she had a CHD....Congenital Heart Defect....a broken heart.

While Emma was being processed in the government God started working in a couples heart that they needed to adopt.  They had all boys and really wanted a girl.  Where is the first place that you think of when you think adopting a girl?  China.  The process steam rolled.  The young couple would not be stopped and pressed forward through hurdles of finance, red tape and bureaucracy.  

It took 18 months to bring Emma Grace home, but was worth every tear and drop of sweat released.  She is truly living up to her name bringing favor and wholeness to every person she meets.  Her physical repairs are complete and she is a typical thriving toddler.

Emma's story goes beyond that though.

As with any adoption, I am reminded of my own adoption because it is a picture of my salvation, your salvation and the salvation of mankind.  We are outcast and unwanted, but a gracious Father put a burning desire in his Son's heart to return us to a family.  God's family.  John 1:19

Recently I shared a video on my facebook time line of a young boy who is close to becoming too old to be adopted that seemingly went unnoticed.  I ranted that it wasn't viewed or shared, which brought notice to Joseph, the boy.  Joseph and many other human beings like him become the property of their government in this case.  I was sarcastically informed that my friends sharing his video would do nothing to help, but I disagree.

I can honestly say that I do not know how God is working in anyone's heart and mind and sometimes even my own heart and mind.  I never thought in a million years that an Emma Grace would come into my life.  I would have to wonder if by taking just a moment to hit share that God could use that as a way to spark a fire in someone's heart.  

A spark to reverse the inhumane laws that place these innocent babies in the situation that they find themselves in the first place.  A spark to allow someone to serve the orphan.  Or even   spurn someone to adopt a child.  People like Emma Grace's adoptive parent who would not be stopped until she was with them.

I believe knowledge is power and getting the word out is the beginning of knowledge.  You can make a difference with small things in a big way.

Pray for the orphan.  Pray for potential parents for these orphans.  And pray for their care givers.  Remember in some cases they are caring for the outcasts of their society and treat them as such. 

hmm....

Well, as usual, I have good intentions but intentions don't write words or share my life.

So.  I've started different entries, but I never completed them and they sit in the draft.  They were mainly ranty or grumbly not really encouraging you or honoring to God.  Primarily serving my self righteousness.

Even when I point out good things others should do, it's wrong.

Did you know it's the Holy Spirit's job to convict a soul, not your and certainly not mine.  That is what makes me a hypocrite - taking the position of someone else.

And boy, oh boy!! he knows how to do that very well.

The other morning, see, it happened like this...

I have an old coffee pot - a bunn-0-matic for home.  It's quick and hot.  Mine is old enough though that the heat has hurt the plastic and caused it to become brittle and crack causing it to leak.  Well the day before Jim saw me pouring in a partial pot of water which he swears causes it to overflow.

I woke up and said I have to change out the coffee pots because this one is leaking.  I took a twenty minute teaching on why to never pour a partial pot of water.  It was 6am and I hadn't had my coffee.  I informed him I wasn't stupid and he didn't need to beat me up over it, but that he could trust me because I had already knew what was wrong with it.

So I had to set it back up and show him.

He left for the day with out even saying goodbye.

I was at work grumbling to myself about his self righteousness.

To top that off, it was the first day of a missions trip for a local church's youth group.  They are in an area where people are mislead.  So the comments were very rough concerning people of the receiving community.

All I saw around me was judgement and here it is.  This is where God works on my heart.  He asks: "And you?"

I started seeing all the ways that I was a critical person - a hypocritical person.  Someone who wanted people to act the way that I wanted them to act, not necessarily the way God wanted them to act.

It was such a struggle in my spirit that I hurt that night by the time I got home from work.

Pray for me that I would sell out for God and worry about building his kingdom, not my own.