Once They Are Opened

I used to do Fatherless Fridays every Friday.

 

But somehow in the chaos and confusion of our lives and on Facebook, I lost my bearings.   Buying a business has been a good decision for our family in the long-term but in the short-term... OH MY GOODNESS! 

 

August has by far been the hardest.  Families and homeschool co-ops and Christian schools and Classical schools are all trying to figure out what in the world they are going to do for history and literature and writing and geography and art and Bible and BIBLIOPLAN is FINALLY getting noticed in the social media world which means we are fielding questions and calls and yes, sales!  Since our business consists of ROB AND ME, and we are both STILL WRITING  (we are still working on our Early America and World year)...well, we just feel snowed under most of the time.

 

But this week a little boy appeared on the newly listed.

 

Tavin

 

He has arthrogryposis like Aaron.  He is in an EASY part of his country (10 day wait waived) and he is adorable.

 

To say my heart stopped is putting it mildly.

 

Rob and I both just looked and loved and wished....

 

I didn't want to share him.

 

I wanted to keep him to myself and just love him from afar.  My little secret.  I wanted to pretend that we could go over and get him but the door for us is not open right now and sweet Tavin needs a family.

 

So yesterday morning I took a break from work and shared Tavin with you.  It honestly hurt to do it.  I didn't want to give Tavin up.

 

Along with Tavin I shared a whole bunch of other sweet ones that I have been watching and praying over.  In that list was my other sweet secret - Israel. 

 

 

He's been my other secret longing.  If you look at my sidebar you will see the first picture we ever had of Aaron... notice the shirt?  Red is my favorite color!!

 

It felt so good yesterday.

 

I set aside the chaos.  The confusion.  The frustration.  The exhaustion.

 

And I blogged for the babes.

 

...The amount of private messages and comments and the INQUIRIES.....  Wow!.... So worth it!!

 

These kids are so worth it....

 

               

Oh my dear friends...

Do you see?  Do you see your sweet one?  Is there a spot at your table?  These babes are from all parts of the globe.

And there are more.

So so many more.

Little ones who will bring challenges and adjustments to your family but who will also bring joy and laughter and wonder and awe.  Little ones who will teach you about God and His Ways.  Little ones who will reorient your world beyond anything you ever thought or imagined.  Little ones who will steal your heart and never ever give it back.

Do you see?  Will you consider?  Will you pray?

Will you look?

Just look.

Look at Merry



Antonio



Nash




Rylan



Jasmine



LOOK at them.

See them.

There are so so many more....

Please take the time to look.

Pray.  Consider.  Advocate.  Donate.

Love.

Once your eyes are opened....

 Ginny



Once they are opened....

Quilliam




Now they are opened!


Jada



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fatherless Friday

 

 

THESE ARE THE 2013 NOT-FATHERLESS REECE'S RAINBOW BABES!

 

ALL HOME.

 

 

 

 

These are the unclaimed babes found on the NEWLY LISTED part of the Reece's Rainbow website.

 

They are Fatherless.  Motherless. 

 

They are just the tip of the iceberg.

 

Tavin

 

 

Bernadette

 

 

Brenton

 

 

 

Yule

 

 

Silas

 

 

Virgil

 

 

 

Frederick

 

 

Antoinette

 

 

Anthony

 

 

 

Benjamin

 

 

 

Carrie

 

 

Donovan

 

 

 

Otto

 

 

 

Israel

(named by me)

 

 

Lorelie

 

 

Willie

 

 

 

 

Did you see them?  Did you take the time to actually see them???

 

Go back.  Look.  Look in their eyes. 

 

Then look again.

 

Take a moment.  Whisper a prayer over their heads.

 

Don't scroll fast.

 

Give them your time and attention. 

 

These are children.  They are children with feelings and thoughts and desires. 

 

They are not just pictures on a blogpost.  They are real and alive.  They are children.  Young boys and girls. 

 

Go look again. 

 

Click HERE to see even more. 

 

These are children who are newly listed on Reece's Rainbow. 

 

Being listed means they have been given a chance to be seen.  Noticed.  They have been given a voice.  

 

Be their voice. 

 

If you can't find your son or daughter on this page then be THEIR HERO.  Be their voice.  Yell for them.  Share them with someone who COULD be their father or mother. 

 

Please don't just pass them by.

 

Once your eyes have been opened... you can no longer blindly walk away.

 

               

 

 

Love Wins

LOVE WINS

 

That's a quote that a friend of mine, Renee Tam, says any time something hard happens.  Love wins. 

 

It's simple.  It's profound.

 

It is true.

 

Maybe not always on this side of heaven... but in the end... when all is said and done... Love wins.

 

I've watched my friend, Renee, suffer in the last months as her brother has fought a hard battle with cancer.  I've watched her cry out for healing, beg for more time.  I've watched her grieve the reality that his days were numbered.  His days were numbered.

On Monday he died.

Renee Tam's brother.

He died after fighting for a very long time.

This is what she wrote on her blog:

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. 

 

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,

Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves. 

 

He was my North, my South, my East and West,

My working week and my Sunday rest,

My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;

I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

 

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.

For nothing now can ever come to any good.

My brother died today.

I can't do anything about Renee's grief except pray that God will bring peace and comfort to her hurting heart.  I have been grieving with her as Renee is my friend and I know how much she loved her brother. 

I can do something though.

As I was driving home from dropping Aaron off from school this morning, and praying and thinking about Renee, grieving with her over her loss, I realized that I could do something.

Renee and Steve are adopting a beautiful girl.  She's older and has begged for a family.

 

 

 They answered her call.

Over the last few months, in the midst of watching her brother fight a terrible battle against cancer that ate his entire body alive, Renee has been also working herself to the bone making toffee and pies to sell so they can bring Caroline home.  Through her tears she has fought for her daughter.  Despite the agony of watching her brother's body wasting away - she has remained steadfast about getting Caroline home. 

I can't take away Renee's grief but I can put out a plea.  Please.  Will you help carry some of her load right now?  Will you make a donation in honor of Renee's brother?  I'm going to go out on a huge limb.  Please, Carry her load.  Please??  Everyone reading this blog.  There are hundreds and hundreds of you.  The Tam's still need to raise over 10,000 dollars.  Every single 5.00 donation helps.   They are deep in grief.  Let's rally for them.  Please!  They need us to carry them for a season.  Love Wins People. 

Will you make a donation and then leave your name here or on Renee's blog?  I want Renee and Steve to see all the people who carried them in this season.  I want her to know we are praying for her as she says goodbye.  Please. 

You can make donations through Reece's Rainbow HERE  or through Project Hopeful HERE.

 

 

Make a donation and leave your name.  Prayers, Bible verses, poems are definitely encouraged too. 

 

Please. 

 

LOVE WINS.