Commencement

Commence-

v: to enter upon: begin

synonyms: begin, embark (on or upon), enter (into or upon), fall (to), get off, kick off, launch, lead off, open, start

When I was younger, I thought it was so strange that graduations are often called Commencement Ceremonies. I would think, " these students are graduating from high school or college, ending their school career". It's an ending, not a beginning! Ha! Now that I am older, and {hopefully} a little bit wiser, I understand that ending a certain era of your life is the start of a new one. 

This week, we are celebrating two of our daughters' commencements. Our sweet Aislynn is graduating from pre-k this Thursday. If you knew how emotional I was about this, you would think I needed to be sent to a mental hospital. I cannot believe that my precious baby girl is going to be starting kindergarten in a couple of short months. To think that she will be in school each and every day while the rest of us are at home carrying on our normal routine, is almost too much for this Mama to handle! My only consolation is that she is SO excited about going to her new school. In fact, she drew a picture of her waiving to me as she leaves for her new kindergarten school on my Mother's Day card...that didn't bring tears to my eyes or anything!! Aislynn is my eager learner and soaks up new information like a sponge. She can't get enough, and I love that about her. I know she is going to excel and adjust perfectly to being in school full time ....I just hope it comes easy for me as well:)

The other commencement we are celebrating, is that of our sweet Ukrainian daughter. She will be celebrating her 9th grade graduation this week. What does this mean for Ukrainian orphans? Graduation day for Ukrainian orphans is typically their last day in the orphanage, if they have already turned 16. On the surface, this sounds like a good thing, right? These kids get to start fresh, get a new take on life, leave the sadness and despair of orphanage life, etc.  Unfortunately, this is not the case. An overwhelming amount of orphans face graduation with fear. You see, when these orphans leave the orphanage, they have maybe a tiny bag of belongings  (if they're lucky), no money, no family, no connections, no one looking out for them to mentor them, or help them find their way into adulthood. These are CHILDREN....sent out onto the streets to figure things out on their own. Can you imagine sending out your own children at age 16 into this big world and telling them to just figure things out? I sure can't!

It is no wonder that so many of these orphans end up in a life of crime, prostitution, and suicide. They have NO hope. This is the very future that our precious, precious child faced a few short months ago. She thought she was going to be out on the streets. She thought all of her hopes and dreams for this life would remain just that.... dreams. Dreams without ever having a chance to fulfill them. I know many people thought we were nuts when we announced we were adopting a 15 year old when we have 4 little ones at home. But can you see now how turning our backs on her and letting her walk into this dark, unknown world alone simply was not an option? Can you see how we feel BEYOND humbled that the Lord has chosen US to parent His daughter? To help her find her way in this world? And to help her realize her dreams? 

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

Every child that was born on this earth is God's creation. He loves each of us the same, and He created each of us with a specific purpose in mind. He made no mistakes. Orphans have the same desires that we all do. To be somebody. To be loved. To have a family. To simply have a CHANCE.  I know without a doubt, that He has big plans for our daughter. That He is going to use her in mighty ways. 

While it makes my heart happy to know that she can have her commencement ceremony without this bleak future facing her on the other side, I am fully aware that there are thousands of other orphans, in Ukraine alone, that will be commencing a life of utter darkness, hopelessness, and despair. Oh, how I wish there was a family for each and every one of them!! To these precious children of God, I would love to say, " Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9. Even though they might not have an earthly family, if they could just know the love of the Lord, and know that their Heavenly Father is with them, then they could commence their new "adult" life with courage!!

I want to leave you with a couple of pictures of our girl from this past week. She is working so hard to prepare for her new life in a new country. We could not be more proud of her hard work and dedication. If you feel a stirring in your heart for orphans, please do not ignore it! You too could give hope for a new future to a sweet child that so desperately deserves it. 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."Jeremiah 29:11

Mothers

With Mother’s Day coming up and my wife reminding me it is time for my obligatory blog update, I thought I would spend some time talking about Moms.

 First, adoption update: Still waiting.  I am a person that really dislikes being in in-between states.  I walk fast, don’t like to start and not finish something, I’m impatient, and impulsive.  This is all funny because it usually acts in direct conflict with my analytical side that wants to look at all the details of any decision.  All of this to say, I am in a constant in-between state these days and feel like a schizophrenic cat.  I don’t know when we are going to get the email to drop everything and travel to Ukraine and it is a bit unraveling.  Prayers needed as we are waiting.  Also, I didn't know that nesting wasn't confined to biological children.  Wendy is a doer. Add a bit of nesting to that, and we have done  a lot.(she continues to remind me there is still some doing yet to be done)  I won’t go into much detail here, but we have gotten a lot of projects completed or well on their way.  Wendy happens to be a mother, so that was the segue…

What can I say about mothers?  Without them we would be lost.  Constant running noses with no one to wipe them, food all over the sides of our faces, mismatched clothes on, booboo’s unkissed, hair in a constant lumpy pony tail (if it even makes it that far), teeth left unbrushed, one shoe on the wrong foot, no coats on to keep warm, no veggies in diet… And that’s just me (I had long enough hair in college for the pony tail at one point if anyone needed to know).  Don’t get me started on my kids. (Thanks  Mom!)

I went to find some inspiration for this blog in some quotes about mothers.  I found some that were sweet:

·         “My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.”

-George Washington

    

   “Men are what their mothers made them.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

  “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.”

Abraham Lincoln

     “God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.”

Jewish Proverb

Some Funny:

       “The greatest love is a mother's; then a dog's; then a sweetheart's.”

Polish proverb

      “Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own.”

Aristotle

         “Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.”

Ambrose Bierce

        "The worst feature of a new baby is its mother's singing."

Kin Hubbard

        "There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it."

Chinese Proverbs

Some Biblical:

         “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.”

Proverbs 15:20

      "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many woman do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

Proverbs 31:26-31

 Ok, stop right there… I don’t know about you, but I am glad there is nothing written (to my knowledge) in the Bible that puts fathers up to that type of standard.  I am a “put expectations low and outperform” type of guy.  I started my first date off with Wendy by telling her “I am going to apologize in advance for the bad meal, dull movie, and awkward silence” (Ok, no I didn't,   but in retrospect it could have helped out).  It is obvious that God expects a lot out of mothers and those types of expectations frighten me.  You carry a child for 9 months. You have an innate ability to know when your child needs attention or a hug.  You are the driving force behind any well put together household. You show love unconditionally to your children. And usually you receive no appreciation. (Sorry Mom, Wendy)

It is my personal opinion that we all need to show our mother’s (and wives) more appreciation.  I believe Billy Graham would agree with me:

·         “Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children.”

Billy Graham

Here is a challenge to everyone that has a mother in their life, be it their own or their wives.  Check your motivation for your actions, remember the small things, and return the unconditional love.  If you need a reminder of what love is....not the emotional, not the sensual, not the heart flutter, not the “you gave me something” love...refer to the greatest source of wisdom:

        “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

If you do not give your mom or wife anything else for Mother’s Day, give them the promise that you will try and recognize all the special things they do for you and your children, and you will work on showing them the type of love outlined above.