Random thoughts

Today I'm just kinda floundering around. The fall has always been such a hectic time for us. First, as Mark calls it, it is Birthday season in the Reinhardt household. Beginning with Corrie in September, Mark and Em in October, November has our anniversary and Abby's birthday and then Caleb caps it in December. Then there is our travel schedule. Ain't gonna lie---the traveling is getting a bit hard on this 50 yr old body. It all culminates Thanksgiving week with our last conference, anniversary, abby's birthday and Thanksgiving. Exhausting to say the least.

So today, I'm catching up on blogs and emails and xanga posts, trying to convince myself that I really do need to do schooling with Abby today. I love absolutely love looking at pictures of my kids. I know I'm prejudice but I think they are pretty gorgeous and as I look at them, they come alive and I feel their energy and exuberance for life. It is the best remedy for bringing me out of a funk or just brightening the day.

And it seems that increasingly more of the day is filled with thoughts of Liberia. We will have visitors this week. Girls my Hannah fell in love with in Liberia. They are coming to our home...as many as 5 of them this weekend. I'm so excited.

And then I've pondered on this scripture this week. It may quickly become my favorite verses. Isaiah 58....

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness ^[a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

I'll leave you now with those thoughts!! Have a blessed day.

Celebrate Orphans Awareness Month!!!!

Here are a few statistics to chew on while you are munching your breakfast cereal today…..

There are 143 million orphans worldwide

35,000 children under the age of 5 die everyday due to starvation

500,000 children in the foster care system of America

118,000 of these children are available for adoption

16 Million children were orphaned in 2003

400,000 churches in America

127,000 American adoptions last year (that’s 1 child per 3 churches) and only 25,000 of those children went into Christian homes

1/3 of Americans have considered adoption, yet less than 2% actually adopt

There is a psychological theory called doctrine of limited tears that occurs when we contemplate and try to comprehend suffering. There is only a certain level of suffering that we can actually emotionally process. You can only cry and take on the burden of so much suffering. Beyond that we slip into this condition that actually numbs our ability to feel. It has been explained this way. If we were to attempt to carry all the emotions that all the suffering in the world produced, we could actually become physically and mentally crushed by the weight. So, in order to protect us, our brain goes into this mode of emotional nova cane. Learning this, I pictured Christ in Gethsemane and how he sweated drops of blood and how on the cross, water flowed with his blood. He was literally physically crushed by our suffering. Awesome picture isn’t it?

In the last year we have become increasingly aware of the suffering of orphans worldwide. And it is overwhelming. For every story we hear, we know there are thousands unheard. Just looking at the statistics above, it is easy to become overwhelmed as you realize that you or I cannot help 143 million children. But I can help one or two and hope that by changing their lives, I change their future and make an impact on every person that they touch.

You can help too. November is orphans awareness month. I would encourage you to find an orphanage that you could help financially, either through your church or through your own personal effort. Consider sponsoring a child, but please make it a lifetime commitment, not just a month or two until your conscience is soothed. Check out if there is a home in your area that helps foster children. You would be amazed at how a donation of toothpaste or a movie would be a blessing to some children in your very own neighborhood. Also, consider financially supporting a crisis pregnancy center. Your help and support could one day provide a loving home with a long awaited child. Or you can even consider adoption.

As we examined what we can do to help orphans, we decided to pursue adopting. In 2008 we hope to bring Freeman Alexander and Hadassah ReJoyce into our home to join our family. Adoption expenses, especially for a sibling group, are rather large and we’ve accepted that. Today, if you would like to help 2 orphans and know that you have had an impact on their future, please consider making a donation of $1 to our adoption fund by donating via the paypal button (www.shepherdessrhino.blogspot.com) Without violating your conscience, we give you permission to pass this email along to any of your friends if you so desire.

In closing, I would like to say thank you for taking the time to consider what I’ve written. You can make a difference, you can touch a life. In paraphrased form, here is one of my favorite verses (Isaiah 58:6-8).

“Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the homeless with shelter—when you see the naked to clothe him and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear and your righteousness will go before you and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer: you will cry for help and he will say: Here am I.”