Best Gift-Giver Ever...

When my oldest son turned three, my husband and I made the decision that we would not "do Santa" as a part of our celebration of Christmas. At the time, our now almost 11 year old was already grasping spiritual concepts, asking deep questions about spiritual and supernatural things. We felt that to present or encourage the story of Santa as fact would cause conflict in his mind and heart, and on top of that, we felt like we would be lying to him. Please note, in no way then or now do we look down on others who include the story of Santa in their celebrations, but felt it was not what we were to do.

Now seven years later we hold to that and everyone in the family has been quite content in that choice. This year, however,  something new has come to my attention that serves as a further confirmation of this choice and it's really rooted in the following scripture passages:

Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].  And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself]. (James 1:17, 18 AMP)
Or what man is there of you, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will hand him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will hand him a serpent?  If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good  and  advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give good  and advantageous things to those who keep on asking Him! (Matthew 7:9-11 AMP)

When I was reflecting on Christmas this year, my heart was pricked with the realization that our Daddy WANTS to be seen as the Giver of Good Gifts that He is. He longs to be known, fully, to the deepest parts of his beautiful heart.  It is so easy for the world and those who don't know Him to view him as a God of anger, wrath, or apathy instead of the good, loving benevolent Daddy He is... It is in this longing of His heart to be known rightly, that I find deeper passion to reserve the "Good Gift Giver" identity solely for Him, and to make him known in that way to my children, first, and also to others. Oh how many times, more than I can count, has He truly seen the deepest desires of my heart and miraculously and completely provided for them? I'm talking secret things no one else can know. He certainly isn't my magic slot machine that bends at my every earthly and fleshly craving, but truly knows how to delight me in ways that are good for me and bless me beyond imagine! I just long for my children to run to the Lord with the list of things they desire, holding them up to him who owns the cattle on a thousand hills; the One who did not see fit to withhold any good gift from us, including the most precious gift of His son, and know with all their being that their Father sees, knows, and will not disappoint their hearts even if the answer in the meantime is no or wait. He truly delights in showering us with his gifts of love!

So "to Santa or not to Santa" really ISN'T the question. Whether you choose that or not, consider testifying about the Ultimate Gift Giver as you know him. Or if you do not know Him as such , if you see Him as one who is or would hold out on you, or one who doesn't care about the desires of your heart,  today is a great day to ask to get to know Him in that way....  

Free....to Not Adopt

If you know me and my family, you may be wondering what in the world I am going to say in this post. For those who don't know, my family includes 4 children, of whom the youngest we "imported" from India four years ago. Briefly, our story started when, at 18, in my college library doing some research, I stumbled upon an article about the one-child-policy in China and all of the atrocities occurring there in regards to children as a result. In an instant, I was moved to one day care for one of these children through adoption. While my story went on to include marriage and three biological children prior to the adoption coming into fruition, it was indeed the will of God, confirmed by his spirit and provided for miraculously by Him and through the generosity of others.

I have since been a voice for the abandoned in many ways through sharing our story and through my involvement with different organizations, even helping to put on a conference in order to share the plight of the orphan and equip people to care for them. In my dealings with and exposure to many other like-minded believers crusading for orphans, I have been disturbed by a message that seems to be pervasive. It is not the message of all, but it is frequent enough that it stirred me to write this blog. Perhaps my choice to adopt and to help others in that pursuit may give my voice some credence that others who have not shared this journey may not have, but at any rate, I believe what I have to share is truth, not just opinion.

First, the message I have heard from many:  EVERYONE who calls themselves a believer is commanded in scripture to care for orphans and widows, the oppressed and the poor and if you are not doing this, you are in sin and you are not living the life Jesus commands. (The attitude suggests, "Here is the law...you should be following it. I have discovered this, and am being obedient to it and will now proceed to pronounce judgement on you if you are not.) Now, I believe the word is clear we are to give to those in need and if we have been blessed we are to give to those who do not have much. This is indisputable. What I take issue with is the WAY that is often communicated (the heart behind it) and the very specific and limited way that truth is prescribed. The truth of the matter is that we are not called not to align ourselves to a cause, but to a Person. We as believers, regardless of age, ethnicity, country of origin, are ALL called to serve Christ. To live for him, to die for him. To adopt for Him.Or to NOT adopt, for Him. IF the Lord is stirring on your heart to help an orphan, to help the homeless, to help a widow, to help your neighbor, and you do not do it, THAT is a sin. But you are not bound to a man who tells you this is what you must do. We must help others out of a love response to the Savior who calls us. And for the record those who use manipulation and guilt as means to try and make people do anything, have forgotten the manner in which Christ Himself once called them. He is FULL of grace, and it is his kindness that leads us to repentance. He does not shame us into anything because He knows that when He shows Himself to us in love and full of glory, if we are really his, we will not be able to resist His beauty, His life, His love, and will willingly follow him where ever he calls, even to death, or to the orphan. He indeed does convict us of our sin, but it is always with an invitation to greater life with Him.

Having said that, I believe we should take a long hard look at our lives. If we are following Christ, there should be a difference in the way we live. If not, and hear me say this emphatically, THE REMEDY ISN'T TO GO OUT AND MAKE YOUR LIFE LOOK DIFFERENT!!! For if Christ has not made a difference in your life, then He has not made a difference in your heart, and THAT is where He desires to meet you. Get before your God. MAKE TIME FOR HIM. The days are short, time is fleeting. You do not have time to not do what he is calling you to, and you don't have time to do things He isn't calling you to. First and foremost, get to know Him. Ask Him to show Himself to you. Ask Him what He thinks about orphans, widows, and the needy. Delve into His heart. He is ALWAYS supposed to be the center of anything we do, NEVER man. Humanism sets man on the throne....makes man, the needs of man, and service to man the center. This is the core difference between humanitarianism and service to man born out of love for Christ. You see, the more we are around Jesus, the more we know him, are filled by his love, and will desire to love him back. Because He isn't selfish, and his heart is for those in need, if we are being conformed to his image, we will share his heart. So the bigger issue if you don't care about orphans and the needy, if your heart isn't stirred for them, is the lack of conformity to his image, which results from either not knowing Him at all, or just not knowing him well enough. For to be with him, to know him is to be changed by him and to look more like him.

He commands us to love one another, which would include caring for those in need, but that call is preceded by a command to first know Him. Then, in his presence, we can be filled and lead into what that looks like. Bind yourself to Christ, and Christ alone, and you will be filled and thus fulfill HIS purposes for your life.