Why "Eight Is Not Enough"?

When we were younger, there was a television sitcom that was called "Eight is Enough". The television watching world was entertained with the thought of a family with eight children. Most of us were shocked at the prospect of such a large family- myself included! Then ever so slowly, God began to work on our hearts, until we surrendered to Him all of our lives- yes even gave Him sovereign control over the size of our family and He has blessed us immeasurably, with eight biological children. Each of these children have been an amazing gift to us and we cherish each of them. And we praised God for them and felt to ourselves "eight is enough" - at least for a time.

Then God began to stir our hearts. It was as if He spoke to say to us "these 8 precious children I have given to you, but what have you given to my orphans in return?" A burden began to build on our hearts to adopt. We knew that for us God still had other plans for us as parents if we would be faithful to His calling- that eight is not enough. And so, we followed this call to adopted and He has continued to blessed us through adoption. First a sibling group of three from Soacha, Colombia. They joined our family in November, 2008. In May 2010, we adopted twin infants from Texas. In September of 2012 we were privileged to return to Colombia and adopt a sibling group of two from Cali. At this time, we anxiously wait for our travel date to depart for China where a very special girl and boy wait for their forever family. By the time they all reach adulthood, we will have had the amazing privilege to be parents of children in our home for a half century. Our life is full beyond measure, beyond our wildest expectations, yes even beyond anything we could have ever hoped. Truly, eight is not enough. As of late we have wondered if God's plan for us as parents all along was not for eight children, but rather eight plus eight. Our heavenly Father knows and His word assures us "I know the plans I have made for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you." We trust He knows the number of His children He wants us to love and to nurture on His behalf, and whether that is eight or eighty times eight we stand ready and say speak Lord, your servants are listening and are prepared to be father and mother to your fatherless on earth.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

The Little Chap Who Follows Me

We were reminded recently of the poem entitle The Little Chap Who Follows Me. The poem is below to remind you, you have probably read it or heard it before:


The Little Chap Who Follows Me!
Author: Unknown

A careful man I want to be;
A little fellow follows me.
I do not dare to go astray
For fear he'll go the self same way.

I cannot once escape his eyes,
Whate'er he sees me do, he tries.
Like me he says he's going to be;
The little chap who follows me.

He thinks that I'm so very fine,
Believes in every word of mine.
The base in me he must not see;
The little chap who follows me.

I must remember as I go
Through summer's sun and winter's snow,
I'm building for the years to be;
The little chap who follows me.

As a family, we are blessed to be able to gather around the table 3 times a day, most days. This time together is so important for families. It is our tradition for each child to have a turn offering a blessing over the meal in rotation. Recently, I happened to look up during one of these prayers to find my barely two year old son Isaiah as you see him in the photo below. We did not teach him this- he just learned from watching us!The poem is so true in so many ways. Dads- our children do watch and act on everything they see us do. I have seen this played out so many times in my 32 years of fathering. I pray I will always remember the little chaps (and their sisters!) who watch and follow me. I pray that what they see and emulate of me will be pleasing to my Heavenly Father as this picture of Isaiah must. I trust as He looked down upon Isaiah, He smiled as I did. Since I noticed that day, we can get him to repeat the moment anytime we tell him it is time to pray. I am so glad to know in at least one way I am as the poem says "building for the years to be". May all my children always be so eager to pray as Isaiah is today. I know God will hear them- and answer according to His perfect will.

Jim
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