where the rubber meets the road

I know Im not the only one.

to sit and wonder what this is all about......

this thing called faith.

such a heated topic

like politics

dont bring it up

unless you are ready.

I guess what gets me the most

is how people use faith

to beat others to a pulp,

the kind of faith that is law- shoulds and shouldnts.....

convictions driving them - horrible acts of crime.

what I am looking for

is someone

male or female

that says," I am a christian."

not just with their mouth

If we claim this title.

Should we even have to say it???

Shouldnt it be evident?

not driving to the local church

to sit, sing, up and down- repeat.

Get back in the car and nothing that happened between those 4 walls

really change how they live

the Day in and day out.

drop some money in the plate as it passes by and it will ease my conscious.

read about the orphans, widows, homeless.... my neighbor.

but not really do anything about it.

(you cant possibly be talking about MOI can you?!)

Wear that cross around your neck

but what about the stuff on the inside.

Dont get me wrong,

I am not speaking of perfection.

(did you know-There is no such thing.)

I am not speaking of doing good things

or being a good person- because that will get you into heaven.

( I'll give you firsthand info -it wont work)

nope. None of that.

Im speaking of someone CLAIMING to be a Christian

ant not studying Gods word,

not getting to know the reality of faith.

Cuz the real Christ I know,

will rock your world,

it will cause 40- somethings like my husband and I

to adopt a child with Down Syndrome

at the time our youngest was 16.....

crazy isnt it?!

and if you know me you KNOW I am not saying this to "toot my own horn."

honey I dont even own a horn!!!! (just the mouthpiece)

We didnt really care what anyone else said about the matter

even the ones that said they "knew Him."

because its not between you and I.

When you know that person called Christ,

really know Him

it changes you.

It changes the way you see things

the way you love others.

You cannot sit still and NOT do something,

anything

about what we see day to day going on all around us.

(dont get me wrong either- I am not someone that believes everyone should home school, or adopt, or.......)

But if you are the "real deal"

you better quit sitting on your hands

thinking its someone elses job......

Here, let me give you an illustration.

You see,

I heard a story,

goes something like this,

"He was a lawyer, and sold everything.

Moved his family to a far off land, called Ecuador, to start an orphanage......."

When I speak of an orphanage

I am not speaking of places you hear about on other websites.

Orphanages where the children are mistreated, hungry,

dont get proper medical attention and services.

No, what God used this man to do was set an example.

This is how children that have lost the most basic need we all have.......

a family

should be treated.

With the best care and attention that can be provided.

A place where the children are raised with love

and dignity

and respect

A place where they are taught about love

and prepared to meet their new family.

a place where both physical needs

and emotional needs are met.

I met this man for the first time back in Feb 2010.

At a local Pann*era.

He didnt seem like what I would have imagined

I dont know what I imagined.

But I fell in love.

how could I not????

His eyes radiated that love for Christ

that made me know he was genuine,

and that smile.

Yup, the real deal.

We sat in Pann*era discussing our adoption,

the hard hard place we found ourselves in.

Between a rock and a hard place.

It was gonna take a miracle......

I could tell they felt our anguish.

Not just husband and I,

but they knew our daughter,

they knew a year had passed since she was shown photos of her Mammi and Papi.

They hurt for our Lil G.

They picked up their cell right there and called Ecuador.

Called their office and talked with them about documents

And asked for action by the end of the week.

They had that kind of faith.

They had built that kind of reputation for themselves.

Not long after our return from Ecuador with our little one we learned of his health concerns,

they came back to the States to have tests run. We were all shocked to learn of his diagnosis- ALS- Lou Gehrigs disease.

Its been a year and a half.

I was shocked to learn that he went home,

his real home

on Sunday morning.

I find myself so so sad to know this.

Its all selfish,

I think if I had been with him,

and really knew him like his wife and children

the pain and anguish of knowing he is gone

would be diminished by the fact that it was all grace......

the fact that he didnt have to walk further down that ALS path

really was grace......

so, I will be selfish and cry some more today

and possibly tomorrow,

and well, tears come easy for me.

But I know, that he did it well,

not perfect,

but he took those words on a page and allowed them to really sink in

and make him the man that really did something about it.

I remain,

Under His wings,

Anna