Ouch....

Today I came across a link to a really neat blog.

I found this paragraph.....and it hit me pretty hard.

I have no fancy preface,
No humorous introduction,
No dry funny sarcastic transition....

Just this.

I love reading over the accounts of those who are in Eastern Europe now, and meeting their children.  I was particularly touched by one family's account this week.  They are adopting two little boys.  As they visited in the orphanage, a little girl sat beside the mom and said, "Don't adopt ____, he's a naughty boy.  You should adopt me instead."   Most children that we know who are growing up, it goes without saying that they are loved and wanted, even though we say it plenty to them anyway.  Can you imagine having a little girl sit next to you -- a perfect stranger to her -- who is so desperate to have a Mommy, a family, a home, a place to belong, that she would try to convince you to take her home?  The sadness of this just really impacts me.  This mom went on to say that many of the children at the orphanage asked her to please find them a family too.  There are children in this world who are begging to have one of the most basic things in the world:  a family.  Not a rich family, or a family of a certain size or in a certain place.  Just a family.  Just somebody to want them and to belong to.  What a basic right, that we take for granted.  Such a simple thing to provide for a child who needs it; something that YOU could provide.  Hear them sitting next to you, and asking you, "Can you please help find a family for me?  Couldn't you bring me home?"

Oh my heart.
Oh my selfish horrid self-pleasing heart.

I am grumpy because my car is having issues.
My child complained to me that they were tired of the swimming pool.
Another child grumped about having to practice reading.
I spent my afternoon irritated that my dishwasher isn't working for the third week straight.

Oh my heart.

Ouch.

What am I thinking?
What are we doing?
Why is this ok???

So I send money.
I sponsor a child.
Or two.
I pray, and remind my kids to pray for the "less fortunate."
I maybe even help coordinate a fundraiser.

And I crawl into my big 'ol bed in my air conditioned house....
And my kids each crawl into their own beds with fluffy clean blankets...
And I tell them good-night.
And they sleep.
And they sleep with peace...because they know that

...their dad and I will keep them safe that night,
...if they have a bad dream I will rub their backs and help them sleep.
...if they are sick they have a mom to hear them and come help.
...they will wake up in their own home in the morning.


Shouldn't every single baby have that?
Shouldn't every single child know that security?
Shouldn't every kid know that they are wanted and loved?

Oh....
My heart.