Thursday, February 28, 2013

John M.

David, Moses and Uncle Steven  playing checkers

John M. and little David

heating water

John M.

Richard and little David

Friday, February 15, 2013

Love

With today being Valentine's Day, everyone is talking about love.

So here I go...

(Just jumped on the bandwagon)

Have any of you heard of the kid president? His videos are all over Facebook and he is so adorable. His pep talk video is amazing and so is this one. It has a great message and I hope it puts a smile on your face.


    


"Love changes everything, so fill the world with it."

I don't think there were truer words ever spoken.

Love does change things.  True love.  Love that isn't based on what the other person is or what he/she can do for you.  Unconditional love.  Unfailing, never ending love.

I didn't know or understand what that meant until God blessed me with these boys.  I knew God loved me unconditionally.  You know a no strings attached, just loves me because He does, not a loves me because of who or what I am.

I knew it, but I didn't understand.  Most love we experience is based on what we can do for the person or what they can do for us.  But not with God.  And I didn't get it.  I fail Him daily.  I am everything He tells me not to be most days, but still He gives His love freely.  Without asking for anything in return.  He just loves.

Then enter the most interesting characters ever into my life.

And my life was flipped upside down.  Everything I thought I knew about love, life and happiness got thrown out the window or off a boda.  Everything I thought I knew about myself, changed.  Everything I thought I knew, wrong.

I am finally beginning to understand how He can love me so incredibly and fiercely that He would move mountains for me.  How He could love me despite my failures, despite my weaknesses, despite who I am.

When I met all of the boys, they were still on the streets.  They were dirty and hard.  The were distant and distrusting. Some had addictions, some fought, some gambled, some stole, some lied, some manipulated...I think you get the idea.

But God gave me His eyes.  He let me see past what the rest of the world saw.  He let me see past the dirt and bad behaviors.

And I fell hopelessly, madly, unconditionally in love.

I would do anything for them to have a better life.  I would do anything for them not to suffer.  I would do anything to see them happy.  I would do anything for them.  A friend used to joke they could ask me for the moon and I would go and try and get it.  It is true.

I love them more than anything here on earth.

I love them despite the disappointments.

I love them despite logic.

And I am finally starting to understand how He can love me the same.

Love has changed us.  My love for them has changed me.  Their love for me has changed me.

It brought me closer to my Savior.  It opened my eyes to a world I didn't understand or know existed.  It opened my eyes to injustices that we never hear about or chose to turn our backs on.  It let me see the eyes of the 147 million orphans in the world and know I had to do something.  It made me realize it wasn't ok anymore to sit back and think it was someone else's problem to deal with.

Love changed everything.  Love changed my life.

Love can make a difference.  It will change you.  It will change them.  It can bring hope when there is none.  It can be a light in the middle of darkness.

I hope that on today, the day of love, and everyday after that you know how loved you are by your Heavenly Father.  It isn't a love you have to earn.  Don't worry.  But it will change you.


Happy Valentine's Day!!!!