Race

While at football practice, a little boy came up to my son Jonah and said, "Jeeze...why am I seeing so many Chinese people around here lately?" Jonah responded, "I'm not Chinese, I'm Korean". The boy said, "That's not even a word. You're CHI-NEEZE...you need to learn your GEE-OGRAPHY!" Jonah replied, "Korean is a word, kid". The little boy did not give up. " I think I know more than you, since I'm a second grader".  Jonah decided, being a wise 5th grader, that he was not about to change the boy's mind, and walked away. The good news was... Jonah thought it was funny. But in reflection later, he asked me..."why is everyone calling me Chinese? Why do little kids keep calling me racist names like Yo Japanese or Jackie Chan?" I wish I had a good answer for him. Some of it, I suppose, is lack of exposure. Even though their football team has some ethnic diversity, they are indeed the only Koreans.  But my international children have international friends.Their exposure is wide and diverse due to their adoption.  My children have friends who are Ethiopian, Guatemalan, Hispanic, Chinese, Caucasian and African-American who are adopted. And I am so grateful to the Lord for bringing them into relationships where His love is being demonstrated through adoption. Love that does not discriminate.
Being a mixed race family brings us a lot of attention, often unwanted for my kids. I have been trying to teach them to respond in love; that it is a great opportunity to tell someone about being Korean,or about adoption and kindly educate them. What a great priveledge it is to share God's love with people who don't understand. How will kids ever know if they are not told by someone, in a loving way...that it's not okay to throw names and labels at people? And how will kids know what God's love is like if we don't demonstrate it to them?  I am convinced that the struggles my boys will have with this subject will provide many opportunities for them to be bold witnesses for Christ. And I am convinced there are days when we will not respond in love because we have been hurt. But I pray that God will remind us what Jesus said as He was being crucified..."Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing"Lk 23:34. I want my family to love like that! Full of grace and forgiveness for those who don't understand...just like we have been forgiven in Christ.

Enjoy!

I recently ate a great meal in Brown County, Indiana with my favorite person in the whole wide world. Doing things like that...leaving town, forgetting what is weighing you down, and just enjoying the moment is priceless and refreshing. But the moment I slip back into routine, my ability to relax and enjoy fades like the memories of the weekend. I know there are so many things right here to enjoy and celebrate, but I'm so short sighted I can't see it. I seem to have lost the habit of enjoying the journey. Of really seeing what's good around me and enjoying it. I decided today that I need more practice...one might call it the "spiritual discipline" of enjoying what I've been given by the Giver of all good things. I have become the one who is constantly holding people accountable. I am the Queen of accountability around here(some say evil queen, but not to my face). But in the process, I've lost my ability to enjoy any of it. It's all a list to be completed. Mark it off the list. Make a new list for tomorrow . And on and on until I realize days have gone by and I have not laughed. I have not really seen or heard anything that the Giver had intended for me to enjoy. I'm not really sure how to break the cycle. Would it be wrong to stop everything on my schedule? To just breathe deeply and open my eyes to everything around me today?  Would my family and friends understand if I just let it all go for awhile?  Would someone call the authorities?
     Right now I'm listening to my son and his guitar teacher play "Draw Me Close to You"...the words are reminding me slowly...."You're all I want. You're all I ever needed. You're all I want, Help me know You are near". And I really enjoyed it;) I guess step one in any recovery program is admitting you have a problem. Thank You Jesus for helping me enjoy something small today. Anyone know of a good 12 step program for the the seriously fun challenged?