Most of the time, I am thrilled to talk about adoption. I have become closer to God through this process than anything else in my life so how can I not share that? But sometimes I don't want to answer that perfectly innocent question from a stranger, "You have kids, how old?" Me, "I have 3- 2 six year olds and a 2 year old". Stranger, "Wow, twins". Sometimes, I just want to smile and nod, but it's not in me so there comes the story- in varying amounts of detail.
Sarah Bess and Davis have been together since they were 2 years old. We have a weird birth order thing because we had Sarah Bess, then when she was two we adopted Davis, who is a month older than her. (This is counseled against in the adoption world, but we didn't really 'plan' it this way. And I would tell anyone that asked that it has been great for our family).
The two of them have such an awesome brother-sister relationship. They love, play and fight on a daily basis.
When we decided to adopt Gabre, knowing that she was 4 years younger than them and that their bond was quite strong, I always thought she would be a little left out.
Then there was today. I am sick. And I spent most of the day in the bed. What smacked me over the head is that, it is no longer the two and the one...she is now part of their herd. They play together. They laugh together. And yes, they fight together. They are each their own being and they are one. And it brings me great joy. They are one.
And it reminded me of my 2013 one word that I never posted about. In 2012, my one word (that turned out to be two) was Be Still. To learn about this concept you can read one word.
My word for 2013:
As I struggled over the words to explain this African philosophy, I went back to do some reading and decided I could never explain it as well as Desmond Tutu.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu offered this regarding Ubuntu in 1999:
Tutu went on to say in 2008:
Let's stop dividing ourselves. By race. By country. By religion. You are no better than me, I am no better than you because we are one.
I just finished this AWESOME book, Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan (thanks Paige!). During the course of saving these children, Conor turns to God. He eventually goes out to buy a Bible and he asks his friend running the children's home, who is Buddist, what he thinks about him buying the bible. His friend answers, "I know you were doing the right thing for you. We both saw that light, I think. We just saw different things in the light." Connor goes on to write, "I liked that idea. I also liked that both of us were completely convinced that what we had seen was the truth, and we could speak about it so openly with each other. Under this one roof, we had a Buddhist, a Christian, and two dozen little Hindus. And we couldn't be happier."
We can't exist in isolation. What I do affects the whole world. What you do affects the whole world. Do I spend extra on fair trade coffee to know it wasn't produced by child slaves? Do I give the extra $100 when I see the need? Do I stop cleaning the kitchen when one of my kids really has something to show me?
So in 2013, I will focus on this word. I will pray and listen on this world. And I will hope that more of us see our interconnectedness. That more will know, that we are one.
Sarah Bess and Davis have been together since they were 2 years old. We have a weird birth order thing because we had Sarah Bess, then when she was two we adopted Davis, who is a month older than her. (This is counseled against in the adoption world, but we didn't really 'plan' it this way. And I would tell anyone that asked that it has been great for our family).
When we decided to adopt Gabre, knowing that she was 4 years younger than them and that their bond was quite strong, I always thought she would be a little left out.
Then there was today. I am sick. And I spent most of the day in the bed. What smacked me over the head is that, it is no longer the two and the one...she is now part of their herd. They play together. They laugh together. And yes, they fight together. They are each their own being and they are one. And it brings me great joy. They are one.
My word for 2013:
Archbishop Desmond Tutu offered this regarding Ubuntu in 1999:
Open. Available. Affirming. Non-threatened. Belongs.A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, based from a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.
Tutu went on to say in 2008:
Doesn't this want to make you shout "Ubuntu" from the hill tops...what hill tops, I don't know, but just shout it!One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu – the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality – Ubuntu – you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole World. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.
Let's stop dividing ourselves. By race. By country. By religion. You are no better than me, I am no better than you because we are one.
I just finished this AWESOME book, Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan (thanks Paige!). During the course of saving these children, Conor turns to God. He eventually goes out to buy a Bible and he asks his friend running the children's home, who is Buddist, what he thinks about him buying the bible. His friend answers, "I know you were doing the right thing for you. We both saw that light, I think. We just saw different things in the light." Connor goes on to write, "I liked that idea. I also liked that both of us were completely convinced that what we had seen was the truth, and we could speak about it so openly with each other. Under this one roof, we had a Buddhist, a Christian, and two dozen little Hindus. And we couldn't be happier."
We can't exist in isolation. What I do affects the whole world. What you do affects the whole world. Do I spend extra on fair trade coffee to know it wasn't produced by child slaves? Do I give the extra $100 when I see the need? Do I stop cleaning the kitchen when one of my kids really has something to show me?
So in 2013, I will focus on this word. I will pray and listen on this world. And I will hope that more of us see our interconnectedness. That more will know, that we are one.
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