Sawyer and Friends

We had a very busy week...last Saturday, Sawyer and I took a day trip to my friend Emily's parent's cabin. It was so good to be with her and her family.

Sawyer and my godchild, Carli (23 months) (Emily's daughter).

Then, I had the privilege of watching my boss's daughters one evening. Here's Regan (3 1/2) and Sawyer

Sawyer, Regan, Lili (1).

Regan was such a big help...and such a sweetheart to Sawyer! Although she did tell me that next time I come over to play with her, I should get Sawyer a babysitter. :)

Nom Nom Nom

Yet another low-quality video of Ryley teasing the boy.

Sawyer now has 2 teeth and likes to wave bye bye. Oh, and I always knew about little boys grabbing at their "fireman" as Ryley calls it...I just didn't realize that it started so young. Every time he gets the opportunity...diaper changes and bathtimes...he loves to examine his fireman. Boys are so fun!

This evening I have the privilege of watching my boss's daughters, ages 1 and 3. It should be interesting...hopefully I will have pictures to follow.

Another Video

This is a long one...fairly uneventful but the grandma who lives far away will enjoy it!

In other news, I am wondering when I will learn that it's too early to buy decent fruit. I think I've bought 7 honeydew melons in the past month, only to throw them away because they have no taste. What a waste of money. That is one of the few things I don't like about living in the Midwest.

Sawyer has been busy rolling around all over the house, and he's starting to attempt crawling...like an inchworm. He also loves standing up and taking steps or jumping. Examining my earrings with his little pinchers is also another favorite activity...which sometimes causes minor discomfort for me!

A Boy and His Dogs

Big Plans

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

The first part about the orphans and widows is widely used among many Christian orphan care organizations. "...to keep onelself from being polluted by the world" is sometimes left out.

The burden to advocate for orphans lays increasingly heavy on my heart over the past 3 years or so. Just in the last month have I been learning the lesson about personal purity. About not wasting my time.

And I'm still learning about that...hoping to make that a priority for all the rest of my days on this earth.

At the conference, there were many powerful, influential people. Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth. The former first lady of Guatemala. C. Thomas Davis, author of "Fields of the Fatherless" (and other books) and CEO of Children's HopeChest. John Piper. Dozens of others working on the front lines of the fight for the children of the world. I hope to write about their impact on my life and thinking in the future.

"Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. This book has changed my life. I encourage you to pick up a copy or download the audiobook. I'm not sure I've read a book as powerful.

John Piper. I've heard so much about him. He far exceeded my expectations when he closed out Summit VI last week. He is anointed. Powerful. Convicting. He brought the two things I spend most of my time thinking about together...the fatherless and personal purity.

I have big dreams for west central Minnesota. Of course, I have no idea what will happen. My plan is to network right now. Find others whose hearts are being stirred up for orphans. Beyond that, I would love to start a regional alliance orphan care ministry of area churches. I have talked to so many friends who would love to adopt someday, but feel overwhelmed about the cost and the process. From the little bit I went through it, it is a challenge. Even painful. And once you get to the end result (bringing home your child) the work has jut begun.

I have a dream that my region would respond. All ages would answer the call to make an impact, to change the lives of orphans around the world in the name of Christ. For the glory of God. I would love to see the culture, race, ethnicity change because of adoption. I would love to send groups overseas to show hope to the children who have no one.

My plan...while not set in stone...is to network, as I mentioned. Then meet with leaders in different churches. Call the Body of Christ, maybe a few from each church, to a meeting or a "think tank." Use Orphan Sunday on November 7th, 2010 to kick off.

But I guard these dreams and plans so I wouldn't be disappointed if it doesn't happen the way I hope. I want to see the whole community transformed, but I can't feel like a failure if it doesn't happen...or at least, not right away. I know that God is laying this on my heart and that I must follow, one step at a time, one foot in front of another.

How great is our God.

(Still scatter-brained...for the Lord) Love, Shannon

Life After Summit VI

After the conference, I feel this fire that has been lit inside me. I have to move. I have to act. But I know there needs to be some time of reflection, and I need to wait for direction. I feel conflicted, refreshed, overwhelmed, inspired...frantic. So while I wait on the Lord to see what the next step is, I read books. I pray. I think. I read blogs, watch videos, spend time in the Word. I care for my sweet baby boy, and when I look into his eyes I think about all the children of the world who don't have a mama. All in the name of Jesus, who paid the price and made the ultimate sacrifice so that I could be adopted into the family of God.

Where do I go from here? Christians are responding...where do I fit in? Will the immediate region I live in be transformed...will they respond? The answer will come in due time.

I have a sense of peace and a sense of panic at the same time. I am heartbroken and hopeful.

The struggle and brokenness of orphans around the world is real. We might not see it in our comfortable little corner of the world. But we must expose ourselves to it. Helpless children are out there. They need a family. Some of them need basic resources. Some of them need protection against very real dangers such as trafficking, neglect, exploitation.

And most of all, they need Christ. The Only ONE who can fully heal their hearts.

I will talk more about what actually happened at the conference when I have it all sorted out. I feel like there's so much I learned, so much I am feeling, so many ideas that I can barely type a coherent sentence.

I look around me and I lead a very rich life. I mean I am wealthy. I have so much more than the vast majority of the world's population.

While I can agonize over the decision of what color shirt to buy...people are suffering. Innocent children who don't have a mama or papa to wipe away their tears, to tell their hopes and dreams to. No mama or papa of their own to comfort them.

While these precious children are on my heart constantly now, and I am constantly aware at my endless supply of resources and how wasteful I am, I found myself at church on Sunday. The theme at the church service was how they need to build an addition to the church. They said things like "The children need a clean, safe place to play. They need to know that their church loves them enough to give them a dedicated area to meet their needs."

Now if you are from my church and you're reading this, and especially if you are part of this "capital campaign," please don't take offense. I care about the children of our church. My son is one of those children. But we are SO RICH. There are children around the world who don't even have a bed to sleep on, much less a family to call their own. I am not trying to say the church shouldn't build an addition...I am not involved enough in the culture of our church. I am basically an outsider, and that has been my own doing. But it just made my stomach turn. To be concerned about the four walls of a building, while there is such a great need beyond those walls. There are greater needs in our community, in our state, greater needs beyond our country. How can we add on to a building when people are starving? How can we not be their hope? How can we stand by when people are dying...physically and spiritually?

And in presenting this campaign to build an addition, it was said "The bankers say we are paying down our existing debt faster than most churches." That was supposed to be a good reason to build. WHO CARES WHAT BANKERS SAY...what does GOD HAVE TO SAY about the debt? What about the cost we will pay for not caring for the orphan, the widow, the foreigner, the hungry, the lost?

Now please, I am not saying this church does not make some attempt to care for those who need Christ. I am really just venting, getting this off my chest. I do love the heart of the people in my church, and while I can be disappointed with things that happen, it is my own fault for not getting involved. And furthermore, I am the worst of sinners. I am selfish, prideful, harsh, and a host of other undesirable qualities.

But I don't want that anymore. I want Jesus. I want to desire God. I want to do only things that will echo in eternity. I want to say only things that glorify God. Being a "perfect" person is unattainable...but still I long to please my Father in heaven.

6 Month Checkup

My little chipmunk is almost 6 months old. Since we will be in the Twin Cities this weekend for the Summit VI Conference, we had to do the checkup a week early (last week). Sawyer is in the 5th percentile for weight at almost 14 pounds, and the 90th percentile for length. The gap widens! My lean baby boy.

I'm looking forward to his first swim at the hotel we'll be staying at in a few days. I know he will be very happy to see his Memaw, as she is one of the few people he seems to be familiar with (although he is not shy with strangers). She will be taking care of him at the hotel while I attend conference sessions.

I'm very much looking forward to this conference, to learning more about what I can do to advocate for the fatherless and networking with others who share this burden.

Pictures

I have a lot to say, but no time to say it. But really, does it matter? If you're reading this, you're probably just in it for the pictures!

My sweet little chipmunk.

Snuggling papa on Resurrection Sunday.

Sawyer and his girlfriend (Aunt Kari).

Frogs on my bibs!

Naptime.

Ravenous Child

Regarding solids...I was able to hold the boy off for a month. He began to throw slight tantrums when he would see us put anything in our mouths, so we had to be very sneaky. Then, he started waking up every few hours in the night because he was hungry. I tried everything else to put him back to sleep, but feeding him was the only answer. He has become a content baby again now that we are feeding him supper in the evenings. Here, you can see him enjoying a combination of breastmilk, oatmeal, and banana. He is very demanding. I love how Papa gets almost as loud as the hungry baby.

5 months + 5 days

My sweetheart is over 5 months! I can't believe how quickly time is passing me by. Soon, he will be chasing after his doggies...

She loves him...she really does! Maddy & Sawyer.

But as you know, Macy is in love with her boy.

When I look into my son's sweet face, I worry about what kind of nation he will inherit. But I have hope since the Lord reigns over all the heavens and the earth!