Comfort Food

You know there are times when you just want comfort food. Those foods are different for each person and in my case the food varies based on the situation. For instance, when I miss my mom it's soup beans, fried potatoes and kraut (don't judge). When I feel sorry for myself its spaghetti and meatballs or meatloaf. When I am overwhelmed with life it is usually pizza or cheeseburgers. You know, a girl has to have variety :)

This weekend brought devastation to Nashville and the surrounding areas. The images are unbelievable and they continue to worsen. If you do not live in middle TN, I am sure you have no idea how bad it really is. The national media has not done it justice. All that said, last night I wanted comfort food on a global scale. My answer, broccoli casserole. Can I tell you it was the most delicious broccoli I have ever eaten. Anticipation and emotions really play into our tastes, don't you agree? It was probably an average casserole but last night it was perfect. :0

I thought I would share my recipe in case any of you need some comfort of the carb loaded, cheese driven variety.



LeAnn's Comfort Broccoli

1 bag frozen broccoli (thawed and chopped into small bite size chunks)

2 cups cooked rice

1 jar cheez whiz

1 cup mayo

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 stalk of celery (chopped)

1 large clove of garlic (grated)

1 stick of butter



Saute onions and celery in butter. When clear, add garlic. Saute another minute and remove from heat. In large bowl combine all other ingredients. Add onion mixture and stir until well combined. Bake in a greased 9x13 casserole dish. I baked it at 375 for around 50 minutes. I like my casseroles a little crusty on the edges and brown on the top.

Anyway, that is it...a little veggies, a lot of calories, even more comfort.

The great flood

God told Noah to build an ark.
Jesus walked on water.
Peter tried to walk on water.
Jesus preached from a boat.
The disciples road in a boat.
The disciples panicked in a boat.
Jesus calmed the storm.

There is "water" all over the Bible... (since I am a baptist, I left out the water into wine thing :) ok, that was a joke, don't get all bent out of shape) Anyway, the point is, water is a sustainer of life, physical and spiritual. Our bodies must have water to live. Scripture describes Jesus as the giver of living water (John 4:10). In Jeremiah 2 God refers to himself as "The Fountain of Living Water". The point being that water is our life on earth and in heaven...we must have water.

Here I am on a Monday morning, absolutely stricken with the power of water. Living very close to Nashville and seeing my beloved landmarks in ruins. The Batman building has 20 feet of water in it. The Opryland Hotel has 6 feet of water in it. Downtown Nashville is flooded. Bellevue, is nearly a complete loss. Interstate 40 is closed from Nashville to Dickson. A school floated down I-24...yes, that's right A SCHOOL. There are piles of cars that were washed into buildings. There are houses in the middle of streets. There are foundations with no houses in sight, all washed away.
In most of Nashville there are still water rescues going on. People are still stranded on rooftops, waiting for boats. Thousands in shelters (1500 of whom were evacuated from the Opryland...can imagine paying for the Opryland and getting a public high school and a blanket?) There are countless big trucks trapped between closures on I-40. They are estimating damage to be in the billions of dollars.

Closer to home, our neighborhood faired quite well. We have 2 neighbors dealing with a hole in their yards, but that is it. In fact, yesterday afternoon, we had an impromptu neighborhood football game in a front yard. We were all soaked, but laughing. The kids were having the time of their lives...what a difference a few miles can make. Our county has lots of damage but not as far reaching as Davidson (Nashville) and Williamson (Franklin, Brentwood).

You know, in all of this I reminded that God is the God of the storm, the raging waters, even the trickling streams. He is still on the throne. He is and always will be God. One of my favorite worship songs is simply titled "Still". The lyrics...

Hide me now

Under Your wings

Cover me

Within Your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar

I will soar with You above the storm

Father you are King over the flood

I will be still and know You are God

Find rest my soul

In Christ alone

Know His power

In quietness and trust

When the oceans rise and thunders roar

I will soar with You above the storm

Father You are king over the flood

I will be still and know You are God

That is my prayer for all of middle TN today...may those homeless, devoid of earthly possessions find rest in their souls. May they seek shelter in this present storm in the hand of God.

Pray for all those in need today. Pray for the leaders and public servants who will literally wade through the recovery of our state capital.

** if you click on "Nashville" in the second paragraph you will go to a website that has several pics and also videos from the weekend.

Adoption

...for in You the fatherless find compassion. Hosea 14:3

• There are between 143 million and 210 million orphans worldwide
• Every day 5,760 more children become orphans
• 2,102,400 more children become orphans every year in Africa alone
• Every 15 seconds, another child in Africa becomes an AIDS orphan
• 8 out of 10 children orphaned by AIDS lives in sub-Saharan Africa

• Each year 14, 505, 000 children grow up as orphans and age out of the system by age sixteen
• Each day 38,493 orphans age out
• In Russia and Ukraine, studies have shown that 10% – 15% of these children commit suicide before they reach age eighteen
• These studies also show that 60% of the girls become prostitutes and 70% of the boys become hardened criminals
• Another Russian study reported that of the 15,000 orphans aging out of state-run institutions every year, 10% committed suicide, 5,000 were unemployed, 6,000 were homeless and 3,000 were in prison within three years…

• In the United States there were 463,000 children in the foster care system in 2008. Only 55,000 adoptions were recorded through public agencies that year.

• 500,000 embryos have been frozen and stored since the 1970s. Around 11,000 of those have been designated for research. Only 1,000 babies have been born through embryo adoption in the 10 years it has been available. That means there are hundreds of thousands of babies literally frozen in time, waiting to live.

Frightening statistics aren't they? I found most of them on a UNICEF website along with other agency sites.

If you know us, you know that adoption is very near and dear to our hearts. The scriptures tell us over and over to "care for the orphans". That makes it sound like a "duty" assigned to all Christendom. For us, it was not a duty, it was a dire need. Our hearts and arms were aching for a baby and that was the only way to stop the pain. We didn't see our ourselves as selfless, noble Christians. We were pitiful and desperate. For others it is a call from the Lord to care for His children. To them it is a duty and a calling. Adoption perspectives are different for couples struggling with infertility and couples struggling with a world full of fatherless children. Both perspectives lead to the same ending...children finding homes.

It has been almost 6 years since I received a phone call while on vacation in Hilton Head. A couple of weeks earlier we had agreed for our profile to be sent to a birthmom in Oregon. There were a few details that were unsettling to me but still it was a chance at a baby, so we took it. Knowing we were across the country from her, I never really expected to hear anything else from our agency in regards to her. Then there was the day of the phone call. We were vacationing with David's sister and her family. Most everyone had gone ahead to the beach. David's sister, Mary Nell and I were left behind...truth is we probably went shopping in the morning and they didn't want to join us :) As we were about to leave the villa, my cell phone rang. On the other end was our Bethany adoptive parent counselor. She informed me that we had been chosen by the birthmom in Oregon. Now, if you have ever been in the waiting process for adopting, you know the level of anxiety that exists about receiving "the" call. We all live for that ring, that voice that says "you have been chosen". We had heard that same phrase a year earlier only to have our hearts crushed by a failed adoption. So when I heard those words this time, I really didn't react. I think I explained we were on vacation, asked what the next step was and politely thanked Bethany. I hung up thinking I should really be excited but telling myself don't be excited, this is too good to be true, this will never really happen. My sister in law could see the change in my spirit and asked what happened. I remember telling her "we were chosen". She was so excited, I was rather numb. As she and I made our way to the beach, I tried to explain what I was feeling. I found David on the beach and told him about the call. He was excited, but just as hesitant as me. As the week ended we prayed with our families in the parking lot as we were going our separate ways. I remember Mary Nell praying for us and this baby girl. She prayed for our wisdom and strength and for health and safety for the baby. We drove home excited but guarded. In the coming weeks we would find out more details and speak with the birth grandmother on the phone. There were details that were bothersome and concerning. There were details that were exciting and too good to be true. In the end, we were given a peace that passed our understanding. On August 14 we received the next highly anticipated phone call...she was in labor. We flew to Oregon the next day and held our baby girl 6 hours after she entered the world. The flight was filled with joy and anticipation. God had replaced anxiety and worry with peace and love. I knew this time was what we had been waiting on, this time we would be leaving the hospital with a baby. And we did. One day later we left the hospital with Olivia Ann. It was a glorious event!

Now fast forward to current day...our baby girl is 5. She is beautiful and finishing Kindergarten as a reader. She has a heart of gold, her biggest smiles come when she is helping someone else. She can sing "Mighty to Save" better than any Hillsong or labeled artist. She also has some struggles related to decisions that were made before she was even born. You see, adoptive life is just like any other life. You never know what is around the corner. Whether you build your family through pregnancies or adoptions, you will daily experience new blessings and dilemmas. There is no difference in our hopes and dreams for our children. There is also no difference in the fears and struggles.

Whether you are desperate for a baby or you are a Christian who is feeling God's leading to care for His children, follow your hearts. God our Father is calling us to care for the orphans in our world. There are orphans in foster care in the United States. There are orphans all over the world. There are orphans frozen in cryogenic labs across the country.

You can also care for orphans without adopting. Did you know that? You can support them financially through many reputable organizations. Two of my favorites are Compassion International and World Vision. There is also an incredible website created by 2 moms whose passion for children grew into 7 adoptions for their families and a global outreach to orphans and adoptive families. You can also personally support families in your lives who are seeking to adopt. The process is not cheap.

You can fervently pray for families whom you know are in the adoption process. And don't stop praying when they bring their forever child into their home. Stand by them, pray for them and love that new child as the precious gift of God that he or she truly is.

With the news of recent days about the child being returned to Russia by an American adoptive mom, I fear there are many potential adoptive families being frightened away. I don't know all of the facts of that little boy or the mom. I, of course, have an opinion but this is neither the time nor the place to share it. I will say this, every adoption has inherent risks be they related to a foreign government, unknown medical conditions, in utero exposures, a wavering birthmom, a thawing process or an implantation procedure. But every pregnancy has inherent risks as well. There are no guarantees bar this... If God takes you to it, He will take you through it. Our Savior calls us to care for the "least of these".

Last but not least, in fact most importantly I thought I would share some pictures of what it looks like to adopt. Could the face of God be more beautifully reflected?

Caroline

(Domestic Adoption)

Reed

(International Adoption from Taiwan)

Jacob
(Domestic Adoption)

Ellie

(International Adoption from Kyrgyzstan) All of these children are now living in their forever families. All of them are being raised in Christian homes where they are loved, treasured and led toward a relationship with God. Their stories are filled with God's providence, grace, mercy and power.

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
James 1:27

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.
Psalms 68:5-6

Soccer Mom

"Soccer Mom"... when that term was first coined it struck fear and trembling in the hearts of political strategists. It signified the political power that was held in the hands of 30-something moms. These well educated, current event savvy, mini-van driving, PTA presiding , carpool coordinating, side line cheerleading women were in fact a power to be reckoned with. In between all that they balanced in their everyday life, they became very vocal in the political process. Both parties began to recognize the potential and threat of these non-traditional players. Thus began the war for the soccer moms. It seemed overnight that the opinions and convictions of moms were on the forefront of political agendas.

I will admit when "soccer mom" was first thrown into the national spotlight, I was a little confused. I didn't know if there was an exclusive "club" that was causing all this hullabaloo or if it was truly a slow news week. At the time I had a sweet little 3 year old who was playing soccer for the first time. So I was a soccer mom but I knew I yielded no political power :) I was amused to watch the clamourings of newscasters trying to predict the weight of the soccer mom vote in future presidential elections.

Move forward 10 years. The political "soccer mom" has been overshadowed by the "Nascar Dad" (I will reserve my opinions on that phenomenon :) The term soccer mom rarely scores a mention on The Today Show. Now we really are mothers of soccer players, not political heavyweights. That is ok with me. I LOVE my soccer players and I LOVE being their mom. I drive my mini-van with pride!


That 3 year old from years past, who broke his arm on the bleachers and only played 1 game that year is now a great soccer player. Alex is the leading scorer on his team but more importantly he loves his team and is dedicated to them.




Now these new soccer players are not as how should I say..."accomplished" as their brother. Their first game was more like a comedy than a sports telecast. One scored an accidental goal, one stood on the field and NEVER moved (not one muscle) the other played really hard for 3 minutes, announced he was done, sat down and took off his shin guards.... It may be a long season :)

GPS?

Joshua- "Mommy, was dis a GPS fwom when you were wittle?"

Me-"No, Joshua. That is an Etch-a-Sketch"

Keeping the Faith

The world seemed riveted to televisions and streaming video just a couple of weeks ago. Everyone talked of the earthquake in Haiti and rallied to give support. There were prayer services, donations of money, teams of workers were sent to the tiny island, organizations mobilized, people prayed, people traveled and on and on. The focus of the world was on Haiti. Now, 15 days after the quake, most of our lives go on unaffected by the tragedy. That is not the case for so many families. There are still thousands of people still missing in Port au Prince. Their families are still riveted to streaming videos hoping for the next "miracle" story to be their daughter, husband or friend. You see, while we go on about our lives, their lives have stopped. Stopped and waiting on word from Haiti. They pray without ceasing, because now, prayer is all they really have. If you are on Facebook, you can follow some of the story on http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Haiti-Earthquake-Hotel-Montana/245595172631?ref=mf
This page was set up for families of people missing from a single hotel, Hotel Montana. In this hotel was a group from Compassion International, Lynn University, a civil air group and countless others.
Please stop and pray for these families and their loved ones who are lost in the rubble. Our God is the Great Healer and the Great Comforter. He is mighty to save!

Quote of the Day

Humble beginnings for a future philosopher

Joshua is our deep thoughts kind of kid. He comes out with one liners that on the front are just hysterical but when thought about are really kind of deep. Most of his "Joshua-isms" are related to when he gets older. My favorite so far...


"Mommy, when I grow up to be a Daddy you need to get me a wallet...and...I guess keys to"


Pretty funny coming out of a 4 year old. Pretty deep when you consider the financial resposibilities we face as adults.