Foster

Every story I hear about abuse and neglect and broken messed-up families makes a deeper cut of compassion into my heart.  I can't gloss over them.  Those stories are the ones that grab my attention each time I see, hear, or read the news.  Sadness swells inside and I feel a yearning to do something.  What I have here is so good.  Not easy, mind you, but good.

I have a solid marriage.  Not perfect and certainly not bump-free, but solid.  It is hard work to maintain, but we are both willing to work hard.  It gets tense here and there, but we can always talk it through.

I have three happy, healthy kids.  They aren't perfect either, but they are learning and growing and are secure in their relationships with us and each other.  They are loved and respected in the way they deserve.

I have an incredible support network.  Parents, siblings, friends, and a church help out, back us up, support us, pray for us, and encourage us.  It is a wide circle of connections, but deep enough in a few places that I can rely on them to be there when I cannot.

The conversation of fostering comes up around me so many times.  Clearly our city needs more good, healthy, strong, caring foster families.  So many people mention that they want to foster, yet so few are.  I want to take steps of action and put my compassion to good use.  I want to share all the good in this house with the little ones whose houses aren't blessed with the same.

Jesus, give us courage to move ahead.