Dandelions

DANDELIONS!!  No matter how carefully I try to pull one up, I never get the whole thing. The root stays deep in the ground, threatening to grow up and blossom again.
But despite their bad reputation, dandelions are pretty little flowers with their yellow strands all tucked neatly into the center. And truly they are the most beautiful of all flowers when presented clutched in a child's dirty little hand. No one gets yelled at for picking them. Perhaps they grow only to be used and enjoyed by children.
Dandelions are ignored or attacked, never nurtured or cared for, and yet they always bloom profusely. They demand no pampering or special attention to yield their bright blossoms; they pop up in fields, in lawns, and between cracks in the sidewalk, even in the best neighborhoods. Can you imagine trying to grow them in a garden? They'd sneak through the boundaries and pop their sunny yellow faces up in the surrounding lawn. They would never stay put!
Christians should be more like dandelions. Our sunny yellow faces should be a reminder that simple faith has deep roots that are impossible to dislodge. Our vast number would show the world that even though we are not fancy to pampered we are evident everywhere, even in the best neighborhoods.
We should be as easily accessible as a dandelion. Jesus was... We need to get out of our gardens and jump across the boundaries that keep us where people expect to find us. We need to show our sunny yellow faces in all the spots that need a little brightening up---the crack in the sidewalk or the lawn of a country club.

Adoption

With another holiday just around the corner, my thoughts wander to....family. When I was 7 days old, God blessed me with 2 absolutely wonderful parents. Not my birth parents, but my adoptive parents. I call them my REAL parents. They are the parents that were there when I needed braces on my legs because I was so pigeon toed that I would trip myself, (yes...Forest Gump braces), they were there when I rode my bicycle around and around falling on a regular basis, only to have them cheer me on after each crash, they were there when the only boy "I will ever love" broke up with me and I was sure it was the end of the world. See thats what parents are, they don't have to be "BLOOD" to be real.
 I always knew that I was adopted, even before I knew what it meant. Growing up I was never curious about my "birth parents". Not until I became older and had children of my own did I begin to wonder. Who are they.....do I have any siblings......why did they choose adoption.....do they ever think of me.....what do they look like......do I look like either one of them.....how about my medical history???Questions.......with no answers. I was adopted through a private adoption so finding my birth parents was a little more complicated. I did, after alot of searching and questions, I found my birth mother. Actually my birth mothers brother found me. Its a long story as to how he ended up contacting me, but he did and gave me a little insight on some of my questions. My birth mother is still alive, I have an older brother and sister and a younger brother and sister. She was an unwed mother when I was conceived. He gave me her address and phone number and I took it from there. Afraid to call I decided to write a letter. That was almost a year ago. I have yet to hear back from her. I pray that before the good Lord takes her home she will reach out to me. Do my siblings know anything about me? Does my birth father even know he has a daughter? Does she ever think about me? So many unanswered questions.
I do have one thing I want to tell my birth mother.......THANK YOU!!!! You made the BEST decision you could have ever made. I have had a FANTASTIC life and have the most WONDERFUL parents that a girl could ever ask for. I couldnt have not picked out better parents.

So birth mother....wherever you are......im fine, as a matter of fact IM FABULOUS!!! I have a beautiful life. I have had some tough times in my life, I lost a husband when our second son was only 7 weeks old, but I came out on top through God's undying love for me. God has blessed me with an absolutely wonderful husband, one I never dreamed possible. I now have 4 sons instead of 2. I have found out that you dont have to give birth to children to love them any less than the ones you give birth to. I also have daughters!!! My husband has an older daughter who is as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside. He also has a younger daughter who has so much energy she makes me tired watching her. :-) Life is good. I do pray that one day I will get to thank you in person for giving me the gift of life. You could have choosen a different road but you didnt. And for that..I am truly grateful.

Stop the Violence!!

There are some things that I just dont understand. Violence......Where does it come from? What drives people to it? It can happen anywhere, in the store, the parking lot, school, work, anywhere. It can happen to anyone, those involved, innocent bystanders, young, old. I have never lost someone to violence, I cant imagine what it would be like. Too many people here in Omaha cant say that, they have lost loved ones to violence. Is it something that kids these days think is cool? Is it because they have grown up around violence and thats all they know? Why do some people think that violence is the answser? I can remember when fights were settled with fists not guns. A quick 5 minute fight ended with 2 people shaking hands then going home and getting your butt whipped by your parents for fighting. Now it ends with someone dead. Fights are fought with guns. In my day that was considered the whimpy way, you were definitely not a man. How as a community can we stop the violence? Life is too short for all of this crap. Parents, get ahold of your children YOUNG... dont try to get them under control when they are already out of control. BE INVOLVED!! Know your childrens friends, know their parents. The best thing you can spend on your children is TIME. Get them involved in positive things while they are young, CHURCH, sports, or volunteer work. There are alot of positive things for kids to get involved in. But if they are raising themselves without guidance from their parents what can we expect? Babies raising babies, parents with little to no parenting skills. What is in store for our community if this continues? Im not an expert nor do I have all the answers, how many kids have to die before we as a community step up? Know your neighbors, your childrens teachers, their friends, their friends' parents, be involved.Child learn what they live, be a good role model to your children, DO NOT be their friend. They need parents at home not friends This is not a black or white thing, its not a North Omaha thing, its a community thing.It does take a village to raise a child. So ask yourself, what can I as a parent, as a neighbor, as a teacher, as a pastor, as a friend, as a member of this community do?