church, adoption, and education....one perspective

Okay friends, first before I dive into troubled waters, my apologies to our dear friends in Tennessee!!  I have updated my last post to reflect that, yes, there will be Latvia t-shirts worn in there :)  And proudly so!

Now, last post was pretty much "where are we."  But, a different kind of post has been brewing and can't be held back any longer.  Remember, this is my perspective.  Just put over the edge by email and phone calls from friends yesterday who are struggling with "impossible" requirements.  So, here we go....

Church, education, and adoption have a lot in common these days.  They are the three areas that my heart and my family revolve around.  Hope and help are available through them.  Children and families are united; minds grow and form and discover; life has meaning and freedom is found.  But, as I have walked the paths of all three, I grow more and more frustrated and sometimes angry.  The love and discovery and freedom are being twisted and strangled and threatened.  They survive because I think that God has a lot of patience with us, but what a mess!!!

All three areas have made requirements and acceptance and rules and standards impossibly high for your average, imperfect person.

Church:  If we are not perfect (or pretend to be), we are not welcome and certainly not able to lead!  (I realize that this isn't everywhere, but seems to be the overriding requirement.)  This is not what I read in the Bible.  The leaders there were a bit of a mess, but God used them!  And yes, my hubby is a pastor.  He cringes when I write sometimes, but loves me anyway :)

Education:  If the children and teachers are not perfectly able to pass a particular test, we fail.  Doesn't matter if the children have come from a situation where they may not have help at home, speak English at home, have a home, or make a year's worth of progress in 3 months - fail.  Doesn't matter if teachers work every evening and all weekend, cry over kids who are neglected, struggle to meet demands and still make learning fun - fail.

Adoption: If a family doesn't have big bucks in savings (talking tens of thousands) with a history of perfection, the ability to spend hundreds of hours filling out forms and chasing down stickers for those forms - rejection.  If a child hasn't made it through horrific experiences without visible behavior issues and unusual social tendencies - rejection.

This is just what I see....  It isn't all that is out there!

There are churches and leaders and believers who love and live imperfectly but are full of hope and forgiveness and joy!

There are teachers and students who refuse to give up, who love learning and discovery!

There are families and children who will make it through the hoops and obstacles to be united!

Part of me wants to give up on all three "systems" because they are such a mess.  No winners there though.

So, I go out the door this morning...to a school where I will love and teach to the best of my ability.  I will worship with our community this weekend, thankful that there is a place to go where I am accepted with all of my imperfection.  And I will give and listen and pray for every family and child who is kept apart by papers and money and regulations that form mountains of separation.

I can despair and reject or I can hope and fight with weapons of joy and truth and peace.  With God's grace - much of it - I choose the latter.

Feels good to get that off my chest!!!

Battle ready,
Sue