Perspective

We just returned from a weekend with friends, and their many lovely children. Out of their 22 kids, I think (couldn't ever get a good head count) that there are 11 at home, and 4 more on the way, as they are currently adopting from Ethiopia like us. We had such a wonderful time with them. It is funny. We don't get many invites anywhere anymore, but with this family our 7 was nothing big to add for the weekend. Such fun.

A couple weeks before that we met another family with 20+ kids. They too are an amazing family who love with everything they have, and would tell you that they are the blessed ones - no savior complex with these families.

Time with these families has given me a fresh perspective on many things. One of these is family size. When I tell most people that we are adopting again, and will soon have 7 kids, they are in utter disbelief. One guy I work with who is from my corporate office, and we have never met face to face, told me "you must be a Christian" last week when I answered his questions about our family. I think that is the only box he can put the idea of 7 kids in, the only way he can get his head around someone doing something "that crazy". That is the response of most of the world we live in. Now I just tell them, "oh, that's nothing, you should see the _____ family, now they are a BIG family!"

Here is my new standard for family sizes:

• Small family - less than 10 kids
• Medium family 10-19 kids
• Large family 20+ kids

The bottom line is that the perfect family size is what is perfect for your family, and there is no competition. We are happily a small family, who is open to whatever God has planned for us.

One of the other changes in perspective for us is to see people really doin' the stuff and being willing to live a sacrificial life (in the world's eyes and standards) and be genuinely selfless. Now don't take me wrong with this, I am not saying that there is any "rescuing" or savior mentality going on here. These families are purely about doing what is needed and best for their children, no matter how many there happen to be. These guys are walking out their relationship and faith, when what we are most used to seeing and hearing is something that closely parallels what the world views as normal.

These families are also passionate about something to the point of giving in other areas, and willing to live a life in pursuit of what their hearts yearn for. I want to be more like these guys and do what I say I believe, no matter what that means.

I am also into efficiency, and the way I look at it is we just made ~50 new friends very quickly, and that is pretty sweet.