It's a Wonderful Life?
I’m
a pessimist. There I said it. I’m a glass half empty kind of girl, a
“Negative Nancy” as David has dubbed me. His upbeat, laid-back
temperament, being the complete opposite of mine, accounts for about 99%
of why this relationship works. Even our biology gives us away. His
blood type? B positive. Wanna guess mine? A negative. No joke!!
It probably doesn’t help that I gave up Facebook for Lent. Boo!! Now my thoughts are all held captive in my head instead of being released on a daily basis to my digital friends. Double Boo!! Due to my lack of web distraction, I’ve had more time for self analysis. Uh-oh is right! Introspection showed me this: One of my biggest problems (confessed previously in an earlier post) is that I easily see what is absent in my life. When my laser beam attention is focused on our daughter not being here, I tend to miss the blessings surrounding me. The piles of paperwork and our imminent 2 1/2 year wait have blinded me to the miraculous here and now.
As recently as yesterday, I had to be reminded of all the progress we have made on the adoption front. Compared to a year ago, we are leaps and bounds closer to bringing our daughter home! February/March 2012 saw us right in the thick of our struggle with infertility and questions about international adoption. It was bad/awful/the worst. We had no idea that help was on its way, hope was right around the corner. Several months later, we made contact with the generous foundation who offered to double donations made towards our adoption. By the end of the year we had completed an adoption application, started a blog, and begun to gather donations and documents to forward us on this crazy journey.
Since then we’ve been fingerprinted and background checked. Our driving and medical records have been examined and okayed. We’ve had both fire and sanitation surveys done on our home. Last week we got the first home study visit under our belts and our passport applications mailed. We sent away samples of our hair and nails to be tested. Okay I was joking about the last one, but you get the picture. Adoption requirements are INTENSE!
When I put it all down like that, turns out we have seriously accomplished a lot. Insert standing ovation here.
Now please return to your seats for the second act featuring...YOU!! We couldn’t have done all this without your help and encouragement. I’m not letting you off the hook (because we still have a long ways to go), but it would be a good time to give yourself a pat on the back. Because since October 2012 when we publicly announced our desire to adopt, you have helped us raise $7,800 in donations towards our $15,000 goal. For my fellow mush brains, this is over halfway there (confirmed by a calculator- so I know it to be true)! In just 5 months! You guys are really showing off; I think Jesus is blushing.
To be on the receiving end of generosity like this is beyond humbling. It feels backwards. The opposite of the whole “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” approach. Admitting you need help is hard, it’s uncomfortable. You simultaneously open yourself and your family up for both blessings and scrutiny. Because by accepting that we cannot do this on our own, we’ve drawn a line in the sand. Our pursuit of worldly achievement- the picket fences, polo shirts, and self-sufficiency of the American Dream-is done. We don’t need that kind of validation or approval from others anymore.
Granted, our culture’s standard for success or prosperity permeates EVERYTHING. Pinpointing areas where you are “lacking” (according to society) is as simple as finishing a pint of Ben and Jerry's. Beauty, fame, fortune. Just check out the closest magazine cover if you need a reminder. Our perspective needs to change. One of my best friends, Beth, said it so well that I'm stealing her words. “Success is not defined by wealth, status, or career, but is as unique and individual as a snowflake, and only defined by God.” Wow. Not only is she gorgeous, insightful, and smart (she takes after me ;) ), but she’s RIGHT. Purpose is given, not earned. We can’t buy our way into a meaningful existence.
I love a good illustration of a point, especially if it includes a movie. The clip below catches us at the tail end of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Our main character, George, has been through hell and back. Because of a substantial deficit at his business, he became convinced his life wasn’t worth living. This impending ruin literally drove him to the brink, where he nearly committed suicide. Deliverance came only in the discovery that EVERY life, regardless of how hopeless or meager it seems, is a blessing. When you live with integrity and kindness (as George had), the ripples reach further than we may ever know. This is beautifully portrayed as family and friends show up to rescue George and his business. Among the crowd is George’s younger brother Harry- a military hero, triumphant and successful by anyone’s standards, raising a glass to honor his sibling.
George’s expression after Harry’s toast is perhaps my favorite part of the movie. His shock, confusion, and awe are familiar to me. That look has been repeated on our faces time and time again as your generous donations continue to roll in. Through this, we’ve learned that the real riches of life are not displayed in a bank account balance. They come from the “investments” we make in the lives of others--and that they, in turn, make in us. This is wealth beyond compare, the true and lasting success that comes from sacrifice.
 | ||
| Even while eating gelato, David looks happy and I look annoyed, per usual. |
It probably doesn’t help that I gave up Facebook for Lent. Boo!! Now my thoughts are all held captive in my head instead of being released on a daily basis to my digital friends. Double Boo!! Due to my lack of web distraction, I’ve had more time for self analysis. Uh-oh is right! Introspection showed me this: One of my biggest problems (confessed previously in an earlier post) is that I easily see what is absent in my life. When my laser beam attention is focused on our daughter not being here, I tend to miss the blessings surrounding me. The piles of paperwork and our imminent 2 1/2 year wait have blinded me to the miraculous here and now.
As recently as yesterday, I had to be reminded of all the progress we have made on the adoption front. Compared to a year ago, we are leaps and bounds closer to bringing our daughter home! February/March 2012 saw us right in the thick of our struggle with infertility and questions about international adoption. It was bad/awful/the worst. We had no idea that help was on its way, hope was right around the corner. Several months later, we made contact with the generous foundation who offered to double donations made towards our adoption. By the end of the year we had completed an adoption application, started a blog, and begun to gather donations and documents to forward us on this crazy journey.
Since then we’ve been fingerprinted and background checked. Our driving and medical records have been examined and okayed. We’ve had both fire and sanitation surveys done on our home. Last week we got the first home study visit under our belts and our passport applications mailed. We sent away samples of our hair and nails to be tested. Okay I was joking about the last one, but you get the picture. Adoption requirements are INTENSE!
When I put it all down like that, turns out we have seriously accomplished a lot. Insert standing ovation here.
Now please return to your seats for the second act featuring...YOU!! We couldn’t have done all this without your help and encouragement. I’m not letting you off the hook (because we still have a long ways to go), but it would be a good time to give yourself a pat on the back. Because since October 2012 when we publicly announced our desire to adopt, you have helped us raise $7,800 in donations towards our $15,000 goal. For my fellow mush brains, this is over halfway there (confirmed by a calculator- so I know it to be true)! In just 5 months! You guys are really showing off; I think Jesus is blushing.
To be on the receiving end of generosity like this is beyond humbling. It feels backwards. The opposite of the whole “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” approach. Admitting you need help is hard, it’s uncomfortable. You simultaneously open yourself and your family up for both blessings and scrutiny. Because by accepting that we cannot do this on our own, we’ve drawn a line in the sand. Our pursuit of worldly achievement- the picket fences, polo shirts, and self-sufficiency of the American Dream-is done. We don’t need that kind of validation or approval from others anymore.
Granted, our culture’s standard for success or prosperity permeates EVERYTHING. Pinpointing areas where you are “lacking” (according to society) is as simple as finishing a pint of Ben and Jerry's. Beauty, fame, fortune. Just check out the closest magazine cover if you need a reminder. Our perspective needs to change. One of my best friends, Beth, said it so well that I'm stealing her words. “Success is not defined by wealth, status, or career, but is as unique and individual as a snowflake, and only defined by God.” Wow. Not only is she gorgeous, insightful, and smart (she takes after me ;) ), but she’s RIGHT. Purpose is given, not earned. We can’t buy our way into a meaningful existence.
I love a good illustration of a point, especially if it includes a movie. The clip below catches us at the tail end of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Our main character, George, has been through hell and back. Because of a substantial deficit at his business, he became convinced his life wasn’t worth living. This impending ruin literally drove him to the brink, where he nearly committed suicide. Deliverance came only in the discovery that EVERY life, regardless of how hopeless or meager it seems, is a blessing. When you live with integrity and kindness (as George had), the ripples reach further than we may ever know. This is beautifully portrayed as family and friends show up to rescue George and his business. Among the crowd is George’s younger brother Harry- a military hero, triumphant and successful by anyone’s standards, raising a glass to honor his sibling.
George’s expression after Harry’s toast is perhaps my favorite part of the movie. His shock, confusion, and awe are familiar to me. That look has been repeated on our faces time and time again as your generous donations continue to roll in. Through this, we’ve learned that the real riches of life are not displayed in a bank account balance. They come from the “investments” we make in the lives of others--and that they, in turn, make in us. This is wealth beyond compare, the true and lasting success that comes from sacrifice.
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