You May Wonder How This is Related . . .
I should wax eloquent today on the brilliance of Martin Luther King, Jr. In round-a-bout way, I will. I have read few pieces as moving as his “I Have a Dream” speech or his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” He knew how to put his faith to work and inspired a nation with his passion. Saturday night Jesse gathered up the girls and read to them from a picture book that tells the story of the civil rights activist’s life.
It was so precious to hear my son’s sweet voice reading King’s pleas for peaceful resistance and brotherly love even in the face of evil. The girls eyes were wide when Jesse read about King’s assassination. It was a sobering little picture book, and I think I’m fine with that. I realize my blonde-headed, blue-eyed babies see the world through very narrow glasses. Which I’m also fine with, but I don’t mind introducing them to injustice in degrees.
With recent events in Haiti, we’ve had even more reason to discuss the advantages of our life here in rural America. I have often tried to convince my husband that we should adopt from an impoverished nation. But even Jesse was reluctant, claiming he would “rather have a brother that looks like [him].” Fine, I always said. After seeing a few images of orphaned Haitian babies crying for milk and sleeping on the ground, he changed his tune. In fact, during the sermon last night he was trying to figure out how we could get chocolate ice cream to Haiti in coolers because those kids had probably never tasted it before. And they would like it.
Last night at church also included a family testimony. It was the story of a family we dearly love, but the path they have taken has been both heartbreaking and redemptive. It is the heartbreaking stuff that makes a testimony of redemption so beautiful. This testimony included divorce, drugs, alcohol, abandonment, abuse, molestation, and poverty.
As if in a culmination of all the week’s events and as a blast of encouragement right into my heart, Jesse listened intently and finally turned to me whispering, “I think if I ever have to give my testimony, I’m going to say I had a really good childhood.”
9 Responses to “You May Wonder How This is Related . . .”
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- Can't get enough of @gungormusic's "Beautiful Things". Ruined for other music now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSQUFc7r6Dg
Chocolate ice cream for Haiti. That is from the heart of a child who has had a very, very good childhood.
And I’m way okay with that.
Well, I am still a little emotionally weary with mom’s passing still fresh in my mind and heart so your awesome post leaves me a little frayed around the edges. Felicity, thank you for pointing the children to Jesus and allowing Him to speak to their hearts. You are developing a culture of life-long learning and conformity to Jesus Christ. When we dedicate babies we always pray that God will give them an incredibly dynamic testimony – that they received Christ at a very early age and then walked with Him all the rest of the days of their lives. How wonderful to have an awesome grandson who already has that very testimony.
Love, A very, very thankful father-in-law and grandpa!
Don White
One more brief thought. I would love to have a grandchild that looks differently than the beautiful fair-skinned ones God has already graciously given us!
This is just so precious including the grandparents comments. You are an awesome mom Felicity White! Great job on raising great kids!!
Is this the right time to tell you about the dream I had about you Friday or Saturday night? It was a toddler with long, tight curls — BLACK hair. You were the envy of your family. I woke up wondering how that baby could be a White. I almost told you about it on Sunday. p.s. I occasionally have prophetic dreams.
absolutely beautiful in so many ways!
I love this post! You are doing a beautiful job with your beautiful children. Jesse is so grown up! I also think you were meant for international adoption. Don’t I remember you trying to talk your husband into adopting one of those Chinese acrobat babies during the Olympics? I’m just saying.
OK – people! You are going to have to start some kind of adoption fund if you REALLY want to convince my husband. Also, it appears, the longer I go with children who sleep through the night, the less I long for new babies in my home!
My hypocrisy knows no bounds.
I hear there are several children past the infant stage who need adopted.
That would take care of that sleepless nights thing.
And here’s to MANY more testimonies with happy childhoods. I wish that was everyone’s testimony. And I’m so moved that Jesse already realizes it’s his.