PERSPECTIVE & EYE UPDATE

Perspective: "seeing all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship"

Life is so often a matter of perspective...it is my prayer that the Holy Spirit helps me to refine my perspective from relationship with self to relationship with my Maker. I know the Lord to be a sovereign Lord (having supreme authority over everything) and yet I often allow myself to question details. It is not often the large picture that I question, but in the smaller details, I harbor a weakness in which Satan creeps in and hangs out.

Our sweet Bereket obtained a new specialist for his eye yesterday - a plastics & prosthetics physician at Kellogg Eye Center, Dr. Gregg Doots (a wonderfully patient & kind man with 31 years of experience in his field of expertise who sat & talked to me for 60 minutes as if he were an old friend). Our son Bereket came from Ethiopia to be part of our family with an eye that would require continuing specialized medical treatment for a lifetime - we live 45 minutes from one of the best pediatric eye care centers in the country (Kellogg Eye Center) & 50 minutes from of the most sought after pediatric retina specialists in the nation (Dr. Trese - Beaumont). God's perspective is in the details.

Bereket did not receive medical attention for his eye in Ethiopia until he was about 6 months old and by this time, his eye was bulging from the socket due to excessive pressure in the eye. He had a surgery around 6 months of unknown procedure and the pressure was slightly reduced until he came home. Watching his eye protrude from the socket in pictures left me wondering at times, 'Why can't we get him home sooner - he needs treatment...please Lord speed this up!' This is a result of internal perspective versus sovereign perspective.

Bereket's left eye only opens at 50% of the capacity of his right eye and is 20% smaller. He is blind in that eye, but it is also showing that it is incapable of growth. If it is left untreated, his eye musculature and bone structure will not progress and he will have a sunken eye socket and immature bone growth affecting the shape of his cheekbone and facial structure. He is being fitted for a prosthesis - sclero shell - that he wear over his natural eye that will help to hold his eye open and potentially stimulate muscle and bone growth. He will wear this prosthesis (only removing to clean) for as long as he is able to keep his natural eye (prayerfully a lifetime).

As I sat in the office yesterday and listened to the specialist reveal his findings from the evaluation, I was instantly convicted by the Holy Spirit that God is in the details - He is always in the details! It was a moment in time where I could hear everything, but at the same time I was in instant communion with the Lord, who created my Bereket and is not at all surprised by the findings and plan for today, because God is always in the details. It was a precious moment for me and left me feeling so humbled by His love, provision and protection of the son He created for us to love.

Bereket has the perfect eye for this prosthesis because his eye socket was stretched so far while not receiving treatment in Ethiopia. God was in the details...

The sclero shell that will be made for him needs to be thin and children with dreamy dark chocolate eyes are the perfect candidate for matching color from one eye to the other (the darker the better:0). God is in the details...

It is no surprise to God, the sovereign Lord, the Creator of Life that Bereket would be born with a birth defect that would leave him blind in his left eye. He could have created him with 2 perfect eyes, but He has a plan for Bereket's life that includes his treatment and limited vision. I praise the Lord for the details He leaves us to trust Him to and I peacefully wait to see how those details will affect other people for the Kingdom of God.

'Lord Jesus - thank for that we have communion with a God that is always in the details - that is the Maker of details and that is never surprised. Lord, help me to be less surprised and more humbled by your provision and perfection.'

"I FEEL LIKE I'M DREAMING"

Our oldest son from Ethiopia is pretty good at articulating his feelings to us. It took me a little time to notice the pattern, but after a family vacation or fun-filled family day or even a small moment of joy, he will say, "I feel like I'm dreaming..." It reminds me that he is still processing this 'new life' as a member of our family in America.
The greatest conversations with my children do not occur when they are planned out and prompted - they come sitting on the back deck on a sunny Michigan afternoon after lunch at the picnic table...

Muaz: "Mom, sometimes when I am playing in the yard with everyone, I feel like I am dreaming".
Me: "Why do you feel like that?"
Muaz: "I don't know, I feel like I might wake up and be in Ethiopia again."
Me: "Is it a good feeling to be here?"
Muaz: "Yes, I just sometimes feel like I am dreaming".
Me: "Do you ever wish you were still there?"
Muaz: "Sometimes - but only for Mama Medina and Meme, but I would miss you guys."
Me: (Misty eyed) "I'm so glad you are here, but I am sad you had to leave them, too."

Our son has been home for 2 years and experienced the joy of clean water, food in abundance, the love & of a mom & dad and the gift of time together, the bond of siblings, his own bed to sleep in at night, clothes and shoes of his own that fit (& he picked them out), a safe place to worship & grow in knowledge and love of the Lord, the joy of organized sports, safety & shelter. None of these items were available to him in Ethiopia and yet his heart continues to yearn for the one thing he left behind of value - his mother & sister, whom he loves. We cannot remove the hurt of being separated from them with our love, or the things or opportunities we provide him and my soul aches from a depth that I cannot describe for the way he wrestles with that. The very thing that allows him to love me as his mommy had to be taken from him to get here. After 2 years, it would be easy at times to just keep on moving forward, but I am reminded that in the depths of his soul, a grief that should not be ignored continues to dwell in his precious heart. He needs to be reminded that it is good to love Mama Medina and that we want to share his grief as much as we do his joy. It is an amazing priviledge to witness the work of God through adoption and the redemptive power of Jesus that dwells in the hearts of His once-fatherless & now found children.

WE'RE BACK!

Well, it's been almost 1 year since we posted on this blog - life got busy, we began facebook & the blog got left behind. I miss my bloggin' people and the opportunity to connect and share - so stay tuned, the Asperger 8 are back to the blog. It's been a great year, filled with God's grace, provision, challenge & joy. I will be working on updating the blog with new pictures and links - excited to get started again...

SACRIFICIAL LOVE...

SACRIFICE

"to suffer loss of, give up"

"the offering of something precious to a deity (God)"

"loss or deprivation"

(definitions from Merriam Webster Dictionary)

"An offering made to God for the purpose of showing respect"

(definition from Layman's Bible Dictionary)

LOVE

"Unselfish, benevolent concern for other persons"

"To love God supremely and others unselfishly are the two most important commands of Jesus (Matthew 22:37-40)"

(definition from Layman's Bible Dictionary)

This picture is a perfect representation of a mother's sacrificial love for her children. Our Ethiopian sons smile joyfully with their Ethiopian sister - 3 children, 3 families, 1 divine plan.

I count it a priviledge to sacrifice my time, my resources, my sleep, my plans, my person & even my sanity at times, but I praise the Lord each day that I have not been called to sacrifice as the birth mother's of my children have. This picture was taken for Mama Medina (Ethiopian birth mom). Our sons's sister's dad will be embarking on a mission trip to Ethiopia in October and plans to visit Mama Medina. It is my greatest prayer that she will be able hold this picture in her hands and feel the deep love of Christ that is growing in the hearts of her beloved children. That she would know her only requests voiced for her children, "to not forget their siblings" and to "go find your sister" have been honored. That her sacrificial love for them is the very love that has allowed them to be loved by us. The Lord has placed these words from Ephesians 3:17-19 on my heart as a caption to this picture & a blessing to Mama Medina..

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Asperger's Awesome Family Fun Day Adventure

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We had an amazing 24 hours - from Asperger's Awesome Family Fun Day Adventure...to a bit of sleep...to worship & then home for lunch and relaxation. What a great weekend - the gift of time spent together filled with joy & happiness and ending in worship on Sunday - it doesn't get any better than that this side of Heaven!

Bear's 2nd Bday

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY BEREKET!!!

We are so blessed to call you son - we praise the Lord for the way He has worked in your life for the past year...we love you 'Bear'!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Summer Fun '09

Make a Smilebox slideshow

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace."

Numbers 6:24-26