Are you crazy?

Well, this isn't *exactly* how it is asked, but I can hear it in the voices of many friends we talk with when we talk about adopting more children in the near future and/or becoming foster parents.  

Are we crazy?  

Well, I suppose if you consider it crazy to do anything besides the normal American thing (2 kids, 2 cars, 2 incomes, public school, nice vacations, etc. . . ) - then, yes, in some ways we are a little crazy.  

If it is crazy to actually take Jesus literally when he says to CARE for orphans and widows in their distress, then yes, we are a little bit crazy. 

 If it is crazy to believe that children are a blessing from the Lord (each and EVERY one of them - no matter how many he gives us), then, yes, we are quite a bit crazy!  

If it is crazy to stay awake at night thinking about the 100,000 children in foster care  in the U.S. and the 143 million orphans worldwide waiting to be adopted and wonder how many of them we can possibly help, then yes, we are most certainly crazy.  

If we are crazy (and believe me there are people a whole lot more "crazy" than us out there - the ones who inspire me to step out in faith even more!). . . If we are crazy, it is because Christ's love compels us:  we are compelled to care about the orphan, compelled to act on the compassion we feel, compelled to do something when so many are doing nothing, compelled to love others in a real and tangible way and not just with words.  

Our prayer is only that God would make us more crazy for His sake, for His glory and that we wouldn't care one little bit how "crazy" it seems to anyone else but Him!

For some more thoughts on this, check out my friend Kim's post in in response to the question "Why?" that she gets now that they are adopting their 9th child.  Thanks Kim!