Making the Most of Moore and Newtown

The News You Never Want to Hear

The meetings for this past Monday at our Colonial Hills Church staff advance were drawing to close when we first learned of the deadly tornadoes in Oklahoma that had happened earlier in the day.  After making sure my sister and her family, -- who live in Broken Arrow -- were okay, I began to watch the news about the devastation of this storm.  News that included injuries to one of our church member's parents, injuries that they would survive.  News of damage that resembled a war zone.  And news of the numbers of children in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore among the casualties.

Normally, the focus of the 4theVoiceless blog is children who have lost or been separated from their parents, but as the funerals have now begun for the children killed in the Oklahoma tornado, I felt compelled to write as a parent today.  A parent grieving with those who will bury their children over the next few days.  A parent who grieved with the parents in Newtown, Connecticut, late last year as they buried their children.

I have walked through the steps of grief with some good friends who lost their 10-year-old son almost a decade ago in an automobile accident.  The Lord was so gracious to them as they steadfastly placed their hope and trust in Him, even amidst their enormous grief.  I know that in Newtown, Connecticut, and in Moore, Oklahoma, you can multiply my friends' grief many times over, and that is an overwhelming thought to me.  I pray for their ability to trust in the Lord, even as the world as they know it has changed forever. 

Newtown and Moore have caused me to reflect on my own children and how grateful I am to still have them with us.  Having dedicated them to the Lord when they were all very young, I am aware that they belong to Him and that Loretta and I are caretakers of His children.  God will take them on His timing, just as He will us.  I hope that that time comes long after we are gone, but, as we have seen with the tragedies in Connecticut and Oklahoma, we have no such guarantees.

Celebrating My Children

I can't imagine life without any of my own children.  I'm so proud of them, for who they are and what they are doing to make a difference in this world. 

Ashton is in Russia right now, loving on orphans alongside Russian college students.  You can read more about that trip in "To Russia With . . . Hesitation?" 

In the photo to the right, she is holding a mouse (or rat, depending on whom you ask) that one of the kids in one of the orphanages had as a pet.  The girl then took the mouse back and put it on Ashton's head.  Ugghhhh!

I am very grateful for the young woman of integrity (amidst the goofiness) that she is and for how she is making a difference in the world . . . right now.


Garrett is finishing up his first year at Lewisburg High School after homeschooling for his first 9 years of school.  I think it was a courageous move on his part.  He has made good grades and found his place on the baseball team.  Though his freshman team's season ended several weeks ago, he gets to be a part of the varsity team that plays for a state championship tomorrow.  He knows the value of simply being a part of the team.  From all accounts he has made a positive impact on his school, and I am very proud of who he is.  He heads to FCA camp next week, and I eagerly anticipate how the Lord will use that in his life and in the lives of others.

Drew is having a blast during Garrett's baseball season, running around and playing with his friends Robinson and Tate (other little brothers of guys on the team).  I have thoroughly enjoyed all the trips to games and the father-son time that he and I have enjoyed over the last few months. 

Drew has recently committed to go on our church's mission trip to Haiti next February, trusting God more than his bank account to provide the necessary funds.  (For those of you who don't know Drew, he's 10 and without a viable job to pay for such a trip; God has already given him a glimpse of His provision for this trip!)  The kids at the House of Abraham are going to love him, and they have the most potential of actually wearing him out -- though I will believe that when I see it!  I love Drew's relentless energy (though, admittedly, it drives me crazy sometimes) and look forward to seeing it used for God's glory in Haiti and other places.

Celebrating Your Children

If you are reading this post today and you have children, I beg you to take time to celebrate them for who they are (not so much for what they have done) and make the most of every moment you have with them.  Use the disaster in Oklahoma and the tragedy in Connecticut to break the ice and say the things that you need to say to your kids.  We are not promised tomorrow with them.  Simply, make the most of today.

Thanks for reading. 

4theVoiceless,
Al

What Do You Celebrate About Your Family?

I celebrate being part of my family.  Since the Lord began to increasingly open my eyes to the needs of the orphans of the world, He has also also given me a heightened sense of the blessing of my own family.  I wrote a blog post "Entitled to a Family Vacation" a few months ago about the things we who are in families take for granted.  Today, in a similar yet different vein, I just want to introduce you to my family and celebrate each of them.  This post is especially intended for those who have at least somewhat healthy families.  What do you celebrate about your family?
 

Yes, I do realize that I "outkicked my coverage."

I celebrate my wife, Loretta.  We celebrated 20 years
of marriage this past June.  Some have been wonderful, and some have been rocky, but she has been an incredible partner in the journey on which the Lord has led us.

She loves animals, and you'll get to meet every one of them.  She is fiercely loyal to her family, to her friends, and to our church.

One of my favorite parts of my kids growing older is the increased capacity to enjoy date nights/date days with Loretta.  We'll do something for Valentine's Day in a couple of weeks, but guess what?  We will wait until February 15 (Shhh, that's our secret), when we get our personal spending money, when the restaurants aren't overcrowded (and overcharging, in some cases), and when all the candy is on sale . . . and we won't be any less in love because we waited a day!


This is my daughter Ashton and my younger son, Drew.  Ashton started driving, and everything about our family dynamic changed, as we knew it would.  She is at work or church just about every night, it seems, so the time I get to spend with her seems much more valuable these days.  She has more of a plan for her life at her age than just about any teenager I've ever known (and I taught a couple thousand of them over my years as a teacher and coach).

Here, she's taking Drew out to lunch.  That's cool on so many different levels!

The little fella is nine years old and has something my other two never had, a roving gang of neighborhood kids to play with most every day.  I never really had that as a kid, either, so it's pretty cool to watch them paint their baseball field on the vacant lot, build and paint their clubhouse, and ride up and down the street in or on their various kid vehicles.  Drew has a vivid imagination and is one of the most interesting nine-year-olds with whom you could carry on a conversation.

Garrett, my middle son, is a "fresh-more" (started the year a freshman but will graduate with this year's sophomore class) at Lewisburg High School.  He is in his first year of high school baseball, and I can't wait for the season to start.  Most of my best high school memories came from the baseball team that I was a part of, and I had the privilege of learning some of life's toughest lessons through a game.  I'm proud of him for working so hard to make the most of his opportunity.  Garrett has learned the values of being a part of the team and of being coachable, values that are in short supply in sports and in life.

And we love our pets:

Molly, the cute, cuddly puppy  (She's actually playing in the first photo.)

Molly, the ferocious guard dog

Mookie (aka Mr. Fatty Woo, among others)

Mittens -- what a dumb cat

And then there's Mr. Fluffy and his pet squirrel, Buschy (actually, his tail)

I hope you have enjoyed this brief introduction to the Ainsworth family.  Even more so, I hope that you will take the time to celebrate your family today.  Not everyone is so blessed.

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,

Al