As we've been going through our foster classes there have been many "oh, wow" moments. For example, birth parents. Many of the parents of foster children have been stuck in generations of sin (abuse, neglect, substances, etc.), and need help to break the cycle. They haven't learned how to be good parents and in many cases, are really just doing the best they can - to which (how awful would this feel!) the state can say, "your best isn't good enough." I feel thankful for the children that there are systems set up to intervene, but am really realizing that only half of foster care is taking care of the kids - the other half is coming alongside the parents.
I had a major "oh, wow" moment this last Monday. The class's focus was permanency. Instead of giving us the book definition of permanency, the teachers showed us a video of a bunch of foster kids telling us what permanency meant to them. "Always knowing I have somewhere to go." "Knowing that someone will love me for me, no matter what." "Having a home." "Being able to talk to someone about anything." It seriously HIT me - not everyone has this...and this is a basic need! Food, water, air, shelter. While the "shelter need" is usually considered to be physical, "shelter" is also an emotional need and is as important to survival/development as having a place to get out of the rain.
I started thinking about the people that provide permanency in my life, and have come up with about 8. I have 8 people in my life that I can know (beyond a shadow of a doubt) that they'll be there for me NO MATTER WHAT. They've got my back, they love me unconditionally, they can handle my crazy and not get scared off.
And as soon as these kids are put into foster care, their permanency number basically drops to 0.
Since the main goal of foster care is reunification, it's hoped that the kids will go back to their newly-straightened-out parents that can now fill their needs and be the permanency factor in their life again. However, about 4/10 kids don't get to go back and find themselves at the age of 4 or 7 or 11 or 18 having to recreate what permanency looks like in their lives. One of the girls on the video talked about how she had "aged out" of the system, and hopes that people are aware that there is such a thing as "adult adoption". If no one is willing to adopt her as an adult, she will never have a family. How awful. Where do you come from? What is your heritage? Who loves you?
I've been struggling with wanting to be overseas, wanting to be immersed in other cultures and experience the world and learn languages...basically just feeling restless about what's next. While we know we're here to specifically get our debt paid off, I feel like I'm always asking God what He has for us in the AFTER-DEBT. Until now our goal has been set: we work and make decisions based on becoming financially free. We still have a ways to go, but we can see the end and it's been a little scary. What happens when your whole focus shifts? When you could literally do anything?
It feels like this might be our "anything". Watching that video on Monday night, my "oh, wow" moment was when I thought I can do this, I was made for this! It felt really good. :)
I had a major "oh, wow" moment this last Monday. The class's focus was permanency. Instead of giving us the book definition of permanency, the teachers showed us a video of a bunch of foster kids telling us what permanency meant to them. "Always knowing I have somewhere to go." "Knowing that someone will love me for me, no matter what." "Having a home." "Being able to talk to someone about anything." It seriously HIT me - not everyone has this...and this is a basic need! Food, water, air, shelter. While the "shelter need" is usually considered to be physical, "shelter" is also an emotional need and is as important to survival/development as having a place to get out of the rain.
I started thinking about the people that provide permanency in my life, and have come up with about 8. I have 8 people in my life that I can know (beyond a shadow of a doubt) that they'll be there for me NO MATTER WHAT. They've got my back, they love me unconditionally, they can handle my crazy and not get scared off.
And as soon as these kids are put into foster care, their permanency number basically drops to 0.
Since the main goal of foster care is reunification, it's hoped that the kids will go back to their newly-straightened-out parents that can now fill their needs and be the permanency factor in their life again. However, about 4/10 kids don't get to go back and find themselves at the age of 4 or 7 or 11 or 18 having to recreate what permanency looks like in their lives. One of the girls on the video talked about how she had "aged out" of the system, and hopes that people are aware that there is such a thing as "adult adoption". If no one is willing to adopt her as an adult, she will never have a family. How awful. Where do you come from? What is your heritage? Who loves you?
I've been struggling with wanting to be overseas, wanting to be immersed in other cultures and experience the world and learn languages...basically just feeling restless about what's next. While we know we're here to specifically get our debt paid off, I feel like I'm always asking God what He has for us in the AFTER-DEBT. Until now our goal has been set: we work and make decisions based on becoming financially free. We still have a ways to go, but we can see the end and it's been a little scary. What happens when your whole focus shifts? When you could literally do anything?
It feels like this might be our "anything". Watching that video on Monday night, my "oh, wow" moment was when I thought I can do this, I was made for this! It felt really good. :)
5 comments:
I love hearing your heart and love the way you write.
Thank you for sharing Nicole.
I too think that you could totally do this. you have such a giving heart and I know that those kids would feel so loved by you.
It's so sad to think about these kids not having what they need. But, it's neat thinking that you could be the one to give that to them.
I look forward to seeing where God takes this.
Oh, and the thought of knowing that you could literally do anything.... tell me about it :)
Love you sister!!
Beautiful!
This is just beautiful, Nicole. I LOVE when we have that "Aha!" moment in life!
When I taught preschool, I mostly had students from really bad homes and I just wanted to give them all good homes! Your post was eye opening about the older children that don't have homes either...I think they get forgotten sometimes.
Just like Rachel said, I'm excited to see where God takes you in this whole endeavor!
Video marketing or video aiding has turned out to be to each the most compelling methods when it comes to broadcasting the products and services provided by way of a non-fluctuating business. Aside from its effectiveness, you are also guaranteed that it is useful to use. You will not till hell freezes over have a diligently time promoting your business auspices of this. When it comes to marketing your province with the aid creating and uploading videos, you are gospel the option to form the videos on your own or try the services of professionals in this field. At intervals done, you can start posting any of them on sites or send them to customers totally email with the help of an email software application.If you organize already made the settlement to ingest video leaflet in ensuring that your occupation receives its much needed revealing, then it is important in place of you to become fully aware of the different and the most fresh trends used by other calling owners who tried out of the closet this method. Strainer Nab Video is considered to be among the most modern trends. It works by recording the whole kit that is seen on your computer screen. Voiceovers are then added to the videos. If you be to receive the most favorable results discernible of using this line, then you can put to use [url=http://gazetka-biedronka.prezentos.pl]gazetka biedronka[/url] so as to augment your chances of creating an useful video appearance with a view your video marketing campaign.Another latest thing is the viral marketing video. This is considered to be that rage in video [url=http://almanach.szczecin.pl/internet,i,komputery/gazetki,reklamowe,s,1647]gazetka promocyjna[/url] | [url=http://extraseo.pl/internet-i-komputery/gazetki-reklamowe,s,509.html]gazetki promocyjne[/url] which utilizes videos that carry unique angles that make the viewers appetite to spread the scandal roughly the content. The videos used in this technic are known to be normal after their surprising marketing future so you can expect to sustain a precipitate improvement of followers. You can also await the uploaded videos to access a more massive objective customer base because of the many video sharing sites present at these days like YouTube.Video streaming sites are also centre of the latest trends in video marketing. This is flush with referred past others as the biggest marketing machine that the online industry has still had. With these streaming sites, uploading videos for at no cost are made possible. This can also be done without being burdened by means of the storage wait of bandwidth. If you inspect to make out a head for speak of this touch, then you have to recall that its elements include allowing your viewers to mail comments, share videos and spawn discussions. With this, you are giving your videos the break to be without a hitch exposed to the online industry.Aside from YouTube, you can also wait for to do video developing through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. These are among the most considerably visited sites via millions of people all during the course of the earth at present. Because of the uncountable internet users who attack these sites every solitary select prime, you can wait for to on a wider market by posting your videos in these sites. You can then envision your products and services to capture more visibility.In your try to catch the regard of your target merchandise, you be undergoing to produce unwavering that you upon posting videos on different sites. Video marketing is actually capable of bringing gone the upper-class in sight of your subject that is why it is merit trying.
i feel like i just had an "oh wow" moment reading your blog! such an interesting perspective on permanency... thank you for sharing!
Post a Comment