Encouragement from Little Ones

Dear Readers,
I pray that God will bless you, your loved ones and your ministry this day.
Do you like to cuddle with someone you love and read a picture book? I loved to do that so much when I was little, that I began to dream of growing up, getting married, having a child, then writing and illustrating a book for that child. It took a long time for that dream to come true for me, but last spring when our son came home from school, I handed him a blindfold and told him we were going on a mystery trip. He asked about a hundred times, "Where are we going?" but I didn't say, so when we pulled into the parking lot of the local printer, he still didn't know what was happening.
The sales lady took us into the conference room, then I handed her my camera and asked her to take a picture. She snapped the shot, just as I was handing the first published copy of "Red the Rooster" to our son, Seth.
I wrote the book when he was 7 years old, but it took me until he was 13 to publish it.
Now a 13 year old boy, cannot show a lot of emotion, especially to his mom in front of a stranger! But he was sweet and I could see in his face that he was truly pleased. The saleslady left and Seth sat down next to me and allowed me to read the book to him as if he were still in 2nd grade.
Yesterday, I got to go to Fuller St. Elementary and read the book to the 2nd and 3rd grade classes. The kids were awesome!!! They cock-a-doodle-dooed along with the rooster, they mooed with the cow, meowed with the cat and even oinked with the pig in my story! They clapped and asked me for my autograph! I even received a number of sweet hugs!
I also showed them one of my painted prayers for Haiti and let them touch the surface of the oil painting. I was impressed that every single child in the 2nd and 3rd grade classes I visited knew about the earthquake in Haiti. I told them how sad I felt when I saw the pictures on the news and that painting and praying for the people made me feel better.
I asked them what they did to help themselves feel better when they are sad and I got all kinds of answers! One tough boy said, "I suck it up!" Lots of them play video games, eat chocolate, go to sleep, watch TV or read. Many of them like to draw, sing, dance or write when they are sad. One little boy broke my heart when he said that he drew pictures of his family that he missed, because he was in foster care.
I felt the urge to gather him up in may arms, take him home and adopt him right then and there! Of course my wiser self reminded me that I am 55, struggling financially and already have a son to raise!
Our son was in an orphanage in Vietnam and we were blessed to be able to adopt him when he was five months old, back in 1996. He is the joy of our lives! I thank God every day for him!
Part of me would like to adopt 10 kids if I could, but it would not be wise. So what do we do when we see needy kids that need permanant homes? It's not an easy question.
I find my peace by praying for them, and showing them whatever love I am able to give.
We all want to do more than we can. Instead, we just keep on doing the things we can do and put the rest in God's hands.