Kohleidoscope: August 2010

On July 25, 2010, we celebrated Joshua's homecoming one year ago!! We were in Indianapolis, where we lived when we were first married and we were able to attend the church Jonathan attended for years and we both attended once we got married - ZF. We consider it our "home church," as they are the ones who have "sent us out" to Kobe and continue to pray for us and challenge us in Christ. It was a real joy to be able to be there on this special anniversary day for Joshua/our family.

Interestingly, it was Jan, a friend from ZF, who shared a thought with us after our commissioning service at church in July, 2005, before we moved to Kobe. She said something to the effect that she kept imagining us coming back to ZF with our Japanese child. However, she reminded herself that our child would look like us - i.e. we have no Japanese ancestry, and our biological child wouldn't look Japanese. However, as I filled out our adoption application, I remembered Jan's words....and am reminded again of God's goodness, sense of humor and sovereignty!

Yes, He loves us enough to restrain his power and grants us free will, however, at the same time He is working His kind of divine conspiracy. As I spoke with Mom Kohl over summer vacation about gardening and spiritual gardening that Paul talks about in I Corinthians 3...about one planting, another watering, but God causeing the growth. Yes, He determines what grows and bears fruit, but we have a role to plant & water. What a privilege to participate in His eternal garden!

We wanted to share with you a poem about adoption that our friend Miho found.

To Anna

アナへ

One there were two women
Who never knew each other;
One you do not remember,
The other you call Mother.

二人のお母さんがいました。
お互いに面識はありませんでした。
一人は貴方が覚えてない人、
もう一人は貴方が「お母さん」と呼ぶ人。

Two different lives,
Shaped to make your one,
One became your guiding star
The other became your sun.

この二人が
貴方という一人の人間を造ったのですよ。
一人は貴方を導いてくれるお星様で、
もう一人は貴方の太陽となって。

The first one gave you life
And the second taught you to live it,
The first gave you a need for love,
The second was there to give it.

一人のお母さんが貴方に命を与えて、
もう一人のお母さんがそれを大事に生きるように教えるの。
最初のお母さんは貴方に愛を必要にさせて、
もう一人は貴方が必要とした愛を与えて。

One gave you a nationality,
The other gave you a name.
One gave you a talent,
The other gave you an aim.

一人は貴方に国籍を与え、
もう一人は貴方に名前を与えました。
一人のお母さんは貴方に能力を授けて、
もう一人のお母さんはその能力を伸ばしてあげるの。

One gave you emotions,
The other calmed you fears.
One saw your first sweet smile,
The other dried your tears.

貴方に感情を授けた母さんと、
その感情で湧き出た不安を取り払ってくれたお母さん。
一人は貴方の最初の笑い顔を見たお母さんで、
もう一人は貴方の涙を乾かしてあげたお母さん。

One sought for you a home
That she could not provide,
The other prayed for a child,
And her hopes were not denied.

一人は貴方を育てる場所を探したけど、見つからず、
もう一人は子供を欲しいと神様にお祈りして、
その願いがかなったお母さん。

And now you ask me
Through your tears,
The age- old question,
Unanswered through the years.

いつかきっと貴方は涙を流して聞くでしょう。
決して答えのない質問を。

Heredity or environment,

Which are you a product of ?
Neither my darling, neither.
Just two different kinds of love.

「生みの親か、育ての親か。」って。

私の愛しいアナよ、
それはね、どちらでもないのよ。
愛には二通りの愛があるのだから。

What are a Mommy & Toddler to do during a month-long steamy, rainy season?
Get rested up for summer vacation, play indoors and take some pictures!

Joshua suggested that I let him help me move furniture around, since he's so strong and such a big boy now. I decided to leave the furniture as is, however, I let him "practice" and took some pictures to show everyone what he's up to these days :-)