diversity vol 2: more babies, please!

now that i got all of the diversity ramblings out of my head, and you've glimpsed a little into my heart, i'll follow up on what i mentioned about babies.

more babies, you ask? yes please.

and not just babies of my own, although dave and i have realized over the past few months that our family is still not complete, and are excited to see if God will give us a third bubby (and fourth. dave doesn't want 3. it's 2 or 4 for him, so i'm shooting for twins. kidding. SO not wishing twins on myself, except for in the deep dark secret corners of my delusional brain.). but that's a different topic. i'm talking about diversity here, and although italian, my husband can not give me what i want.

and what i WANT is babies from different places of different races! just like piper has.

my heart, the heart God has given me, is for fostering babies. maybe adopting, too, if the opportunity presented itself, and God was leading that way. in my mind, there is no better gift to give than the gift of love and a home. and i have lots more love to give, and if need be, i can stack kids up in drawers to fit 'em! kidding. sort of ;)

seriously, though, it weighs heavy on my heart to know how many unloved and uncared for children there are. it breaks my heart a little every time i think about it. so in the years to come, as our kids get a little older, and i have more of my attention to give, i'd really love to foster children (okay, babies especially. perhaps because i'm sick and twisted? maybe i like getting up in the middle of the night? i don't know. i just love babies).

this is what Jesus calls "true religion":

"religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." james 1:27

i feel like that's a pretty direct charge for us to help the people who need it. single moms, widows, children with no family, whoever. and however. i have a home, and i have love to give. if God gave me what i have, it would be wrong NOT to use it. i'm not saying everyone should foster kids and adopt babies. i think God calls us all to different things. what i AM saying is that we are asked to USE what we HAVE for the kingdom. not being selfish with ourselves OR our things. and this is one way i'd like to give generously.

and the bonus? my kids get to grow up in a family that isn't all white, which i feel brightens the future for acceptance, justice, and equality in the generations to come. i would feel proud if my children could look at different colors of skin without batting an eye because it would feel so normal and common and quite irrelevant that their skin is different. or their hair is different. or their eyes are different. THAT'S what I'M talking about.

so yes to more stratton babies, yes to anyone else's babies, and yes especially to black babies. just saying. i have a special place in my heart for those amazing features God didn't give us white folk.