What is Your Dream?

 So with today being a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we often think of his dreams.......

 "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character....little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today." Martin Luther King Jr

 

"I have a dream...one day little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers." (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr)

 Do you think they ever imagined......what we do day to day in our home? 

 Do you think they possibly could see a family that comes together- with different skin colors? 

 Where mommies and daughters don't have to look the same, but celebrate together? 

 Where daddy is the best on the planet, even though he doesn't share my skin shade? 

 Where fathers and sons work together- not even noticing that they may seem different to the outside world? 

 I think they did.  Because the people who fought so hard and are STILL FIGHTING are focused on CHRIST!!!!!  Christ says we are ONE BODY!!!!  Not one dark skinned body and one light skinned body, one Asian body, and one African body, one for people who have great abilities in this area, and another who have great abilities in another. 

 ONE BODY!!! 

 1 Corinthinans 12:12-30 (NIV)
¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by^[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

 This morning we shared as a family after talking about MLKjr.  What are our dreams........
(Only one dream to list for now-yes you can have many many more please do- and never laugh at anyone's dreams- good rules!)

 Mommy's dream- That there would be no more orphans! 

 Daddy's dream- That we could make a big difference in the world on a large scale. 

 Abigail's dream- To be an actress because it sounds like fun. 

 Andrew's dream- To become a police officer to help the community. 

 Joshua's dream- To be a professional basketball player because he loves to play basketball.

 Matthew- To become a superhero and make the world a better place.

 Sarah- To become a doctor to help people. 

 Elizabeth- To be a ballerina because I like to dance. 

 Jonathan- To be a firefighter to save people from fire. 

 Joanna- Beckah Shae- love glasses.  **Note Beckah Shae is her favorite singer!  I am thinking she wants to be her ;) awesome!

 Michael- To spread truth about HIV.  (The others had input on his dream ;) and I thought it was great!)

 I loved talking with the kids about their dreams today!  You know sometimes we gloss over what our children are thinking.  I know I have, but I am thankful that today I didn't.  I listened a and heard their hearts. 

 We got to talk about MLKjr.  and the fact that it isn't just about skin color, but about loving others for who they are!  Respecting differences and when others hate- loving them back. 

 Matthew 5:43-48
⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[i] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 God has said for us to LOVE each other. 

 I mean having a marshmallow roasting stick fight with your family must have been on MLKjr's mind right? 

 Vacations together with lots of fun! 

 Holding each other- never once thinking about skin color, but instead about loving on another human being because they are a miracle! 

 Playing and knowing that fun is fun and we don't have to worry about what color our hair or eyes are! 

 We can laugh and play! 

 We can hold tightly to the truth!!! 

 That no matter what continent we were born on GOD LOVES US!!! 

I am soooooo THANKFUL to MLKjr.s dreams and the thousands who stood up with him!!!!  Rosa Parks, the whole Brown family and the many that said enough is enough is enough!!!!  Why can't these people play together? 

 Why can't we serve together? 

 Why can't our churches work with schools to pack food for those in Haiti? 

 Why can't we perform a drama/dance to glorify the Lord of all the colors in this place? 

 Why can't these "twins" be TWINS? 

 I say......

 You sure can't tell them they can't be twins!!!!  Cause they are!!!!!

 I can't imagine my life any other way and today I give THANKS!!!!! 

 Thanks to the many birth moms that made a decision for LIFE!!!!!!!!!

 Thanks to the many Life Care Centers that have reached out to give help to women all over to see the value in LIFE!!!!!!!!

 For the many countless families that have adopted- through foster care, internationally, or domestically- because even if you look the same we have all overcome the barrier of genetics :). 

 To those who love others like our friend Lisa who works with children with special needs!  For the moms out there who give countless hours of time and energy to see their kiddos make progress they never thought possible!!!! 

 To people like Dr. Alveda King the niece of MLKjr. who continues to fight for LIFE!!!!  For the truth to be known about abortions!!! 

  For Ryan Scott Bomberger!!  Thank you for continuing the fight- through Radiance Foundation!  Through speaking out about abortions as well!!! 

 It inspires me to know that we are not alone in our crazy family photos......

 That we are joined by millions marching on......

 Still loving the widow and orphan......

 There are days when I feel defeated.....like no one is listening......and then I think of my extended family, my community, the local foster care/adoption organization, the thousands of families adopting right now, the people raising funds for sonogram machines for Life Care centers, the people I mentioned above.......

And I think to myself.........WE ARE STILL MARCHING WITH MLKJR TODAY!!!!  Preaching love, preaching kindness, preaching that ONE DAY we will meet Jesus......what will we say we did with our dreams?