Friday, October 16, 2009

Happy Anniversary Timothy and Annie

Happy Anniversary Timothy and Annie



Wednesday our family observed a very important anniversary. This weekend, we will celebrate with stories and fun.

Long ago Judy and I desired to adopt. In preparation for our marriage, we discussed our mutual desire to make adoption happen.

We had both remembered hearing criticism from those who were pro-choice and did not respect the pro-life position. Their criticism was, "Where are all of the pro-life people when it comes to adopting the babies of those that they wanted to live?" We thought they had a valid criticism.

During our years in Argentina, we thought we would have our chance. I was studying the Bible with a young man who was a pre-med student at the national university located in our city of Cordoba. We forged a friendship, enough of one to where he felt free to share his sister’s dilemma. She was in high school and was pregnant. She was seriously contemplating having an abortion.

Although Judy and I were not as close to this young lady, her mother, or her grandmother, (the father was long gone), we did have a good relationship with them. As a matter of fact, our relationship was good enough that we began a discussion laying the groundwork for Judy and me to adopt the child upon birth. As things worked out, doctors determined that the young woman was not pregnant.

Later, Judy and I had our two natural-born children, Haleigh and Abby. They, of course, brought us great joy, but we still waited on God to see if he would bring opportunity for us to adopt.

A few years ago, we moved to West Texas near Abilene Christian University where I was preaching, working on a doctorate, and serving as an adjunct professor of Bible at ACU. One day, Judy was in Sears with our two girls. Out of the blue, a man came up to Judy and said, "Have you thought about adopting?" Judy considered that rather strange because, indeed, she had recently begun thinking again about adoption. However, no doors were opening for adoption.

At that time, Judy was working as a housewife and homeschooling our girls. Since the adoption angle was not working out, Judy began to feel called to become a foster parent. We prayed about this decision and discussed it a lot. We finally decided to began training with Child Protective Services to become certified to serve as foster parents and to see where God would lead us.

We spent several Saturdays in the summer of 2003 in training to receive a certification. It was hard work. I remember one Friday night we had one of those all-night cancer-walk fund raisers to participate in, followed by CPS classes the next day. That was a tough day. We completed our training and, finally, in February of 2004, we had the opportunity to receive a three-year-old girl as our foster child.

Foster care proved challenging. Intellectually, we knew how hard it would be. Emotionally, we were nowhere near prepared.

This little girl came out of a small town in central Texas. She had been taken by CPS out of a tough environment.

We had a dog, and this foster child told us that she had had a dog where she had lived. We asked her what happened to her dog. She said that he had run away with the pig.

We thought that was strange. I had images in my mind of a dog and a pig walking down the middle of the street together off into the sunset. And then later this little girl saw a police officer in our town, and she pointed at him and called him a pig. And we realized—her mother called policemen pigs. It was not an animal who had come to take her dog the way, it was a police officer.

When I remember those times, I recall I was discovering things about myself that I did not like. I thought I was an “outstanding” Christian man by this time, but I clearly was not.

Our foster child carried with her a lot of anger. Looking back, I understand why. At that time, though, this anger was taking a toll on all of us.
One time, our foster child got mad at our oldest daughter, Haleigh, and spit in her face. This for me was the crowning blow. I felt so angry. I'm afraid my demeanor and my tone of voice betrayed me. I looked at her and I said with great intensity, "Do you think I am as stupid as I look?" And she looked up at me with her big brown eyes, so desperate to give the right answer. She humbly said, "Yes."

Our family cared for this girl for several months. Her story actually had a happy ending. Her mother matured somewhat and was able to take this girl back into her custody. My understanding is today they're doing quite well living in another state near family.

Following this experience, Judy and I and our two daughters were just exhausted. However, after two or three months, Judy and I both felt that we were ready again to care for a child from CPS. Shortly after deciding we were emotionally ready to begin again in foster care, CPS called us.

On Wednesday, October 13, 2004, Judy answered the phone in our home. CPS was calling to say they had two small children they needed to place in a home. One was a two-year-old girl; the other was a one-year-old boy.
The CPS case worker was frank; she stated they wanted to place these children in a home where the family was committed to adopting them. These children had come out of a very difficult situation in central Texas. They had the same mother, but different fathers. The fathers were unknown.
CPS had taken custody of the children and placed them with a foster family that ultimately could not handle the stress of foster care. CPS wanted to place these children for the last time—any more moves could be detrimental to the children’s emotional health.

Judy told the case worker she needed to talk it over with me, but we would certainly consider it. The case worker said that would be fine. She also said we should not get our hopes up; there were five couples in line ahead of us to receive the children.

Judy and I discussed the challenge. We talked it over with our two girls. We prayed. Ultimately, we all agreed that this was something we wanted to do.

That was Wednesday. The next morning, Thursday, I called CPS and told them that we were certainly committed to doing so and, unless it was destructive to our family structure, we would be more than happy to adopt both children. The lady I spoke with said fine and that she would get back with me.

In life, things often move slowly. Judy and I both figured that a few days would pass before we would receive the children. That is why I was shocked an hour or two later when CPS called me back and said that that be bringing the children by that afternoon.

Thursday, Judy and the girls spent all day in Abilene for a homeschooling co-op in which they participated. I was to be the welcoming committee for the new kids.

I have got to tell you, Timothy and Annie love for me to tell the story of their arrival. Timothy arrived wearing shorts, a shirt, shoes, and a diaper. And that one diaper was the last diaper. That was it. CPS had no diapers. CPS had no car seats for us. I was marooned on a desert island with a one-year-old boy and one diaper. To get relief and go to the store, I would have to break the law.

Fortunately, about an hour later, Judy called from Abilene. She told me she was going to Walmart. I replied, "The kids are here."

Judy said, "The kids are here. What kids?" It had never occurred to her CPS would work so quickly. She thought I meant some kids from the youth group at church.

Instead, I said, "Judy, the kids are here—the kids from CPS!"

“Oh! Oh, my. What are their names?”

“Alvin and Juanita.”

(Timothy’s name is Alvin Timothy. Annie’s name is Juanita Leeanne. When we received them, they were being called Alvin and Nita. Last year, Christian Homes of Tyler asked us to tell our story. Judy included a portion that Timothy and Annie loved—Judy’s confusion over their names. When Judy heard me tell her that the children were named “Alvin” and “Juanita,” she assumed the kids were Hispanic, perhaps children of illegal aliens. We had seen some families that had been broken up because of immigration laws. We lived in an area where approximately 45 % of the population was Hispanic. After living in Latin America and Brownsville so many years, Judy and I were perfectly happy to adopt Hispanic children. When she arrived at the house later that afternoon, she saw two children who looked liked the children of immigrants—immigrants from Sweden. A reporter from the Tyler Morning Telegraph was at the banquet. The next day in the paper, he wrote that Mark and Judy Edge shared their inspirational testimony of how they adopted two children of Swedish immigrants!)

Meanwhile, back to that long afternoon. I managed to entertain the children and miraculously Timothy did not have an accident. Judy finally arrived home with diapers and car seats and other things that we would need.

We cared for Annie and Timothy for almost two years in foster care. Finally, in May of 2006, our adoption was finalized. That was also the month that we move to Tyler.

Along the way we have had many trials. However, today, I could not even imagine our lives without those two little ones. Yes, there are challenges, with all four of our children, but we have been so blessed.







Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford



I think we think we are living through the glory years when it comes to athletes proclaiming their faith—and then living it. The latest example are the videos from the organization I AM SECOND of Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford expressing their faith.
You have probably seen on FACEBOOK the composite video of the two that many have posted. I have linked you here

with the longer, individual versions of each. Like the Tim Tebow example, these videos offer honest and inspirational testimony.

In the future, I hope we do not look upon these years as the golden age of athletic examples. Instead, I hope we view these athletes as links in the chain to a future of ever-growing Christian influence.



With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?



I love history. I am fascinated by politics. I believe today’s politics is tomorrow’s history.
That is why I am fascinated by what I have been observing lately. Several of President Obama’s comedian friends are starting to make fun of his accomplishments in his first year in office. Some are even using his Nobel Peace Prize win as fodder for jokes.

This reminds me of when President Clinton was embroiled in his Monica Lewinsky scandal. Hollywood, which had been very pro-Clinton, skewered Clinton with at least two movies—PRIMARY COLORS and WAG THE DOG.

I believe that every person, consciously or unconsciously, decides who he wants for friends, and who is willing to concede to becoming enemies. A life in politics takes this reality to a new level. There is no way you can accomplish much in politics unless you are willing to surrender all desires to be loved or liked—by anyone. I think that is why Harry Truman famously said, “In Washington, if you want a friend, get a dog.”



Five things I think I think (a tip of the hat to Peter King for this idea)



1. I hope the “balloon boy” gets well. What a crazy case.

2. If you have a hole in your schedule Tuesday afternoon, feel free to come root for the ETCA Panthers at the new ETCA gym. The girls play their round one playoff game at home at 5:30. A loud gym would be nice.

3. Great job, Sunday morning, Travis Gilbreath. I have heard much positive feedback on your cantilever/cross and the way it illustrated the point of I Corinthians 5-6. Thanks for taking the time to build it.

4. Happy 99th Birthday this week to the greatest coach of all time—John Wooden.

5. October is Cancer Awareness Month, so I want to offer a special shout out to two men battling cancer. I’m praying for you, Lynn Anderson and Charles Siburt. I want you well.



Have a Great Weekend!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The "I am second" program is rather impressive. I've heard and seen more about that website within the last month than any other "national" outreach/missions/witnessing program. The internet has certainly changed evangelism and the organization of it.

Mark Edge said...

I agree, I am very pleased with all I have seen on this site as well as the billboards they have around Dallas.