HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND??

I read this post on a message board and thought it so worthy to share that I got the author's permission to post:

Tonight my 12 year old daughter and I came up with a good response to the "have you lost your mind?" that some of us hear when we say that we are adopting again. Just smile and say ever so sweetly, "yes I lost my mind - thank God - because along the way I found my heart."

This came after we had the most awesome discussion about the difference between making big decisions with your mind or by following your heart. It is so clear to me that our current North American culture is incredibly un-child friendly AND incredibly self centered.This thread of discussion about people's inability to understand adoptive families has sparked some really great and fruitful conversations at our house. Our 12 year old is our oldest and our only bio - kid and we are constantly asked by others if she is somehow negatively affected/cheated because we have decided to adopt two (and now 3) other children. As if any child has the inalienable right to be an only child and get all the love, time, resources that a family has to give...

I tend to think that she has been incredibly enriched to have seen an orphanage at age 6, to have understood at a tender age that some people hurt and suffer and live without love and to know at an early age that God calls us to lives that matter - to lives of purpose where we find our joy in caring for the deep needs of others. But then again - what do I know? After all, it IS possible that I have lost my mind. My dh and I were talking tonight about all this and we have reasoned that in our culture the problem is that we feel we are entitled to a certain standard of living: that families should have 2500 sq ft homes, two suv's, go on nice vacations, have a closet full of expensive clothes and be able to buy most of the gadgets that most people have, as well as have cell phones, gym memberships, cable tv and eat out frequently. This seems to be what my parents now assume (which is funny because when I was a child we lived more simply.) Their expectations of standards of living have grown along with the rest of our culture! They seem to think we cannot afford another child - that it is wrong for kids to "have" to share a bedroom, or to "have" to work while in college to help pay their way. Thus they think in some way that we are cheating our 12 year old...

But in fact it is possible to live well and happily in a simpler way without anyone being seriously deprived. Even on one pastor's income. Even in Southern California. Even if you have 3, soon to be 4 kids... Adoptive parents = countercultural radicals ????? Why are we so surprised that people don't understand? The culture He lived in crucified Jesus. Maybe seeing that tight little look on my mom's face every time I mention adoption isn't so bad. So press on toward the goal my brothers and sisters - your Father in Heaven sees what you do and smiles - after all, He is the one who helped you find your HEART!