Today I read a compelling post at UNvitation, about a child being uninvited to a party for being HIV positive and it got me thinking. Not just the response of the people throwing the party, even as it was, nor because of the boy who went to school to hear prejudice about the color of his adopted sister’s skin, but mostly because of Lyndsay’s response. It was gracious, kind, and loving – everything a Christian response should be, and then some.Rather than selling the family down the river, Lyndsay used this opportunity to educate, educate, educate, and then to quote:
“…For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.” -Timothy 1:7
She was being the Super Mom we all hear about. Standing up for her kids but not at the expense of the less educated. Protecting her child while immersing her in the world.
That really struck me, and it made me think about my own writing lately. Do I use it to build up, to or break down? Am passionately vocal and righteous, or sarcastic, needling, angry?
I’ve been battling this since someone accused me of being judgmental on a Parent Society post I wrote. Should I defend my opinion, at the risk of others, or do I write more until I’ve mastered the grace and godliness that I need not only to move people, but to give them hope, strength, and power?
That’s what I’d really like to do – I’d like to empower all awesome special needs mamas out there (and dads too, and other parents too!) to live every day to its fullest, to stop crying over the things you can’t change and ignore what you CAN change, to love yourself just a little more then pass it on to your kids, to parent the HELL (or the disability) out of your kids, and to find yourself able to make the world a better place. I want you AND me to be Super Moms, and Super Dads, to kick the enemy to ground (however you define enemy) but in a way that places us on divine ground.
I’m feeling called and groomed to bigger things than my uber-ambitious brain has imagined. I’m feeling led to help, not only in the ways I’ve mentioned here, but a few ways that I’m too scared to mention in many places at all.
Hey, dream big or go home, right? I hope you come along with me and make my Mom-Blog community ROCK – for you! It’s all for you! And your children will reap the benefit of that, if we do it right. Come with?
(And if you’re the praying sort, please pray for me and all this road ahead might entail…)
Shontae Buffington says
Unfortunately this is not totally shocking to me. I live and practice in a small community with very few minority. I am the only African-American doctor in the town. My children are the only black children in the class.
I have 4 families that I care for that have white moms and black children. The stories they tell me are painful to say the least. They all seem to bravely rise above the dirty looks in Target, the whispers, and the stares. Their children love them and at some point, uninivited or not that’s what counts.
admin says
Shontae, I’m so sorry to hear that. When President Obama got elected, it was a huge victory, but my gut told me that racism would get worse in this country, and I feel like that’s true. I think it’s because the right has used anything they can to attack the president, including race, and so all the people who used to be quiet bigots can voice their opinions too, because they believe it’s “ok” now, or they use the excuse that it’s really a political opinion when we all know it’s not. When you feel “ok” to criticize one group, then all are fair game. Because of that I do believe, now, that all of us who minorities – people of color, women, special needs people – are coming closer together, supporting each other, and working not to take this crap from anyone. Then again, I’m the eternal optimist. Shontae, I wish you and your family – and those adoptive families around you – love and peace. Keeping you all in prayer.