Why I work.

This is the reason why I LOVE TO WORK… I get to have a daily relationship with all these people. And if you think it’s fun, well it’s not just fun it’s incredible. Sending some love today to all the Wayfarer Staff and their spouces. Love you guys. Thanks for making my life journey so rich!

Go DAWGS!

Our friends are MAJOR Georgia Fans.  I grew up in the North so College football although popular was not obsessive as it is in the South.  For the past 10 years we have wished Georgia well because we have friends who live and die for watching their games.  Dave and I have never really committed to any college team.  It’s sad but we just were not brought up that way.  Chad just forwarded me this video.  Well I must say if I thought about becoming a Georgia fan, this might just have sealed the deal.  I LOVE hearing the journey’s of other people’s families.  Now when I see Mark on the sidelines I’ll embrace him even more.  Love their heart for adoption and how they gave to some children who needed a family!  Enjoy!  Who knows… you may become a Georgia fan too!  Go DAWGS!

Watch it here!

My only comment on politics.

Emma has a mock election tomorrow at her school.  I asked her who she was voting for.  She informed me that she is voting for Obama.  I said, “Barack Obama?”  She said, no mom I’m not voting for him, I’m voting for Obama.  I’m glad she cleared that up.  Then I went on to ask her why she is voting for Obama?  She said, “because I love his brown skin it’s like Frankie’s!”

I am looking forward to this election season being just about over.  I think we are all tired of hearing it.  I’m not thrilled with either candidate.  I’ve got issues with both of them.  I have issues with both parties right now as well… both the democratic and the republican.   I want to our country to be inspired again, I believe each child deserves the right for life.  I like that we have an African American and a woman running on the tickets.  I would be thrilled to have an African American become the  president of our country, I think Palin would make a great VP but seriously would not feel comfortable with her being president.  And all that to say, I’ve said entirely too much.  I will be voting.  I did not want to vote in the primaries and then when the day came I had this tremendous guilt so I went and voted.  I know many people that are not voting.  Again, to each his own opinion.  For me, I have to vote.  It’s a freedom that so many do not have and it’s a freedom I need to embrace and practice.  I’m just ready for a new president to be elected so we can move on with making this world a better place to be in.

Another Apple Pie? See what I’ve started?

Emma wants to make another Apple Pie.  I’m still recovering from the first one we made!  You see, this is why I should never bake to begin with!  That strategy was working rather well.  Sorry no posts lately.  I’m in detox mode right now.  Life is finally slowing down and that is a much needed thing for me right now!

Following the Journey of others……

I follow many blogs.  Thanks to my Friend Jamie who showed me how to use Bloglines… now I follow too many blogs!  Well not really but it makes my little time I have to catch up with people very efficient.  But the reality for me is that I LOVE a journey.  Could you tell?  I’m sure some of you want to tell me… “stop talking about journey Kim!”  Anyway, since I love journey’s I love getting a glimpse at other peoples and so the need to follow lots of blogs!  The other day I was catching up with Keri.  She is adopting a little boy from Haiti and she gave the following post.  Her words were so perfect on her feelings of being in Haiti.  I often try and describe Haiti to people and fail miserably.  How do you really explain the beauty that is found there in the reality of their conditions as I compare them to mine here.  I don’t know but wanted to share Keri’s words today.  Keri, hope you don’t mind!

you can’t go to a third world country and at some point not compare it to your own………i wondered why haiti was what it is and how america is what it was………yes the answers are complex and weaved together in a pattern not at all times comprehensive………..and then i began to ponder evolution and adaptation…….many may look at haiti and the united states and claim the states far superior………a light in a dark world…….while haiti is a quagmire of political unrest and an ignorant unevolved people……..and as i daydreamed in the back seat while being driven at threatening speeds going up impossible hills i thought it is not about evolution at all but adaptation………how the people of haiti have adapted to circumstance………how their life in a sense is no different my mine…..we each play our part in the hand we have been dealt…….they are the poorest country in the western hemisphere……..but they wake up each morning…as do i…they go to sleep each night…..as do i…..and in the middle they survive……as do i…….and you may say hey wait a minute …….your survival is a lot easier then an orphan baby in haiti………and i would answer yes in some aspects a full refrigerator……clean water and public sewage systems……make my life cleaner and healthier…..but what have i adapted too……..an ingratitude for my freedoms…….a taking for granted that i can turn on my tap and drink until full………a country so full of “made in china stickers”……..that i would dare assume that to god haiti’s garbage and our stuff look the same in his eyes……..

i am not bashing america’s prosperity (i believe we were given much for a reason)….. but what i am trying to say is when things come easy……there is no learning…no adapting….no critical thinking………and people become soft and obsessed……when you have to walk miles for water… shoeless over rocks…..you get blisters…those blisters turn to callouses…….the rocks don’t hurt as much……….

but here i am…..coming to haiti to take one of their children…….to give the child what they don’t have……..i make the child’s life easier…………..but how do i teach them hope…….when their bellies are filled comfortable in our home…..how do i teach them perseverance when there is nothing lacking…..how do i teach them community when we don’t really need each other and we like our privacy too much…..there are small lessons in each of these but you are not learning them in the context of an all out war between life and death………

but because i was born in america and have what i have …..i am able to share…….do you become poor to share in the poor’s suffering…….no ….but to some extent yes………i give up my vacations and mercedes convertibles and enormous mortgage(personal choices..)……to adopt a child that is in need of me…….i give up designer clothes and cell phones and a superfluous social life(personal choices)…..to adopt a child that is in need of me…….and in turn i find out i am in need of them… and i need what their parents could not teach them because the water got too dirty and the food finally ran out………………

many people don’t understand the poverty in haiti…they look away in disgust….or judge the people as lazy illiterate good for nothings………i think the heart in what i am saying is in the short time i observed the haitians i realized we each have much to share with the other…………we were a very young country once….like haiti…struggling to survive…..but in our greed and evolution we wanted people to do the work for us……i believe haitians want the same freedoms but their land has been raped and their banks emptied…..and america’s history shares in that crime………….i don’t know how to solve the problem…adopting orphans is not the answer…..but a way too the solution…………

going to haiti was not shocking for me…..it was what it was…..and i accepted it…..and i adapted……i am not taking eli out of misery but bringing him to love……..everyone needs loved

There are so many families out there adopting children from Haiti and other countries as well.  I’m working to update my blogroll with the families I follow but again, just need to find time in the evenings to do that.  But please pray for this family and for Eli.  That he would get to come home soon. 

Faithful to finish in the little things.

At the end of the day I truly want to change the world.  As time goes on I often wonder and realize that I probably won’t do that on the grand scale that I wish I could.  I mean it could happen.  I believe it can but at the end of the day I look at the random things that get to have a platform and have grand scale impact and wonder if I’ll ever get that platform.  And so what if I don’t?  What happens then?  Does that mean that I feel my life was wasted?  That I did not accomplish all that I wanted to?  No not really.  Because what I am discovering is that it’s all about me being faithful to finish in the things that come my way.  That in the end those little things that I get the privilege of dreaming, doing, discovering will add up to a life spent and given away to bring honor to the Father.  I dont’ want to hear the words well done you good and faithful servant.  I want to hear the words… you finished! you finished faithfully.

You see I have big dreams.  Some that have been birthed continue to stir in my heart.  Others come and go and some fade away but regardless they are big dreams.  And often I look at how unatainable they probably really are.  For instance I want to have maximum impact in the world of adoption and in the lives of children who need someone to come into their life and love them and to give them hope.  I look at other organizations out there and know that I could never have maximum impact like Shohanna’s Hope or Compassion do.  I mean sure that could happen but really… Dave and I … what can we actually do?  I dream of funding adoptions for people who can’t afford it.  Would love to pull out a checkbook and say, it’s paid for.. time and time again to families, but again, the reality comes and really puts those dreams into perspective.  But what I do know is this. I know this truth.  That it’s being faithful to finish in the little things that come my way.  So as God prompts my heart as to what I can do to help families and children… I’ll take those things on and I WILL BE FAITHFUL TO FINISH.

Wayfarer – I long and dream and desire for Wayfarer to have maximum impact in this world and generation.  Time and time again, it seems we climb an uphill battle.  All along watching other people get chances at platforms to have a global voice.  At times the dream for me gets so discouraging.. wondering if what we do or give our lives to matters?  At the end of the day I know it does but I’m personally not satisfied.  But Again I am learning that I want our family to be Faithful in the little things that we are investing our whole lives in and know that it’s worth it.

I’ve attended our church now going on 9 years and I continue to believe the lie that I Kim Rhodes a part from Dave Rhodes can not have impact there.  What can I seriously offer to people?  It’s as if I know I can’t live up to the grand picture so I waste years dormant in insecurity.  I truly long to have maximum impact not only in my personal dreams or at Wayfarer but also in my church.  I don’t know what that means but I am understanding more and more that it’s got to start by being Faithful in the little things.

So as you can see my heart is heavy tonight.  I was just telling my friend this past Sunday… “Is this it?  Seriously.. because if it is, then I’m not satisfied.”  And a few days later in a room full of people tonight at Engage I hear the simple truth that my heart has been prepared to hear.  That no this is not it.  I have no clue what my life will hold tomorrow.  But I will go to the grave giving it my all.  Me, I’m finishing strong and if that means that my life ends up being a bunch of little things that I can do for the sake of the Kingdom then you can count on this… that I’m going to be Faithful to those things.  I’m going to passionately give them my all and will finish strong with what has been given me.

So Emma, Ready to change the world?

I’ve been asking this question to Emma for a few days now.  “Emma, what can you and mom do together to change this world and help people?”  So far here are her responses. 

 - We can make a fruit machine.  Oh but that won’t work… it probably would not work all the time.

 - We could take fruit to Haiti.

 - We could adopt all the people from Haiti and bring them here.  Mom, what does adopt mean?

I think we’ll be on to something sometime.  Too bad edible arrangements is already an idea up and running.  Looks like we’ll be doing something with Fruit?  Maybe we’ll just start making Apple pies to help someone!  Emma makes a mean apple pie.

Apple Pie

Well I did it.  I baked my first apple pie last night.  (GASP…WOW…ARE YOU KIDDING ME?…IS SHE SERIOUS?) Yes.  I don’t like to bake… still don’t like to bake but I will do anything to make my kids day.  And yes, I’ve been married 10 years and have never baked an apple pie. 

A few weeks ago we got lots of apples from Nivens Apple Farm. I kept putting it off.  Then last night I called to Emma… “ready to make that pie?”  Her response… “No worries mom, you can just watch Max and Ruby and Ruby will tell you how to make it.”  Thanks Em!

The result?  Who knew I (Emma) could bake!  It was fabulous.  Turned out great.  Lots of work.  I’d still rather go pay 7.00 for one at Publix but Emma thought it was the greatest thing.  So I guess we’ll be baking more around here.  Oh boy!

My Personal Agenda for the Weekend?

Sorry about the heavy post this morning.  I just have those moments and I guess sometimes it’s better not to blog about it.  Just an accumulation of many area’s of my life colliding with eachother. 

So talking about agenda’s…. whats mine for the weekend?

Well today, what a dreary day.  I am sippin on some coffee and about to tackle the house.  Kids are playing and doing their own thing. 

Tomorrow… trip to the zoo and picnic with friends.  Really looking forward to it!

I love the weekends!

Personal Agenda’s

Personal Agendas are great and needed in this world to have maximum impact.  I have many of them.  However pushing those agenda’s on other people is a whole different story.

Pushing Personal Agenda’s.  I think right now if you want to get me fired up just throw in front of me so many people today trying to push their personal agenda’s on other people.  The whole issue has infiltrated everything and everywhere.  From politics down to our homes I’m very sensitive to the whole thing right now.  Why?  because it is rampid everywhere.  I want to scream at the top of my lungs… can’t we all strip down all of our personal agenda’s and run around naked and be happy?  A little extreme I guess.  You really would not want to see me running around in my birthday suit but you get the point.  The agenda’s are out there.  Passion, mission, politics, faith, beliefs, money and reasons to make it, and the list goes on.

I personally just think there is a big separationthat we need to be careful of as we try and live out our passions and experiences and not make those things become our silent personal agenda’s and expectations for other peoples lives.  I don’t think we always know we are placing expectations on other people and many times it happens.  Too often it happens.  Especially when we are really following hard after the things we are passionate about. 

I personally have to constantly make sure I’m not doing that myself.  Sometimes I know I have crossed the line or come close to it.  If you know me at all you know there are some things that make me tick.  I would call them my experiences and passions.  For instance… some of those things are issues like fertility and adoption.  There are many more but those were the first 2 that came to mind.

Infertility – Many of you know that I struggled with infertility and conceiving both our children.  I spent many a years researching and trying things that were low cost treatments and things that we could do that would not break the bank.  And I love talking about infertility with people and ways and ideas that may help someone in their journey… BUT I would never go to those people and tell them that they have to seek treatment.  The thing is, it’s personal.  Some people will seek treatment and others won’t but it’s not my place to put my opinions on them but to support them in their journey. I had people come to me in my time of infertility and basically tell me that the issue was my lack of faith and that I should read some scriptures more.  No lie.  Good thing I was a pretty spiritually sound person to know that was not the Truth.  But so often people will believe other people’s personal agenda’s.

Adoption – I am becoming more and more PASSIONATE about adoption.  I”ve always had a heart for children and it’s fun to finally be in your sweet spot and see things unravel.  I am loving our adoption journey we are on.  Doors are opening for me to start to be more involved in supporting other people in the process as well.  However I am very aware that not all people feel passionate about adoption and that is ok.  How about this… not everyone wants to adopt?  And that is ok.  Some people don’t think that way but I do.  I am personally trying to make sure that when I talk about adoption or our journey that I’m not making it out like it’s what everyone needs to do because it’s not.  It’s not my personal agenda to place on people.  Would I like to see everyone take the journey of adoption with their family?  Sure, but that is not for me to decide to persuade.  It’s my agenda to help and support and encourage other people in the process.  And for people not in the process I want them to just always look at our family and see what a wonderful journey and picture our family represents.  I just want it to be a good thing. 

Bottom line, I want to be aware and sensitive to myself and to others so that I am not finding myself pushing my personal agenda’s on other people.   Because I am very very very tired right now of feeling like everyone else is pushing their agenda’s on other people.  So be passionate, experience life.  Live out your dreams and what God is calling you to do but just be very careful not to get so caught up in your personal experiences that you don’t start pushing those same expectations off on other people.

I feel like I have not shared anything serious in a while and just wanted to share what has been stirring in my heart these past months.  And please, if you ever see or find me doing this to people.  Would you pull me aside or send and email in love and let me know.  I’m well aware that we don’t often see ourselves doing it when we acutally are.

Happy Friday Everyone!