.Masked in the Ordinary.

It is in the ordinary.



The little and simple, everyday moments.



The ones that blow by - too often unnoticed.



But when I do pause and take notice of these moments.



It is then that I see them for what they truly are.





Ordinary - yes, deserved - no, blessings - privileges even - that take my breath away and make me whisper again.



Really, God? This? This is the life you have given me? With these children? This is how my days tick away for this season? It's all too wonderful. Honestly, this is a breath-taking gift. I just need to recognize the gift, because this gift is so often masked in the ordinary.

.My Privilege.

There was a moment in my life when I thought that maybe I did not want to be a mommy. I am so thankful that God, in His sovereign grace, did not choose that path for me. Being a mommy is a privilege and blessing, and one that I do not take for granted. It is a high calling and a huge responsibility.

Having these three beautiful children to mommy is beyond wonderful. This is not what I would have written into the plot of my life. I couldn't have. I had no capacity for something so marvelous. It is so much more than I could have ever dreamed for my own life. I am thankful for the One who knew my heart's desires, before I even knew them.

A year ago, I posted and announced our desire to add to our family through adoption. I remember sitting in a church pew last year, wondering about who it was that God was knitting into our hearts and our family. And today, as I sat in the very same pew, that little person - my son - was bouncing in my lap. How great is our God!

I came to this day a different Mommy than a year ago when I dreamed of what the future would hold. I pray that I am a better Mommy, and I am more accurately mirroring a picture of Jesus - to my children and the world around me. I expected much from Mother's Day this year. I walked into it excited to celebrate what God had done in our family. I was not disappointed. How could I be when I awoke to the smiling faces of three wide-eyed children snuggled into my bed? Three of the best blessings I have ever recieved.

I looked into their eyes - two piercingly blue and clear and one dark brown and mesmerizing. My heart beat loud and clear, and the only words echoing my thoughts were It's my privilege.



To the women whose arms ached yesterday (and everyday) for children to hold and someone to call them Mommy, may the arms of Jesus tightly wrap around you, and may you know His perfect peace.

.That's MY Hudson.

(Please pause my playlist on the right hand side before viewing the video.)

This is serious. This has eternal ramifications. Oh, God, I so want to live with eternity in mind and throw off all that this world whispers to me and throws at me. I even want to destory the thoughts that other well-meaning Christians say about these children - orphans, children with hiv or aids, or simply children in general. How two or three is enough, but more is a burden not a blessing. God is sovereign. I want to live like I believe that. He is the One who blesses families with children either through the womb or adoption. Every single one and every single time is a BLESSING. It doesn't matter how old the parents are, how young, their financial status, the size of their house. God doesn't look at all that. The Bible says and God says, children are a blessing, that when we care for the least of these we are caring for GOD! So how can I quantify that?

Not all are called to adoption, but I AM. My husband is. This is our calling, this is one way we are impacting eternity. And isn't that all that matters? This life is so, so short. We might as well fill our home with children, share Jesus with them and His gospel, show them love of a daddy and mommy, and treat them like the blessing they are. Sure it is tiring and hard and taxing financially and emotionally. Sure we look crazy, sure people will not understand especially if we keep these children coming through our doors, but the Bible says our reward is in heaven. I am pretty sure I can rest there. I am pretty sure I will not regret one single one of my blessings when I get to heaven.

Oh, God, use us. Please keep ripping the blinders off of our eyes. Please keep softening our hearts to the least of these, and please allow us to keep opening our home to them. It's what Jesus would have done, isn't it? We are so weak, but you make us so strong. Help us to lean on your strength, your radical desires for our family. Help us to turn a deaf ear to others when we need to in a gracious and loving way.

Help me to be willing to spend myself for the weak. Help me to die to self daily.

He in me will fight for these children.
He in me will feed these little ones.
He in me will defend the fatherless.

God is the Father to these children, and He is asking us, asking me, to get to them, to be His body to them.

Defend the poor and the Fatherless. Psalm 82:3

Today is World Aids Day. I have shied away from the children on our agency's waiting child list with hiv, because I was scared. But there is NO FEAR in Christ. (2 Timothy 1:7) I was scared because I was uneducated. THESE our God's children as well, THESE little babes with hiv are the least of these that God is calling us to. And it really is not as risky as I once thought. God is softening my heart, opening my eyes, and showing me the truth about these precious little ones. Here is the truth.

As a follower of Christ, I must stand up and proclaim the truth and stop the lies. God looks at
the little child orphaned with hiv and says the same thing That's MY Hudson. If we believe that God is sovereign it is no risk to us at all to bring these sweet hearts home.

God forgive me for my unbelief. Forgive me for my ignorance. I want to do hard things for you, things that the world deems as foolish and crazy, and even other Christians, who have not yet had their eyes opened.

Use me. Over and over. This is not someone elses issue. This is MY issue.

I have a cause, and I am willing to see it.

Let my heart hurt and break for what hurts and breaks Yours.

I am not willing to suffer from depraved indifference any longer.

I thought this was a journey to add a baby to our family. I was so, so wrong. God has turned our world upside down, and I am so glad that He didn't leave me stagnant where I was. I carry a burden now. A burden to be an advocate for the least of these. A burden to bring as many of these little ones into my home as God allows.

And I feel unbelievably privileged and blessed.