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Freedom!
Posted by Steve Holt on June 30, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Some may have forgotten what Independence Day is all about. Wikipedia offers this thumbnail:
In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
In 1791 the first recorded use of the name “Independence Day” occurred. In 1820 the first Fourth of July celebration was held in Eastport, Maine which remains the largest in the state. In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees. In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.
Freedom comes in many forms. And who’s to say that one form of independence is more welcomed than another? I’ve never been enslaved by another person or government, so political independence doesn’t feel as much a gift for me as it probably does for Nelson Mandela, for example. But for years I was enslaved by tobacco and alcohol, and emancipation from those addictions still brings great joy and relief.
We are all addicted to something—recreation, sex, drugs, exercise, habits, work, food—and many addictions, no matter the form, are as enslaving as chains and as uncomfortable as a whip. I haven’t run across one drug addict that didn’t hate his “chain.”
We at Christian Homes often deal with couples who are enslaved by infertility. They so hope for the freedom of bearing children, like their friends and family all around them. But for whatever reason, they are not able to conceive. Lynn and I were there during the first years of our marriage and before our first son arrived. Being trapped in a situation beyond our control was as unsettling and painful as any addiction, any enslavement.
Adoption means liberation, freedom from the fetters of infertility. For couples who cannot bear their own children, adoption is as freeing as political release or addiction recovery.
Over the past 48 years, nearly 2,000 families have experienced Independence Day because Christian Homes & Family Services fought for their release.
Our God, from your sacred home you take care of orphans and protect widows. You find families for those who are lonely. You set prisoners free and let them prosper…(Ps. 68:5, 6)
Happy Independence Day!
Staff Spotlight: Mike Spell
Posted by Janet Mendenhall on June 28, 2010 at 7:53 am
When Mike Spell was born, Christian Homes & Family Services had been going strong for nearly 15 years. And while he was learning to multiply and divide and write in cursive, several of his coworkers were launching their careers here.
Mike joined the Christian Homes team in January as the foster care caseworker. He is quick to say that he was drawn here because of the richness of its heritage and the long-term commitment of the social work staff. In Mike’s opinion, that is unusual for this line of work and speaks volumes about an agency.
As the foster care caseworker, Mike Spell is responsible for supervising the foster children entrusted to our care, working with the existing foster families and recruiting and training new families to join Christian Homes in this ministry he is passionate about. Mike believes every child should have a safe place to call home and at least one adult in their life they can trust. Foster care for too many children is their only hope to see and experience a healthy family. The catastrophic number of children lacking that safety and trust in the state of Texas alone, fuels Mike’s passion for his work at Christian Homes.
“Interacting with people who want to make a difference in the life of a child — that’s my favorite part of my job,” Mike said. Encouraging people who share his dream for a healthy family for all children and planting that seed and watching it grow in the hearts of new families are the joys of his job.
When Mike is not working with foster families, he is busy playing with his family. Mike is married to Amanda and they have two children, Jacob, 5 and Sydney, 4. The Spells attend church at Highland Church of Christ where Amanda serves in the children’s ministry.
In 25 years if Mike Spell’s dream of every child living in a healthy family comes true, Christian Homes won’t need a foster care caseworker. But even if Mike works himself out of a job in foster care, Christian Homes will still be loving and supporting children and families and we hope he will still be here doing just that.
Perhaps somewhere out there is a young one learning to multiply and divide and write in cursive who will one day be amazed by Mike Spell’s tireless commitment to the ministry and be thrilled to join him.
Adoptive Families Circle
Posted by Taylor Engel on June 24, 2010 at 2:36 pm
We want to consistently pass along ways to connect with other people whose lives have been touched by adoption and today, I stumbled across this website: Adoptive Families Circle. They feature forums on topics ranging from infertility to finding the right agency to bringing baby home and even have different online support groups for couples in any stage of the adoption process. Blogging, contests, photo albums and more can be found on their site and it is all beautifully tied together in adoption. You can sign up to receive monthly newsletters from Adoptive Families and to be able to post photos, comments, blogs, etc. What other adoption-related communities are you connected to? We would love to hear about them!
Bi-Annual Family Picnic
Posted by Taylor Engel on June 21, 2010 at 8:01 am
A family favorite, time-honored good time is upon us! Please mark your calendar to join your Christian Homes family at our bi-annual family picnic on July 3rd from 9am to 2pm. You can expect crazy contests, bounce house fun, family pictures galore, train rides, a delicious cookout, 12 flavors of homemade ice cream and more! Families from all over will gather at the Abilene Zoo & Festival Gardens to celebrate adoption and to take a walk down memory lane. Zoo gates will open at 9:00 and admission tickets can be purchased for a nominal fee. You won’t want to miss the contests at 11:00 and the big family picture at 11:30. Burgers and hot dogs will be served from 12:00 to 1:00 hot off the grill, along with our smorgasboard of homemade ice cream! The adoption picnic is a great way to meet and perhaps reconnect with other families whose lives have been brought together through adoption and the staff of Christian Homes & Family Services looks forward to hugging your neck and hearing the latest about your family. If you have any questions about the picnic or would like to RSVP for your family, please call 325-677-2205.
Staff Spotlight: Angie Robbins
Posted by Taylor Engel on June 17, 2010 at 7:45 am
When a young woman bravely picks up the phone to call Christian Homes & Family Services to discuss the idea of making an adoption plan for her child, 9 times out of 10 she will speak with Angie Robbins, Maternity and Adoption Intake Coordinator. Within minutes of that phone call, this young woman will find she is speaking to a warm, compassionate and loving friend who will do anything she can to help this young woman.
When asked to describe Angie, her co-workers had these things to say:
“She will go the extra mile over and over again to try to help someone who needs help. She doesn’t see road blocks…just detour signs…doesn’t give up…and has fun all along the way.”
“She loves her job and has a heart for the birthmothers and prospective adoption families who call. Compassion is her middle name!”
“Angie loves people!”
“I always hear from birthmothers in the residential facility about how Angie is loving, caring, compassionate, and spiritual. When birthmothers arrive to Abilene they always want to meet the lady who they first talked to from CHFS, and that’s our Angie!”
“Angie is warm, welcoming, compassionate and eager to serve.”
Can you see why we’re so grateful Angie is answering the phone to talk with young women and prospective adoptive couples about the adoption process? Angie told me her job is her passion and that she loves being a part of this ministry.
After working for several years as the Director of Social Services for a children’s home in southwest Oklahoma, Angie made her way to Texas and Christian Homes & Family Services five years ago. We couldn’t be more thankful she did.
My Dad
Posted by Steve Holt on June 14, 2010 at 8:40 am
My Dad could divide a single stick of Dentyne gum into 6 equal parts for his 6 children to share.
My Dad could somehow make cigarette smoke come out of his ears.
My Dad could stitch a gash in one of his horses using needle and twine.
My Dad fainted when he watched a doctor stitch up a cut in my head.
My Dad could whip really hard.
My Dad could finish a house a week as a residential contractor.
My Dad could sweet talk a cop out of a well-deserved speeding ticket.
My Dad could catch the fresh eggs I threw down from our barn’s hayloft.
My Dad didn’t know his way around a kitchen.
My Dad taught me to hunt and fish and ride a horse.
My Dad called me on Saturday mornings at 6:00 to make sure I was up. I was in college.
My Dad raised tobacco, watermelons, strawberries, peanuts, pumpkins, popcorn, horses, cows and 6 kids.
My Dad took us to church 3 times a week. And every night of every gospel meeting.
My Dad left sacks of groceries on the door steps of poor people.
My Dad rallied our family to nurse an orphaned colt back to health.
My Dad.
Happy Father’s Day!
Staff Spotlight: Margaret Ballew
Posted by Janet Mendenhall on June 07, 2010 at 8:52 am
Want to know more about the staff here at Christian Homes & Family Services? Throughout the next few months we will be spotlighting different staff members to give you insight on the ins and outs of our ministry. Read along and get to know our beloved co-workers and friends…
Family is important to Margaret Ballew, so it is no surprise that for the last 27 years she has been building families one adoption story at a time. Margaret began writing happy endings as the adoption caseworker at Christian Homes & Family Services in December of 1982, after working six years with Child Protective Services in her hometown of Longview, TX. And now as Director of Adoption Services, and hundreds of couples later, she still marvels as the stories unfold.
Her favorite part of the story is always the climax. Placing a child at last in the loving arms and expectant hearts of a hopeful couple is never tiresome. And certainly none so marvelous as the one she remembers most fondly. This couple had suffered 12 miscarriages before beginning their adoption journey, and nothing compared to that moment when they saw and held their baby for the first time.
Bringing couples to that climactic moment is the real heart of Margaret’s day-to-day role as caseworker. Sifting through the mounds of paperwork is overwhelming to couples and caseworker alike. Multiple in-depth interviews can be frightening. The home study, a careful investigation and assessment of your ability to parent, can be a bit intimidating. Then the waiting begins as birth mothers review portfolios and the couples review parenting manuals. And Margaret is there, providing support throughout the journey. Even after the placement, she supervises the couple until the adoption is final, usually about 6 months.
The stories don’t end there even for Margaret, who smiles as she remembers the graduation announcements, wedding invitations, and school pictures she has received through the years. Hearing the rest of the stories from these families is an extra blessing. That Margaret Ballew is a blessing to families is unquestionable. Years later, Cathi Nelson, mother of two adopted children, says, “One of the things I love about Christian Homes, and I tell people this all the time, is that the same people who helped us get our children years ago are still there. How long has Margaret been there, 20-something years? There’s a consistency that you don’t find anywhere else.” Sharon Nolen had this to say about her journey with Margaret, “We don’t know what our adoption memories would have been like without Margaret; but, we know that with Margaret they are wonderful and warm. She was and still is a very nurturing and caring person…The Christian example that she continually displays is one of her most important attributes. She has strengthened us so many times.”
Though each story is different, Margaret is certain of the theme. God is faithful and his timing sure. She has seen it written over and over in couples losing hope as the wait seems endless for them and not for others, couples grieving in the wake of a birth mother’s changed mind, couples doubting their ability to parent a baby born with unexpected challenges. Each time, God provides. She remarked about one such special case, “It was a perfect match and still is!” Margaret knows God is the perfect matchmaker, and she loves being a small part of His stories.
Tied to Life
Posted by Taylor Engel on June 02, 2010 at 8:28 am
Want your Dad to know how important he is in your life? Get him “Tied-to-Life!”
“Tied to Life” is a unique way to honor the special men in your life – dad, husband, grandfather, father-in-law – and bless precious children who need a father. With a gift of just $20 or more, Christian Homes & Family Services will send your honoree a Tied to Life Father’s Day card notifying him a gift has been made to our life changing ministry in his honor. He doesn’t need another tie. He wants to be “Tied to Life!”
Looking for another way to honor him for Father’s Day? Make a donation in honor of your favorite duffer and you could win — a Taylor Made prize valued at $1475 including one Driver, a 3 Wood, and Irons in a Taylor Made bag.
For details on how to donate to Christian Homes & Family Services through Tied to Life or the Taylor Made Prize Giveaway, click “Home” at the top of the page. If you have questions or would like to donate over the phone, please call 325-677-2205.
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