We are now fully into the season of fundraising to bring our Jonas home. As we are in what would be typically the "dog days of summer", the McCulloch family is now in "full steam ahead mode." On Saturday, we learned that our file, now in China, has been fully translated into Mandarin, and within the coming DAYS we should receive our Letter of Approval. This means we are in the final stages of what has been nearly a year-long process. Nearing the end means that MANY of the large fees and costs are about to hit, and the thought of what has been saved and what remains would normally be enough to bring on a series of sleepless nights and anxiety attacks for me. But there is a tangible and REAL peace, never foolish blindness to or simply being naive to the challenges and reality around us. Amber and I just overwhelmingly sense that we can simply trust God. Now I would normally be one to scoff or even slightly roll my eyes when a dear saint of the Christian faith would share how "God hears and answers our prayers." I have let my faith become a bit cynical and rusted these past several years. There are broken lives I have prayed for that remain in a state of chaos and pain that my faith cannot make much sense of. And I would never have thought myself to be one who would utter what once seemed to be the stereotypical and cliche response to the challenges ahead with simply, "all will be well." But here we are, feeling peaceful ("most" of the time) and moving forward through what many have called "insane and crazy". We are adopting a son, from China, who is twelve years old and has hemophilia. And it has NOTHING to do with me. This is not a peace and a confidence that you would normally find in me. It can only be God and God alone. And once again, at a family garage sale fundraiser, hosted by my brother Joe and sister-in-law Michelle's home in Port Huron, God blessed us and reaffirmed his leading in this journey to bring home Jonas. And tonight with tears of joy and overflowing heart of gratitude, we cannot even begin to explain or express how touched we were by a simple garage sale. It was interesting to see people walk up my brother's driveway to peruse the "treasures" several families had donated to help us in an effort to raise funds for our adoption. As I have done at many garage sales, people would quickly skim the clothes, dvds, kids' toys, furniture, baby equipment, and many, many ceramic cookie jars. If nothing caught their eye, it would be a smile and a very quick retreat back to their vehicle, heading to the next garage sale. To some, despite the many donated treasures and the superb lemonade we were selling, our garage sale may have seemed nothing more than "junk" or "second hand". But to Amber and I, there was SO much at this garage sale that we felt was priceless. Not an item on our tables but the unabashed and bold love and support from our family and friends. Items that could have been sold to raise money for family vacations or to buy new furniture or pay for air conditioning repairs were sold to help bring a twelve-year old boy home from China. And it was HOT this weekend, muggy, over ninety degrees hot. Rain, adding to the humidity, would come and go, carelessly forcing our super team of family and friends to have to keep moving our deluxe garage sale to shelter.Ten minutes later, we were resetting up the sale again. We sweat together....ALOT. We organized and cleaned up together. We picked up more heavy and large items to sell together. We ate (and ate and ate) together. There were lots of great conversations and smiles the whole weekend. It was PERFECT chaos. And it was FAMILY and what FAMILY is SUPPOSE to be about. And love was felt every moment of this event. So to Brad and Renee Morris, to Jana Simpson, to my brother Jon and sister-in-law Corey, my brother Tim and sister-in-law Joann, to Aunt Renae Smith, and to my mom, THANK YOU. And again...THANK YOU. The money given for food and the donated items and the giving of hours and hours sitting and organizing and picking up items for the garage sale all show one thing about each of you: your immense hearts. The love and support shown not only helps to bring our Jonas home but also reaffirms how God continues to walk with our family every step of the way. Finally, to my brother Joe and sister-in-law Michelle, Amber and I are moved to tears at the extreme generosity and love you have shown our family by suggesting, planning, promoting, and then ultimately hosting this fundraiser. While we are grateful for the funds raised this weekend, it is MORE the fact that YOU opened your home to over twenty-two family members (many of whom were kids) for three days. You opened up your garage and driveway to hundreds of strangers and friends to peruse our garage sale. While kids jumped and swam in your pool, screamed and ran around your backyard, spilled countless cups of lemonade everywhere, and disrupted what could have been a peaceful summer weekend, you kept smiling and just gave. For us and your new nephew Jonas, you gave. And in the opening of your home, you really opened and again displayed your big, huge hearts and blew us away with your love and support. Thank you Joe and Michelle so VERY much. So to those that walked up that driveway and saw NOTHING but our second-hand junk, our old toys and clothing, and didn't drink our warm glasses of lemonade, you may have missed out on seeing the REAL TREASURES there. They were the support and unity of a family that shows LOVE to be MORE than just a word.
2 Comments
Aunt Renae Smith
8/15/2016 10:26:52 am
Perfectly said!!! You and your whole family are BLESSED to have each other!! Can't wait to meet Jonas and for your whole family and me to Love on him!!!
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Rhonda Chartier
8/15/2016 07:45:52 pm
Love, love, love hearing about the ways God is leading you through this process of adopting your son, Jonas. Thank you for blessing us with your story.❤️
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