So, if you’re thinking of adopting kids that don’t look like you and are from out of the country… and if your experience is anything like ours, then here’s my assessment of the most common responses you might get, in no particular order.

NEW TOY AMAZEMENT: “oh they are sooo cute.” This is usually said in a voice that seems to imply that they are not real people and more like giant toy dolls. We try and move on fast.

SPEAKING BEFORE THINKING: “Do you do daycare?” “They don’t seem to know how to use the computer…?” You’ll try as best you can to answer the question politely and with a smile, but you really want to say, “Did you really just ask me that?”.

NOT MY PROBLEM: “well, you’re the one who decided to adopt.” This is said or implied by some when problems arise. It’s the adoption version of “I told you so”, especially from those who thought it was a bad idea in the first place.

JOY: “I love your family” Genuinely some friends and even perfect strangers are encouraged by what they see and know you did to make this happen.

CURIOSITY: “Do they speak English?” “Did you work with an adoption agency?” “How long did the process take?” “How much money did it cost?” Some have a genuine question and really want to know details.

CONCERN: “How are things going? Is everyone adjusting well?” How are you doing, really?- is essentially what they are asking.

EYEBALLS: Some won’t say a thing, but the scene that is my family has caused a scene and the eyeballs are taking note, trying to figure out which response is theirs. We are a people watching spectacle.

UNSOLICITED ADVICE: “We adopted too and blah blah blah” Those who have been there and done that will tell you what they’ve been there and done. Who, how, and when this is done determines how welcome this advice really is.

SHOCK: “You did what?” Yeah we know… it still shocks us too.

There ya have it, the roller coaster of emotions and experiences that have come along with the adoption process. Parenting- all parenting- is like that…a roller coaster of experience, response, emotion, success, and failure…. and the older I get, the more I realize, I’m part of the problem and part of the process that solves them.

So if ya wanna join us, dive in, the water is deep, but the swim is good for the soul.

Q: What am I talking about?

A: This website being promoted by these full page ads they have taken out in magazines like Time, Newsweek, and National Geographic. Someone behind these has their feet on the ground where Americans are living today… and I’m guessing some money too.

The official UMC website indicates this is the goal of these ads:

• A print advertisement directs people to www.10thousanddoors.org, a new website launched April 20 as part of The United Methodist Church’s Rethink Church awareness campaign. The site encourages people to think about church as a doorway to service in the world. (primarily those who are 18-34 and unchurched or with a negative church experience is their target)

I grew up in the Methodist Church as a kid. I taught a seminar for Youth Specialties, hosted by a UMC church in Texas last weekend. I’ve attended the local Methodist church in our community and liked what I heard and saw. I surfed their official theology on their national website and I can’t find much to disagree with, though I know some of the practices of certain communities with this label outside the doors I would not support.

I attended a Christian Missionary Alliance church in high school and did my internships there too. I attended a Baptist church in college. I served in an Evangelical Free Church for 11 years in Fremont. I now work in a non-denominational church with Calvary Chapel roots. I’m officially a denominational mutt.

The resulting bottom line is I don’t give a royal rip what name you stick outside of the door of your building. If I can walk through it and find the conviction and truth of God’s words, the love and grace of a God-fearing community, and the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit, then we’re good. I really have ZERO denominational loyalties.

As a result, I really like what these Ads stand for- especially if they are not merely social justice ploys. I think that the church is losing ground in the culture we live in and if God’s people are going to make a difference, then we better wake up and leave our four walls and start being real salt and light to the world around us that people can actually taste and see or we’re going to loose even more ground and be even less the people of God than many “churches” already are today.

For what it’s worth, I hope a lot of people join this UMC movement and find

1. a real, life altering connection with their Creator through Jesus Christ
2. they are part of a lot of churches with thousands of denominational doors that are doing this too.
3. the opportunity to join God as the ones who spread the Spirit’s influence in practical redemptive ways all over the planet.

May God’s Kingdom be Advanced. Period.

PS…. if you really want to hear what’s behind this thing, watch this 9 minute video explaining, what, why, who, when, and how this is all planned out by the UMC. This is a fully orchestrated event.

The last time my wife logged on, this is what she found her desktop to say.

It is sponsored by the Berrytribe Adoption Committee.

She is officially now a supermom.  Don’t jack with her.  She is holding down the homefront. 

… but definitely the best I’ve ever been in, was last week in Austin, Texas.

I went there to teach my final weekend of the YS One Day team this year. But before I arrived I searched facebook for those who where around Austin and found a former student and friend of mine, Nathan, who lives in the area. So I said, hey… let’s meet for java somewhere.

He said, “I know the perfect place. It’s called mozart’s.” And after I spent 6 hours there last Friday writing, reading, and enjoying friendship… I now proclaim it is AMAZING!!!!

Here’s what makes it the best…. I tripple dog dare you to tell me where else you can get all of this:

• free internet
• 2 levels of ample seating everywhere, both inside and out, with massive quantities of places to plug in your laptop- even on the outdoor deck!
• water front views with natural shade provided by giant oak trees.
• roast their own coffee on site from raw beans
• brewed coffee is bottomless. Buy it once, you’re good all day, no refill fee!
• nice espresso drinks by people who know what they are doing.
• the staff is genuinely nice and loves what they are about.
• java and pastries are served on real dishes if you’re staying on site- and who wouldn’t?
• custom baked and nicely prepared pastries and desserts that look awesome.
• serves a small selection of local ice cream, java shakes, and gelato.
• a fridge that has non-java drinks, and custom italian sodas for those who are java free.
• a nice selection of teas
• small sharing library of books you can read.
• live local music on many nights, especially the weekends
• open til midnight, Friday and Saturday til 1am!

If Mozart’s was in my community, I would officially never be in the office and would just carve my name in a table and set up office hours there. If I was single, I’d just sleep in my car and shower in the river.

One day, if Jesus let’s me, I’m gonna open a place just like this… only difference will be these additions…

• I’ll add a “mom” room where you can drink and your kids can play.
• I’ll have some seminar rooms where we’ll teach basic classes in both Christian life and beliefs as well as practical living like music, writing, computers, and photography and stuff- some will have a small fee, some will be free- you can sign up online.
• It’ll be “closed” on Sundays from 8 to noon, cuz that’s when we’re gonna turn it into church. You can come and enjoy community with java, sing some songs, and some interactive teaching around tables all over the place.

The last time my wife logged on, this is what she found her desktop to say.

It is sponsored by the Berrytribe Adoption Committee.

She is officially now a supermom.  Don’t jack with her.  She is holding down the homefront.