Yesterday I read the article referenced in the link below. As I read, I was thinking in the context of currently raising our now 19 and 16 yr. old daughters (internationally adopted at 12.5 and 9) and how we have set, adjusted, and maintained rules and guidelines on media access and use since ‘day one’. And, I was faced with the reality of those guidelines now being ‘tested‘ as our oldest is away at college.

Today as I read Al Mohler’s thoughts/comments on the article I was reminded how difficult ‘media withdrawal’ was for our girls when we first brought them home–they were not at all used to restrictions on their media use and much of it’s impact remains with them to this day. Ever try to get an unpleasant song or a vile television image from years ago out of your head? Ever consider how excessive and in appropriate media impacts–even damages–brain wiring?

I’ll admit that it was challenging–no, exhausting–trying to redirect and retrain their desires and habits. Make no mistake, media is powerful–for both good and bad. That’s why the article/research, and now Mohler’s insights prompted me to post this–it is HARD work to reclaim and inform the minds of our older adopted children. The tension (and challenge) is exercising much compassion and understanding as we train them to use and enjoy media for God’s glory.

Take time to read this today, “Like the Air They Breathe” — The Online Life of Kids

This video is of the Rosenow children, as they sang “In Every Face” on November 22, 2009.  We love this family dearly and you might even recognize a few of the faces as some of those in our blog photo (above)!

Congratulations Cassandra!!  Our youngest son drew your number, so you will be receiving a copy of  _Successful Christian Parenting_ , by John MacArthur, very soon.  Thanks to everyone who entered the drawings this month.   May the Lord continue to bless you as you strive to serve Him in your daily lives.

This week, we will be doing something a little different in recognition of National Adoption Awareness Month.  The past two weeks we have had drawings for specific books, but this week the winner will choose what book they would like to receive!!  To see the list of books to choose from, click on the Recommended Reading tab at the top of this page.  If there is a book which is not on this list that you would like, please list it and mention how you think it would be helpful for parents of an adopted child.  We are always looking for good resources, too!

To enter this drawing, leave a comment on this post saying which of these books you would choose if you won.  Those who have entered in the previous two weeks may enter again (although we respectfully ask the winners to refrain from entering).  This is your chance to get that book you have been wanting, but just have not found the time or money to purchase!

Congratulations Monica–check your email for details!

Again, thanks to all who entered! We at “Adoption 3:16″ are delighted to put these very helpful books into the hands of other adoptive families!

Drawing now CLOSED–thanks to all who entered, please check back later today to see who won!

In recognition and support of “National Adoption Awareness” month, we’re giving away another great book that we have found to be very helpful as we raise our adopted (and bio.!!) children–”Age of Opportunity” by Paul David Tripp.

If you’d like to enter the drawing for this book, just leave a comment to this post telling us that you’d like to be entered! We’ll draw and announce the winner on Friday (Nov. 13).!

It is with much sadness that I wish our oldest son, Sergei, a happy birthday (he turned 22 yesterday).  You see, he has not been living in our home since October of 2007, when we had to turn him out and change the locks on our doors.  This was not an easy step to take.  In fact, it was the most difficult parenting decision we have ever had to make, to date.  We made many mistakes along the way as we parented this young man, adopted at the age of 13 from Russia (this photo was taken when he was 14), but his defiance of our house rules finally reached the point of no turning back.  With broken hearts, we sent him out of our home, where he literally slept in his car for many nights, before beginning a long string of couch surfing in the homes of his “friends”.

Sergei, like most older adopted boys, had a very rough childhood.  I cannot go into details without his permission, but suffice it to say that it was very, very difficult…  However, there was also a very sensitive side to this young man.  Soon after he joined our family, we discovered that he was a very talented artist.  Photography became his chosen mode of expressing himself, with some truly amazing photos emerging from his lens.  His love of nature was expressed with the true eye of an artist, as he could wait patiently for hours, watching for hummingbirds to snap photos of.

My heart breaks as I think of him now, staying with a friend just a block from our house.  We see him occasionally and he stays in contact with one of his brothers.  He has shown no repentance for his actions while at home, yet this mother’s heart yearns for his return to our family.  We will not give up our prayers on his behalf.  Please, as the Lord leads, would you say a prayer for Sergei, also?

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
(1Jn 5:14-15)

…yes, that says “winners“–plural! We decided to give away TWO copies this week! Congratulations to Rocky and Kim — check your email for details.

Thanks to all for visiting us here at “Adoption 3:16″. Be sure to check back with us on Monday when we announce another great book we’ll be giving away!

I was recently talking to our oldest daughter, whom we adopted from Russia at the age of 14 years old (she is in the photo above with her own daughter, 1 1/2 years old), regarding the early years of her life in Siberia.  As I hope to someday write an inspirational book based upon her life, I was asking her questions regarding what a “typical” day would have been like for her and her two brothers, when they still lived at home with their birth parents.  None of the answers she gave me spoke of a loving mother.  In fact, it became more and more clear that their mother had severely neglected them on a daily basis.  I was already aware of this at some level, but as she spoke matter-of-factly about their lives and struggles, I was struck by her lack of bitterness towards an alcoholic mother who never did much of anything to take care of her children.

In response to my question of whether she had any anger towards their birth mother (she died on our daughter’s 9th birthday, when she and her brothers were in the orphanage), she replied, “No Mom, I don’t.  I used to be very angry with her, but when I became a believer at 16 I realized that there was nothing I could do about those times and that I should not be angry with her.  So, I have not been angry since then.”

Wow.  At the young age of 22, our daughter is, in many ways, wiser and more spiritually mature than I am.   As I watch her with their sweet daughter, I am also amazed at the mother’s love that comes so naturally to her, though she lacked a motherly example in her own young years.   Little did we know, when we gave our daughter the middle name of Grace in Russia, just how well God would illustrate His own amazing grace in her life throughout the coming years.  To GOD be the glory, great things HE has done!!

DRAWING CLOSED – winner to be announced this afternoon. Thanks for participating!

Our first book giveaway during “National Adoption Awareness” month is a booklet by Paul David Tripp, “Helping Your Adopted Child – Understanding Your Child’s Unique Identity”.

To take part in this giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment to THIS post saying you’d like to enter this drawing–be sure to leave us sufficient contact info. Please feel free to post links to our drawings at your blog and/or pass the word to friends.

Check back Friday, Nov. 6 when we’ll draw and post the winner–check back throughout November for more giveaways!Dra