Mike Ruman | Husband, Father, Friend, Fighter

3 Types of Responses to Child Abuse

It’s the morning after my longest night ever. My night was spent in the Children’s Hospital here in Colorado Springs. Our foster daughter just had brain surgery and we’re here recovering.

There was a lot going on in the hospital last night, besides our own child’s problems. I heard a code red issued and many feet went a running. My mind raced with ideas of what the code red was all about. More than likely it was a hurting child.

Spending the night here got me thinking about kids in pain, sick kids, abused kis. It’s hard to accept the fact that bad things do happen to good people, even kids and babies. I figure there are three types of people when it comes to this. Here they are:

Pretend Nothing Bad Happens To Children – If we ignore the problem it goes away, right? Nope. I’m also thinking that some people just don’t have the emotional threshold to deal with a child going through this sort of stuff. I know I was regretting coming in and seeing our own foster daughter in the state she was in, it’s rough.

Acknowledge That Bad Things Happen and Do Nothing – A quote from Elie Wiesel comes to mind “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”
- Someone else will take care of them.
- It’s not my job.
- I have enough on my plate as it is.
Do something. Step up. Make a difference. Even if it’s something small. We all have special gifts and talents that allow us to lend a hand here or there. I promise you once you step up you will not regret it.
People that Act and Help Out – I spent the first 26 years of my life as a #2, I knew bad things happened but did nothing. Why? I don’t know, mostly selfishness. It didn’t benefit me so I wasn’t going to do anything. I kick myself sometimes at the years I wasted, but then I quickly kick myself again and say you’re doing something now, so shut up and keep doing. It’s easy to beat ourselves up about what we do or don’t do to help out.

Bottom line: Which number are you now … and which number will you be this time next year? You have the power to control that, do something about it.

Filed Under: Foster Parenting, General

I Went Forward For Prayer

by Mike

Last week after the service an Indian couple sitting behind me were talking after the service, and I was eavesdropping.

“I’m going forward for prayer.” said the man.

“For healing?” said the woman with him.

And off he went.

I was impressed with both of their faith in the power of prayer, something I’ve been having my doubts with lately, prayer.

Driving home I thought to myself ”man, I wish I believed in prayer like those two people.” I see all these bumper stickers “prayer is power”, they believe it, why can’t I?

Fast forward to this week. I’ve been tearing through Tozer’s The Pursuit of God, and have been applying that to my own life, my own pursuit.

One of the chapters talks about laying down your “self”. I’m a pretty proud person and that’s hard. I thought I could really use some help with that, I could really use some prayer on that.

So this week I vowed to go forward after the service, something I haven’t done since I was probably 8 years old, I know, I suck.

After the service was done people went filing out, talking about football, food, kids, anything but prayer. I gave a glance from the back of the room and couldn’t spot a pastor. “Sweet, I can just leave.”

But then I spotted one, standing alone.

My feet felt like concrete blocks but I went forward. I told the pastor I needed some prayer. “Prayer for what?” “I don’t know, my pursuit of God in 2011.”

The pastor prayed a very beautiful, sincere prayer on my behalf. A bright light didn’t shine on me but I did feel like I did the right thing, the thing I needed, prayer.

I left feeling about the same as I did going in to church. I’m still somewhat skeptic, but the prayer was made.

Now the question is will it make any difference?

Filed Under: Faith

Four Projects I’d Love To Launch

by Mike

It’s Monday night and I just realized I don’t have a post for tomorrow. So, thus, this post.

I thought I’d write about four projects that I have going on … in my head. But once I type them here they will be in my head AND digital.

ServeProject - See this post
FosterSource (or fosterbook) – A guide for foster parents. It will have stories of fostering, what is fostering, the process, etc.
ActionDevo – A devotional that pushes people to DO something. The serveproject kinda morphed out of this.
coloradoyouthministry – This was a site I made for Youth for Christ that fell to the wayside cause I refused to buy the domain name again. I believe people should own their own domain names, not me. But, I think they’ll buy the domain and have the site up soon.

So those are the four projects I have floating around in my head … and now here. I wrote down two more ideas during church yesterday. They are so-so, but could launch … someday.

In closing I just wanted to say I’m proud of myself for getting a post out this week. Aren’t YOU?

Filed Under: General