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Showing posts with label Homestudy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homestudy. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Motivation...

Sometimes, I struggle with motivation. Not what my motivation is, but rather, being motivated to do something. I always start out with really good intentions and typically, the prize at the end is worth whatever it is I have to do to achieve it. You know... like cleaning the house for our home study. If we wanted to be approved, we had to go through the process. Class deadlines. If I want to get good grades and earn my master's degree, I have to do my assignments. Work. If I want to get paid, I have to go. If I want to lose weight and get new clothes :o) I have to exercise and eat well. If I want to have lots of visitors to my blog and make friends, well... I have to BLOG something!

The thing is that I am not always motivated. How about you? Do you ever feel like that? Well, this morning, I jotted down a few fleeting thoughts about this in hopes of blogging about it later. Then, in the middle of our day, we had our first convocation (read: chapel service) of the year, and the speaker talked about VISION. About hit me in the back of the head! LOL! :o) That is totally it! My vision is my motivation, and let's face it, my lack of vision results in my lack of motivation. What does the Bible say about that?

Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people perish:
but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

...or the same verse from The Message:

If people can't see what God is doing,
they stumble all over themselves;
But when they attend to what he reveals,
they are most blessed.



Scary thought, isn't it? It's true, though! When I don't have vision (or motivation), when I can't see what God is doing, I feel like my life is perishing. I find myself stumbling around. Then, that is when I must look back to God and ask Him to reveal HIS vision for me. What He wants me to do. Where He wants me to be.

On the way home for lunch today, I was sitting at a stop light. While the light was still red, I looked in the rear view mirror and quickly snapped a picture with my iPhone. Aren't iPhones great?!? :o) It's not the greatest quality picture, but it reminded me of something I have heard many times before....



...and that is that it is often easier to see God through the rear view mirror than it is to see Him through the windshield. Ok, I know that isn't necessarily the most sound theology. Sometimes, I have, in fact, heard Him speak to me on the front side of things, but I have also found this premise to be true at times. Looking back over my life and experiences, I can see now how God was working, even though I didn't necessarily recognize it at the time.

It is beautiful, though, isn't it? Not just the picture, although I am fortunate to see the beautiful mountains every day! I'm talking about God's work. His hand in our lives, guiding and directing every step, even when life seems messy.

I know I don't want to be a woman who stumbles all over herself... who has no vision... who perishes. I want to be a woman of vision. A woman who attends to what He reveals to me. A woman who is blessed by God's vision for her life.

Over the years, I have definitely had some of my own visions for my life. To be a mother. To be a counselor. To make this recipe... even though the ingredients still sit on my counter a week two weeks after I bought them. To weigh 120 pounds. Stop laughing. I will get there someday! See... I'm motivated! :o) I don't know yet the entirety of God's vision for me, but He is literally speaking bits and pieces into my life right now. Pieces that I am tucking away until I am able to clearly see the whole picture. Or, maybe He will only give me enough for each little step of the way. That would be just like Him, now, wouldn't it!?! :o)

What about you? What vision has God revealed to you? Do share... and don't forget to look in your rear view mirror!

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Tuesday Tidbits...

18 pages to go!!!

***

Lately, it feels more like everyday tidbits, and not just Tuesday tidbits. Hmmm... my life is spinning so fast, I can't hold on!

***

I got an email from a blog reader who found me through another blog that I follow. Ha! A friend of a friend of a friend. :-) It's really cool, though. This is another waiting adoptive mom who was just looking for some encouragement, and it brings me such pleasure to be able to share my story. You know, that is one of the reasons why I started this blog in the first place. To share. To encourage. Then, in return, I am finding that I receive far more encouragement than I pass out. What a blessing to me! You know? We just need each other in this life!

***

We had another two hour delay today. My goodness, God seems to be chipping away at the Global Warming theory. ;-)

***

Can I just say that my sister and I are exactly alike! We say the same things at the same time in the same voice using exactly that same words! Oh. my. goodness. Like, you know when you make a phone call that doesn't go through properly and you hear your own voice bouncing back at you, but it sounds like it is actually her talking to you??? It is all just a little bit creepy. ;-)

***

We asked the agency that we were looking at in PA about whether or not we would have to do a new home study. The good news is that they said no. The other good news is that they said we would only have to update our home study. The bad news is that they said that PA requires new criminal background checks, including fingerprints EVERY YEAR. Um, we all know how that turned out for me before. Remember? I don't even want to go there. I'm thinking we move along to some other agencies that are not in the state of PA. I hear Florida is looking nice this time of year.

***

Goldie slept in her bed last night with her blanket. Of her own accord. Praise God! It's becoming a habit. :0)

***

So... what are some of the tidbits of your life right now? Do share!

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Today...

I am tired.

I am going to the eye doctor later to find out if the drops have done their job this time.

Goldie slept at on my feet last night. Then, when I got up this morning, she got down and got comfy in her bed. Fail.

I forwarded our home study to the Florida agency last night and made contact with yet another agency by email today. A friend of a friend where we work recommended this other agency. It is in PA. They have already responded and will be sending us information. They don't do tons of placements each year (about the same number that our agency does), but they only have 9 families in their waiting pool right now. Here's the kicker, though. Only two of those families are open to any child. Score. God knows. So, I figure, the more options the better, right? I also feel better while waiting when I am active in the process. I don't know why, but it helps me to feel like I am achieving something.

8 more pages / 13 more questions DONE... 75 more pages / 129 more questions TO GO! Do you think I can do it in 3 days??? 25 pages a day. Well, maybe if we get all the snow everybody is talking about, work will be closed tomorrow. I can hope. :-)

I ate moose tracks ice cream for dinner last night and pop tarts for lunch today. Um... I needed the room in the freezer, and I have no excuse for lunch. I like SUGAR!

Ben and Goldie have been out and about in the house every afternoon for the last week or so. Still nothing destroyed! Yay!!! They are growing up. :-)

Out for now.

11 days until my intensive.

Saturday, January 09, 2010

"Do you think I scared her much?"

That is the question D.T. asked me as we walked through the grocery store after our meeting was over.

Our 2 1/2 hour meeting.

Well, I don't think D.T scared her, but we did have a very open and honest and long discussion. We definitely let our true personalities "shine" through. Why not? I figure now is not the time to start putting on "masks."

Wow. I am sure you would just love to hear all the gory details of our meeting, but suffice it to say that I left the meeting physically exhausted and physically ill. Just keepin' it real. I pretty much ended our time feeling like this.


No, she is not just enjoying the sun. She is about to be physically ill. The way I was and still am feeling right now. It's not that anything bad was said. It is just that the information we were presented with was very... well... heavy. It was a lot. It was intense. It was overwhelming. I think I just need a little time to digest it all. To take it in. To gather my strength.

Yes, that is something I'm going to need a lot of because the things we are going to have to do will literally take us back to the very beginning. No short cuts. No copies. No, I already did that. Informational sessions. Home studies. Visits. Clearances. Fingerprints. Training. Profiles. Albums. Not something I am looking forward to. I'm not sure how we ever got through it the first time, so I certainly can't imagine doing it all over again.

It makes it even harder, too, that we are not leaving our current agency. I mean, why would we? We've already invested non-refundable money with them and we still have a long time left on our contract. It is just that we are going to branch out... investigate additional agencies, websites, etc... and perhaps employ them to do what our current agency is already doing. To get our name and profile out for more eyes to see. Who knows. Our baby could end up coming from the agency where we already are. Or it might not. We just believe we need to open ourselves up. Increase our visibility. Pursue every road.

Unfortunately, that will take time. That will take money. That will take strength. That will take faith.

Please continue to pray. You are appreciated more than you know. We didn't get through this the first time without your intercession, and I know we won't get through it now without the same.


Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Tuesday Tidbits...

Hmmmm... is it too early in the year for blogger's cramp?

We seem to have settled back into routine, and by that I mean we go to work each day, come home each day, eat too much, play with the dogs, and go to sleep. Exciting, no?

Oh, I thought I would share with you the pictures we want to add to our adoption album. One of them is kind of cheesy, but I really couldn't think of any other way to represent my MS. I figure the birth moms deserve to hear about the challenges in our lives from us instead of our home study, and that way, they can hear our perspective and how God has used it in our lives.

Creative, don't you think? ;-)

Really, as much as I dislike taking shots day in and day out, God has taught me so much through this challenge about myself and trusting Him each and every day.


Have I ever shown you these pictures of D.T.??? These were taken all the way back in 1990 after he was shot in the Romanian Revolution and spent 2 months in the hospital recovering from his injuries. I can hardly believe it is him, but it is certainly evidence of God's hand upon his life and the miraculous ways God brought him through.

I also can't believe that I was only 14 years old when these pictures were taken! Hehehe! Cradle robber! ;-)


These are all (or at least most) of his nieces and nephews gathered around him at the house. This picture just makes me feel... well... OLD!!! Every single one of these young men and women are now adults, some with children, and friends with us on Facebook. Yikes! Where does the time go???

You know, when we finished our adoption album and turned it in, I said I would never touch it again! Um... watch what you say, C.C. It's about time to break out the scrapbooking supplies again.

Oh, well, time for work. Hey, please keep me accountable to finish this addition to our album! You know me. I am a bit of a procrastinator. :-)

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Thursday, November 06, 2008

**UPDATE**


~Complete and approved~

Thursday, October 23, 2008

A surreal task...

The draft of our homestudy is complete and was sent to us this morning for our review.

It is rather surreal to read about one's life in printed form.

Please pray for us as we approach the task of making sure everything is correct, truthful, and accurately reflects our lives.

***Oh, and congratulations to Jessica T. and Amy H. who both correctly guessed (on IM and in person) the year of DoubleT's citizenship ~ 2001.

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Monday, October 20, 2008

A promise kept...

I don't really feel very talkative right now. I know... you are probably saying "Yeah, right. She is always talkative." But really, I feel kind of "Blah" right now. Nevertheless, I promised "a longer post tonight" and "more later," so here it is.

My fingerprints came back today, and according to our caseworker, they will be "added to our file." Hmmm... you would think that with as much trouble as they caused, something more should be done with the precious fingerprints than just "adding them to our file."

The agency will work to finish our homestudy this week... or the "draft" of our homestudy, I should say. Next, DoubleT and I have to review the draft of the homestudy to make sure it is accurate and that we agree with what was said.

After that, we will be free to submit our profile and album. Um, yeah. We have a lot of work to do on that. We spent several hours this weekend scanning 88 photos so that we can print copies. Of course, not all will make it in the album, but a girl needs choices, right?

I imagine that the next few months will remain busy and jam packed with life as usual, intermingled with all the holiday parties and travel. Please continue to pray for us as we try to fit this process into the mix.

Oh, I almost forgot. "Week 5" is upon us again. Papers and late nights. I'm glad that DoubleT is taking a few moments to rest right now. Actually, he is out cold on the couch with Ben, and Goldie is sleeping on the chair next to me. Why am I the only one awake right now? Oh yeah... I promised.

Good night.

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Check in tonight...

for a longer post, but for now...

My fingerprint results came back today. I am officially NOT a criminal.

More later...

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Thursday, October 02, 2008

A little bit of fun...

It doesn't seem like we've made much progress on our album... both of us working all day and then DoubleT grading stuff for classes all evening doesn't really make either of us feel like working for hours on a scrapbook. Knowing that we don't have to turn it in yet because the homestudy can't be finished until my fingerprints come back doesn't help either. Seriously, that is just a recipe for procrastination! :-) Our caseworker reminded me yesterday that at the training we attended in April, the agency gave all us prospective adoptive parents a CD containing a sample album. I had totally forgotten about this! I pulled it out last night and it gave me a LOT of good ideas!! It kind of made the assignment feel a whole lot more concrete for me.

Little by little, inch by inch... We will get it done!

We're at least having fun anyway! We've come across some great pictures, and I thought I would share two of them with you here... The first is DoubleT when he was little in Romania. I'm not sure how old he was, but I'm thinking maybe 3? The second picture was taken quite a few years ago at DoubleT's birthday dinner with my family at Don Pablos. Whatcha think? Was it prophecy? :-)

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Disappointed... but not defeated!

We just received an email from our caseworker letting us know that my fingerprints were rejected by the FBI for the second time. I have been told that sometimes years of playing the piano can make it difficult to get clear fingerprints. We're guessing that's what my problem is. Who knows? I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed. Today is the last day of September, and we had hoped to have a completed homestudy in our hands by the end of this month.

The agency will request that the FBI do a manual background search for me. I have no idea what the time frame for that is.

In the meantime, we will work on our album, wait on God's timing, and continue to praise Him for His goodness...

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:16

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Working in the background...

I think the adoption process is easier for me when I am actually DOING something than it is when I am just waiting.

While we do have the task of completing the album and profile, as far as the homestudy is concerned, our part (the visits) is pretty much over. I wish that meant that the homestudy is complete, but there is still much that our caseworkers have to do to sort through, clarify, and organize the information they gathered from and about us.

And, it's not always so black and white... already this week, there have been several occasions where additional information has been requested from us or where somewhat "muddy" questions on the child acceptance form have had to be revisited and reconsidered.

I say all this to let you know that there may be times when I seem somewhat silent and don't have anything particularly **exciting** to share. When that happens, though, it doesn't mean that we, the caseworkers, and most importantly - - God - - are not working in the background to bring together HIS perfect picture.

God is using you, too - even now, to "work in the background" of this journey...

I do not mean to sound like a broken record, but I deeply realize and appreciate the value of many who have interceded on my (and our) behalf through many situations over the years.

So, when the Holy Spirit brings us to your mind, please allow Him to continue to use you to intercede on our behalf. There is much to lay at His feet...
  • us and our family
  • the birthmother, the birthfather, and their families
  • the caseworkers
  • the staff caring for all the birthmothers and the staff taking care of all the paperwork at the agency
  • provision of the funding we need to complete the adoption
Isn't is amazing how He draws us all together for His good purposes!



Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

What's wrong with this picture?

You would think I could read simple instructions. Black. Not blue.



Oh, well. My over-eagerness to fill out the form ahead of time in the wrong color ink was corrected easily enough with yet another new card...

So, the 2nd set of fingerprints are now turned in, soon to be on their way back to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The officer that took them this time said (with emphasis) "THESE will NOT be rejected." We'll see what the FBI says. :-)

While the last day or two has produced a few bumps - some that I am not free to share here, I want you to know that we have felt your prayers and we know that God is faithful. We would be ever so grateful if you would continue to pray that God's will would be accomplished in our lives through this process, and that nothing would stand in His way...

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Monday, September 08, 2008

Pray...

Ok, I know this might not be a big thing, but I really think Satan is doing his best to mess with the small details of this adoption.

I just received word that my fingerprints were rejected by the FBI, and so I have to have them redone right away. No, this does not mean that I am a criminal. :-) I hear that this happens very frequently in the adoption process, but I didn't think it would happen to us... well, maybe I thought it might happen to DoubleT's because of the accident with his finger when he was little, but I didn't think mine would get rejected.

I will try to get them redone ASAP, so please pray specifically for the officer who takes them... it is required that a different officer take them the second time so that, if they are rejected again, the agency can request a "manual scan," whatever that is... I think that means that I would have to have them done on a computer, which would mean traveling somewhere... **sigh*** I hope that's not the case.

Trusting God, Who is in control of ALL things!

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...



****UPDATE****
We picked up a new, blank fingerprint card from the agency at lunch time and I asked if a "manual scan" would require us to travel somewhere.... the answer was "no." Praise God! Apparently, it just means that if the prints are rejected twice, and as long as they were done by different officers, then the agency can fax in a form to the FBI requesting that the fingerprints be verified manually by a person, rather than by a machine.

So, new fingerprints are scheduled for tomorrow, and there will be no charge since the first ones were rejected! Yaayyyy!!!

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

The morning report...

Let me start by saying "thank you" once again. Thank you for praying for us. Thank you for patiently tolerating my limited update last night. It may take my body a few days to catch up with myself, although I am already feeling a little more rested this morning.

Satan tried his best yesterday to dampen our spirits leading up to the last visit.

My head and neck began to throb at about 2 p.m., and for the next hour, I ran into road blocks every which way I turned in my search for caffeine to ease the pain just a little. No change in my purse, an out of order ATM, no stash in the car, dozens upon dozens of people in the check-out lines at the cafe... Where's a girl to turn?

After finally securing my needed fix, the day continued uneventfully until the time we were supposed to leave. We had taken a shorter lunch than usual so that we could leave a little early, but at 4:30, chaos ensued, and we didn't make it out the door until shortly before 5.

This is just NOT how things were supposed to go. The caseworkers were scheduled to be at our home right after 5. Now, WE were going to be late.

I should stop here, and praise God for the things He has taught me this last year which prepared me for yesterday and stomped out all of Satan's efforts...

My typical reaction to the way things were going would have been to get stressed, angry, and take it out in the form of sarcasm on my poor, unsuspecting husband. And while I must admit that I felt that way on the inside, I am glad to report that I didn't act that way (nearly as much as usual :-)) on the outside. While I am definitely not perfect in this area, He has been teaching me to rejoice always in the uncontrollable circumstances of life and to pray without ceasing throughout the day. Instead of dwelling on all of the "what ifs" and "whys," I have found myself turning those thoughts into petitions for help and guidance from the One who created and holds all things in His hands. Much more practical and effective, I think!

Back to the story...

We arrived home BEFORE the caseworkers got there, and had just enough time for the two of us to (please don't laugh or shake your head at my Type-A obsessions) quickly mop the living room floor. Then, I took the contacts out of my tired, red eyes, and clipped back the too-long bangs out of my face. Much more comfortable, I heard the doorbell and came downstairs just as DoubleT was welcoming our guests inside for the evening.

We started with a tour of our oh-so-clean house which is now ready for the movie night with our Sunday School class on Saturday night... BONUS! :-)

Home layout observed and fire extinguisher locations noted, we sat down in the living room to answer all of the rest of the questions needed to satisfy the state's home study requirements.

Here's just a sample of the variety of questions we were asked...

  • How many square feet are there in your house?
  • What is the value of your home?
  • What is the price range of homes in your neighborhood?
  • What is your philosophy of discipline?
  • How far from your house is the nearest elementary school?
  • What about the nearest playground?
  • ...the nearest hospital?
  • ...doctor's office?
  • Is there a diversity of age and race within the people in your neighborhood?
  • Describe the people in your neighborhood.
  • How many siblings do you have?
  • What are the names, ages, and breeds of your pets?
  • Under what circumstances are your pets kept in their crates? (they saw that we have crates for both dogs)
  • Are you planning to stay in this home for the next 5 years? (goodness gracious, I hope not - I might suffocate!!!)
There really are no right or wrong answers. I would describe it more as a fact-finding mission in an effort to summarize our life.

We finished up at almost 7 p.m. It was a pleasant evening, and I was encouraged by a few things that were said. The first? Our state's laws have changed, and a home study is now good for 3 years instead of just one. If we are not selected by a birth mother within the next year, the only thing we will have to update is our health forms. Praise God!!! The second? We definitely have enough room in our tiny townhouse for a baby or even for a toddler. That buys us TIME! So, we are going to postpone our plans to move for now and wait until life settles in and the housing market rebounds a little for sellers. In the meantime, we'll continue to focus on sorting through and clearing out more of our almost-12-years-of marriage junk accumulation. The home study gave us a great jump start on that and a brand new shredder to aid in the process! :-)

So, on we go... there are a few more pieces of information we need to gather and send to the caseworkers. They are also waiting for the background checks to come back from the state, and then they will work to compile everything, hopefully by the end of September.

Our next task is to complete the album and profile that birth mothers will view. We would ask that you continue to pray with and for us through this piece of the process.

Specifically, please pray that God would give us wisdom and direct us about what to include in the album and profile. Also, please begin to pray for the birth mothers. Not just the one who will choose us, but for all of the birth mothers. It is easy for me in my pride, selfishness, and the sometimes overwhelming nature of this process to ignore or forget the difficult position these girls are in. They love their babies and want the best for them. Please pray that God will give them discernment and peace in their decisions. Finally, please begin to pray for the young life that God will entrust to us. Whether or not this child has even been conceived, God already knows and has planned his or her future. Please pray for this child's growth, protection, and that God will continue to prepare us to parent him or her (Karis says her :-)) in a way that would bring glory to Him.

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Because I know some are probably wondering...

I wish I had the energy to do a full post, but honestly, I am exhausted. There has been so much to do that we have just been running on sheer adrenaline. Now that the homestudy is over, I just want to crash and do absolutely nothing.

I do want to thank each of you so much for praying. This last homestudy visit went very well, much like the other two. I will post more details tomorrow, but for now, I think I am going to go to bed and watch the rest of the Republican National Convention! :-)

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Tonight...

Our last homestudy visit is scheduled for tonight, immediately following work.

Everything is ready. Not perfect... but ready. We finished cleaning and completed our child acceptance form last night. I am tired, but energized all at the same time. I slept peacefully knowing we are following the path He has laid before us.

The LORD reminded me in our time together this morning that at just the right time, [He] heard me. His city cannot be destroyed, and He will protect it. He will be honored by every nation. He will be honored throughout the world.

May we be careful to honor Him in our home and through this journey.

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Monday, September 01, 2008

Tomorrow...

Well, tomorrow is the last big day... for now. Our final homestudy visit is scheduled for immediately after work.

We got a lot accomplished this weekend and have left ourselves just a little to finish up tonight. I love having a really clean house, and I think I need to devise some sort of strategy to keep it that way when life becomes more chaotic again!

We do need to finish one last piece of paperwork, for now, (I'm sure there will be much more later) before tomorrow's meeting. Our child acceptance form. That is the document that asks us every question you could possibly imagine about what we are willing/prepared to accept in a child. Questions like race, drug or alcohol history of the birth mother, psychological problems and learning disabilities of either birth parent, involvement/availability of the birth father and his history, birth defects, prematurity, lack of prenatal care by the mother, how open we are willing for the adoption to be, if we are willing to incorporate a name for the child that the birth mother chooses, etc..., etc..., etc...

Our answers determine which birth mothers will (the ones who match) or will not (the ones who don't match) get to see our profile and album (which we have yet to create.) It is kind of strange to have the responsibility of choosing what we do or don't want in a child. It is nice, though, to have this little piece of control to say what we know we are prepared to handle in our lives. On the other hand, I think about our answers two, three, and sometimes four times wondering if we are saying "no" to the child God has for us...

All I know is that I don't have all the right answers, and if there is one thing He has shown me the past few months, it is that He is in control. I think that our most needed prayer right now is that God would give us wisdom, that He would direct our thoughts and help us to make the best decisions.

Thank you for walking this journey with us.

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

Friday, August 29, 2008

In an instant...

I thought an ***UPDATE*** to my post earlier today deserved it's own spot...

I am thoroughly AMAZED by the things God says and does, and by the way He invests His infinite time, His omniscient wisdom, His inexhaustible power, and His never ending patience in me. I just don't deserve it, but I am so glad to humbly receive the grace He freely offers.

Life can change in just an instant when God is the author of that change. I have experienced evidence of this twice just today.

The Bible tells us this in the description of the first change that ever came to be...

God spoke: "Light!" And light appeared.

He didn't ask someone for instructions or open the owner's manual. He didn't devise a great plan or call the experts for suggestions. He didn't strategize a work-around or pull any strings.

God spoke: "Sky! In the middle of the waters; separate water from water!"

God spoke: "Separate! Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place; Land, appear!" And there it was.

God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties of seed-bearing plants, Every sort of fruit-bearing tree."

God spoke: "Lights! Come out! Shine in Heaven's sky! Separate Day from Night. Mark seasons and days and years, Lights in Heaven's sky to give light to Earth." And there it was.

God spoke: "Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life! Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!"

God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind: cattle and reptiles and wild animals - all kinds." And there it was.

God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth."

And there it was... it came to be... it existed at His command.

I don't know about you, but I cannot speak something into existence. I cannot bring order from nothing. I cannot breathe life into dust.

Then why do I insist on wading through the challenges of life as if I have no resources, no options, no hope?

Over and over again, He proves to me that He is there, that He is in control, and that He cares.

We have obviously been doing the best we can to jump through the hoops, to meet the expectations, to prepare for the commitment.

In reality, though, we can't do it on our own, and God doesn't ask us to. When He shows us what He wants us to do, all He asks is that we take one step of faith at a time. One grain of mustard seed of faith at a time. Then, the power of our faith in HIM will cause the mountain to move.

A little more than one month ago, DoubleT and I took one small step of faith to begin our homestudy, and today God moved two mountains for us.

In an instant...
  • DoubleT received notification of some increased financial opportunities that were completely unexpected. All I can say is that God was the master of multiplication in ages past, as seen in His ability to feed more than 5,000 people with just 5 loaves and two fish, and God is still the master of multiplication today (and no, I am not talking about some pyramid scheme). By the end of the year, we currently expect to meet nearly 2/3 of the adoption costs that remain after the homestudy and profile fees.
  • We went home for lunch and before we returned, we had sold DoubleT's bike, which will allow us to clear some other obligations. What we vainly tried to do in our own power, God did in a moment.
If you can't tell, I am very excited to see the way God is working in our lives and confirming His promises to our hearts.

I hope that you will continue to pray with us and watch HIS goodness at work!


Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...

4 days until the last homestudy visit...

I can't believe we didn't wake up until 6:53 a.m., and I am still sitting here at work 15 minutes early.

This would not happen on any normal morning.

Yesterday, though, we took our dogs to the boarder at lunch time so that we could get some work done uninterrupted. We'll pick them up tomorrow, but last night was nice and productive. The negative side is that the youngest one did not wake us up this morning with his whining that apparently is louder than our alarm clock.

Anyway, after work yesterday, we went directly to finally buy the fire extinguishers we needed to comply with the homestudy.


Then we grabbed a quick bite to eat, and on to home.

After cleaning bathrooms,


one long-ignored ceiling fan, and portions of our bedroom,



we finally went to bed and had the best night's sleep in a long time... and maybe for a long time.

Well, I guess I don't really have anything more interesting to share right now than the mundane details of our lives.

I hope you all have a restful holiday weekend. Think of us while we're spending it cleaning. :-)

Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...
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