OK, so I have been letting a couple people in our dream to add to our family, possibly from Africa unless God has other plans. No we are not starting now because well with the economy things are very, very tight right now. Our house is for sale (anyone want a house?) and well God hasn't said it's time yet.
For some reason people think we are crazy and that would only make 4 maybe 5 kids if we took a sibling group (don't tell Chris I said that). I know after our families have read these last 2 posts they are really going to think we are nuts but we are really only nuts for God and kiddos, oh and each other (I love my hubby like crazy) so I think that's OK. Anyway this is what I have to say to anyone who thinks we are crazy:
I Would Rather Gather Children......
Along the path of life,
Some would gather roses,
And rest from wordly strife;
But, I would gather children
From among the thorns of sin,
I would seek a gorgeous curl,
And a freckled, toothless grin.
For money cannot enter
In that land of endless day,
And roses that are gathered
Soon will wilt away.
But, Oh, the laughing children,
As I cross the sunset sea,
And the gates swing wide to heaven
I can take them in with me.
-unknown
And if you don't understand why we are thinking about an African baby well it's OK if you don't understand. I think of a rainbow family as a little taste of what heaven will be someday. So here it is, it is not a secret anymore we are hoping God blesses us with another precious gift someday. Now does anyone know where we can get a money tree to grow in our backyard?
Friday, November 28, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Laying Out the Fleece
I think I have touched on this in the past but I was discussing it with a friend this morning and I believe God wanted me to come post about it.
I am going to get real in this post so some family members reading this are probably in for a big shock but I believe God wants me to be real so here it goes.
I have been a Christian my entire life. I have a problem though and my problem is I can read and read the Bible and I have a horrible time comprehending what I read. In August of 2006 God told me one day that He had something BIG planned for me and it was time I got prepared for it. The problem with that was that I knew somehow that being prepared meant that there was stuff in the Bible that I needed to know and I had to admit to someone that even though I had been a Christian for 32 years I had a hard time even remembering basic Bible stories. I was so embarrassed by this how could I ever ask someone for help?
One day I stood in the kitchen crying uncontrollably and God picked up the phone, placed it in my hand and dialed the number of a dear lady in our church. How do I know God picked up the phone? I know because I did not have the strength to do it. I was crying so hard I could hardly talk to her on the phone. I explained to her my situation and told her God needed to prepare me for something big, I had no idea what but I needed help and I needed help now.
This wonderful lady did not make me feel bad at all but she knew there was a reason God had me call her that day and she took me under her wing and started meeting with me and another lady who had felt the same way but had felt too ashamed to tell anyone.
There were 2 very important things I learned from her. The first thing I learned was that God called ordinary people to do extraordinary things. God took people just like me who felt ashamed of not knowing the scripture well enough and he used those people. The second most important thing I learned was this scripture:
36(A) Then Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said." 38And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39Then Gideon said to God,(B) "Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew." 40And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew. Judges 6:36-40
I could not believe this when the lady taught me about laying out the fleece. Was it really that easy to get an answer from God? She told us that next time we had something we needed answered to try it and see what happened. Guess what, it worked!
About a month or so before I learned about this God showed me part of his plan for me. God showed me that he wanted me to help in starting a orphan ministry at church. Through working on that ministry I found (OK family this is where you are about to be shocked) an agency that had these beautiful, beautiful children from Ethiopia waiting for families. We were definitely not planning on adopting at the time. On this listing of children was this group of 4 boys ages 2,4, 8 and 12. Something in these boys eyes just made me wonder if they were ours. I didn't say anything to Chris yet because he would have thought I was mad (so I thought). One day Amaya saw me looking at the boys along with many other children on the page but she pointed right to them and ask me if we were going to bring them home. Finally I showed Chris the boys and told him what Amaya had said. Chris decided we needed to pray about this and we prayed and I had the lady and my friend in my group pray. We decided to call to get a video of the boys. Chris said to me that since we had just talked about this fleece thing that maybe we needed to use it on this. Chris and I both laid out the fleece asking God for different things and God answered no to both of us. At first we had truly felt these were our children but when God clearly answered both of us we felt so at peace.
The second time we tried this there was some land we were wanting to buy. We had driven past this land for months and months praying asking God if this is what he wanted for us. Chris kept telling me it wasn't time. Chris decided to lay out the fleece to God on this decision too (probably to get me off his back about it). Chris would not tell me what he ask God because he did not want me to try to get that thing to happen, Chris wanted to know for sure it was from God and not his impatient wife. Well weeks and weeks went by and nothing. I drove Chris crazy asking him if God gave him the yes yet. I didn't even ask him if God had told him no because I wanted a yes so bad. I was there when it happened, God told Chris YES it was time. Actually at the time I thought Chris was being extremely rude to our neighbor but the truth is he was in shock because God had clearly said YES it is time. As soon as Chris told me, after I gave him a lecture about being rude, I ran for the phone to call the realtor.
God gave us that land right before we needed it. Without that land we would not have had the net worth we needed to adopt Jaxson. It was in God's timing and not ours, God already knew the plans he had for us.
My point is this that if you have something that is driving you crazy, a question that needs an answer try this. Try letting God give you the answer instead of you trying to make the right answer. God may so no but maybe that's because He's getting ready to say yes to something even bigger and maybe he will say YES it is time.
I truly believe God wanted us to be willing to take those 4 boys (we are different than a lot of people but that's almost insane for 2 people that like a calm lifestyle) for him to get us where we needed to be to accept the beautiful child he had waiting for us. These were the easiest decisions in our lives because we truly let God decided instead of us jumping in and making the decision. It really is that easy, just ask.
PS It doesn't mean God will answer you in a day though, it could take weeks, months or even years.
I am going to get real in this post so some family members reading this are probably in for a big shock but I believe God wants me to be real so here it goes.
I have been a Christian my entire life. I have a problem though and my problem is I can read and read the Bible and I have a horrible time comprehending what I read. In August of 2006 God told me one day that He had something BIG planned for me and it was time I got prepared for it. The problem with that was that I knew somehow that being prepared meant that there was stuff in the Bible that I needed to know and I had to admit to someone that even though I had been a Christian for 32 years I had a hard time even remembering basic Bible stories. I was so embarrassed by this how could I ever ask someone for help?
One day I stood in the kitchen crying uncontrollably and God picked up the phone, placed it in my hand and dialed the number of a dear lady in our church. How do I know God picked up the phone? I know because I did not have the strength to do it. I was crying so hard I could hardly talk to her on the phone. I explained to her my situation and told her God needed to prepare me for something big, I had no idea what but I needed help and I needed help now.
This wonderful lady did not make me feel bad at all but she knew there was a reason God had me call her that day and she took me under her wing and started meeting with me and another lady who had felt the same way but had felt too ashamed to tell anyone.
There were 2 very important things I learned from her. The first thing I learned was that God called ordinary people to do extraordinary things. God took people just like me who felt ashamed of not knowing the scripture well enough and he used those people. The second most important thing I learned was this scripture:
36(A) Then Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said." 38And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39Then Gideon said to God,(B) "Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew." 40And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew. Judges 6:36-40
I could not believe this when the lady taught me about laying out the fleece. Was it really that easy to get an answer from God? She told us that next time we had something we needed answered to try it and see what happened. Guess what, it worked!
About a month or so before I learned about this God showed me part of his plan for me. God showed me that he wanted me to help in starting a orphan ministry at church. Through working on that ministry I found (OK family this is where you are about to be shocked) an agency that had these beautiful, beautiful children from Ethiopia waiting for families. We were definitely not planning on adopting at the time. On this listing of children was this group of 4 boys ages 2,4, 8 and 12. Something in these boys eyes just made me wonder if they were ours. I didn't say anything to Chris yet because he would have thought I was mad (so I thought). One day Amaya saw me looking at the boys along with many other children on the page but she pointed right to them and ask me if we were going to bring them home. Finally I showed Chris the boys and told him what Amaya had said. Chris decided we needed to pray about this and we prayed and I had the lady and my friend in my group pray. We decided to call to get a video of the boys. Chris said to me that since we had just talked about this fleece thing that maybe we needed to use it on this. Chris and I both laid out the fleece asking God for different things and God answered no to both of us. At first we had truly felt these were our children but when God clearly answered both of us we felt so at peace.
The second time we tried this there was some land we were wanting to buy. We had driven past this land for months and months praying asking God if this is what he wanted for us. Chris kept telling me it wasn't time. Chris decided to lay out the fleece to God on this decision too (probably to get me off his back about it). Chris would not tell me what he ask God because he did not want me to try to get that thing to happen, Chris wanted to know for sure it was from God and not his impatient wife. Well weeks and weeks went by and nothing. I drove Chris crazy asking him if God gave him the yes yet. I didn't even ask him if God had told him no because I wanted a yes so bad. I was there when it happened, God told Chris YES it was time. Actually at the time I thought Chris was being extremely rude to our neighbor but the truth is he was in shock because God had clearly said YES it is time. As soon as Chris told me, after I gave him a lecture about being rude, I ran for the phone to call the realtor.
God gave us that land right before we needed it. Without that land we would not have had the net worth we needed to adopt Jaxson. It was in God's timing and not ours, God already knew the plans he had for us.
My point is this that if you have something that is driving you crazy, a question that needs an answer try this. Try letting God give you the answer instead of you trying to make the right answer. God may so no but maybe that's because He's getting ready to say yes to something even bigger and maybe he will say YES it is time.
I truly believe God wanted us to be willing to take those 4 boys (we are different than a lot of people but that's almost insane for 2 people that like a calm lifestyle) for him to get us where we needed to be to accept the beautiful child he had waiting for us. These were the easiest decisions in our lives because we truly let God decided instead of us jumping in and making the decision. It really is that easy, just ask.
PS It doesn't mean God will answer you in a day though, it could take weeks, months or even years.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Six Months Ago Today
I can't believe it has been six months since we first laid eyes on and touched our precious son for the first time. At the same time it's hard to believe that Jaxson has only been with us six months. This first picture was taken within the first few minutes of us seeing Jaxson for the first time. If you want to read my journal entry from that day you can click here.
This next picture was taken I think about a week after we got home. It didn't take long at all for Jaxson to show us that he is full of personality.
Yes, he is such a silly, happy, beautiful child.
It only took us a day of having him to know that his favorite things are cars and tractors. This hasn't changed a bit since being home and actually it is really hard to believe he doesn't have the same genes as his daddy. Only God could make such a perfect match.
When we first put Jaxson on the swing he hated it and now he loves it. Jaxson can also swing on a big swing now balancing himself with one amazing arm. Have I said before there is nothing this child can't do that a child with 2 arms can do? Actually Jaxson can do more with one arm than most kids his age can with 2 arms.
Jaxson dressed up as a ninja for Halloween and it is so cute to see him put on the outfit and then practice his kicks.
The kids all love daddy time at night and mommy does too because it gives me a few minutes of quiet time.
God has truly blessed us with a beautiful family. Jaxson has been a PERFECT fit to our family. I wish his birth parents could see him and know how loved this precious child is.
Yes, he is such a silly, happy, beautiful child.
It only took us a day of having him to know that his favorite things are cars and tractors. This hasn't changed a bit since being home and actually it is really hard to believe he doesn't have the same genes as his daddy. Only God could make such a perfect match.
When we first put Jaxson on the swing he hated it and now he loves it. Jaxson can also swing on a big swing now balancing himself with one amazing arm. Have I said before there is nothing this child can't do that a child with 2 arms can do? Actually Jaxson can do more with one arm than most kids his age can with 2 arms.
Jaxson dressed up as a ninja for Halloween and it is so cute to see him put on the outfit and then practice his kicks.
The kids all love daddy time at night and mommy does too because it gives me a few minutes of quiet time.
God has truly blessed us with a beautiful family. Jaxson has been a PERFECT fit to our family. I wish his birth parents could see him and know how loved this precious child is.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Adopting Boys
Something has really been bothering me so I thought I would just take the time and share. The agency that we used to adopt Jaxson from sent out a newsletter last night saying that right now they have a list of 300 children waiting on a list from China to be adopted. These children waiting are mostly children with special needs or older children. Out of the list of 300 children 200 of them are boys. Do you know that that boys are very hard for agencies to place?
When we started our adoption for Guatemala 6 years ago the wait for a boy was about 4 months and the wait for a girl was 12-15 months. In China it is rare that someone would request a healthy boy. I was told by an agency once that they can place 25-30 girls in the same amount of time it takes to place 1 or 2 boys. It seems to be this way with about every country out there.
Don't get me wrong I know that the girls need homes too and that God calls people to adopt girls but I wish people would notice the boys too. Is it because boys you can't dress them up in dresses and put their hair up in bows?
I am not putting down anyone that has adopted a girl or who is adopting a girl because they need homes too. I just wish people would consider boys more and realize that they also need a good home.
I wouldn't trade my girls for the world but I am also so blessed to have a boy that loves his mama like crazy. A boy that wakes me up by rubbing my arm gently. A boy that kisses me a million times a day and tells me he loves me all the time. A boy that puts his hand on my cheek and looks in my eyes to show me just how much he loves me. Boys aren't all about being dirty and causing trouble. Boys are a blessing from God and I wish more people would give God the oppurtunity to let him bless them with a boy.
If you are thinking about adopting would you please considering letting God bless you with a son?
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Amaya is 5!
I cannot believe it but our first miracle baby is 5! I can't believe how emotional this was for me. Before this precious beautiful girl came along I had spent four years crying thinking God would never give us children. Now we have 2 beautiful, amazing girls that were homegrown and a precious little boy that God planted in our hearts from the other side of the world and all in 5 years.
I can't believe that tiny little 7 pound 7 ounce girl I held in my arms 5 short years ago will be going to school in a few months. This will be one sad mama on the day she goes to school as I get sad just being away from this precious girl for a couple of hours.
Amaya also decided back in the spring that she wanted a pinata for her birthday. Well we don't have much money right now because with the economy Chris hasn't been getting much work. I have to say I was broken hearted thinking we couldn't get this thing for her she has thought about since spring. Let me tell you how much God loves this precious child. We went to W*lmart the other night to get a few things for her party and they had all the Halloween things on sale. They had a Halloween pinata on sale for 25 cents (they are usually $20) so Amaya got her pinata for her birthday.
Amaya was big enough this year too that she could get some big girl stuff so we got her a manicure, pedicure, make-up set and oh how she is lovin that.
I am so thankful God entrusted us with this amazing, beautiful, loving child!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Giveaway!!!
Hey, my friend Jeanette is having a giveaway on her blog. All you have to do is go to her blog and leave a comment and you will be entered in the drawing for a Christian CD. Isn't that awesome? So click on her name and go leave a comment.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Powerful Blogs
My friend Rett must be more of an internet junkie than me because she keeps sending me these powerful blogs. After reading these 2 blogs The Journey and A Place Called Simplicity it has really got me thinking about how in a time of so many bad things going on in the world and such negative things in the news we are so many times missing the big God things.
What if we stopped focusing on what is going to happen in the next year or two? Will gas prices go up? Will the stock market completely crash and we are in a depression again? Will we have money to travel or to have cable TV? What if we just said "God, where do you want me now"? What if we said "God my faith is in you and nothing else"? What if we said "God, who cares if everyone else thinks I'm crazy I will do what you ask of me anyway"?
Couldn't we as Christians make a HUGE difference in the world just by doing what God asks us to do? Why do we put so much of our faith in earthly men and materials?
Reading the 2 blogs above just really made me think about if all Christians really stepped out in faith what could happen. Have you listened to what God is telling you? It really makes me pray about what God wants from us.
Anyway if you are reading this would you please leave a comment and tell me your favorite powerful blog? I would rather hear about God's people being faithful than watching the depressing news.
Please don't forget to read through my last post and see how you can help orphans this Christmas season.
Rett, thank you for the blogs!!!
What if we stopped focusing on what is going to happen in the next year or two? Will gas prices go up? Will the stock market completely crash and we are in a depression again? Will we have money to travel or to have cable TV? What if we just said "God, where do you want me now"? What if we said "God my faith is in you and nothing else"? What if we said "God, who cares if everyone else thinks I'm crazy I will do what you ask of me anyway"?
Couldn't we as Christians make a HUGE difference in the world just by doing what God asks us to do? Why do we put so much of our faith in earthly men and materials?
Reading the 2 blogs above just really made me think about if all Christians really stepped out in faith what could happen. Have you listened to what God is telling you? It really makes me pray about what God wants from us.
Anyway if you are reading this would you please leave a comment and tell me your favorite powerful blog? I would rather hear about God's people being faithful than watching the depressing news.
Please don't forget to read through my last post and see how you can help orphans this Christmas season.
Rett, thank you for the blogs!!!
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