Fundraising begins!

Our adoption journey is starting to inch forward as we have had our first meeting with the social worker. And yes, we are still considered the crazy neighbors, Fred and Ethel!

However, we, Fred and Ethel, have started our fund-raising initiative with some beads from Africa. These beads are from shredded magazines in which women in Uganda have formed into beads which become part of a necklace. Coming soon will be some really cool T-shirts and maybe even some hats and bracelets! Stay tuned and signed on to our blog as we will be putting up some more items that we have for fund-raising!

Just What I Needed to Hear Today....

"I am a God of both intricate detail and overflowing abundance. When you entrust the details of your life to Me, you are surprised by how thoroughly I answer your petitions.  I take pleasure in hearing your prayers, so feel free to bring Me all your requests.  The more you pray, the more answers you can receive.  Best of all, your faith is strengthened as you see how precisely I respond to your specific prayers. 

Because I am infinite in all My ways, you need not fear that I will run out of resources.  Abundance is at the very heart of who I AM.  Come to Me in joyful expectation of receiving all you need - and sometimes much more!  I delight in showering blessings on My beloved children.  Come to Me with open hands and heart, ready to receive all I have for you."   ~Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

This is just what I needed to hear today.  With all the questions and decisions we are faced with this week....He is in control. I just need to pray, more and more.

LIFE

Picture of JoJo - hopefully the snow will  be gone for good!

Why does life twist and turn so much?  Just when I think I have things figured out, something else comes along...more trust...more questions...more waiting.

I am finishing up a Bible study on Ruth by Kelly Minter.  Highly, highly suggest it....her life, determination, trust, obedience, and love hits home.  God's sovereignty is so evident.  He always has a plan and we want His plan - not ours.  Goodness - my plans have not turned out well!

So, we will continue down our path of adoption.  Fred and I both are in agreement that this is our calling from God and have let go of any preconceived notions about how many kids we "can" have....we will parent as many as God allows - truly blesses us with.  Unfortunately, we will have some opposition.  It hurts and confuses me.  Yet, I will cling to the one truth I am totally confident in; that being one day I hope to hear "Well done My good and faithful servant."  That is all that truly matters!

GLIMPSES

Sometimes I see little glimpses of Z-girl, just being a typical little girl.  Yesterday was her birthday.  She was so excited!  I don't remember a day with so many smiles....so much joy.....just a six year old girl.

It is hard work parenting, understanding, digging through the trenches with children from hard places.  Then I get a little glimpse of her letting down her guard of control, fear, anger and building higher her blocks of trust.  Z-girl is able to love without fear, obey me without needing to control.  Ahhhh, progress!

Then I wonder, how often do I "control" what God tells me to do?  Obey him without question?  Love Him abundantly without fear?  Fear of what others may say....fear of what He is asking me to do and how much it could really hurt at times.....control over the slightest thing.  I guess His parenting of me can be as hard as mine here on earth.

Once in awhile however, I give Him a glimpse - a glimpse of an obedient, non-controlling child, releasing all my fears....every once in awhile.

Well, this shirt will be obsolete now!

Fred bought me this shirt almost two years ago.  I laughed when I opened it and said, "Do not put a number to the amount of children we will have.  Now we are going to have more!"  Of course, I was really joking.  Though we had a tremendous heart for adoption, seven kids felt pretty good.  It seemed right.

The last three years with Z-girl and JoJo had many issues.  They are a total blessing but God used them to sift a lot of my "junk" from my life.  I really thought I knew what I was doing.  However, struggling through behavior and attachment issues caused me cling to God and His ways.  It made me become more obedient to Him.

So, that is why we are on our next journey of adoption.  There are so many details about how we got to this point....probably too many.  This is complete obedience for us.  We are going to Ghana this time.  Hopefully, in God's time, two boys will be added to our family (we need to balance out the ratio here).  This time, I will be more patient, more laid back, more trusting of God.  Feel free to remind me of that when the trials and issues of the adoption process come about  :)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11