PASSPORTS, PREPARATIONS, PRAYER

It's really fun to have a mission trip in the works. I love watching the kids get excited to learn about Haiti, pray for what's to come, rally to raise funds, and prepare details like passports, immunizations, and donations for the children they will meet.

These are the kinds of things we love to spend our time and money on. These are the moments we spend most of the rest of the mundane preparing for. These are the opportunities we consistently pray for. It's thrilling to participate!

Yesterday Brodie got to apply for his passport. It was almost like a right of passage of sorts. It was so sweet to see him all excited and feeling ready to step out into his first real trip of service. He, of course, has no idea yet what he's signed up for, but he knows that it is good. I'm pretty sure his tender heart will be broken for the people of Haiti. I'm pretty sure he will come back changed. I'm also sure that he will serve the Lord with all that he has to offer and I believe that God will use him.

 

Yesterday, as a family, we read a testimony from two young teenage girls who recently returned from Haiti. The spiritual maturity in their words, the faith in their hearts, the exuberance for what they had seen and done inspired us! Loving God and loving others with His love...that's what life is all about! What a blessing to do so in a place with so much need.

The girls wrote about the 3 hour church service they attended, pointing out that 2 of those hours were spent in heartfelt worship. HOW AWESOME! I want to worship like that! I can't wait for Brodie and the kids to experience that! What a privilege it is to serve others in Jesus' name!

I'm so encouraged by what God can do in young hearts and with young lives that are willing to step out of the comfort zone, out of the flow for Him and I'm praying He will do mighty, incredible, impossible, life changing things in Haiti!

"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying,

“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

Isaiah 6:8

HAITI BOUND

Fresh off a week of prayer and longings specifically to reach out globally in Jesus' name, God has opened the doors for us to send Brodie and couple of our older children to serve Him in Haiti and we're excited!

There are few things in life that matter more to me than encouraging my family to spend themselves for the sake of the gospel and going/sending is a vital part of that journey.

^"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:16-18

"And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’" Matthew 25:40

One of our favorite ministries to participate with as a family is Kids Around The World. We love that everyone can get involved, including the kids. It's very special in that way. Meals of rice, soy, dried veggies, and nutrients are packed by willing participants here, then they're distributed to needy countries as a platform to share the love of Jesus. They also build playgrounds as a way to reach out to the communities and share the hope of the gospel message. All around, it's just a really great ministry and we're thankful for the chance to participate whenever we can!

I'm delighted to have the opportunity as a sender to see my husband and children GO in the name of the Lord to one of the poorest countries in the world. By the grace of God may they change lives and be changed. May they serve wholeheartedly and selflessly and learn more of Jesus' heart as they do. And, may they come home with a new fervor to love Him and love others with His love...because that's what really matters.

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14

ETERNAL TO A FAULT?

I got to talking with a friend yesterday after church and as we discussed homeschooling, adoption adjustments, and daily life with kids I found myself wandering off to eternity again...

My thoughts have this way of getting so eternally focused, that I can lose motivation and/or deny myself permission for things that are for here, now, the temporal I guess you'd say. The trick of it is that I live here and now in this temporal fleshly zone. It's where God has me in this momentary blip of history, and common sense tells me it'd be wise to make the most of it. I'd like to make a difference.

The other snag I find is that most of the world is living FOR here, now, the temporal and such and so thoughts and priorities that wander too far in the eternal perspective direction can be...confusing, baffling, even odd when others look on.

For that matter, even in my own train of thought, in my own mind which influences my priorities dramatically, I have to ask myself questions and stay in check on whether or not my thoughts are bending toward eternal to a fault...is there such a thing??

Then I remember the words from the Word, like a beacon they encourage me.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21      

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13

"But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14

"If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
John 15:19        

Ohhhh yes...The Christian life is supposed to be baffling. It's supposed to raise an eyebrow every now and then. It's supposed to be eternally minded and it's not supposed to blend in with the crowd. A disciple of Jesus Christ (someone who follows after Him and spends their life and time abiding with Him, striving to be more like Him because they LOVE Him) ought to be different from the norm because of Him...because the pupil has been with Him, the Teacher.

Yet, hopefully the life of a true follower of Christ is not repelling (though different), but rather has an allure, a draw, a whatchamacallitness about it that provokes enough intrigue that a non-believing onlooker might step out on a limb and ask, Why? Who is this Jesus and why does a real relationship with Him change...everything?

Why is the Christian joyful even in suffering? That doesn't make any sense!

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5

Eternal perspective.

Why should we lose our life in order to gain it? Again, weird.

"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 16:25

"Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." John 12:25

Eternal perspective.

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble? Try selling that in the main stream...but that's what the Bible says.

"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

"One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor." Proverbs 29:23    

"But many who are first will be last, and the last first." Matthew 19:30

Eternal perspective. 

Jesus lived a life as countercultural as it gets. He exemplified humility and He lived every second here on earth in light of eternity. He was God. He beckons us to become increasingly like Him as we know Him more and more. He was all about eternity...it's the reason why He came. It's the reason He laid down His life for us. He sacrificed Himself so that we might live through Him and inherit eternal life with Him. These are things worth living for!

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." 1 John 3:16

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16        

I realize the most important way to digest all of this "eternal to a fault" thinking is by weighing my heart's motives along side the Bible first and foremost, making sure that the things I'm living for line up with that which Jesus said to live for (as opposed to the recommendations of the world). So, I'm asking myself some questions today as I rummage through my thoughts...for example:

What am I living for and why?

Where am I living for and why?

Who am I living for and why?

How can I live with eternal perspective, but still remain invested in the here and now?

How can I live my life with purpose and make a difference in my small sphere?

What did Jesus say to do with my life while I'm living here on earth?

These are whopping questions with life impacting answers and I really want to get them right...don't you? It's a daily task for most to live life with eternal perspective...to not live for here and now. I get that, but what I'm finding for myself these days is all twisted up according to the norm and how I used to be. I'm finding myself grappling more so now with the opposite dilemma.

I'm so convinced that everything we do here and now in this life is all in preparation for eternity that if something bears eternal influence, I'm invested. If it doesn't, I'm not. This can wind me up in conflict with my own self at times (the result of preprogramming) and it definitely doesn't line up with the norms of our American culture (ie: your best life now!).

We don't have to look too far to realize such eternal thinking eliminates A LOT of mumbo jumbo the world says we should be all about. Such thinking cuts straight to the chase...hones in on what really matters (biblically speaking) and what doesn't...and shines light upon a life of simplicity with but few worthwhile priorities while we're here. Why do we complicate things so? Jesus made it plain.

“'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?' And [Jesus] said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:36-39

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

Like all of life, there has to be a balance. That's the part I'm contending with right now. How do we long for eternity and live like we were dying (we are), but still live each day, here and now, with purpose and intent, remaining diligent and responsible? I don't want to ignore my callings while I'm here, but I cannot live FOR here as if this is all there is, because I know that I know...it's not.

I'm praying that God will help us raise a family that understands His will and focuses on the eternal, remaining accountable each day in and day out while we're here. I'd like to live with eternal priorities and train my children likewise, but still make the most of every day on earth as we raise our children for their callings. I want to do my best, knowing full well that even my best will inevitably fall short. And, I'm thankful for a Savior who can fill in all our gaps and make beautiful things from rubble. In other words, I'm striving for balance over here...with a strong bent toward eternity...and I'm trusting Jesus for the outcome. His will cannot be thwarted.

I'm relating more and more each day to the great Paul's words, "the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14) which fuels this quandary at hand...and so I'm asking myself if it's possible to live with priorities that are eternal to a fault.

I'm drawing up conclusions (although this side of heaven we're bound to live with questions) and I'm deciding that if I have to land on one side of the fence or the other, I'm leaning toward eternity...but God's Word never said that would be popular. Where He has me right now is living here for there and I hope that pleases the only One worth living for, the One who never ends or changes, the One eternal God who can do anything with anybody through any means at any time, my Heavenly Father who's writing this story for Himself. May He order our lives with enough balance that we might please Him while we're here as we long to join Him there...one day.

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 6:14-16

HOSEA 14:8

"It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; FROM ME comes your fruit." Hosea 14:8

GOTTA LOVE HOMESCHOOL

A string of events surrounding history lessons for one of our children yesterday led to some creative...reevaluating. We ditched the textbook and sought after more exciting ways to learn (at least for the day). Using The U.S. History Cookbook, we ended up in an all out family film session taping a series of cooking shows just for kids and just for kicks called HISTORY IN THE BAKING!

Ha! It was so fun. Almost everyone was involved in one way or another, which means we all learned a whole lot more than merely history. We gained invaluable memories involving cooperation, patience, belly laughter bloopers, parent-child teamwork, sibling teamwork, kitchen safety, flexibility/creativity when something wasn't working...just to name a few. And, the results even yielded a Native American Corn Chowder dinner in the process. Talk about multi-tasking!

So, even though there were aspects of our day which were a complete flop, there was also redemption and a silver lining. When we choose to look for opportunities with intentionality, Quantity Time in the context of home and family always leads to life lessons (aka an education of the heart)...the stuff we could never find in a textbook...gotta love homeschool!

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

Deuteronomy 6:5-7

PRAYER BOARD

Ever since Brodie's trip to one of the Chinese foster homes he visited back in 2011,

he has talked {repeatedly} about wanting a prayer board like the one they used for prayer requests there.

Each day before setting about their tasks as volunteers, the group would meet for a morning time of prayer and devotion. With a dry erase marker, they would write prayers up on a large glass pane and then proceed to offer their requests before the Lord.

And so...nearly 2 years later...as China's memories have been on our hearts, I took the plunge and got Brodie his very own prayer board. It's mounted above our kitchen table, representing prayer requests on a daily basis. When we gather for meal times, we can discuss and pray over the needs of our lives and others. It also comes in handy with homeschooling!

We hope this visual aid will help our children see that God answers prayers. He hears every one. He listens. He responds.

One by one, we hope/we expect by faith to see our prayer requests turn into praise reports

because we believe in the power of faith-filled prayer!

"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."

1 John 5:14-15

 

Happy husband.

"Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

John 16:24

SECRET EXPERIMENT

OK, so I'm not too sure how I feel about this and I apologize in advance to anyone who happens to come by this week or see us out in public looking a bit......OFF, but I'm knee deep into an experiment.

natural consequence: The action that occurs [naturally] as a result of an initial action.

We blazed out of the house today to go see Brodie at work. I said nothing about the breakfast dishes, unbrushed hair, PJs on the floor, or children without sweaters and shoes. I simply watched...and waited...and held my tongue...and prayed for enough self-control to allow my children to experience natural consequences.

It's NOT easy, but I'm feeling like giving this a try and I guess we'll see what happens?! I've committed to at least one day if not a whole week of observing my children in action without constant prompting from Mom. I'm prepared mentally (as well as can be) to see my home (and children's hair) in complete disarray. And I'm praying that my efforts will pay off in the end as my little dear ones realize just how much they contribute to (or detract from) the harmony of our family and home.

Of course I realize fully that it's my job as the parent to train my children and I most definitely do that with intentionality every other day of the year. But, today/this week, I'm just going to sit back and see how much they've learned, how responsible they can be, how natural consequences can encourage growth, and even how much I can learn to let go of...

...as I embrace the ramifications of my little secret experiment.

(No...I will not be posting photos :/)

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a

 worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

1 Timothy 2:15

"Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them."

Hosea 14:9

"Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."

Colossians 3:20

[UPDATE: SOS!!! I surrender!!! Forget the experiment...point taken. Kids need parents to hold them accountable...constantly... even the sweet ones. I give in (after less than 24 hours. Yikes!) Even though there were a few moments of victory today, there's no way I'm doing this for a whole week. Ha! I'm realizing that I really don't want to start tomorrow with yesterday's chores. So, I'm declaring the observation portion of the experiment officially over. Let the lesson portion of the experiment begin...]

"A child left to himself brings shame to his mother."

Proverbs 29:15

[UPDATE #2: Alright, so it's a new day and I have to say the whole experiment thing (although worth a try) was just confirmation of what I already knew. Kids need parents. Left alone to their own devices (at least at their young age anyway), calamity is bound to abound. After a successful "lesson portion of the experiment" last night, we all worked hard together as a team to put our home back together. I was grateful for my children's hearts as they listened to mine and truly seemed to have learned something. 

They were compassionate and understanding, sympathetic, sorry, and eager for restoration. They rallied to go room by room in pairs, renewing what the day had demolished and in the end...all is well and back to "normal" over here, hearts included.

Hopefully a lesson was learned (by all, including me). Who knew it took so much self-control to NOT clean?!

I'm thankful for my role as Mom and I'm thankful for the outcome of my painful-messy-helpful-rejuvenating-bonding-inspiring-let's-not-do-that-again-anytime-soon-definitely-over secret experiment.]

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6

"They are to teach what is good,  and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled."

Titus 2:3-5

PRAYING FOR CHINA

 

With the Chinese New Year, anticipation of welcoming home Linda, prospective plans for a short term mission trip back to Beijing this coming year, sweet little Joy's birthday and impending surgeries, the "lucky" bamboo reminder-gift from my sister that sits on our nightstand, and earnest prayers lifted high for the many Chinese orphan children (and one very dear to our hearts this day in particular), this past week...we have been praying for China.

It's funny how God works, moves, whispers, sometimes SHOUTS!

China.

China!

CHINA!!!

The world would call it "coincidence". We call it confirmation from the Holy Spirit. Nudges, proddings, guidance...it seems that everywhere we turn there are references to China and some very specific illuminations, all of which knit our hearts even more intimately to this country and people we already love.

So, this week we've been praying for China. I've shared it before, but I'll share it again here, a video clip from Operation World which encourages us to understand the people of China and the challenges that believers there face. With our freedoms here in America, it's hard for us to really understand the kind of persecution others contend with in countries without the same privileges of worship.

But, we can expose ourselves and our children so that we might gain compassion. We can learn about, watch, and read about things that take place just an airplane flight away. And, we can pray for those who suffer, hide, are beaten, tortured, and imprisoned for the things we here take for granted...the blessing of freedom of religion.

Today, we're remembering, we're giving thanks for what we've been given, and we're praying for the people of China.

Will you join us?

 

 

(Click the photo above to watch the video from Aida and Brodie's first trip to China, September 2011.)

"Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth."

Psalm 67:4

ANOTHER SPECIAL BUDDY

I shared a while back about our excitement as we welcomed home the first of Noble's buddies from the DRC.

 

They're coming home!

Yesterday was another special reunion with another very special friend. He's more than a friend really...he's a brother of sorts. These boys called Noble "Bebe Ya Ya" in Congo (which means Little Brother in Lingala) and that's who he still is to them. I love it.

Noble is blessed to have a daddy, mommy, sisters, brothers, extended family, friends, and God-given brother-friends. What a precious gift to reunite our little boy with another special buddy!

"Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart." 1 Peter 1:22

"A friend loves at all times." Proverbs 17:17

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17

CELEBRATING LOVE

We love LOVE. One day in the middle of February set aside to celebrate LOVE spurs on a whole month of focusing on loving one another and remembering what God has done for us out of His great LOVE for us.

 

“For God so LOVED the world,

that he gave his only Son,

that whoever believes in him should not perish

but have eternal life."

John 3:16

"See what kind of LOVE the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." 1 John 3:1

In reality, we celebrate LOVE 365 days of the year,

but today {Valentine's Day} is extra special so we're going all out and celebrating LOVE!

"LOVE is patient and kind; LOVE does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. LOVE bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. LOVE never ends." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"Beloved, let us LOVE one another, for LOVE is from God, and whoever LOVES has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not LOVE does not know God, because God is LOVE." 1 John 4:7-8

"If God so LOVED us, we also ought to LOVE one another. No one has ever seen God; if we LOVE one another, God abides in us and his LOVE is perfected in us." 1 John 4:11-12

"Greater LOVE has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

"By this we know LOVE, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's LOVE abide in him? Little children, let us not LOVE in word or talk but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:16-18

"So now faith, hope, and LOVE abide, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE." 1 Corinthians 13:13

LINDA

I've mentioned before that my sister's family has been harboring some exciting news...

and the long awaited time has finally come to share what God has done!

Tracking back to September 2011, Brodie and Aida ventured to Beijing, China on a short term mission trip with All God's Children International. God had done some pretty amazing things to get them there and it's clear in retrospect that He had a sovereign plan.

It's a winding story leading up to the part where little Linda comes in and the details of God's spider web of events are truly miraculous, but in short, the Lord led us all to Linda in China because He had special things in store.

Across the globe, this precious little girl mesmerized her "uncle" Brodie and "cousin" Aida from the very first time they met her. At the time, my sister's family was waiting for an adoption referral from China and we all believed that through God's trail of events, Brodie and Aida had met their match. We longed for Linda to join our family and we rallied to bring her home. But...little did we know, someone else had already been pursuing the adoption of Linda. This was a heartbreak for us all because we had already come to love her.

Fast forward to June 2012. My sister's family had almost completed the adoption of their daughter, Joy, when they received a phone call one day that changed everything. The other end of the line delivered astonishing news that Linda's adoption had come to a halt and she was now again eligible for adoption! The question was posed, "Would your family like to adopt her?"

Um....YES?! But they were already in the middle of completing their adoption of Joy at the time, and they had spent their last penny in the process, and we had come to terms with the reality that God had closed that door to Linda (so we all thought), and their agency wouldn't allow two adoptions at once, and it would be impossible, and...

But it's Linda. Our Linda. The girl who had already stolen all of our hearts. The one we just knew was supposed to be in our family! We knew it!! But, God was waiting for the appointed time.

"Nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37

Brodie loves to tell the story of how he was taking a group photo with his mission trip team that final day at Linda's foster home in Beijing, the day that they would leave to return home. Linda had already captured her "uncle's" heart, so when she came and tugged on his pant leg before the photo, of course he scooped her up.

As you might imagine, Linda's Uncle Brodie is just A BIT excited that this precious child who has waited so long for her very own family will now be a part of ours. We know through her foster home director that she is a dear little girl who, over the years, has watched many friends go home with their new families and nothing delights my heart more than to see her have her turn. God sets the solitary in families! He loves Linda! And, He has chosen a beloved plan for her life. When I think of the family God has chosen for her, I marvel...Linda is being prepared for a tremendous blessing!!

The time is coming soon, though she will be two years older when she comes home from the time when Brodie and Aida first met her back in 2011. Yet, God has been with Linda every day of her life. He has been with her every minute of the past two years, knowing full well the plans He's had for her all along. He has never left her and He never will.

I'm in awe of the way God orchestrated this story of the adoption of Linda...literally beginning it with a "mistaken" push of a button which "accidentally" signed up for a short term mission trip...who knew?? God did.

Clearly, He had a plan for Joy's life too as He united her with her family this past year. We realize that had my sister and her family adopted Linda right away, when they originally wanted to pursue her, they would not have been waiting for Joy and thus, they would not have found her. The way they love Joy, I cannot imagine their lives without her now. It's a reminder that God's "no's" are sometimes just "no for now's". His plans cannot be thwarted and His will will be accomplished. No obstacle can stand in His way. His timing is perfect. His ways are always wise and loving. He knows best and He longs for us to trust Him.

So, just a few months after Joy's homecoming, another little sweetheart is being readied for our family as well. Though people have warned that two adoptions in one year is inadvisable, we all believe in God's loving plan for Linda's life. We all know that He is the One who brought her to us. And, we all know that God is the One in control. He's the One who's done this, and even when we're not, HE is able.

I'm so proud of my sister and her family for following the Lord into the unknown as they push fear and "what if's" aside, as they follow the One worth following. May we never limit a limitless God and may we rely on Him in all things and accept His challenges as an opportunity to watch Him work through us.

“What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Luke 18:27

We are overjoyed to finally be able to publicly share our exciting news about Linda. This is one special, sought out little girl and she, like Joy, has some very special needs, but I can't think of a better family to care for these girls than the one God has chosen for them. Indeed, these girls are incredibly blessed!

Recently, we all had the opportunity to meet with some of those who operate the ministry where Linda lives in China. The director of Linda's foster home was visiting for her first trip to the US and we all got to have dinner together. What a gift! She shared photos dating back to Linda's infancy. She told us about her sweet personality and the affinity she has always had for Linda. She expressed her gratitude repeatedly to my sister's family that they would adopt her and the funny thing is that we're all the ones thanking them for giving us the chance!

We all feel like we're the ones who've been blessed (already!) by this little girl on the other side of the world. We're the ones who feel chosen to welcome her and care for her. Our whole family is deeply grateful to be a part of this beautiful, masterful story...the one that puts God's love on display...the one that highlights His boundless capabilities... the one that brings a precious child into a God-honoring home in a way that only He could compose.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us a glimpse into your handiwork here on earth through the story of our Linda. Thank you for caring for her heart as she awaits a homecoming of her very own. Thank you for moving in hearts and compelling ordinary people to do extraordinary things in your name. I can't wait to see what your plans hold in store for this daughter, your Linda.

(Linda in China wearing her jammies {which we have matching for Joy and three of my little girls too}. We can't wait to see them all together in them! My sister's family sent the jammies, homemade blanket, and bunny to Linda through the foster home director we met with. What a joy to receive this photo of her with her new special goodies sent with love.)

"Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars,

O Lord of hosts, my King and my God."

Psalm 84:3

WING-DREAM

This is just one of the {MANY} reasons why I love Elka:

Ever since she saw these wings in the Disneyland parade...

...way back when...

 

she has daydreamed of one day having her own.

So, this Christmas, for a matter of mere dimes (maybe $3.50 total) well spent at the craft store, 

Elka's wing-dream came true when she opened her gift of supplies.

Today, we cut and hot-glued and tied and imagined her wings into reality and Elka is just a little bit happy about the results!

I really, really love my creative, out-of-the-box, super fun girl!

ELKA'S WING-DREAM SUPPLY LIST:

2 yards of tulle (favorite color of course!) ($1/yard)

2 thin, long wooden dowels (less than 50 cents each)

Hot glue gun

Matching ribbon (50 cents/spool)

Tank top dress from Elka's closet :)