Thankfulness

We have celebrated Thanksgiving with our family.  Some sickness has been floating through our extended family but we have all managed to stay well. I spent lots of time wiht my sister which is a rare treat. She and I took my big kids black Friday shopping and ate at IHOP. That was fun. We got a few door buster deals. Then my sister and I had a "sewing lesson" with my Mom. I cant say I can sew but I learned some things.  It was fun beginning the process. Especially since I am sewing with my Grandmothers sewing machine that I used to see her sew with. I have thought a lot about her lately and I miss her dearly.

We went to MS Saturday to pay honor to the graves of my Dad and my Grandma and Grandpa. I did not feel sad at the cemetary.  I know that is not where my loved ones are. I am confident that they are with Jesus in a place that my mind cannot comprehend but I look forward to going one day. They are with Jesus.  The cemetary simply contains a monument where I can take pretty flowers.  Then we went to my grandmothers house which is almost empty.  Soon our family will sell the house. While that makes me sad, she is not there. My Pawpaw has been gone for many years.  It's not the same place that used to mean so much to me. It's not about the house, the yard, the stuff but about the people who I love that are no longer there. 

Also, my husbands grandmother "Mamu" went to Heaven this year. This was the first Thanksgiving I did not get to enjoy her dressing. While Grammys dressing was great, Mamu was greatly missed. These are the first holidays with out her. Those are always difficult. But again, we are confident she is with  Jesus and we have Joy in knowing we will see her again.

In our adoption journey, we have no new news. We are planning a trip to visit with our attorney soon. We will also visit with a church that we believe, through our adoption, God has led our church to partner with in Ministry.  We look forward to worshipping with them and exploring the possible opportunities God has in store.  It's so exciting that our personal adoption journey is growing into a possible missions partnership. We also have some friends who are considering adopting through the same professionals that God led us to.  That is an answer to my prayer that God would use our story to encourage others to adopt.  We already see our journey growing into a bigger picture. God is about the big picture.  He will use each of us in ways we can never imagine if we just follow Him.  I never thought our journey would include so many people as it already does and we are still in the beginning stage. I cannot wait to see how God will use this journey to further His kingdom and bring home more babies to forever families for His glory and our Joy.

So, more than ever, I am so Thankful to my awesome God for all He has done and all He will continue to do.

Orphan Care

I've completed two weeks at my new job. It feels funny saying that since I have worked at this same boys home two times before. First, I helped my husband as a weekend houseparent the first year we were married.  The second time I was hired as a fill in Social Worker which is what I am doing now.  It's so obvious why God would drop this opportunity in my lap, totally line up every detail from the flexibility of my schedule, to on site free day care for Elijah and for me to serve local orphans while I work towards my baby girl. It has been a true reminder of why I went into Social work in the first place. In two weeks, I've had an opportunity to meet several of the boys who live there and learn a little bit about their story.  In the past, when I worked with boys homes, people would ask how I could do it.  They would say how sad the situations and circumstances were and how difficult the job must be. I would say that you sort of get used to it and numb to it. You just work with the kids each day and try to encourage and teach and help them make good choices that will lead them to a good life when they grow up. However, as I sat in the office yesterday, I wept as I read the stories of some of the boys.  You never truly get used to the heartache of little children who long for a family. They long to have a Mom and Dad or at least someone kin to them that can love them enough to raise them and meet their basic needs.  Maybe God put me here to simply remind me that so many children around the world are hurting.  So many children need Mothers and Fathers but more than anything, they need to know their Heavenly Father loves them and will never leave them.  Its my job to share that with them and God is laying out opportunities for me in a way I cannot deny.  I saw a tshirt tonight that said "If you can't feed 100 people, feed 1."  Sometimes we believe the lie from satan that the problem is so big we cannot make a difference.  We CAN make a difference. If we can make a difference in one childs life, then we have done what God has called us to do.  What opportunities has God given you?  This Sunday is Orphan Sunday.  Our worship Pastor found a beautiful song that we are planning to sing. The lyrics talk about how we are not orphans anymore.  We were, until Jesus loved us and wanted us even though we did nothing to deserve it.  He paid such a high price for us knowing that we would betray Him and deny Him and sin.  But He loved us and adopted us and now we can eat at the kings table and we have all the blessings of His kingdom. We have the promise of Heaven.  We have a Daddy that will never leave us. We are forever His.  Please join me in praying for Orphans here and around the world. Maybe God will lay out some opportunites for you to encourage and care for orphans.  I have to take an opportunity to say how thankful I am to the people in our church (and in our circle of friends) who have been involved in orphan care through adoption, foster care, mentoring, MakeWay Partners, other orphan care ministries and sponserships. You are all an inspiration to me but more importantly, to the children God puts in your path.  Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus to orphans.