Wholeheartedly Waiting

"If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him. He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord's people have always been a waiting people." - Charles Spurgeon

So, we are waiting. We sent off our paperwork to immigration almost two weeks ago now. We know they received it, because they cashed our big fat check and sent us a letter saying so. Within the next week, we hope to receive an appointment from them for our biometric fingerprinting. Then we'll be back to more waiting! We sent all our other dossier documents to our agency last week, so they are ready and waiting for our immigration approval....then we will be "DTC" or Dossier to China! Then we'll be back to more waiting! And this is how it goes in the world of adoption. We signed up for this year plus of waiting and expected it, but some days it still seems SOOOO long. We're anxious to see our little one's face for the first time, to give her a name, to bring her home. I've been studying the book of Genesis with BSF International this year, and it's been so good for me to be reminded of all the patriarchs of my faith and how they had to wait (frequently decades) for God's perfect timing and fulfillment of His promises to them. I also remember a sermon by Gary Brooks (our pastor in St. Louis) from a couple years ago on "waiting." He spoke about some biblical examples of waiting, and how it's so clear that God values waiting and He wants His people to be a waiting people. You see it in almost every book of the Bible. Knowing this, I am excited to see what God does during our waiting period! While we actively wait, we've completed 6 adoption grant/matching grant requests; I mailed 4 of them off today! We probably won't hear news from those until late summer/early fall, but I'll keep you posted if we do. Most organizations have periodic deadlines and only make grant decisions a few times annually. 

On a side note, I wanted to share a coupon with you for Just Love Coffee. If you order from them through our link on the sidebar, part of the profits go directly toward offsetting our adoption expenses. This code is good for 10% of your order from now until April 8th! Just enter "KISSTHERIM" in the coupon code box at checkout. We also still have some beautiful handmade wooden cross clocks ($40), soaps ($3), scented wax tarts ($3), a 31 thermal tote ($15) and jewelry for sale ($24 - more jewelry coming in a couple of weeks) - just check out the facebook album HERE and HERE to see what is left! Also, Josh's dad (who made the clocks) is now making custom furniture, and he has offered to donate 10% of any orders to our adoption fund. If you have any interest, let me know - I'll get a brochure to you! 

Quilting has been another exercise in patience for me! This is only my second quilt top, and I'm so thankful to have my Mom teaching me! I have made quite a bit of progress lately. I finished making each of the 20 blocks, and now I'm working on piecing them together and getting all the borders ready!

  

We'll keep you posted on any further developments! If you are also in a state of waiting, be encouraged!!! God is faithful and is always at work. His plans will not be thwarted.

One Step at a Time

We had our second garage sale fundraiser over the weekend, and it was a great success! We could not have done it on a colder weekend, and there were snow flurries both days. In spite of that, we had steady traffic and raised over $1,200!! It was a lot of fun, too. We got to talk to about a dozen people who have either adopted, are in the process or who are involved in orphan care. We even talked to a few people who are praying about pursuing adoption! So exciting!! A great big THANK YOU to all those who helped in a variety of ways! 

Last week, we received a draft copy of our home study report, too!! We sent it back with a few minor changes and should get the final copy very soon. Thank you for persevering in prayer with us!! We are now one step closer!!!

I have been making progress on the quilt, as well. Here's a recent pic of the quilt blocks that I have finished, and I have another 4 blocks started.

We are still selling the pottery jewelry - I have 5 pieces from the new batch left (see the Facebook album HERE), and I should have more pieces in a few weeks. See the post "Jewelry, anyone?" for further details. Josh's parents and sister-in-law have also donated some items for us to sell to raise funds - solid wood cross clocks, handmade scented wax tarts and soaps and a couple of Longaberger and Thirty-one items. See pictures of the available items HERE.

We are so blessed to be a part of the Church, and we have seen the gospel in action all around us throughout this process. Our brothers and sisters in Christ have sacrificed time, goods and money to be a part of God's work in this world and in our family. We are so humbled to see God's hand in this every single day!!! Let us continue in this state of grace as we press on to a state of glory!! 

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." (Romans 12:9-13 ESV)

Jewelry, anyone?

The necklaces are in, and they are beautiful!! We are selling handmade pottery necklaces by Rebekah Blocher. Rebekah has a heart for adoption and is using her talents to help families fundraise for adoption expenses. LOVE IT! She carves a Bible verse reference on the back of the pieces. Each piece also comes inside of a small bag that was handmade in China by Scarlet Threads, a fair trade boutique that helps seamstresses in rural China and Uganda to provide for their families in a safe, dignified manner.

We are selling each piece for $24 (plus $2 s&h, if required to be mailed to you). HALF of that money goes directly toward our adoption expenses!  The pieces are gorgeous and would make fantastic gifts - thinking ahead to Valentines Day, Mother's Day, graduation, etc. If you want to know what Scripture reference is on the back of a specific piece, or just to get a closer look - CLICK HERE to see the Facebook album with individual shots of the pieces remaining (I have a feeling I'll be ordering more very soon!). 

Thank you for your support!!

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

(Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)

A Time to Sew

I am starting to make some progress on the quilt, and I just wanted to share a few pictures with you! I finished up two of the blocks last night. I think it's going to turn out so cute!!

Thank you again to everyone who sponsored blocks! All 20 blocks were sponsored in less than 72 hours, thanks to the outpouring of your generous hearts! We have finished up our home study meetings, too. We hope to have our completed home study report back in the next month, and we're preparing to start on our immigration paperwork. Meanwhile, we are still selling books online, coffee through our Just Love link and organizing our next garage sale fundraiser! The garage sale will be MARCH 1 & 2 - SAVE THE DATE! Let me know if you have anything sitting around collecting dust that you'd like to donate.

We are also getting ready to receive our first shipment of jewelry that we are selling as a fundraiser. The jewelry is handmade pottery by Rebekah Blocher. CLICK HERE if you want a sneak peak of what some of her jewelry looks like! It's really beautiful and would make great gifts! I will surely keep you posted as soon as that is available - should be later this week!

Let Your work be shown to Your servants,

and Your glorious power to their children.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish the work of our hands upon us;

yes, establish the work of our hands!

(Psalm 90:16-17 ESV)

God's Perfect Provision

In the middle of December, I was doing our finances and feeling a bit down as I looked at the balance in our adoption bank account. I knew our next payment would be coming up in January, and we just didn't have it...yet. I felt a little doubt creeping in. What if we didn't have the money when it came due? Would we have to put the adoption on hold? Worry was ready and waiting to consume my thoughts. But praise the Lord for the Spirit's sweet assurance, who called to mind the countless times that God has provided for our family. Josh and I have been through this before...the numbers just not working. We went through almost two years of making two house payments on one income. I'm a CPA, and I can tell you - the numbers were impossible. Impossible, ha! Luke 1:37 reminds us, "For nothing will be impossible with God." The truth of this verse is so real to me. God has proved it in my life time and time again. So, I told that doubt where it could go. ;)

That afternoon when I opened the mail, I found a check that I was not expecting this month. And wouldn't you know, it put us over what we needed to make our next payment! There was an error in our home escrow estimate, so we got a very large refund and an escrow payment for the coming year that is almost $100 less than we've been paying! I danced my little jig up the driveway, and I just shook my head - blown away again at how He perfectly provides for us. But you know how God is - just when you think He's blessed you, He just keeps pouring His grace out. A dear sweet neighbor of ours was moving that week, and I filled her in on our adoption. She asked if we would like some donations for our next garage sale fundraiser. And by "some" donations, I mean a TON of furniture, tools, etc. She just kept saying how thrilled she was that her garage sale hadn't gone so well, because it was God's plan for her to pass these things on to us. Again, blown away.

Just before Christmas, we started collecting used books to sell online for fundraising purposes. Our church family from Ohio was a tremendous blessing in their donations!! I am still getting them all listed online, and I'll be listing more as we receive them. If you have any books to donate, let me know! If you are interested in checking out our online bookstore, click here. Please pass it along to any of your friends and family that may be interested. We've priced everything very competitively - going for quantity here! 

$30,000 is a pretty "impossible" number for our one-income family, but we have been able to pay for every cost that has arisen - just in time. God truly provides where He guides! Our brothers and sisters in Christ have been abundantly generous - we have felt bathed in prayer, received over $800 worth of goods donated for our first garage sale (and lots more since that we are storing for our next sale), 10 boxes of books donated and over $700 from cash donations and Just Love coffee sales. A huge THANK YOU to all of you who have supported us along the way! We have enough to make our next payment now, but we will still have about $18,000 in remaining costs to come up with. We can start applying for adoption grants once our home study is complete; we are supposed to have our final home study meeting next week - so it won't be long! We'll keep you posted on that. In the meantime, we're fundraising away! 

Our newest fundraiser is a "Sponsor-a-Block." My Mom and I are going to be making a quilt for our daughter. My Mom has graciously donated the fabric, and we are asking for 20 people who would be willing to sponsor a block of the quilt for $25. We will be putting all sponsor's names on the quilt label. You can contribute via PayPal through the ChipIn widget on the sidebar, or you can send a check in the mail. If you want to pass along our ChipIn page, send friends to this link. Below I have put a picture of the quilt pattern we're doing and the fabrics we're using. I can't wait to see it come together!!

Please keep praying for our little girl! We also ask that you pray that God's hand will be upon our paperwork and our fundraising - we are confident that He will continue to multiply our loaves and fishes for His glory! We are praying regularly that He will bless you all.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." - 2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV

The Little Ones

In the wake of the brutal and evil attack in Newtown, CT, the internet swirls with opinions about gun control, school safety, mental health, and the sovereignty of God. As a parent of a kindergartener at a public school, I have been imagining the events as if they happened to me and to my little Sydney. I was at Sydney’s school when the massacre took place. I see these precious children’s faces several times a week, and I just love them. My stomach churns, my gut aches, my spirit groans. Can we just stop and mourn with these families? I understand there are important topics that must be addressed and should be discussed, but can we not hurt and weep with these parents first? I am reminded of Jesus’ response when he arrived at Lazarus’ grave in John 11. He knew He was to raise Lazarus from the dead, but He was still deeply moved with those mourning and He wept. Those of us who are Christians understand that these children have hope in Christ, but we still weep at the temporary sting of death. Psalm 34:18 is an encouragement to us, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” I have not parented a child for 6 years and then lost him, but I know the Lord has comforted my broken heart when I have been crushed, and He gives His children unfailing hope, unconditional peace and miraculous comfort. Please join me in continuing to pray for these families, as well as cherishing and honoring the children in our own lives. May we love and cherish all children from conception to the grave.

John Piper once wrote, “How we deal with children is a signal of our fellowship with God. Something is deeply amiss in the soul that does not descend (or is it really ascend?) to love and hold a child.” Our family devotions this month have been Advent-themed, and we have been talking about a different name of Jesus every night. We wrote them out on stars and have been putting one up each night above a manger cutout. I think about Immanuel, God with us, our greatest example. How did Jesus respond to children, and is our attitude towards them in line with his? Christ humbled Himself and came as an infant, He took children in His arms and blessed them (Mark 10:14-16), He healed a little girl (Matt. 15:28), cast a demon out of a little boy (Matt. 17:18), raised a little girl from the dead (Mark 5:41-42), and accepted a boy’s ordinary gift of loaves and fishes, then feeding a multitude with them (John 6:9-10). It’s clear in Scripture that Jesus loved children and children loved Him. The Bible encourages us to become like children (Matt. 18:3-4), and each day as I watch my children – I am humbled by this. They are so innocent, so energetic, so magical in their thinking. They are strong, they are full of life, they are curious. They trust unwaveringly, they forgive easily, they laugh and cry often. They enjoy their Creator and all that He has made for them. They find joy in the smallest of things and have eyes widened with wonder at the mysteries that surround them. All the while, they are acutely aware of their great neediness. My children know that they mess up A LOT. They know that they need someone to care for them. They are eager to learn, because they realize they don’t have all the answers. They feel the pain of others in a way I have forgotten. Is it any wonder we are called to be like these?

This morning, I was re-reading a blog entry called “10 Resolutions for Mental Health” that John Piper wrote to honor a teacher of his, and I think it is generally good advice for all of us. If you have time, please read it. So many of the resolutions encourage us to become like children once again. Mommies, put down your dishtowels today and stare at your children. Daddies, hide the remote control and wrestle with your kids. And if you don’t have children of your own, God has still placed children in your life for you to minister to and to learn from. Jesus never married or had children, but oh how he loved the little ones! Let us fiercely love the children in our lives, and let us fight for those who are unwanted and unloved. May we have a deeper appreciation and a greater love for our Savior this year, as we celebrate His first coming in the form of a child. Our family wishes you a very Merry CHRISTmas!

So Grateful

Last week, Josh and I had our individual interviews for our home study. These are the interviews for which we wrote our autobiographies. Forcing myself to sit down and walk through my past was so beneficial. I was reminded of all the people God has used in my life, as well as many of the lessons He has taught me along the way. The process made me so thankful for my upbringing. My parents aren’t perfect, but both of them have pointed me to Jesus and encouraged me in my faith. For that, I am eternally grateful. (So, thanks Mom & Dad!) Now, Josh and I are beginning our adoption education courses! I’m really excited for this part! Once we complete those items, we’ll meet with our social worker again.

On the fundraising front, there are a few things to mention. First off, we just want to say thank you to all of you who have supported us through your prayers, your encouragement and your giving. We are continually blessed by you all! Secondly, I have begun to collect gently used books to sell online as a fundraiser. So, if you have any collecting dust on your shelves or would be willing to do a mini book drive for us, it would be greatly appreciated! We are going to be having another garage sale fundraiser in a couple months, so if you have anything – we’ve already got a good pile going in our basement!  We’re hoping to do an adoption t-shirt fundraiser in the near future too. I’ll keep you posted on that. Another new fundraiser we’ve begun is through a wonderful Christian company called Just Love Coffee. A portion of the proceeds from every purchase made through the Just Love link on our blog (see the sidebar) will go directly toward our adoption costs! Please share the link with your friends too. The coffee is really good, and the company is truly the kind we want to support. Check out this video to learn more about how they do business!

If you are like me, you spent a fair amount of time this month thinking about gratitude and giving. One thing our family did this year was to make a “thankfulness tree.” Each night at dinner we wrote things that we were thankful for on a leaf that was added to the tree. It was such a good exercise for us all. Our leaves are covered with quite a variety of things – everything from bacon to the grace of God! 

God has been hammering away at me this month; He’s so good to do so. Over the weekend, Josh, my sister Patti and I went to downtown Atlanta with some folks from our church to minister to the homeless community. There was a station handing out clothes, a prayer station, a medical station, a foot care station, a call home station, music, s’mores and chili. The three of us were on trash duty, which ended up being a lot of fun. We got to mingle and talk with people the whole time. I kept thinking about Grace, a homeless woman that I got to know when I worked in Cleveland. One thing I learned from her was that a lot of people who are homeless just want to feel human. They want to be looked at in the eyes, called by name and talked to. I was so humbled when the man singing asked “Who here has something to thank God for today?” and I watched almost everyone put their hands up. That's a moment I hope to recall when I feel like complaining. I’d like to challenge us all to do more than just write a check to charity this Christmas season. Let’s get our hands dirty. Let’s form relationships. Let’s give of our time, talents and treasures without concern for recognition and without worrying about how others may spend our gifts. Let’s be true followers of Jesus, imitating Him and living out His gospel. He chose a humble beginning in a dirty manger, and He spent much of His time on earth among the poor. We have so much to learn from His example and from the poor themselves. Sure, we can give ourselves a gold star for an annual good deed performed; but if we are truly following Christ, caring for the least of these will become a lifestyle pattern - part of our DNA, if you will. That cuts me right to the heart. Being the bookworm I am, I have to plug a book here too. One of my favorite books (co-written by a man who was homeless) is Same Kind of Different as Me written by Denver Moore and Ron Hall. You just HAVE to read it; that’s all there is to it. 

Every year around this time, I’m especially reminded to take an inventory of my affections and priorities. I just pray that I will focus on what is lasting and eternal and continually throw off the hindrance of “stuff.” This month, I am being schooled by my six year old. One night, I watched Sydney bring her piggy bank downstairs and empty all of its contents into our adoption change jar. For her birthday party this month, she asked people to bring canned goods for MUST ministries rather than gifts. She was so excited when that food filled our whole trunk and we drove it down there. Then, I took her to Target a couple weeks ago with $10 she had received from a family member for her birthday, and she gave $5 of it to her brother to spend. I don’t know about you, but she’s putting me to shame lately. It makes me feel a little better that she is still trying to come to grips with the fact that she will no longer have her own sink when her sister arrives! ;) Most days, she is still her bossy little self who struggles with self-control, but I am so grateful to see the work Jesus has begun in her little heart. Aren’t you thankful that God is not finished with us yet? I know I am.