Monday Afternoon Update

We should be Home Study to Korea some time this week.  It was either sent off last Wednesday, or it will be sent to Korea this week.  That's exciting news.

We received our homestudy last Wednesday.  As soon as I got it, I called our SW and made sure I had the documents necessary to send off our I-600A.  This is the document you send so that the US Government (Homeland Security) can decide if you are fit to bring a child into this country.  Anyway, that's how I understand it.

God is amazing. 

A friend that we made at the Parents in Process class received a referral from China last week.  Please pray that their journey will continue to go smoothly and quickly. 

Church was really good yesterday.  It was about being prepared for Christ's return.

I leave you with this Bible verse for the day because I have needed more faith the last few days.

Luke 17:5-6
⁵ The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
 ⁶ He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

Movement and a Good Book

I think I felt my first "kick" today.  More like a little "flutter."  The adoption process has its own set of pregnancy symptoms.  Since we are paper pregnant, I guess the movement of the child are dependent on phone calls, emails, and steps achieved in the paper process.  Kicks in the womb are little reminders that there is life in there preparing to join your family.  The only problem is that the paper pregnancy kicks are fewer and far between.  

Our movement is that we received a call from our SW.  She said that our homestudy will be possibly completed for our review on Tuesday, November 16.  That was quicker than I expected, so I am excited.

I finished reading Mary Beth Chapman's book Choosing to SEE.  What a GREAT faith story.  You can see the hand of God working through these people and in their lives.  What an inspiration.  The book only took from Tuesday night until Friday morning to finish.  After I finished it, I also listened to Steven Curtis Chapman's Beauty Will Rise CD.  It would be so awesome to meet these people in person.

God is GREAT!  Today I leave you with this Bible verse:
Isaiah 41:10

¹⁰ So do not fear, for I am with you;
   do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
   I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Christina

Searching for Songs to Sing to My LORD

Sometimes it is difficult to express what you are going through with words.  This morning I am searching for possible songs to sing to the Lord in front of my church.  Here are some words from the song "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)", which is sung by Amy Grant (and surely other artists, but she is the one that I was looking at).  This song describes very well what I am feeling and going through.

Here are the first part of the lyrics minus the end chorus x2 with my words in purple surrounded by parentheses:

I have traveled many moonless nights (Oh, how many sleepless nights I have already had filled with worry and darkness.)
Cold and weary with a babe inside  (Not a baby inside my womb, but in my heart.)
And I wonder what I have done (What an honor that He chose us for this path. I feel so unworthy, yet glorified because my God is glorified.)
Holy Father, You have come
And chosen me to carry Your son  (Of course Mary was pregnant with Jesus, but I have been chosen to carry this child in my heart and some day in my arms.  I will be able to show this child love because God loved me first.)

I am waiting in a silent prayer (Only God understands adoption more than anyone here on earth.  And only other adoptive parents understand this wait.)
I am frightened by the load I bear  (Oh, YES God Almighty.)
In a world as cold as stone
Must I walk this path alone?   (Sometimes it feels that way, even though we aren't alone.  It is our journey to travel alone.  No one experiences it the same.)
Be with me now, be with me now   (DAILY, I beg for this.)

Breath of Heaven, hold me together
Be forever near me, Breath of Heaven
Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness
Pour over me your holiness, for you are Holy
Breath of Heaven  (All that I ask is that I am pleasing to Him.)

Do you wonder as you watch my face
If a wiser one should have had my place? 
But I offer all I am         (ALL, I AM.)
For the mercy of Your plan
Help me be strong, help me be, help me


I have tears in my eyes even now as I reread and write.  God is so merciful and wonderful.

Romans 8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Hanging in the Balance

I can't tell you exactly what the title to this entry means, because of privacy with our agency.  I can tell you that it does have to do with timing.

 I doubt myself.  I wonder if God is really talking to me or did I come up with this adoption idea all on my own? 

So this morning I spoke to God.  God I need your word.  I need to hear from you today.  Am I doing what you want?  I need your strength.  I am doing the Bible Study, Becoming a Woman of Grace by Cynthia Heald.  I am on Chapter 8 Freedom to Serve.  For the first question we were to summarize James 1:22-27.

Here is what it says:

James 1:22-27 ²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
 ²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.


AMAZING!  I couldn't have planned it better myself.  I hope you take the time today to seek Him, so that you can see and experience your own miracle.

God promises that He will speak to us if we seek Him.  To God be the glory!

Love,
Christina

And the Answers Are:

I have asked these same questions to other families that have chosen adoption.  So that we don't have an awkward conversation, I will just answer them here for you.

Why are you adopting?

Jeremiah 29:11-13   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.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

God has called us all to take care of orphans and widows.  Shawn and I feel called by God to adopt.  Some people are confused by our decision.  Once our baby gets home, we'll let you know the entire story.  We don't even know what it is yet, but I can't wait to share God's glory. 

How much is it going to cost?

Matthew 6:19-21  "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

God called us to do this.  He has given us everything we have, so we feel we should share it with one that doesn't.  This baby will be added to my collection of priceless children.  My children are my treasures.   I would much rather invest in the life of another, than invest in something that dies away. 

Do you worry about xyz concerning adoption?

The answer is yes.  I struggle everyday.  This journey is a huge test of faith.  I will be honest, I don't trust God enough.  I pray for more faith and trust in Him.  I pray daily for His strength and direction.  He knows the timing.  I have to take refuge in His protection and his plans.

Matthew 6:25-27 & 33-34 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.


Now concerning the child's "real parents."  We are his adoptive parents and any child we raise, we are also those children's "real parents."  The child has biological parents and if they choose to be open and receive information about the child, I am willing to provide it.  However, we are the child's "real parents."  Just like it is rude to ask a mother whether she is pregnant, it is rude to ask about the child's real parents when they are standing right in front of you.  And NEVER ask in front of the child/ren.

I am sure there will be other questions concerning our decision to adopt, but I will answer to my God for the plans He has in my life.  My family will be blessed by adoption and hopefully we'll be a blessing to the child as well.  I promise to do my best.

Love,
Christina

Homestudy at Our Home Today

I am in an interesting mood this morning. Very tired as I didn't get to sleep until after midnight and was up at 6:30 a.m. to get the boys ready for school.  DS#3 thought it was a good idea to stay up until 10:15 pm.  Not normal for him, usually he goes to his bed cries for a couple minutes or less and then is out like a light.  Last night he cried for about 15 minutes.  DH was exhausted and ready to go to bed at 7:00.  Since, he was so tired I took DS #3 to the other end of the house.  We watched a couple of TV shows that I had recorded.  Usually he falls asleep during Mommy's boring shows, but not last night.  Oh, well.  He finally fell asleep.  I took him to his bed and then I crawled into my own, only to toss and turn for another hour.  Right as I was about to sleep.  DS#2 came into my room and startled me.  I asked him, "Do you need to use the restroom?"  He started whining, "No, I don't need to go."  I asked, "What do you need?"  He went back to his bed.  I covered him up, gave him a kiss, and went back to my own bed.  Sleep walking. :)  I'll take that over the night terrors he used to have.

My pastor encouraged us to read one chapter of Proverbs every day.   Proverbs 26:11 made me laugh:  "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly."

Idiots. :)   Yes, I have been one of those and still am at times.  Some times dogs are easier to train than people.:)

Now about this home study.  I need to put the finishing touches on the house before the SW arrives.  I am really excited.  I think she is going to be a little overwhelmed with my personality today.  Some people just don't appreciate my effervescence (bubbles!:).  I'll let God's light shine.  He called me for this, so I guess I need to let Him drive, right?

As always, pray for us.

Homestudy Part 1

Our homestudy went well.  The next part of our homestudy will be on Tuesday, October 26.  I hope it goes even better.  I am excited.

I guess it is nice when you see/feel movement. 

We have SO much to be thankful for. 

Love,
Christina