Pass It Along...

From another Group. Please pass this along!!!

There is a horror slasher film being released July 24 (Orphan) about a family who adopts an older girl who “is not what she appears to be. Warnings about her go unheeded until it is too late…for everyone”. The film is being promoted now (http://orphan-movie.warnerbros.com) and the adoption message being sent is extremely negative. There is actually a line in the trailer that says “it must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own”.

Without having seen the movie or read the script, it is hard to know if the entire movie is sending a ghastly adoption message, but the trailer certainly leads us to believe it is. This feeds the notion that older adoptees are very troubled and you should beware.... that's not an image any of us want the general public to have of our kids. It plays into people's deepest fears.

There is a growing group pursuing a boycott of the film, sending out emails and posting on online bulletin boards. I urge you to forward this email to others personally involved in adoption, help disseminate the boycott message and write to the producers and distributors expressing your displeasure with the message being sent.

The backers of this movie have deep pockets. It is being released by Dark Castle Entertainment with Warner Bros. set to distribute. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way, which developed the material, is also producing.

Conversations...

satan and I have this conversation...

It starts with a deep, cold fear in my heart. The realization that when I say "yes" I'm inviting him to do his work to try derail our hearts.

Yesterday was an anniversary of sorts for us. Four years ago, we said "yes" to what we thought would be an easy enough adoption. Two little children. A boy who was the tiniest 7 year old I'd ever seen, and his 5 year old sister with the big smile.

In July of 2008, we said "yes" again. We would try bring these kiddos home one more time. That night I knew. I knew that as things progressed, satan would spit out his venom bit by bit, spewing his wicked hatred of God across our lives. If you ever doubt that adoption is one small part of God's plan, say "yes". When you choose to say "yes", satan comes in with guns fully-loaded, ready to use whatever means he is allowed to attempt to bring down this part of God's kingdom.

The last few weeks as things have gotten further in the adoption of Ronaldo and Julia, I've watched with cold fear as satan's attacks become more pronounced. Ashtyn is on crutches for a stress fracture that won't heal. 2 weeks ago, Rod badly fractured his thumb, ripping the tendon from the bone in the process. We are still working on getting his thumb repaired and are looking at surgery. All this falls at a time when we are supposed to go on vacation...supposed to be heading to Guatemala soon for an in-country homestudy...and supposed to be scraping up funds to try add two rooms in our already crowded house.

Yesterday it was just too much.

I hit rock bottom. A low that fell right on the 4 year anniversary I am stunned to find we are now passing.

I cried. A lot.

I felt sorry for myself. A lot.

I asked too many "why us"'s and was beginning to question God's plan in all this. And truth be told, I wasn't exactly sure I wanted to know anymore. Wondering how any of this could be "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11

And as I sat dripping in the cesspool created by my own tears of self-pity, satan and I once again had our talk.

It went something like this:

"I hate you satan."

(evil laughter)

"I don't want to do this anymore."

( the demons grin as they come closer)

"I'm so tired. I just want Heaven to come."

(they pause)

"I want my God. I want my Father. I want my Daddy."

(horror spreads across their demon faces)

"You see satan, the harder you push me, the more I want my Daddy."

(peals of agony)

And I cringe as I say once more, "Do what you want, I will not turn away from my Father. Ever."

(screams of rage)

Again, I fall at the feet of Him who loves me. And I cry.

Life is so hard. I know in my heart that by agreeing to do God's will, satan plants his target firmly on our backs.

But I also know that by accepting God's will in my life, and by continuing to praise God in the midst of the black nights, GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED.

That's worth all the pain.

That is my truth.

And in that, lies the greatest blessing this earth can offer.

Out Of The Wreck I Rise

God does not keep His child immune from trouble; He promises, "I will be with him in trouble . . ." ( Psalm 91:15 ). It doesn’t matter how real or intense the adversities may be; nothing can ever separate him from his relationship to God. "In all these things we are more than conquerors . . ." ( Romans 8:37 ). Paul was not referring here to imaginary things, but to things that are dangerously real. And he said we are "super-victors" in the midst of them, not because of our own ingenuity, nor because of our courage, but because none of them affects our essential relationship with God in Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for the Christian who doesn’t have something in the circumstances of his life that he wishes were not there.

"Shall tribulation . . . ?" Tribulation is never a grand, highly welcomed event; but whatever it may be— whether exhausting, irritating, or simply causing some weakness— it is not able to "separate us from the love of Christ." Never allow tribulations or the "cares of this world" to separate you from remembering that God loves you ( Matthew 13:22 ).

"Shall . . . distress . . . ?" Can God’s love continue to hold fast, even when everyone and everything around us seems to be saying that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?

"Shall . . . famine . . . ?" Can we not only believe in the love of God but also be "more than conquerors," even while we are being starved?

Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it— the love of God in Christ Jesus.

"Out of the wreck I rise" every time.
Oswald Chambers

Today?

Our conversation this morning the minute Emilee came upstairs...

Emilee-"You getting Naldo and Julia today?"

Me-"What?"

Emilee-"Are you getting Naldo and Julia today?"

Me-"No, not today honey."

Emilee-"Why not?"

Me-"Their papers aren't quite done yet."

Emilee-"Their papers aren't done yet? Maybe you could go bring their papers."

Me-"It's not quite that easy honey. If I could I would."

Emilee-"Maybe you could call them."

Me-...(thinking...thinking...thinking:))...."That won't work honey."

Emilee-"Why? You don't know their cell phone number?"

.
.
.
.
.
.

Me-"Yeah, I don't know their cell phone number toots."

:)

Oh to have the faith of a child.

Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
Matthew 19:13-15

Always....

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Steps forward...

This little bit of boy sweetness has been coming up to me multiple times a day and hugging me. He puts his cool little hands on me and says, "I love you mommy". He rests his head on my heart, sighs, closes his eyes, and smiles. :) This kid has me so totally wrapped around his heart!



And this little girl? She's making great strides in voicing her opinion. We've been working very hard on helping her to understand that she matters; that what she feels matters. Not an easy concept when you tend to let others walk all over you while you brood silently. This means however, that it's very much like having a two-year old all over again. :) Although outwardly I guide her and teach her to be appropriate in her words and actions, inside I'm awfully, awfully proud of this baby girl who is suddenly finding her voice. Her life has been an amazing transformation for me to watch and I am humbled that God chose me to be the one to walk this life with her. She is a wonderful teacher!

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

The last few days have been incredibly tough. I had actually pushed the kids back to the fartherest part of my heart again. Today I woke feeling the depths of despair.

Lost, angry, and clinging to very little hope.

Then this afternoon, word came that the birth certificates have been corrected!

Oh. My.

I hesitated to post, because they still need to be verified, but I need your prayers to get through this.

Please pray that things are correct with the birth certificates and our file, and that we will be able to travel soon to Guatemala for our empathy study.

Pray that our hearts are settled with all we need to do in order to bring these kids home.

Pray that God will continue to work with me on trusting Him. I tend to want things done my way, in my time, and on my terms.

God has been faithful, please pray that I draw hope from that and not from the circumstances that desire to swallow us up. Somedays it all feels completely overwhelming.

Praising God, one mountain at a time.