Well, let's just say that it has been a long time since I've journaled last. Life gets so busy, and the last thing I have time to do in the evening is sit down, and "blog". Still sounds so weird coming from this "no facebook" girl. Blogging sounds so new and innovative to me, and to others it's was "so 2004". Oh well, either way, I'm thankful for the opportunity to sit down, and jot down a few things.
First, how good is our God? The goodness of our Father goes beyond my human capabilities to put His "awesomeness" into human words. There's not Latin root, Greek origin, or Hebrew word that can even begin to describe our Lord. David, the Psalmist couldn't do it, Solomon didn't have the wisdom to write it down in full, nor did His disciples have the "perfect" description of the Perfect. What is written in the pages of the Word are God breathed about Himself, not man-made. Oh, how I wish I could breathe in His excellence, His presence, His Deity! I get glimpses, and bits and pieces, but the fullness will never come until I go home.
Until then, I will look around at the blossoms on our Dogwood tree, listen to the birds break out in song, enjoy the fresh Spring breeze coming through the front window, enjoy the worship music that plays through our speakers, and most importantly look at what He's done in our family. Brianne is a physical reminder of more salvation, redemption, grace, and mercy scriptures than any book I could ever read (other than His word).
From the moment I wake up to eat a bowl of cereal, until I fall asleep next to Andres, I see what God meant by:
* taking care of the orphans
* adoption into the Kingdom of Heaven
* cannot be earned; just given through grace (salvation)
* forgiveness even when not deserved
* Gentile v. Jew
* coming before the Great Judge to seal the deal (our adoption day)
* baptism: buried in Christ and raised to walk with Him in the newness of life
And the list goes on!
This past July, right before we received the phone call, if you would've told me that we would receive a phone call in just a few weeks about a 12 1/2 year-old girl, and this is what the Lord was going to call us to, I would've been reluctant, doubtful, and fearful. But, He didn't give us a "heads up". He didn't point out to center and say that's where He was going to hit the ball. We had to keep our eye on the batter, continuously, and when He hit, we were then ready to catch His calling. We caught it into our glove, and now we are running to home plate on March 9th at 8 a.m.!!!! It was a four-year ballgame, but it was well worth it!!! I'm forever blessed and thankful that we were in the game, and not bystanders to others.
So many times we look at other ballgames being played and envy their game, when all along He's been scouting you out! He's been inviting you to a professional game of FAITH, but you were so busy looking over the fence, that you didn't hear. You heard the fans roaring on some other family, that you didn't hear your game starting!
I encourage you to just listen, and obey your Father! That's what we ask of our children!! In fact, I will post some pictures from our morning today. We took the girls to a very special piece of land that no one else really knows about. We have never seen someone else visit this piece of land, and we resort to it for a variety of reasons. Sometimes to pray, have a picnic, read a book, talk it out, or just enjoy a piece of Heaven in the big city. Well, this morning, we took our girls there so we could spend some time together before our big adoption day. It was a deviation from the weekend norm for our family, so the girls had a TON of questions. They kept asking where were going, how far is it, why are we not going down Broad street, how long will we stay there, are we going to eat there, what city is it in, and on and on and on!!! They weren't questions of "fun", rather "I'm thrown off and I need to know now."
We were really frustrated with the girls because we had a very special morning planned for them. We were going to reveal our family scripture (Isaiah 25:1), pray together, sketch a bit, throw rocks, and of course before we did all that, we were going to go to a coffee shop for coffee and hot chocolate. We had it all planned out and it was going to be very special, but they were ruining it question by question!
How often.....................again...................how often, does He have it ALL planned out for us and we keep drowning the adventure and blessings with doubt, and control? We could've enjoyed the ride until we arrived to His planned spot for us, but instead of looking out the side window and spotting a Red Robin, or admiring the lake underneath the beautiful bridge, we looked at the back of His head, and questioned the whole time. We're all so guilty of this!!! So, when the girls did this, I was 1/2 upset, and 1/2 convicted.
We ended up having a GLORIOUS morning on top of that piece of land and the pictures you see posted are from our outing. If you get a chance to look up Isaiah 25:1, please do. He is so faithful!
Well, as I end this "post", I reflect on the simple truth that in two days, our adoption is finalized! He never allowed us to close our door to adoption, when so many times we struggled with the road. It was paved many times, but there were many times, that it was not. I'm thankful for the consistency of His voice, and the steadfastness to listen! I love our Heavenly Father so very much and I see Him all around me! I see Him in His creation, and in His people! That includes you sweet daughter, or dear friend! Keep your eyes open and investigate His fingerprints! Find 'em everywhere and let it remind you of who He is and what He wants to do in your life and in the life of your family!
With much love, excitement, and encouragement,
Elizabeth
First, how good is our God? The goodness of our Father goes beyond my human capabilities to put His "awesomeness" into human words. There's not Latin root, Greek origin, or Hebrew word that can even begin to describe our Lord. David, the Psalmist couldn't do it, Solomon didn't have the wisdom to write it down in full, nor did His disciples have the "perfect" description of the Perfect. What is written in the pages of the Word are God breathed about Himself, not man-made. Oh, how I wish I could breathe in His excellence, His presence, His Deity! I get glimpses, and bits and pieces, but the fullness will never come until I go home.
Until then, I will look around at the blossoms on our Dogwood tree, listen to the birds break out in song, enjoy the fresh Spring breeze coming through the front window, enjoy the worship music that plays through our speakers, and most importantly look at what He's done in our family. Brianne is a physical reminder of more salvation, redemption, grace, and mercy scriptures than any book I could ever read (other than His word).
From the moment I wake up to eat a bowl of cereal, until I fall asleep next to Andres, I see what God meant by:
* taking care of the orphans
* adoption into the Kingdom of Heaven
* cannot be earned; just given through grace (salvation)
* forgiveness even when not deserved
* Gentile v. Jew
* coming before the Great Judge to seal the deal (our adoption day)
* baptism: buried in Christ and raised to walk with Him in the newness of life
And the list goes on!
This past July, right before we received the phone call, if you would've told me that we would receive a phone call in just a few weeks about a 12 1/2 year-old girl, and this is what the Lord was going to call us to, I would've been reluctant, doubtful, and fearful. But, He didn't give us a "heads up". He didn't point out to center and say that's where He was going to hit the ball. We had to keep our eye on the batter, continuously, and when He hit, we were then ready to catch His calling. We caught it into our glove, and now we are running to home plate on March 9th at 8 a.m.!!!! It was a four-year ballgame, but it was well worth it!!! I'm forever blessed and thankful that we were in the game, and not bystanders to others.
So many times we look at other ballgames being played and envy their game, when all along He's been scouting you out! He's been inviting you to a professional game of FAITH, but you were so busy looking over the fence, that you didn't hear. You heard the fans roaring on some other family, that you didn't hear your game starting!
I encourage you to just listen, and obey your Father! That's what we ask of our children!! In fact, I will post some pictures from our morning today. We took the girls to a very special piece of land that no one else really knows about. We have never seen someone else visit this piece of land, and we resort to it for a variety of reasons. Sometimes to pray, have a picnic, read a book, talk it out, or just enjoy a piece of Heaven in the big city. Well, this morning, we took our girls there so we could spend some time together before our big adoption day. It was a deviation from the weekend norm for our family, so the girls had a TON of questions. They kept asking where were going, how far is it, why are we not going down Broad street, how long will we stay there, are we going to eat there, what city is it in, and on and on and on!!! They weren't questions of "fun", rather "I'm thrown off and I need to know now."
We were really frustrated with the girls because we had a very special morning planned for them. We were going to reveal our family scripture (Isaiah 25:1), pray together, sketch a bit, throw rocks, and of course before we did all that, we were going to go to a coffee shop for coffee and hot chocolate. We had it all planned out and it was going to be very special, but they were ruining it question by question!
How often.....................again...................how often, does He have it ALL planned out for us and we keep drowning the adventure and blessings with doubt, and control? We could've enjoyed the ride until we arrived to His planned spot for us, but instead of looking out the side window and spotting a Red Robin, or admiring the lake underneath the beautiful bridge, we looked at the back of His head, and questioned the whole time. We're all so guilty of this!!! So, when the girls did this, I was 1/2 upset, and 1/2 convicted.
We ended up having a GLORIOUS morning on top of that piece of land and the pictures you see posted are from our outing. If you get a chance to look up Isaiah 25:1, please do. He is so faithful!
Well, as I end this "post", I reflect on the simple truth that in two days, our adoption is finalized! He never allowed us to close our door to adoption, when so many times we struggled with the road. It was paved many times, but there were many times, that it was not. I'm thankful for the consistency of His voice, and the steadfastness to listen! I love our Heavenly Father so very much and I see Him all around me! I see Him in His creation, and in His people! That includes you sweet daughter, or dear friend! Keep your eyes open and investigate His fingerprints! Find 'em everywhere and let it remind you of who He is and what He wants to do in your life and in the life of your family!
With much love, excitement, and encouragement,
Elizabeth
