March, March, March

I am just barely squeaking in a March post, quite frankly, I've been so busy LIVING life that I haven't had time to write about it! I know so many of you understand that. When embraced, life just loves to hug you back, capture your attention and keep you captivated. I have been captivated for this month of March, to say the least. So many things were crammed into these weeks, that I'm left a bit breathless.

BIGGEST update is about our impending 8th adoption. After many meetings, prayers, discussions, visits, and etc... we have realized that we will not be adopting again after all. It has been a bittersweet journey as our hopes were high and then denied.

Pro 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick:

HOWEVER, we have seen that the Lord was at work in this situation and we feel that His Will is being accomplished. This is for the best of all involved, that's how God does things, every time, without exception. We must trust Him, even over ourselves, He is TRUSTWORTHY.

The scripture that the Lord placed on my heart when we first began this particular leg of the journey was found in Proverbs chapter 31. Int the New Living Translation it reads like this...

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

We feel like we were able to be the advocate that Joel needed. His foster parents of seven years were being grossly mispresented by a very disgruntled and negligent social worker. They not only are dedicated to Joel's present needs but are anxious to be a part of his future.

During March we had three former foster children who are now grown with children of their own to visit us and ask us to grandparent their children. This has been a great honor, a great honor indeed. We also reconnected with two other grown foster children and will be seeing them in the months to come. One of them, our very first foster child, who turned 18 in March and had been searching for us for a long time.

So, March was true to it's nature...it came in like a LION and is going out like a LAMB! So loud was it's coming and now, I feel a bit complacent and calm. I think I'll sit a while before I begin to MARCH MARCH MARCH again.

I've learned to crochet and working on Granny Squares, whidch are my favorite for the moment. I plan to spend a good bit of April sitting in the swing by the pond and unwinding myself as I wind the yarn into patterns. I might suggest you do the same.

Provoked to Love

Today is Valentine's Day and "love" is in the air. This morning as I read my personal devotions I studied the scriptures that spoke of love. There were many! so much truth and wisdom and admonition concerning love!

I recently began to learn to knit and crochet. I am fascinated by the weaving of the fibers into patterns. It is a work of art and results in an object of beauty. So, when I read Colossians 2:2, I couldn't help but smile.

My goal is that they will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God's secret plan, which is Christ himself.

As soon as I read this my heart quickened and I said, "Yes, Lord!" This is what I want for my children, the people I love, and the people I encounter as I journey through life. Encouraged! Knit together with love! Complete understanding of God's secret plan with is Christ! What a goal! What a purpose for love!

As if that weren't enough of a blessing, I read further and found more treasures. In Hebrews 10: 23&24

Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.

That is how the New Living Translation reads. The King James Version says ...

Hbr 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

The New International Version....

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Stir up! Stimulate! Excite! Spur! Outburts! PROVOKE!! Provoke to love!!

Now, my smiles were being seasoned with tears. I sat for a few moments understanding that all of my life has been a wonderful knitting together of love and because of the love that surrounded me, I had been PROVOKED to love! It was no great thing I had done, no special quality of my own, instead it was because I had been provoked to love that has found me here in this place of tremendous love!

BEGIN AGAIN in 2010!!

We are looking forward to the possibilites of a New Year and New Beginnings!! Our motto is "BEGIN AGAIN in 2010"!! I believe with all of my heart that 2010 will be a year of New Beginnings, Healing and Restoration!!

The number 10 is symbollic for Divine (and Perfect) Order! Isn't that encouraging? I am ready to Begin Again in 2010!! And to see some DIVINE ORDER in my life and in this world!!

Another year in our lives has come and gone. It had its highlights and low points, struggles and victories, rejoicings and regrets. Whatever your year held, it is no more. Now, we have the opportunity to BEGIN AGAIN in 2010!!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

One of our goals for the New Year is to focus on Scripture Memorization, I am very excited about this! I think this scripture will be our first to memorize!