A Little Overwhelmed...

Christmas is usually the busiest time of year anyway, but for us this year, it seems especially so. We have the normal fun getting-ready-for-Christmas things to do, plus getting ready to head out to see family "in the lower 48"; Christmas letters (I think I counted 75) printed and most envelopes addressed, but waiting on the pictures to come in the mail; fundraising stuff (the Christmas bazaar went really well! Thanks for praying! The Lord blessed us); then the other day our adoption agency sent us all the requirements and checklist for the dossier (basically a huge pile of paperwork and documents that must be notarized and apostilled before being sent to Bulgaria). I don't know where to even begin with that. So my head is kind of spinning right now. I'm looking forward to vacation though and seeing lots of friends and family. Our t-shirt designer sent us the 3rd and final design today. It's the shape of Bulgaria with some Scripture verses in the background. They're up for order in the "store" tab. I love them and can't wait to get ours!

I don't know how much I'll be updating in the next couple weeks on vacation, but I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ!

Luke19:10

" For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

"

Matthew 1:21  "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."

Home Study Visits and Christmas Bazaar

Last weekend the lady from our home study agency came to our house for our "home visits. " I was a little nervous mainly because I didn't know what to expect or what questions she might ask. It's like someone interviewing us to see if we are/would be good parents. I didn't have to do that for my first two kids. =) Is my house clean enough? Will my children behave themselves while she's here? Will she ask me a question I won't know the answer to? Will I say the wrong thing? Will the weather clear so the plane can land? This is a sampling of the many thoughts in my mind in the days and hours leading up to the visits. Again and again, the Lord had to remind me that He's in complete control of this situation and the entire adoption process. We simply (and sometimes not so simply) need to trust Him. If He has ordained this adoption, as we believe He has, His sovereignty will intercede in every detail of the process. Every situation and every detail is Father-filtered through His loving and powerful hands. I can rest and trust. The visits went as well as we believe they could have, and the lady was very kind and easy to talk to. It's so much more enjoyable to trust in my Heavenly Father than to worry. I'm sure I'll be reminded of that truth many times in the coming months.

 Tomorrow is our town's Christmas bazaar in the school gym. The thought came to me earlier this week that we should set up a table for fundraising. Tim thought it was a good idea as well, so I started putting ideas together. Some of the ladies from church are going to bake lots of goodies to sell. I really appreciate their willingness and eagerness to help out. Also, we're going to try to start selling our "Simply Love" t-shirts. We have the mock-ups for 2 of the 3 designs now. The 3rd one has the shape of Bulgaria on it with the "Simply Love" slogan on it. We're the first family to ask for the country of Bulgaria, so they're starting from scratch on that one (they have 23 or so other countries already set up that have been used for fundraising). It's kind of cool to be the first family to ask for Bulgaria on the shirt-- we get to name the design too! There will be a few other odds and ends as well, but that's mainly it. I'm kind of unsure of how the t-shirts will go over. I think they're awesome, but that doesn't mean everyone else will. Either they will be a hit or a total flop. We'll see. We have them up for pre-sale in our "store" tab as well, if you'd like to buy one for the cause! Here's another area where the Lord is teaching me. It's easy for me to get caught up in the fundraising for this adoption then get discouraged when I don't see anything happening. First of all, I need to remember that the Lord has already provided for $5000 of the needs, so another $30K is not too hard for Him. Fundraising is a good thing, but at the same time my dependence needs to be on the Lord to provide (not on all the things I can sell or the skill of my marketing abilities, which are not good anyways). He will bring in the funds when and how He sees fit. If He chooses to use my fundraising efforts, great! If I don't make a dime off the fundraising efforts, that's great too, because it just means we get to watch Him bring it in in more amazing ways than we could ask or think. God will provide. He always has, and it's not going to change now even with an astronomical amount, humanly speaking, that's needed. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine. Our needs are miniscule compared to His resources (Philippians 4:19). I can rest in that.

I love Malachi 3:10. If we are obedient and faithful in giving back to the Lord a portion of what He has given to us, and not hold back because we have a need, the Lord will bless and take care of our needs...

"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."

One of my favorite quotes on God's provision... "My God is limitless in His provision; He is too generous to ever withhold anything that I need."

Forget Not All His Benefits

  Happy Thanksgiving to everyone (a day, almost 2 late, but we 're to be thankful every day, right?) I've noticed recently how this adoption journey has already started changing my perspective about what I value in life and our finances, etc. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of good sales on Black Friday or around Christmas time in general. I'm just as guilty as anyone. But this year I keep thinking about how much the Lord has already blessed me with-- a loving husband, our 2 precious children, a roof over our heads, vehicles to get around in, supportive extended family, great church family, wonderful friends, food to eat for every meal and in between, more clothes than I need, and the list goes on. Then I think of the 147 or so million orphans in the world, 2 of which the Lord has already chosen to be ours soon, who have no mom or dad or had to be given up by that mom and dad because they loved them so much and couldn't provide for their needs. They're not excited about Black Friday sales. They might just be hoping to get food sometime today or maybe just hoping someone will notice them and give them a hug or even just a smile. All they want is a forever family to love them. They'd give anything for that. Maybe if we kept them in our minds and hearts this Christmas, we might just change the way we look at our blessings and maybe even change the way we spend (or give) our money. Think about it, and count your blessings.

Psalm 103

Bless the LORD, O My Soul

Of David.

 ¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul,
   and all that is within me,
   bless his holy name!
² Bless the LORD, O my soul,
   and forget not all his benefits,
³who forgives all your iniquity,
   who heals all your diseases,
⁴who redeems your life from the pit,
   who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵who satisfies you with good
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. ⁶The LORD works righteousness
   and justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷He made known his ways to Moses,
   his acts to the people of Israel.
⁸The LORD is merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹ He will not always chide,
   nor will he keep his anger forever.
¹⁰He does not deal with us according to our sins,
   nor repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
   so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
¹²as far as the east is from the west,
   so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
¹³As a father shows compassion to his children,
   so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
¹⁴For he knows our frame;^[a]
   he remembers that we are dust.
 ¹⁵As for man, his days are like grass;
   he flourishes like a flower of the field;
¹⁶for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
   and its place knows it no more.
¹⁷But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
   and his righteousness to children’s children,
¹⁸to those who keep his covenant
   and remember to do his commandments.
¹⁹The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
   and his kingdom rules over all.
 ²⁰Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
   you mighty ones who do his word,
   obeying the voice of his word!
²¹Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
   his ministers, who do his will!
²² Bless the LORD, all his works,
   in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Ok, so here it goes-- the first post! We are excited to be adopting siblings from Bulgaria! Look through all the tabs, and come back often to follow along with us on our journey. We are anticipating great things from God!


"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12