Do Something!

We ALL live in luxury! If you are reading this blog, that means you have access to a computer which means you are richer than about 94% of the rest of the people on earth! The fact that I can purchase a coffee drink or take my kids out to pizza occasionally probably puts me in the top 2% of the world's wealthiest people!

I got thinking about this after reading Amy's great post about the latest spending on a football stadium.

I don't know exactly what this means. I'm not sure selling everything I have would be the wisest use of our money, but at the same time if I see a brother or sister in need and do nothing, all the while drinking my $4 cup of coffee (that I really do enjoy!), then what does that say about my faith? What does my lack of action, even though I feel compassion, really mean?

Tough questions for sure! Does this mean that I don't take my kids to the water park next week when we know there are hurting and hungry children in the orphanage they used to live in? That sounds like a no brainer when I actually type it out - but yet it seems like a hard decision to make on a daily basis. . . why is that!?

I don't know exactly. . . but I do know that I can do SOMETHING - even if it is just $20 to Project Home, or $50 to buy food for the orphanage, or cooking dinner for a tired single mom, or providing respite care for a tired foster mom, or adopting a child (or six! LOL!).

We CAN all do something!

What if?

What if God moved in the hearts of a young couple, just starting out, without a lot of money, to adopt a child?

AND, they obeyed?

What if God put it on their hearts again and again during the next 10 years to adopt another child, and then another?

AND, they obeyed?

What if God called them to live a life of faith and trust in Him as they left behind the things of this world and instead invested in the lives of His precious children?

AND, they obeyed?

THEN, you would be looking at the incredible (yet true) lives of Kim and Ben and their ten (yes, TEN!) precious adopted gifts from God: now being raised in a loving and godly home to be warriors in His kingdom!

Now,

What if this family was in need of a home in which they could raise these ten children (and maybe more) in the love and admonition of the Lord?

What if, in an amazing turn of events that some call the "state of the economy", such a home could be had for only 200,000.00, but only if you have cash?

What if this couple doesn't have 200,000.00 in cash (at least partly because they have invested close to 100,000.00 in adopting 10 children!)?

What if God has already given his people a picture of what the body of Christ could actually look like?

All the believers were together and had everything in common.

Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
Acts 2:44-45

What if only 10,000 (of the self-proclaimed 159 million) Christians in America decided that just for THIS week, they PERSONALLY would give up something, sell something, or find an extra odd job so that they could give just $20.00 towards helping this family have a home in which to raise their precious children?

What if?

I mean, can you imagine what an INCREDIBLE blessing this would be? What an amazing story of God's people joining together to care for orphans and to love their brothers and sisters in Christ!

I know times are tough financially right now for so many people and I certainly don't have 200,000.00 just lying around (and I doubt many of my readers do either). . . but, can I come up with 20.00? The real answer is YES - if it is important enough to me, I can certainly find 20.00 that would help Kim and Ben buy a home in which to raise their children in righteousness! I can't help but believe that there are at least 10,000 other families who can certainly do the same.

And so, believing that God is able to do exceedingly more than all we ask or imagine, I am introducing "PROJECT HOME: because every child needs one." Can we (the Body of Christ) come together and provide the physical place needed for Kim and Ben to continue their amazing ministry to these awesome children? I think we can!

Read more about Kim and Ben and donate TODAY HERE for HIS glory!

My "baby" turned 10!

August 23, I became the proud parent of a 10 year old! How did this happen? It certainly seems as if it could not have POSSIBLY been 10 years since I brought our first precious gift from God home from the hospital! Oh, how fast the years have flown by. . .

Some of my random thoughts about having "my baby" turn 10:

1. "10" sounds so old - we are officially in the "double-digits" now and, most likely, Mr. Z is probably more than half-way done living with us. This makes me both happy and sad. I am overjoyed to see him growing into a godly young man and I am excited to see what plans the Lord has for him in the future but I am sad that my little boy is growing up and that those days will never return. This makes me remember not to take any of my time that God has given me with my children for granted; to seize every moment and make the most of every opportunity with each one of the precious gifts God has given us!

2. Every time Mr. Z comes and sits on my lap or cuddles up for a hug or wants to crawl in bed with us in the morning, I find myself thinking, "what if this is the last time he wants me to hold him?" I know each time I have one more chance to hug, rock, kiss his head, or cuddle up is a priceless treasure and I take full advantage of it!

3. I didn't know how much I would miss the high pitched little voice calling Mommy, mommy, mommy! LOL! Grown-up kids say "Mom" - you know. . . I love it every time my "big boy" forgets that my name is now "Mom" and slips back into calling me "Mommy."

4. While I am definitely grieving the loss of some of the sweetness of the younger years, I am sort of (secretly) happy to be moving on past "9." If you've had a 9 year old boy, maybe you can relate. No one ever warned me, but apparently "9" is tough on a boy. There is so much going on! Hormones are changing, their brains are shifting from concrete to more abstract thought, EVERYTHING must be fair and justice is huge but, of course, only the 9 year old boy actually KNOWS what is right! LOL! Emotions are high, tempers flare, and they aren't quite sure if they'd rather be a child or an adult depending on the day or the situation. Things are very unsettled, shifting, and it's just plain hard! Last year during one of our harder days Mr. Z remarked (through tears but half-laughing), "I don't know what's wrong! I hate hormones! I'm mad and sad and . . . I just don't know!" Ahh. . . goodbye "9" - we are welcoming the content and fun-loving Mr. Z back into the world (only now he's just a little more "grown up!").

Picture and post all about Mr. Z will follow later this week hopefully!

Scared of homeschooling? Questions?

Get some of those questions and fears answered HERE by the wonderful and very experienced Elizabeth Foss as she responds to the questions posted at another blog I love to read: Conversion Diary.

Maybe someday I will post my own responses and thoughts to these questions but. . .

Right now I am trying to get ready for 6 new children to join our family AND it is harvest season so. . .

I'm just a little bit busy! LOL!

Our girls are gone for now

Sad. We had an amazing 11 days with them. It was incredible. It is as if they have always been ours.

Now they are gone (for now) and we must simply wait. and trust. and pray.

please pray with us.

Not for morning people

If you are a morning person. . . I will try not to hate you.

After many years and many attempts at MAKING myself a morning person, I have finally come to the conclusion that I will probably NEVER jump out of bed in the morning with joy in my heart and a smile on my face.

BUT - I would like to greet my husband and children each morning with joy in my heart and a smile on my face and so. . . I simply must discipline myself to get up earlier in the morning, drink my coffee, take a shower, and prepare my heart so that I can help my family begin THEIR day with joy in their heart and smiles on their faces.

The question is: HOW? I am convinced of the necessity and of the benefits, but still - the actuality of doing it eludes me. I did come across this little article suggesting that I

1. Figure out MY time that I need to get up.

O.K. I think this would be around 7. I know that sounds really late to you early birds, but for me it would be an improvement!

2. Consider that a little bit late.

So, I'll set the alarm for 6:45.

3. Take a shower first thing and get dressed and ready for the day.

This actually sounds great. I would LOVE to be totally ready for the day before our morning routine and breakfast begin!

4. Go to bed earlier.

OUCH! This is the part I hate! I love staying up a little late (or a lot late!). I like having some time w/ my husband after the kids are in bed and then I love having some time just to think, read, or blog after he is asleep too. I have LOTS of energy late at night: I have even been known to clean the bathrooms or tackle some organizing project at 10 p.m. LOL! Let's see. . . right now it is after midnight. Hmmm. . .

I guess I'll start tomorrow.

Still going great!

We are on day 9 of "the girls" being here with us for a visit. I'm thankful and thrilled to report that things are still going very well. Today we spent the day at a family reunion picnic at a local park and the kids all had a blast. It has been great to watch all 7 children begin to watch out for each other and look to each other as siblings. We are in awe of how quickly this is happening!

It's not that the girls haven't tested or acted out at all, but overall, they have been very responsive to correction and teaching. More than anything, all of us (husband, myself, our children, and the girls) just know that this is the Lord's plan for our family! It is hard to describe or explain how instantaneously everyone has just sort of taken to each other. Definitely NOT the way it was when we adopted the first time. LOL!

The sad part is that we will be needing to bring the girls back to their current foster family in just a few days. It is going to be VERY hard to let them go (even though it is a great family!). . . we are ready for them to be with us forever!

Please pray for us and them in the next few weeks. There will be a lot happening and many emotions as well as decisions that need to be made. Pray for protection for all of us from spiritual attacks as well. Thanks so much!