Tears of joy!

Tears of joy were flowing yesterday- RUSLANA HAS A FAMILY!! A family committed to her sometime yesterday (and no, it's not us!). God is doing great things! She will also be adopted with a (soon-to-be) brother, Nikita. He is an absolute doll. Oh, I am so happy for them both!
In Him,
E

I got an award!!!

Okay, so it may be a little too early for me to be this excited! I just received my very first blog award!! To those of you who don't know, this is a big deal!! Well, it is for me at least.
I have met many wonderful ladies through my blog who's words of wisdom and kindness will forever be in my heart. One of those such ladies is Ohilda from Bouquet of Blessings who honored me with "The Friendship Award". She is a lady who continues to lift my family and those close to me up in prayer. Here it is in all it's glory and it's explanation-

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find friends and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships will be propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly- written text into the body of their award."

So, thank you so much Ohilda for making one lady's Saturday a bit better! May God bless you always!

I follow many blogs who share my heart for Christ. Some of these ladies don't even know I exist (I am quite the lurker!) but I consider them friends through Him- they are truly inspirations. So, here are the ladies I am honoring with this fabulous award-

Lyndi @ Shupps Adoption Journey

Gloria @ In All Things Give Thanks

Jen @ Hands Full, HEARTS Full, Quiver Full

Rita @ Andrews Crew

Meredith @ Cornish Adoption Journey

Chrissa @ Urban Funny Farm

Karen @ Hidden Treasures

June @ A Journey of Growth

In Him,

E

Being a Christian...

I took this photo in the summer of 2006. I love the beauty and simplicity of crosses.

I must first say that it is not my intention to make anyone feel "less than" with this blog. My intentions are simply to share the happenings of our life, the ramblings within my head and to be a light for Christ.

This post is going to cover several things that have been weighing on my heart the past couple of days. First, the following is an excerpt from a book entitled "Growing Up Christian" by Karl Graustein. All I can say is - Amen!

What the world says:You cannot know what is true. Truth is relative. There is no absolute truth.

What God says:God is truth. His Word is the standard for truth.

(Ps 119:142,151,160)

What the world says:You must tolerate contradictory views; don't speak against the opinions of others.

What God says: Fear God and not man. (Ps 111:10; Prov 29:25; Matt 10:28)

The world says:You have freedom of speech. It's only words.

What God says:We will give an account for every word we speak. (Matt 12:36)

Speak only words that are helpful. (Eph 4:29)

What the world says:Take pride in yourself and your talents. You need to think highly of yourself to succeed in life. You can do anything you set your mind to. Promote your strengths, and you will get promoted.

What God says:God is the source of all your talents. (James 1:17)

Think lowly of yourself. Be humble, and God will exalt you. (1 Peter 5:5)

You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. (Phil 4:13)

Boast in the Lord. (2 Corinthians 10:17)

"However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed,

but praise God that you bear that name."

1 Peter 4:16

" Delayed answers to prayers are not refusals. Many prayers are received and recorded yet underneath are the words, " My time has not yet come." God has a fixed time and an ordained purpose, and He who controls the limits of our lives also determines the time of our deliverance." ~ Anon ~

Because I am a Christian people automatically think things about me. I am looked at and judged for that reason and that reason alone. That is so sad and very unfortunate. I am still a human who still has convictions and many times feel the urge to defend myself when attacked (like most). Many times I am unable to voice my own personal opinions (which I have because of my faith) because I know if I do I may label all Christians. We are all lumped together and if one does something "wrong", we are all wrong.

I have no problem telling people my views when they want to listen, but they are just that. My views which I hold because of what the Bible says.


Please, don't think I'm complaining but being a Christian is hard. And this hard life is the life I have chosen. And I LOVE my life! Christ had a hard life- why should mine be any easier? We are called to be His light and so I will do just that (or at least try:)).

Please, don't judge me because I am Christian.


In Him,
E

BOGO for Ruslana

Yes, this is a shameless post but for good reason. I am trying to clear out my Etsy shop. EVERYTHING in the shop is buy one get one free!! A large portion of the $ will go towards Ruslana's grant fund (minus Etsy fees and shipping). So...hop on over and pick yourself out 2 pretty tassels 'cause you'll only be paying for 1!

Also, my daughters' shops will be running the same sale (BOGO) through the end of the week- both Sweet Potato Sacks and Striped Tomatoes. They make some super cute things for little ones- hair accessories, puppets and pretend play food.

Links to all three stores are to the right in the sidebar. Have fun and thank you for supporting Ruslana! Please, remember to keep her in your prayers. She still does not have a committed family and could be leaving the "baby house" any day.

In Him,

E

Books

I am reading several great books at the moment. I don't know why in the world I can't just start one and finish it before moving on to the next. I am about midway through each of them and loving each.

Babies with Down Syndrome by Karen Stray-Gundersen

Too Busy Not to Pray by Bill Hybels
Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris- **This is a wonderful book of challenge written by teens for teens. But let me tell you, I believe everyone should read it. It will change your life.

The girls are working on Where the Red Fern Grows, The Scarlett Letter and many Presidential/Abraham Lincoln books. My middle is determined to memorize some of Abe's speeches- I'll let you know how that goes. We all love Abe- what an amazing man he was!

In Him,

E

My heart...

This is one reason we are selling. I can't stand the thought of all we have while so many are dying. Yet we continue to buy, continue you want. It's all so shallow and frivolous! When is enough enough?!! I am not pointing fingers nor am I accusing anyone. I am just letting you know how I feel about myself.
**Remember to pause the music at the bottom of the page.

In Him,
E

Our home

As some of you know, we are trying to sell our house. We own a "unique" property (to quote real estate agents). It's a ranch with a full finished basement on 13 acres. Oh, how we love this place! We love to have Hoedowns in the fall. We love the freedom we feel when we go outside. This is the place we have always dreamed of for our children. A place to run. A place to play in the creek. A place to be a kid. But....we are trying to sell. As much as we love it, it takes alot out of us. A much as it gives the kids, we feel it takes away. My hubby is self employeed and we want something we aren't so financially bound to. We want to do something more meaningful with our money.
This is my favorite room in our home- our sunroom overlooking the pasture.

We are looking for something with a bit less land in the same area. Well, actually we aren't looking for anything yet. We won't look until we have an offer on the table. Anyone need a house? We are in the North Georgia area about 45 minutes north of Atlanta. B-U-tiful, I tell you!

Please, pray for us as we make this transition.

In Him,

E

Ruslana

As I sit here this morning, under my warm fleece blanket surrounded by my dear ones, my heart is breaking for one of "the least of these". Please, pray for Ruslana today. Today is her 4th birthday- not a day to celebrate in Eastern Europe. I specifically pray for those in charge of her orphanage, those that will decide whether she is transferred now or not- for leniency, that she may stay in the orphanage a bit longer. A piece of my heart belongs to this angel! Oh, how I wish she were here instead, so we could be celebrating her life! She is one of His chosen ones, made precisely in His image.

God calls us to action, to be his hands and feet- why won't my feet move?!!

In Him,

E

Today

Today was a day of mixed emotions. History was made and I was in awe of the celebration. Yes, we had the tv on all day. The girls and I have been working hard learning about the history of inaugurations, the process and past presidents. So, today was a day to test our knowledge. And let me just say...we are so smart!!

I will go on the record by saying that I did not vote for Obama. I am Prolife. Period. With that said, I urge you to read today's post by Mom to Six. I couldn't have said it better myself.

I serve an Almighty God. Not now nor ever will I serve a President or any other person here on earth. It's not about change or about "what we can do" because we are nothing without Him. I can DO nothing without Him. I urge you to pray for our country and it's leaders today, tomorrow and every day.

Amazed by His grace,
E

"Good-bye Mr. President" song

Several people have asked where they can find "Good-bye Mr. President". I was fortunate enough to hear it over the Thanksgiving holiday on Steven Curtis Chapman's website. I have searched and searched and have not been able to find it again. Maybe if we all send Steven (oh yes, we are on a first name basis!) a note? Oh, how I would love to hear it again- it is truly a beautiful song!
In Him,
E

Inauguration

Wow! This is the coolest photo of a HUGE flag. Notice what is shining through the blue?!

Whether you voted for him and love him, or you’ve disagreed with all his policies and dislike him... Could we all agree on this? We owe President Bush a sincere thank you. Honestly, I am very sad about January 20, 2009. It marks the day that a very honorable man will "retire" as President of our nation. I am so thankful to President Bush for his past 8 years of service. Many can point fingers and tell us all what "they would have done", but noone truly knows. I believe that he made decisions with much prayer. Well done, Mr. President!! Thank you!

Tommorrow will be forever written in our history books. We are anticipating our party and very proud about all we have learned the past couple of weeks. Along with eating some fun food (edible bald eagles, star shaped sandwiches, red/white/blue drinks, strawberries, patriotic flag cake), we will be playing a few games. I just found one game as a printable online. The name of it is....drum roll please.....BINGOBAMA!! I almost fell out of my seat laughing when I saw that! Hubby thinks I am quite strange- it doesn't take much to amuse me these days, I guess. (just Google it- I'm sure you'll find it!) We'll also be playing a Presidential trivia game and do a few word search and crossword sheets. More than anything though, I want the kids to be able to soak in as much of the day as possible.

We will decorate the house with flags, red/white/blue paper chains, red and white candles and whatever else I may be able to find. Stay tuned for pictures!

In Him,

E

“Good-bye Mr. President,

I guess the time has come for you to,

Pack up all your things and turn the page,

So I was thinking as you left,

I’d try to right a song to tell you,

What so many of us want to say.

For all those sleepless nights,

I am sure you must have had,

For all the prayers I’m sure you prayed,

For how you tried to lead us when the way was so unclear,

I am sure it wasn’t always evident,

but thank you Mr. President!

Good-bye Mr. President,

You will not be forgotten,

All the courage and the hope you helped us find,

I can’t imagine how it felt,

To stand where you were standing,

And to try to make the calls you thought were right.

So for those sleepless nights,

I am sure you must have had,

That put those lines around your eyes,

For how you carried the weight,

Even when the lights went out,

I am sure you’ll never know how much it meant,

I thank you Mr. President.

So for those days ahead,

When they write about the past,

And everybody has their say,

From all of us who know,

You gave us everything you could,

We hope you will remember this,

Thank you Mr. President!

-Good-bye Mr. President.”

2008© Steven Curtis Chapman, All rights reserved.

Good 'ole country fun!

Anyone up for some "Cow Patty Bingo"?! Well, that's what we do for fun way out here in the sticks (do you hear my accent?). I so hope to be able to host an evening of fun and...ummm...cow patties soon. It will be a great way to raise money for Reece's Rainbow again (or maybe something else..wink, wink). Please, honey! It must stop raining and warm up a bit first. Maybe this spring....

Off to plan my patty party,
E

Inaugural treat and our weekend

Happy weekend to all of you! We had a blessed day yesterday hanging out and having fun as a family. We began the day at Mr. Swiss- you know, that little hole in the wall biscuit making place. I am sure you have one in your town. I felt my arteries clogging with each savory bite!! Yummy!

After the artery clogging biscuits, we headed over to watch the Special Olympics. We got the opportunity to see both the gymnasts and a couple basketball games. What amazing young ladies and men!! Daily, they rise above challenges that many of us cannot even fathom. Hopefully, we will have a chance to volunteer for our local Games in the spring. I can't wait!

We ended our day at our middle's basketball game. Another exciting game (and win!) with no injuries (hooray!). Injuries, that will require another entire post.

We hope to have a fun inaugural party this Tuesday. We have been working hard on an inaugural study (WOW, I didn't know much at all about the process!!) and plan on celebrating while watching the festivities. This post isn't about whether or not I agree with or voted for our new President. In 2 days he Mr. Obama will be the President of the United States. Regardless of how I feel about the election and outcome, Mr. Obama is a person, one of God's creations ,whom I love. Not only will we celebrate the inauguration of a new president, but we will pay tribute to one most amazing man- President George Bush. He is a fellow Christian who was never afraid to let that be known. Please, join me in prayer for our nation this week.

"I am told that tens of thousands of prayer meetings are being held on this day, and for that I am deeply grateful. We are a nation under God, and I believe God intended for us to be free. It would be fitting and good, I think, if on each Inauguration Day in future years it should be declared a day of prayer."

Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981

Above is a picture of one of the delicious treats we hope to make for our party- isn't he cute! You can find directions here.

Have a blessed night!

Amazed by His grace,

E

My Grandpa

We were so blessed to have my Grandpa here for a couple of days during Christmas. He is a man of such strong faith and love. "Big Papa" (as the great grand children like to call him) has no doubt been a prayer warrior for many during his long life. I LOVE YOU, BIG PAPA!!

Here is a picture of the great grands in our family (my nephew is being held in the picture by my sister- he did NOT want his picture taken!!).

Still here...

I am still here! This past weekend I made the drive with my Mom north to my brother and sister-in-law's house to help while she had chemo. Cancer is ugly and mean, but Markana seems to be doing really well and looks fantastic! Her doctor told her that she would loose her hair several treatments (weeks) ago and it still hasn't happened! Maybe she'll be the 1 in 1,000!! Please continue to keep Markana in your prayers. You may visit her Caring Bridge site by clicking on her photo in the right column.

I am also praying for some things that "may" be happening in our family. I may be able to share more later.

Hope you have a blessed night!!
In Him,
E

My sweet Ruslana

My heart is broken today. I have prayed for over a year now for this sweet angel- for God to lead her family to her. About 2 months ago a family committed to her and began the adoption process. I cannot tell you the joy I felt that day! Today I found out that they are unable to continue with her adoption. My heart breaks for her. Her 4th birthday is in just 2 weeks which is nothing to celebrate in Eastern Europe. Most children with special needs are sent to an institution when they turn 4. Most don't make it to see their 10th birthday due to lack of medical care, nutrition and LOVE!! She is facing institutionalization very soon- only because she has Down Syndrome and will be 4 years old at the end of January!!

Please pray for Ruslana. Pray that her forever family will soon find her. Also, pray for the family who is unable to adopt her at this time. I have no doubt they are hurting and trying to deal with their loss today.


If you are interest in donating to Ruslana's grant fund, please see the Chipin in the right column. Every dollar is tax deductible and may make a difference in whether a family will committ to her or not. Her grant is already over $5300 but every penny counts- international adoption is expensive!

Check out Reece's Rainbow to find out more about orphans with Downs and how you can help.

In Him,

E

Joseph

This is long but So worth the read.
In Him,
E

originally printed: By Elizabeth Foss Herald Columnist From the issue of 12/22/05)

My son Christian was searching the bookshelves yesterday, apparently frustrated by the dearth he saw there. Since we have well over 1,000 titles at his disposal, I wondered what was missing."There's hardly anything on Joseph here! I understand why we need so many Mary books, but nobody says much about Joseph, you know? And he was a hero … " he trailed off.
A hero indeed. Though I hadn't spoken it, I had been meditating lately about the heroic good of St. Joseph and the Nativity. Commonly, we look at the story of Christmas as a birth story: We have a round-bellied Madonna riding on a donkey until she gets to a cave where animals joyfully welcome a lovely baby. As a mother who has been nine months pregnant during Advent and a mother with a newborn on Christmas Day, it is easy for me to identify with the birth story.

But the Nativity story is also a story of adoption. A strong man heard the call of a God to take into his heart and home a baby that was not his biological child. Against the raised eyebrows of those around him, but because he dearly loved his wife and the God they served, he traveled a great distance. He wasn't sure what he'd find there; to say that the accommodations were less than what he was used to is to understate the case. And then, almost immediately, it was his job to rescue the baby, to save him from grave danger.

Once they were safely at home, he raised the child as his own. He shared the faith of his fathers; he taught him the family trade. Certainly, there were challenges in this family that related to the adoption. This child, at 12, left his foster father for three days to return to the home of his real Father. How many children of adoption have experienced that same restlessness and caused the parents who have rescued them the grief that Mary and Joseph felt while they searched for their child?

St. Joseph was faithful. Perhaps he recognized that we are all children of adoption. We are all broken, disenfranchised, wounded and in grave danger. Our Savior makes us brothers and sisters, heirs to His throne. We become one family of faith, like that little family in Nazareth so many years ago.

For some reason, the Lord has surrounded me by the miracle of adoption. I have seven children. Five of them have godparents who are adoptive parents. Most recently, Christian's godmother welcomed a little boy from Liberia, just in time for Thanksgiving.

When I look at the fathers in these families, I am struck by their courage. Adoptive moms assure me that adoption is rarely ever a man's idea. And it is almost always an idea born of a woman's pain. The sorrowful heart of a mother meets the sorrowful heart of a child and together they begin a new life. But how do they get to "together?" They become a family through the courageous actions of a man who sees the pain of his wife and listens to her as she tells him about the pain of the child. Rarely, do these women beg and plead. Rather, like Mary, they trust God.
They pour out their hearts in prayer and God convicts their husbands. The program director for a Catholic adoption agency assures me that this is not the case of weak, badgered men who cave to whining women. Rather, they are tender, brave men who recognize a mutual need and hear a distinct call.

The father who adopts is strong and faithful. He travels to places like Kazakhstan, Russia, China, Guatemala and even hostile Africa. He saves the baby — often from abject poverty, illness or death. He is the St. Joseph of our times.

There are literally millions of children in this world who need rescuing. We are called in James 1:27 to care for the widows and the orphans. What does that mean exactly? Do we toss a few coins in the poor box or wrap an extra gift at Christmastime or do we take a risk? Are there brave men out there after the heart of St. Joseph who will travel great distances to difficult places to rescue a baby and give it a home all because it's the will of God? It is the will of God.

These are the weakest of us, the poorest, the most defenseless. In this country, we cannot fathom children who scurry along the murky puddles in Haiti scavenging for a few slender fish, only to come up without anything. These children are so malnourished that their hair turns orange and falls out in clumps. There are "dying rooms" in China where children who have cerebral palsy or missing hands or missing ears are left in the dark to starve to death.

And what will become of the children who grow up orphans if we do not have men like St. Joseph in our midst? According to Shaohannah's Hope, a foundation begun by Christian music legend Steven Curtis Chapman, who has adopted three daughters, "Statistics regarding the future prospects for children who emancipate from orphanages, the foster care system, or who grow up as street children are profoundly bleak … . Theft, prostitution, homelessness, substance abuse, incarceration and suicide affect the lives of the vast majority of those children who grow up as orphans and never find permanent, loving homes. In short, orphans by definition are children who for whatever reason have found themselves in need of permanent, safe, and loving families. And for such children, being taken in by a family through the "spirit of adoption" is their greatest need"(http://www.howtoadopt.org/).

They were going to stone the Mother of God. Joseph knew the baby was not conceived by him. He didn't understand it. How could this baby be his to raise? How could he be asked to overcome the opinions of his community, the misgivings of his own mind, and listen to the call upon his soul? Where would he find the courage? How could he possibly provide for the childhood of the child of God Himself? Why couldn't this be simple? Why couldn't he marry Mary and just conceive a baby of his own? Instead, he must set off on a two-year odyssey to distant and hostile lands to bring home a baby that didn't even look like him. And what of the future? This was an extraordinary way to build a family; how could he know what the future held, particularly with a beginning like this?

A hero? He was a hero. He was a strong, courageous, man of faith.

No molds

"God does not call me to fit a certain mold, nor does He want to press out a bunch of cookie-cutter Christians, each one like the other. No, when God created me, He made me a unique individual with particular gifts and abilities. This is my true self, and as I become this person that God intended, I find that I am happier and more free. I am also more united with the Holy Spirit, able to take the place God calls me to in His kingdom." (Stepping Heavenward)

I tell this to my girls often. I pray they won't try to fit into society's molds or expectations. I pray they will be individuals- strong, Christian women, mothers, wives who don't loose their quirky, silly personalities!

I LOVE YOU GIRLS!!

In Him,

E

Happy Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM (actually Saturday)!!

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

Well, here goes. A new year. God is working, I tell you. It seems He has to work overtime with me sometimes!! I feel like I write in every other post "not sure what His plan is....". And guess what? I still don't know what His plan is!!

I am so blessed! I have an amazing husband who loves me in spite of all my faults and three incredible girls who I would give my life for in a second. My wonderful family lives near and we get to spend lots of time with them. We have some great friends who stand by us through thick and thin. I love every minute of my life and although I can't even begin to express how much I love my family...I feel like I'm missing something. Maybe we are suppose to be doing something we aren't yet. And I'm okay with that, honestly. I have become quite good at waiting and have a peace I haven't had in a long while.

As a family, we have decided to do something BIG this year. We will buy nothing new! What??!! Yes, that's right. I like, no LOVE to shop for a bargain. It's almost a hobby for me. I like for my house to look pretty. I like to give gifts. I like for my kids to look "cute". But what am I saying? How pathetic is all that? I am ashamed to even admit all those things. So... this year WILL be different. We will buy only the things we "need" new. Clothes, books, toys don't fall into the "need" category (if only you could see the girls' closets, you'd understand).

We love giving gifts and will continue to do so. All gifts will just either be handmade or we'll "shop" from our stash of gifts I always have on hand that I've found on super clearance throughout the year. So, if you receive a mint chocolate chip Christmas candle for your birthday in April, know CHRISTmas should be celebrated year round anyway! If we need a new fan, we'll put a post on Freecycle. If someone needs tennis shoes, we'll make a trip to Goodwill and I will NOT shop for other things while there.

We are hoping to save thousands by doing this. We have always been quite frugal, but I am still kind of afraid to face the amount because I'd rather not admit how much we have been wasting. We are praying and will continue throughout the year to pray about what the saved money will be used for. I pray BIG things will happen. Maybe we'll be living in Africa next Christmas (just kidding, but who knows!). I am ready to be taken out of my comfort zone. I would sell EVERYTHING tomorrow if that's what He called us to do. I would terribly miss my "Chicken Eating Spaghetti" picture, but they don't really eat spaghetti anyway, do they?

We are ready for the challenge and are committed. I know the temptations will be great and this year may be the hardest so far, but we're ready. Just don't invite me to join you at Hobby Lobby, okay?

In Him,

E

P.S. Here is a picture of just one of the fabulous things our oldest has been working on. She is trying to make some extra $ herself by making felt items- remember the hair accessories? This photo is of some of the play food veggies she made last week. Just awesome!! Check out her stores at http://www.stripedtomatoes.etsy.com/ or http://www.sweetpotatosacks.etsy.com/.