A House on the way...

We finally have a slab poured for our new house. I can't believe it, reality is finally starting to sink in, we are going to have a new house! No turning back now. When sit I sit back and think about, I am always amazed at how God has provided and taken care of us. He carries us through the storms, He makes us strong, and He provides constantly for our needs. Thank you God for making us wiser every day and for allowing us this amazing blessing through building our home!

Lessons from a 4 yr old

I cannot believe how long it's been since I posted. I forgot I even had a blog. I've been mentally whining that I do not have anywhere to post our funny kid stories since we quit facebooking and then I remembered, "Oh, THEE BLOG!" And here we are...

Life has been crazy, busy, hectic to say the least. Every once in awhile, amid parenting a house full of kids, taking college courses, and building a house, I see a little bit of sunshine . Last week we had some sunshine worth blogging about.

My L.A. He's 4.

While riding in the van to take sister to school, he comes up with this astounding, yet random, question. "Mom, how do you go to heaven?" You ask Jesus to live in your heart. "How does Jesus get in your heart?" You pray and ask him to come in. A moment of silence......."Mom, I'm gonna need you to help me do that. What do I say?" And so we have this repeat after me prayer and L.A. invites Jesus to come live in his heart! HALLELUJAH!!!

In my mind I am wondering if he really knows what he's doing, he's only 4 afterall. But as the day goes on, he continues to be excited about it. I continue to ask him questions and we continue to talk about the answers. It's wonderful to see him excited about Jesus and beginning to understand his NEED for Jesus.

My favorite question/answer that he gave....This was the week before Easter and we really hadn't talked about it all that much. He gave me the best answer I've ever heard, even from adults......"L.A., why do we celebrate Easter?" As he twisted his mouth around and squinched his eyes to think, he says, "Hmmm, cause MY GOD'S NOT DEAD, HIMS SURELY ALIVE!"

He left me speechless for a moment. From the mouths of babes. He's so young and has so much to learn, but his FAITH can move mountains. His simple words can stop a grown woman in her tracks. Why do I try to make stuff so difficult, when it's really pretty simple? Lesson Learned :)

New Beginnings

Wow, it's been a while! I have found it somewhat difficult to find the energy to even think about blogging. However, today a dear friend has unintentionally given me inspiration to take some time and write. We have a lot to talk about!
My husband and I were blessed to be able to go to a National Adoption Conference a few weeks ago. We came away very inspired and with a heart to tell everyone about the need for adoption. Here are my thoughts on adoption....get involved!!! I would agree that not everyone is called to actually take an orphan child into their home, however there are other ways to help!
Here are some ideas... start an adoption fund at your church, write encouraging notes to a couple who is going through the process and let them know you support them, donate to an organization to help feed orphans or give a family a grocery gift card, provide a set of bunk beds to a family who is adopting, talk about it and raise awareness, step out on faith and take a child into your home, babysit for someone who has adopted.
The thing is, we are all orphans ADOPTED by Christ. Think about this...if Christ is the Father to the Fatherless, who is the mother? Well, who is Christ's bride?..the Church. So if Christ is the Father to the fatherless, it makes sense that the Church should be the mother to the motherless. Who is the church?...the Church is a body of believers coming together to spread the news of Christ. Most of the people I know are part of the CHURCH. We are commanded to care for the orphans and widows.
This is what the bible says about adoption...

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

Romans 8:14-16

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4-6

Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

Isaiah 1:17

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Proverbs 31:8-9

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.

Psalms 68:5-6

Wow, God places the lonely in families...pray about how God can use you as a vessel for orphans however that may be.

Did you know..... in Central Texas alone there are an average of over 700 kids available for adoption on a daily basis, and only an average of 700 kids adopted per year...this is devastating. These stats are from 2008. In 2008, 4 of my kids were some of the unfortunate ones that had to wait... Praise God they waited for me, they bless me more and more each day. But what about the rest of the kids who had to wait in 2008..or 2009..or 2010...who will step up to be their family?

ADOPTION----GET INVOLVED!!!!

Learning to Love

You really learn how to get close with your kids (or loose your mind) when all 8 of them plus mom and dad...that makes 10...are spending 2-3 weeks in the 10 x 10 play room while the living room gets re-constructed. Lord give me strength! I am so thankful that we still have our bedrooms to retreat to at bedtime.

Our Hope Endures

Okay, so it's been quite a while I know. Lately, by the time I have a moment to blog, I'm too tired and it makes my head hurt to think about what to write, so I took a break. The good news is, I'm back! We have enjoyed our Summer break with the kids and done well with most of our scheduled activities. This mom, however, is ready for school to start back and I think the kids are too.

In Sunday School, we have been studying suffering. Why we suffer and all that goes with it. I have really enjoyed our discussions and have left several of the classes feeling quite confident that I can "suffer in the right way". I mean, I have been through some tough stuff, leaned on God and felt his peace the whole way through. And I have always survived, I have always learned something new, AND, in the midst of these times of suffering, I have always, always, always, had some idea of where God was leading.

I have been knocked off of my high-horse.

This last week, I have experienced a new kind of suffering. It is somewhat easy (though not fun) to suffer when you know you are doing what God wants you to do. But what if you don't? We have been attacked from every angle this past week, emotionally, physically, financially, spiritually, and whatever else there is. And not by any one major thing....just one thing on top of another. The problem is, none of these things have a solution that we can see or even work towards at the moment. It leaves you feeling hopeless. I do not feel the peace of God in these areas because I don't know what HE wants us to do, where HE wants us to go. I do not think my faith goes away, but I think my sinful worrying and stressing clouds it.

One thing I do have peace about...God hears my cries, He feels my hurt, and He knows what lies ahead for me. He is in control even when I am not. When the path he has chosen for me comes available, He will give me confidence to know. I do not have peace about our lives right now, but I have PEACE that God will get us where he needs us to be. I have FAITH that God will show himself in the end. And I have lots of PRAYERS going up that he will do that quickly lol!..perhaps he is giving us a much needed lesson on patience.

I have found strength in this song....

You would think only
So much can go wrong
Calamity only strikes once
And you assume that this
One has suffered her share
Life will be kinder from here

Sometimes the sun
Stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky
Rains night after night
When will it clear
But our hope endures
The worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the Earth quake
Our hope is unchanged

How do we comprehend
Peace within pain
Or joy at a good man's wake?
Walk a mile with a woman
Whose body is torn
With illness
But she marches - on
Oh

Emanuel, God is with us
El Shaddai, all sufficient

We never walk alone
This is our hope
Our hope endures
The worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the Earth quake
Let the Earth quake
Let the Earth quake
Our hope is unchanged


HOW DO WE COMPREHEND PEACE WITHIN PAIN?...OUR HOPE ENDURES! LET THE EARTH QUAKE....MY HOPE IS UNCHANGED!

God will answer the hard questions

This my story in a nutshell....We even had a big black lab that we had to give away to a better home, how crazy is that?


June 16, 2010

Chosen and Loved

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
John 3:16 (NLT) "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

Friend To Friend
"You will never be able to have biological children," the doctor said. After years of painful tests, expensive treatments, frustrating procedures and desperate pleas and prayers, our hopes of having children were shattered by his harsh diagnosis. "Then we will adopt," my husband immediately replied. I wasn't so sure. Could I love another woman's baby as much as a child I would give birth to? I just didn't know.

Months later, God called Dan to be the Youth Pastor of a church where we met Ron Gossett, a Christian attorney. "We'd like to talk with you about adoption," Dan told Ron. Ron's response wasn't encouraging. "I rarely do adoptions but come by my office and fill out the papers - just in case." The following week, Ron called. "This is the stork," he said. I laughed. "I have a baby for you," he continued. I stopped laughing. "A young woman came into my office today. She's seven months pregnant and wants to give her baby up for adoption," he explained. I knew! Every doubt disappeared. Every fear faded into the certainty that this was God's plan for us. Six weeks later, our son, Jered Daniel Southerland, was born and three years later, his beautiful sister, Danna Marie, completed our family. Life was unbelievably sweet. We daily celebrated the fact that Jered and Danna were our chosen babies and wanted them to understand just how special they were. I knew the day would come when both children would have questions about their birth and adoption. I just thought I had a little more time.

One night, our young son climbed into my arms for our daily "snuggle and prayer" time before bed. His question ripped through the darkness and my heart. "Why didn't she want me?" Jered softly asked. I cried out to God for just the right words - for Jered - and for me. Instantly, it came. Bruno!

When Jered was four-years-old, we were given a chocolate Labrador puppy that quickly outgrew our small yard, our not-so-understanding neighbors and our apprehensive children. We named this gentle giant Bruno. But it soon became clear to all of us that we were not the right family for Bruno. After an intensive search, we discovered "Adopt a Pet," a remarkable organization that finds homes for animals whose owners, for one reason or another, cannot keep them. We were promised that Bruno would be placed in a home where he would be loved and well cared for. We talked and explained, struggling our way to the difficult decision that it was time to put Bruno up for adoption. Still, when they came to pick up Bruno, we all cried. We knew it was the best plan for Bruno - for us - and for a very excited family that wanted and had the room for a Labrador. But it still hurt. Sometimes, doing the right thing - the best thing - the highest thing - is also the most painful thing.

As I looked into the beautiful, blue eyes of the little boy I loved more than life itself, I prayed for wisdom. "Jered, do you remember Bruno?" At the memory of the dog, Jered smiled and sadly whispered, "I still miss him." I nodded in agreement, "I know, son. I know you loved Bruno and are sad that we had to give him away but do you remember why we gave Bruno away?" Jered thought for a moment, "Because we loved him so much and we knew we couldn't take care of him right ... and because he wasn't very happy 'cause he was so big here ... and because we wanted the best home in the whole wide world for him."

I paused for a moment, basking in the simple wisdom of my Father, spoken through the heart of my only son. "She did want you, honey. And she did love you ... so much, in fact, that she was willing to give you away, just like we gave Bruno away. Just like we wanted what was best for Bruno, your birth mother wanted what she thought was best for you." I fully recognize that it was an extremely simple illustration for a profoundly complex life circumstance - but it was enough.

As Jered drifted off to sleep, tears of gratitude spilled down my face, and I thanked God for two courageous young birth mothers and for His extraordinary plan of adoption that linked our four chosen lives and hearts in love.

Let's Pray
Father, I am amazed by the truth that You love and chose me to be Your very own. I don't understand such love, but I embrace it as the precious gift that it is. Help me to remember that in Your eyes, I am planned, wanted, loved and chosen.

In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Do you battle feelings of insecurity? Read Psalm 139 once each day for a month and see how God changes your perspective.

Is your mind often filled with negative thoughts about who you are and what you do? Read and memorize 2 Corinthians 10:5. When those negative thoughts come, reject them with this truth

Do you find it hard to believe that God has a special plan and purpose for your life?

Read and memorize Ephesians 2:10. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

Go and Teach

My husband and I have had missions impressed upon our hearts lately. Not only doing mission work ourselves, but teaching our children what mission work is. Teaching them to do things for others without the expectation of reward and to look for/fufill needs of the people who surround us. We want them to think of others, put others first, and to do nice things for others because that is what Christ does for us. If they learn to show the love of Christ to others, they will improve at showing the love of Christ to each other.

The Great Commision tells us : "Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. (20) Teach these new disciples to obey all commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20

Most times, we do not hear verse 20 when referring to the Great Commision. We have some new little disciples in our own home. Hopefully, as we teach them to obey Christ, our little guys will be an encouragment to others around us and will be used to plant seeds in the hearts of people around us.

A challenge from our family to yours....think of a need you can fufill or an encouragment you can give to someone each week. Let your kids do it with you. Maybe even do it in secret. Take someone who is sick a plate of cookies and a homemade get-well card. Mow someones yard, go visit at the nursing home, leave your spouse a hidden letter telling them how much you appreciate them. Fix something for someone that needs fixing. Just a few of our ideas. We have just started this this week with our own kids, so we are still lookig for ideas.

Think about it, wouldn't it be an absolutley amazing and miraculous thing if this caught on all over town? People everywhere doing suprise things for others??? WOW! We most certainly would see a change in attitudes and hearts.

ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE!!! SHARE YOUR COMMENTS AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR FAMILY DID THIS WEEK TO BLESS SOMEONE ELSE SO WE CAN ALL USE EACH OTHERS' IDEAS!