Hewo Kitty

Those are the most precious words. You don't think so? Well this morning Elizabeth uttered her first phrase, "Hewo Kitty". A wonderful way to begin the day. After over a year of pouring language into her, we finally got two words together spontaneously!!!!

Answer to, So what is non-toxic, sticky like honey, colorless, and smells like a bottle of perfume?

Chapstick!!

Mr. M wanted to smell good and decided to rub a whole stick of chapstick on his chest and abdomen. Honestly I thought he had found some body cream since he was so odoriferous. However, when his body stuck to me during book time before bed I knew something was a miss. Upon his disclosure of having used chapstick, it took effort to conceal the smile and laughter that wanted to bubble up. Only this wonderful, zany child would come up with rubbing CHAPSTICK on his body to smell good!?

---------Incredible Update-----------

Mr. Incredible ventured into work today for the first time since becoming ill. Thank you for everyone's prayers.

A Day in Our Life

Mr. M: There's a fish!
Elizabeth: la- la- la- la, la- la- la- la
Me: WHAT?! (knowing we have no fish) WHERE?!
Mr. M: In the TOILET!
Elizabeth: wewo wooh
Me: J. Go see what's in the toilet! (bracing myself for something bad) AND NO ONE TOUCH IT!
J: It's a leaf!
(sigh of relief breathed)

Note to self, don't give T Boost and clarify "if you need to p*ke just p*ke" to include instructions about NOT just going all OVER the FLOOR when standing NEXT to the toilet!

Riddle for the day:
What's non-toxic, sticky like honey, colorless, and smells like a bottle of perfume?

Sometimes...

Sometimes things are tough because God is trying to correct you.

Sometimes things go wrong because Satan is the prince of the air and his ways are not for our good.

Sometimes things are going wrong because you're headed in your own direction and God is trying to get your attention.

Sometimes things are great for no explainable reason.

Sometimes things are great because God is rewarding your diligence.

Sometimes things are so mixed up and sad/glad, happy/mad at the same time and the real test is what is our response going to be. Will we believe that He IS WORKING? Will we SEEK HIS FACE? Or are we going to do what we've always done?

Sometimes people may say having 5 kids is having 5 too many. But each have brought encouragement in their own special way these last two weeks, along with spilt milk, huge messes... and a reaffirmation that life is indeed precious!

Sometimes I just need to not take myself so seriously and laugh my head off at whatever is brought my way.

I am truly amazed that I am still standing after 14 days of basically single mommyhood. Mr. Incredible went to the doctor and he now has meds and hopefully starts improving. I don't know that he will be visiting a certain Mc Eating establishment any time in the future. I could be upset (part of me really could be), but this has actually been the most glorious trip he's ever taken to China (at least for us at home). I am taking care of a really sick husband and I didn't even p*ke when he did - that's progress! I have dealt with several sleepless/little sleep nights and yet was still aware enough to not be broadsided by the guy who ran the red light, or the guy who ran the stop sign or hit head on by the lady that ran another red light. (Do I have a poster saying 'hit me' on the van?!) God's hand has been so present lately, that I am in awe. I normally would have melted into some sort of puddle on the floor way before this. Sometimes I just have to give up my desires and plans and say, "Lord, whatever may come, you are in control. Use me, help me, strengthen me." If this hadn't been my prayer for the last two weeks, I can honestly say I don't think I would be where I am. But we are still standing!!!!!

Grabbing the Power

Ephesians 1:18-21 (NIV) "...that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ...far above all rule and authority, power and dominion..."
The Message states verses 18 and 19 -"... to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!"

Let me take some liberty for a moment and imagine with me that God is a high voltage transmission power line. He IS full of power. He IS the source of light and life.

So if God is like a high voltage power line -
Are we living far from the source of power so far that we are unaware of it? Or are we looking at the power line from a distance and think, "Wow! What power! That's nice." Maybe we go stand near the power line and are in the magnetic field saying, "Oh this is nice. I can clearly see God and I can feel his presence this is good." Adventurous people may find a way to poke a little near the line and get the occasional "electrifying experience". OR
Leaping do we grab onto that power line and say, "Let me be YOUR conduit, use me! I may burn, but let me burn for you!"

Power lines are not easily reached for a reason, there is energy, POWER in them. You have to take a leap of believing. Believe that God IS who He says He IS. Believe that God can DO what He says He can DO. Be willing to accept and do the plan He has for YOU. He won't force it.

Up in the air hanging on to the power of God may get lonely, hard, tiring, BUT living for God though not easy, is worth it.

1 Thess. 2:2,4 "We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition ... we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts."

‎"God can't say, 'Well done good and faithful servant' if you don't do what He asks."~ from Gideon Tuba Warrior, Veggietales

Update

Mr. Incredible arrived home at 8:30 yesterday morning while Mr. M and I were at a local quick clinic trying to ascertain if he had strep throat.
Mr. M DOES NOT have strep throat- praise the LORD!
Mr. T is still coughing and wheezing.
Mr. Z last night complained of a sore throat, was coughing and having some difficulty breathing and is still having some issues.
Mr. J hasn't had a nosebleed recently (that I know of), but is not in top form.
Mr. Incredible is having serious stomach issues.
It would appear that Elizabeth and myself are the only ones really up and going. LOL!
Needless to say, I am a little occupied at home and so I had to call our church and let them know I couldn't be there for our once every eight weeks volunteering time in a class. (really so sorry)

I am beginning to think that this is spiritual warfare since when I pray for Mr. Incredible or read scripture to him the stomach pain stops. Growing up in a more "religiously free" denomination, I saw the bondage that people were in when they didn't "see" or "feel" God and have since tried to temper my upbringing because God is there even when we don't "feel" or "see" Him. However, since Thursday morning something IS going on. A lot of me wonders if this all has to do with an email we received asking us a question Thursday afternoon.

Lord, may we persevere. May we seek you. Heal, Father. Use me, I'm yours. Amen

The Last 28 Hours

God has really been dealing with me for the last 28 hours about having faith, believing, showing love... It's really been for a couple of weeks, however in the last few hours noteworthy things have been happening. (unfortunately not bloggable at present) Please pray that we are able to hear the Lord clearly. Please pray that Mr. Incredible and I will be "on the same page" once he returns home. Please pray that we can set selfishness aside and seek God's heart.

A couple more practical prayers- Mr. J has been having nightly nosebleeds during the middle of the night, Mr. T has had three days (maybe four, they're running together) of breathing issues, Mr. M possibly has strep throat (discovered tonight, sorry to all we were around today!). I think that satan is trying to overwhelm me right now and take my eyes off the prize and I'm trying to stay strong and have faith.

Thanks prayer warriors.

Mr. Incredible's returning!

Mr. Incredible is on his way home. We will see him in maybe another 24 hours. Please pray for his safe return.
He sent me this one line email earlier, "Just to let you know, I just charged 12,000,000 on the credit card." What?! Fortunately, I knew it was Rupies not dollars. :-) Still a chunk of change, but not THAT bad. LOL! Never boring!

Alvin

     

Alvin was born in a Liberian refugee camp in The Republic of Ghana, Africa.  His mother fled there during the civil war in Liberia.  Sadly, while she was in Ghana her family was killed in Liberia.  Alvin’s father died in the refugee camp before he was born.

In 2007, When Alvin was 4 years-old, he and his mother returned to Liberia.  There she began attending church and quit drinking.  Two years later, a few days before Christmas, she began vomiting and was admitted to a hospital with malaria.  Soon after, she died.

Alvin now lives at Lifesong Liberia's Master's Home of Champions.

You can help a child like Alvin. You can feed a child like Alvin.

Our goal is 70 people. $28 a month. One year commitment.

We have 44. 26 to go!

Will you join us in bringing joy and purpose to orphans?

Contact us at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment! 

Quita

  

Quita is 5 years old.  During the disarmament time, rebels came to her village and took all the men, including her father.  She never saw her father again.  Later it was discovered that these men were taken to a bridge where they were shot and thrown into the river.

Her mother ran to the Salala district with the other villagers for refuge.   There she later got sick and became paralyzed.  Last year Quita’s mother died and Quita was taken to the Lifesong Liberia's Home of Champions.  When she grows up she wants to be a medical doctor and help children.

Isn't it amazing that at 5 years old she's thinking about how someday she can help other children?

How can we help children today?

We're asking for a monthly commitment of $28 for one year.

Twenty-eight dollars...

- eating out at that new restaurant

- the shirt you've had your eye on

- a date night to the movies

- those pillows that would just look sooo good on your sofa.

I won't lie, making this commitment will require some sacrifice.  But trust me.  The sacrifice is always worth the reward.

What can you sacrifice for a child like Quita?

Our goal is 70 people.  $28 a month.  One year commitment.

We have 36 commitments, 34 to go!

Join us in bringing joy and purpose to orphans!

Contact us at info@lifesongfororphans.org to commit! 

We're #1!!!

I've been doing some recon for Elizabeth's adoption. According to here there were 3001 adoptions from China to the United States in 2009. I know that we weren't the last to adopt from China last year, but see that 1. That 1 is Elizabeth. I might not be able to adopt 3000, but I can adopt 1. 1 can make a difference.