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| If you return to the Main Page, we hope that you will sign our guestbook. We hope to share the encouragement and kind words with Maria someday. |
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| 3/28/2006 Dear friends, before I start my usual jibber jabber (a fun word to say :), I would like to ask for prayer for two people. I can tell by the numbers on our site counter that there are several of you out there, though very few are signing. But even if you are just reading incognito, please pray. One of my co-workers, Kerri, received some devastating news about her mom's condition today. Kerri has had a rough year as it is, and my heart is just broken for her today. Please lift her up. The other person is my grandmother (G.G.)...tomorrow is finally SURGERY day for her shattered/broken ankle. Please pray that the surgery WILL happen and that it will be successful. On to today. I almost didn't type at all. Thumper (from Bambi) always says, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Okay, it isn't all that bad. After all, no news is better than bad news right? But I will warn you that we are a little discouraged today. Okay, a LOT discouraged today. We both just really held onto hope that today was the day for some GOOD news. And apparently it wasn't. Usually, if Mark is down, I am there to lift him up. And vice versa. Except today, we are both down, sitting in the "mud" as we like to call it. We are both disappointed. And realizing that our baby's homecoming is further away than we had hoped and prayed for. So what kind of verse do you use for today? Filling in bubbles with students. (Actually they fill in, I have to erase stray marks...) Bad news for friends. No news for us. Hmmm, thank GOD for His Word. Deuteronomy 31:8, "The LORD himself will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forget you. Don't be afraid and don't worry." That is a blessing in itself. We have often pictured the Lord going before us in this adoption process. We can't be in Guatemala helping the process move along, but HE can. And we are SO grateful He doesn't leave us when we find out a friend is hurting. And that He doesn't forget us even when it seems like our prayers are unanswered (also called the "Wait" answers...which sometimes seem unending). Though things are not quite what we want them to be, timing wise, I don't need to be afraid for worry...He is there. I can't say that makes EVERYTHING feel better. At least yet. But what kind of mess would I be without those powerful words??? One final note before I crash (in bed)...please pray for the battle waging inside of me. I hate to admit it, though I am sure you suspect (from my typos and all) that I am not perfect. Envy. I don't want to be envious. But there are times I read the adoption boards and see that another case has been approved...one that started after we did. And I can't help but feel a little envious. And often turn to God to say, "What am I not doing right?" But I don't want to feel that way...please pray that as soon as those feelings creep in...I will just praise Him for His perfect timing. Thank you for listening and praying! |
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| Maria Elizabeth, about one year of age |
| 3/29/2006 Psalms 77:11-14, "I will remember the works of the LORD; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; Who is so great a God as our God? You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples." Okay, before anyone gets excited, I have to say that once again we have no news (which, yes, I still realize is better than bad news). And are we hungry for some? You bet! But today has been a good day to just praise God for who He is. This has been my day of prayer, which I will admit hasn't been the easiest with the whole teaching/giving a standardized test/being a mom, etc. But it has been in my heart and in my thoughts when I have a minute to catch my breath. Today I haven't been as focused on, "God, give us that phone call right now" as I normally am (though I am ready to catch that phone call if it should come :). Instead, it has just been a peace that God is in control. There is NO ONE as great as Our God! As for His work, His deeds, even though I would love to get that preapproval notice from the Embassy, God has sent some wonderful deeds my way. I have gotten some encouraging e-mails and tidbits of information from places I would never expect. It is just God's little reminder that even though the answer is still apparently WAIT, He is there for me, He remembers me, and He loves me. What could be better than that??? It looks like more than likely we WILL plan a trip to visit Maria (with kids in tow...they are ready to meet her). We obviously have been praying that Maria will be home for the summer so we can have all of that time to bond. But for whatever reason, that doesn't seem to be in God's plans. It hurts a little to admit that, but once again, I will trust in the LORD, and lean NOT on my own understanding (and there is a lot of that there :). We are praying for God to work out the details of our visit, as well as WHEN is the right time to bring her home. I will admit, I feel a little defeated, but I know in all things, God is victorious. And I am part of God's family, I can't really be defeated...right? Well, I better get started on the evening. We are feeling more at peace in whatever God decides. Not that there aren't some tough moments when we are calling out, "Hello, God??? Do you hear me???" But we know that God loved children. He loves us. When and if it is time to bring Maria home, He will. Please continue to pray for that to happen. In God's time. And that we will have peace while we wait. |