Thankful Thursday - An Update

Today, on Thankful Thursday is a random thankful list/update on our lives.

Number One:
I’m thankful that the last day of school for our boys is tomorrow.  Yay!  Trash the books and put away the school uniforms for a couple of months. 

Summer, for us, means a less stressful schedule.  No homework, no lunches to pack and no strict bed time. 

Rod and I still work and the boys just go from staying with my parents to being dropped off at work with their daddy in the mornings, but it still is a season to be thankful for indeed.

Number Two:
I’m also thankful to be a parent.  Sometimes parenting teaches me as much as, I pray, I’m teaching our kids.  We faced a different parenting struggle this week that shook me up a bit. 

But what I kept thinking is how I felt about the poor choice my kid made.  It gave me a little insight into what my Heavenly Father may feel when I make poor choices and do things that are so displeasing to Him. 

Then I thought about grace.  Amazing grace!  Freely given.  Never earned.  How unworthy I am.  Praise the Lord, He didn’t just write me off years ago.  I heard someone say, “He’s no longer mad at me!”  That’s the truth!  Because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, my sins our forgiven and He isn’t mad at me.

We told our son this.  We used the situation as a way to show him grace, hopefully helping him to understand God’s grace better.

This parenting thing is hard!  I’m so thankful I’m not doing it alone.

Number Three:
After little boy and little girl left our home, we took about a month off from fostering to spend time as a family of four and just take a break from the rigors that is foster parenting.  You guys, it’s not as simple as just taking care of children (although that alone is not always so simple).  There are visits to our home, bio parent visits, required doctor appointments and the list goes on.

We’ve been waiting almost three weeks now for a foster placement call.  We’ve heard nothing, which is odd. So our month break is turning into two months. 

I’m thankful that God is in control and when the time is right we will get another placement.  I’m thankful that we can rest in knowing that we can help whoever, whenever they come into our home by God’s grace and through the leading of Holy Spirit.

Number Four:
One last thing…I’m thankful that a small vacation is coming up for us!  Woohoo!!

Thankful Thursday - National Day of Prayer

 

On this day, our nations National Day of Prayer, I'm thankful for prayer.  That we can bow our knee, and our hearts to the God of the universe, the Sovereign Lord, and talk with Him.  We can ask Him anything.  Tell Him anything. 

We can even be honest and broken. 

Can I get an amen?

How often do we try to pretend and pray a "holy" prayer to God?  Who are we kidding?  Let's just be honest with Him.  He knows how we're feeling anyway.  We might as well say, "God I know you're good.  I know that you love me.  But I'm just not feeling that way right now.  I don't like what's going on and I'm just mad (or sad or aggravated...)."

He wants communion with us and let me tell you we NEED communion with Him.  We can be friends of God.  The bible says this in John 15:13-15...

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

 

I'm so thankful today for the freedom to have personal prayer and the freedom to still pray in public, corporately.  And the fact that we still have a national day of prayer is a lot to be thankful for. 

In an age where there isn't a whole lot of promise for man kind in general it's amazing to know there are people who still believe in prayer and a nation who recognizes that.

Talk to God.  He's there and ready to listen.  I promise.

Weekend Wrap Up and Crazy Ramblings

We had a good but busy weekend.  We finally got to spend some time at the beach.  It was absolutely beautiful!  The weather was perfect and the breeze just right.  The beach is my happy place for sure. 

While we were there, we decided to take Carson out for a birthday dinner.  He chose Longhorns and ribs. 

Saturday night we celebrated Roddy's youngest brother's graduation from college.

So overall a pretty busy weekend and I'm in major need of sleep today. 

******************************

It may be that I'm just tired but I'm struggling.  I know I'm so blessed and I'm thankful for so many things.  But do you ever struggle with getting your feelings to agree with what your mind knows? 

That's where I am.  I've tried to sort out what I'm feeling and all I can come up with is just a little sad and mully grubby (I know. not words).  Sad for the way things used to be.  Sad for the way things could have been.  I don't know...

I know we are where we need to be, doing what we need to be doing. It has been confirmed many times over.  So I know it in my head and my spirit.  It's just my feelings are not umm..."feeling it" the past few days.

I'm probably not making much sense so I'll just stick with what I know.  And I'll just keep saying it till I feel it.

I can trust God.
I believe He knows best for me and my family.
Circumstances don't change who I am in Christ.
God loves me and I don't deserve it.
Through it all...it is well!

Life is a journey and each step, a step closer to becoming that piece of pottery beautifully crafted by the Master Potter.  So keep moving forward. 

Thankful Thursday: My Little Family

I do hereby declare every Thursday, Thankful Thursday here at Ebb and Flow. 

 

There’s a verse that God brings to my mind often, in fact it’s hanging on the wall of my office.

 

In everything give thanks.  For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
~1 Thessalonians 5:18

I hung it up on my wall as a reminder because it’s so easy for me to just waller (I’m pretty sure that’s a word) in discontentment with this or that.  I have to remind myself to give thanks in everything.

You know, sometimes you can just get bogged down in everything that’s wrong instead of focusing on everything that’s right. 

Why is it God’s will for us to give thanks in everything?  When you focus on finding something to be thankful for in every situation something inside you will shift.  It’s an attitude adjustment, if you will. 

So really this practice is therapy for your soul.  So welcome to Therapy Thankful Thursday.  Feel free to share what you’re thankful for in the comments or share your blog post.

It is not happy people who are thankful;
It is thankful people who are happy. 

I’ll start with my little family.  I can always, always thank God for them and it will bring a smile to my face and my heart.  These are pictures from Easter.

Through fostering, there will be new faces added to this picture and forever added to our hearts.  Some may stay a short while and maybe one day there will be one (or more) that will stay forever.  But in any of those seasons, I will give God thanks for the precious children He has entrusted in our care.

And this man.  This vow.  This God ordained union.  I am thankful every day.  Through the good, the bad and the ugly.

Hello to Nine

Today my baby turns nine. 

 

 

This mama is struggling with this because obviously nine is no longer a baby.  But, my baby he is.  My second and last born. 

He’s changed our world these past nine years.  He’s teaching us how to be parents in a way his brother never has.  He’s funny.  Witty.  Charming to a fault.  He’s always working an angle.  Always up to something. He approaches life as one big court room in which he is the lawyer and everyone else is the jury that needs convincing.  He’s affectionate and still needs those hugs and kisses. 

His personality is so different than mine that sometimes I wonder how he grew in my belly.  I struggle to understand him.  But then other times, I sit back in amazement at the way God created him.  And I realize God has a purpose for this fire cracker that I could never imagine. 

So today instead of saying goodbye to a baby boy, I’m saying hello to a future orchestrated and written by our heavenly Father.  He loves him more than I do.  I trust Him to write a beautiful story for our Car-Man.

Hello to the last year in the single digits.

Hello to pre teen years.

Hello to growing in His faith.

Hello to his contagious love of life and his ability to make us laugh.

Hello to the privilege of seeing his ninth year unfold and being able to guide him as best we can.

Happy Birthday to one of the loves of my life!

He requested Walmart Cupcakes.  Yuck!



I'm linking with Lisa Leonard.

WIWW: Fun tees and a maxi skirt.

What I Wore Wednesday is a just little fashion fun.  Please know that I am not a fashionista, by any stretch of the imagination.  I just enjoy a little fashion fun and a little motivation to keep from dressing in jeans and a t-shirt everyday.  Because at my job that is perfectly acceptable.  Keeps me young and cool from feeling too old.

 

I'm linking with The Pleated Poppy.

 

So here it is, my latest photos taken with my phone in my closet with all of its' organized chaos. ;)

 

It's spring and I've been loving my maxi skirts lately.  I get bored with jeans and this is a very comfortable alternative.  Add a soft Old Navy tee, a little jewelry and I feel perfectly comfortable and somewhat put together.

 

The maxi is from Old Navy too and the necklace is Premier.

 

I found this tee at Cato.  How true?  I also wore it with the above maxi skirt.

 

And speaking of t-shirts, how awesome is this one?  I really think I need it...

It's been raining so much here so I brought out the rain boots and wore them with black jeans and a button up chambray.

 

That's all for now.  Happy Spring and happy maxi skirt wearing!

Saying Goodbye

So our foster journey has changed...

Almost two weeks ago, our two Littles left our home.  After seven months with these precious babies, we said goodbye.  It has been an adjustment and our hearts are sad, but there is a very good side to this story because God has been so good in the whole situation. 

Let me tell you all about it…

(First I need to say that I want to share as much of our story and our experiences as possible without sharing too much of the Littles' story. My prayer is that one day they will share their own stories and give God all the honor in doing so.)

Over the past months, we were asked several times if given the opportunity, would we be willing to adopt.  We always replied that we would consider it but never a definite yes.  We never felt at peace with saying yes for sure.  Although we love them (and always will) and knew that they would have a home with us as long as needed, we didn’t feel released to say yes to forever.

This bothered me badly (putting it mildly) for a long time.  I couldn’t say yes, but I couldn’t let these precious little people go somewhere that I didn’t know, without doubt, that they would be loved, safe and most importantly taught about the Lord.

I was letting this internal struggle torture me.  Let me tell you, this wasn’t good for me or anyone in our home. 

One morning on the way to work, I began to pray about it.  Serious prayer with my Father because I couldn’t carry the burden any longer.  

Enter peace that passes all understanding…

Goodness I’m stubborn.  I could have just given it to God in the beginning.  And you know what?  I told myself that I had, but I hadn’t. Not really.  God is good and I thank him for His patience with this stubborn chick. ;)

It is here that I need to interject another side to this story.  Our two Littles have an older sister.  She’s five and she’s precious.  She was (and still is) placed in a local foster home only a short distance from our home. 

Over the months we had developed a relationship with her foster parents who are dear, Godly people.  It was a blessing to walk the crazy journey that is foster care alongside them.  We were often able to pray for each other and encourage one another. 

They said yes to adopting big sister if given the opportunity and after some time God began to deal with them about adopting all three siblings.  That part is their story to tell but I’ll tell you it was pretty awesome the way God orchestrated. 

So about a week after my surrendering the situation to God, the other foster mom was having her own struggle.  After much prayer and confirmation from God, they decided they would be willing to adopt all three kiddos but didn’t know exactly where we stood on our end.  They didn’t want to hurt us and were just generally struggling with how to talk with us about it.

I was out of town for work and she called me.  She said she had to talk with me and began to tell me how God was leading them and how they don’t want to hurt us at all.  As she talked, I began to cry silent tears.  God was taking care of the situation in a way I least expected.

After she finished talking, I told her how this was an answer to prayer and she began to cry.  I had church with this sweet friend standing in the hallway of the hotel.  We were both astounded at the goodness of God.

Later she told me how terrified she was to have this conversation with me and how bathed in prayer it was before she even picked up the phone. 

Oh let me tell you, our God is good!

Very soon after, it was decided that it was best to go ahead and place all three kids in the other foster home.  So we spent about two months with the kids having visits with their new family to allow for an adjustment period. 

Then just before the kids moved, we had the privilege of taking them to Disney for Spring Break.  This was a special week for me, Roddy and our boys. 

Now they are in their new home and although the journey isn’t over, we know we can trust God to continue to work things out for all of our good.  They are doing well and adjusting fabulously.  I get pictures of the kids from my dear friend every day and I can’t even began to say what a blessing that is.  We are so blessed to be able to continue to be a part of their lives as aunt and uncle and can’t wait to see what God has for their future.

Saying goodbye has been hard.  But, we are so fortunate that this isn't the typical foster goodbye because it's not goodbye forever.  It's very hard to explain the emotions but this I do know...

Where joy and sadness meet, God is there also!