Last week at Homeschooler's Day Out, we found some stickers in the 'free pile'...I gave them to Odesco to keep him busy during play practice and this is what he did!!!
Sticker mania again...I needed to purchase shirts for Odesco since all of the ones we had didn't quite fit comfortably over his still distended gut...I threw these shirt labels in the trash and our little man swiftly rescued them and put them to use!
Just 2 years ago yesterday God implanted in our hearts a desire to adopt from Liberia...I will never forget it as Mama K.(Jenkin's and Felicia's mom) came over on my 40th birthday to bless me with a special dinner and with her she brought the Above Rubies magazine article highlighting the plight of Liberian orphans.Together we pulled up the websites featuring Liberian adoption and my heart was so affected. Our hubbies were conversing and our children were playing in the background but our Mommy eyes were glued to computer images of Liberian children....It is difficult to put it into words. There was a compelling pull ...a drawing to a place we had never even considered (and I admit I did not even know where to find Liberia on the map) yet, God had 2 precious children there for both of our families! My hubby and I were convinced at this time we were to adopt but had no peace or sense of direction regarding where we were to adopt from...until that day~ and then God very clearly began to unfold His plan for us that would change the fabric of our family forever.
Fast forward 2 years...tomorrow will be Mercy and Odesco's 5 month-i-versary since their homecoming ! Wow, how the months have flown. There are so many major evidences of grace in their little lives and yet, I confess, my hubby received a slobbery tear-filled phone call from me yesterday morning as I fell into unbelief regarding the challenges of mothering 6 children, maintaining a household, and getting the schooling done. I cried for a bit as chaos ensued around me...I momentarily felt like I was being swallowed into a pit of despair... BUT
God is so faithful... He provides just what I need, just when I need it. A friend came for a visit with her 3 children and God used her presence in our home as a means of grace to my weary soul.... another friend dropped by unexpectedly to bless me ~ God was providing others to help lift my arms in the battle. Also, another friend , my Mom, and brothers called and I was reminded afresh that we are not in this alone. Truly my flesh is being dealt deathblows everday...my selfishness, my idols of wanting order and peace- these are all being exposed again and again... God is conforming me to His image and the process is painful at times. Just because we believe we have followed the will of God on this path of adoption does not mean it is going to be completely smooth without bumps in the road... honestly, sometimes there are cavernous potholes to negotiate around!!... At times, obedience is hard work...other times obedience is blessed with joys beyond measure. We have had those moments too but most recently, I confess to being affected more by the challenges than the joys. There is a heavenly disparity here: "His yoke is easy and His burden is light" and yet the flip side of this reality is we are to "take up our cross" and follow Him.... The good news in all of this...whether experiencing the joys or the nitty gritty challenges is that He who called us is faithful.....His grace is unending...I have barely tapped into the stores of the wealth of His grace and yet there is more and more and more yet to come. It is easier for Him to grant me grace than for me to even ask for it. It is humbling to see how easily my heart strays from the riches of these truths...reality is, life can get hard...relationships take work...parenting can be exhausting BUT His power is perfected in my weakness and His grace IS sufficient..His grace is sufficient to manage the daily multitude of opportunities for conflict resolution among siblings, His grace is sufficient to deal with wayward, rebellious hearts, His grace is sufficient to maintain laundry/cleaning/cooking etc , His grace is sufficient to direct the homeschooling of 6 children....the list goes on and on. So, while the day to day realities of life in our bustling home may change imperceptibly, I pray that the the changes in my heart would manifest outwardly with tangible evidences of His mighty and abundant grace at work in my weakness -
When I am weak, then He is strong!!
Thanks for checking in...
MamaB
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