The painting projects are complete. Hurrah! We painted the garage doors, screen doors and shutters a sort of pewter color and the trim around the doors and windows is sort of the color of coffee with cream in it. We really like the finished look. I went on the Sherwin Williams website where you can pick the house picture that looks the most like your own and then play with the colors 'til you like what you see. It's a great tool since I am not great at envisioning what something will look like. After I picked out my color scheme, I headed for Restore for Habitat. If you haven't heard of these, they are stores where new and used building and renovation supplies are sold and all the profits benefit Habitat for Humanity. Anyway, I went there and miraculously found exactly the colors and types of paint I needed for $5.00/gallon. So for about $50.00 (paint, primer, rollers and brushes) and a lot of elbow grease, our little house got a terrific face lift.
My dear sister-in-law Carolanne called me about a month ago wanting to know the colors in Joel's room which he'll be sharing with Maxim when we bring him home. She's planning to make some sort of blanket/quilt for Maxim to welcome him home. I was about to tell her, when Joel, who was listening, piped in and said he would really like a change. So another paint project was off and running. Joel loves legos and building in general so decided he would like walls and trim in the primary lego colors. Red walls, blue trim on some doors and windows, yellow trim on the remaining doors and windows. Lets just say it is very bright and bold. We are going to do a little bit of 3-d block and logo stuff in a few places on the walls later. Thinking, too, of putting up a double picture frame with the boys' photos in it with the caption "lego studs" (studs is also the term for the bumps on a lego block). We'll see what Joel thinks. We want the room be something both boys enjoy despite the age difference.
Meanwhile, the raccoons have completely wiped out every bit of the most beautiful corn we've ever had in our garden. Everyone we know has said the 'coons were terrible this year. Tomatoes are wonderful though, along with plenty of green beans, salad greens and potatoes. We always plant in a huge garden plot at my in-laws 10 minutes from here. What a blessing.
Just as we were finishing our painting projects on Friday, friends called to say our two bushels of peaches were ready to pick up, so there were canning bees on Sunday and Monday. Between all the households involved around three hundred quarts were put up. Yesterday, I made pickles for the first time with some of the little cucumbers my mom-in-law saved for me. We'll see how they turn out. I here that getting a flavorful pickle that is still nice and crisp can be pretty tricky.
No more word yet on a time frame for getting Maxim home. Just encouragement that if we have heard no requests for new/additional info by the end of the first week in September, we can be fairly confident that they like what they see in Ukraine. Also, the liason for Ukraine should supposedly have more concrete input for us by then. Time will tell. Boy, is the quiet waiting ever hard!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
God Pays For What He Orders
Well, great news; we have reached our financial goal for bringing Maxim home. Through a combination of savings we already had, a decent tax return, a huge community garage sale, the generosity of friends and family and just making the effort to better follow biblical financial principles, we are ready.
Here is the biggest lesson I see in this part of the process. God pays for what He orders. He set it on our hearts to adopt Maxim, and we have had to trust that when God asks us to do something, He will always equip us. Always.
The funny thing is I can look back and see God's sense of humor too, in what details we understood in what order as we started down the adoption path. First, he simply drew us to little Maxim's face. Not that different from how we are so drawn to our biological children's faces from day one. We knew of his disabilites right away, but God knew we would not be intimidated by this at all because He has so faithfully taken care of Cyan in her cerebral palsy experiences. What is kind of laughable now is how long it took after we were aware of Maxim and drawn to him before it really clicked in either my mind or Daniel's what a huge financial undertaking this would be (40,000 buckaroos)!! Yikes! But God in His wisdom had already been reminding us for months of Philippian 4:6-8. Do not be anxious for anything but in everything, by prayer and petitions, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. I want to be careful that you understand I am not encouraging blind financial foolishness. We want to be wise stewards of everything He gives us and we have to pray daily for wisdom. But there are going to be seasons where He will ask us to do something, without giving us all the details of how it will work out. If you look just at the biblical concept of tithing, many are convinced it will absolutely not work out in their budget. On paper, it seems so impossible. So how could a $40,000 adoption bill make any sense in a household that only brings in $70,000+- annually? It sounds ridiculous and even foolhardy to many. Yet we believe that God was just waiting for us to focus on obedience instead of logistics; to just take the leap of faith and watch Him go to work. And He has. The funds have come together in under 6 months. We have heard so many similar testimonies. God is not limited by time or finances.
No bragging here. To God be all of the credit and honor.
The wisdom of man is foolishness to God, ........but
We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
What is God calling you to? What leap of faith is He nudging you toward? I encourage you to prayerfully and eagerly go for it.
Here is the biggest lesson I see in this part of the process. God pays for what He orders. He set it on our hearts to adopt Maxim, and we have had to trust that when God asks us to do something, He will always equip us. Always.
The funny thing is I can look back and see God's sense of humor too, in what details we understood in what order as we started down the adoption path. First, he simply drew us to little Maxim's face. Not that different from how we are so drawn to our biological children's faces from day one. We knew of his disabilites right away, but God knew we would not be intimidated by this at all because He has so faithfully taken care of Cyan in her cerebral palsy experiences. What is kind of laughable now is how long it took after we were aware of Maxim and drawn to him before it really clicked in either my mind or Daniel's what a huge financial undertaking this would be (40,000 buckaroos)!! Yikes! But God in His wisdom had already been reminding us for months of Philippian 4:6-8. Do not be anxious for anything but in everything, by prayer and petitions, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. I want to be careful that you understand I am not encouraging blind financial foolishness. We want to be wise stewards of everything He gives us and we have to pray daily for wisdom. But there are going to be seasons where He will ask us to do something, without giving us all the details of how it will work out. If you look just at the biblical concept of tithing, many are convinced it will absolutely not work out in their budget. On paper, it seems so impossible. So how could a $40,000 adoption bill make any sense in a household that only brings in $70,000+- annually? It sounds ridiculous and even foolhardy to many. Yet we believe that God was just waiting for us to focus on obedience instead of logistics; to just take the leap of faith and watch Him go to work. And He has. The funds have come together in under 6 months. We have heard so many similar testimonies. God is not limited by time or finances.
No bragging here. To God be all of the credit and honor.
The wisdom of man is foolishness to God, ........but
We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
What is God calling you to? What leap of faith is He nudging you toward? I encourage you to prayerfully and eagerly go for it.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
pressing ahead
Ohhh the waiting stage. Our dossier is over there, most likely completely translated by now and we are just longing for the day we hear it's time to travel. I don't feel anxious in the same way I did at times when we were waiting for the 171-h but there are some things that weigh on my mind.
I have that nesting feeling where I look around at our home and think of projects I want to complete before Maxim comes, knowing that after he arrives, life will be very full, simply adjusting to each other. So I'm trying to balance what is most important and what can wait. Painting shutters, screen doors and garage doors would be nice to complete before Michigan's winter blows in again.
Another, more heavy, issue on my mind is how Cyan, Brina and Joel will do when it's time for Daniel and I to travel to Ukraine. They are so looking forward to Maxim coming home and are all old enough (12, 14 and 16) to like adventure. They like going to other people's homes and visiting. But the kicker is this; Cyan will be at my parents-in-law while Brina and Joel will be with my brother-in-law and his wife. They all came to Daniel and I months ago and offered to do this for us, which I really appreciate, but I just have a nagging feeling about the kids not even all being together while we're away.
I would love to hear from others who are already back home. What arrangements did you make for your kids while you were traveling and how did it go?
I don't want to sound as if I don't appreciate having loved ones around us who would so readily open their homes. I do realize that my parents-in-law are getting older and so having all three kids at home would be way out of their routine these days. And my brother and sister-in-law have no children and with Cyan's disability (cerebral palsy but very mobile) maybe all three kids seems too overwhelming.
Have I just revealed my inner control freak? I guess this is all a part of knowing the adoption is being orchestrated by God and I'm not supposed to be holding the reins. He is supplying everything we need and I can trust Him.
Any sage wisdom or calming words from you all?
As we get close to the beginning of a new school year, I am doing my usual analysis of where the kids are at and where they're going. We home school and this will be Brina's freshman year (where has the time gone!); she and Joel are involved in band and orchestra and love it; Cyan is getting started in some new therapies that will give her the boost she needs right now. And as we get into the early autumn, we are also looking forward to Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) travels. It is such a special family time as we have come to love and appreciate how the biblical feasts broaden our walk with Christ. Anyway, this is not to say that life is too busy to welcome more into our family. Quite the contrary. Can't wait to add new faces around the table. I'm just pondering the fact that all of these things revolve around fixed schedules and, of course, the adoption will just happen when it happens. So we are learning to relax and continue to make plans that benefit and bless our household, while knowing we have to stay flexible. Good lesson for life in general.
Well, thanks for taking the time to read. Blessings on your own journey.
I have that nesting feeling where I look around at our home and think of projects I want to complete before Maxim comes, knowing that after he arrives, life will be very full, simply adjusting to each other. So I'm trying to balance what is most important and what can wait. Painting shutters, screen doors and garage doors would be nice to complete before Michigan's winter blows in again.
Another, more heavy, issue on my mind is how Cyan, Brina and Joel will do when it's time for Daniel and I to travel to Ukraine. They are so looking forward to Maxim coming home and are all old enough (12, 14 and 16) to like adventure. They like going to other people's homes and visiting. But the kicker is this; Cyan will be at my parents-in-law while Brina and Joel will be with my brother-in-law and his wife. They all came to Daniel and I months ago and offered to do this for us, which I really appreciate, but I just have a nagging feeling about the kids not even all being together while we're away.
I would love to hear from others who are already back home. What arrangements did you make for your kids while you were traveling and how did it go?
I don't want to sound as if I don't appreciate having loved ones around us who would so readily open their homes. I do realize that my parents-in-law are getting older and so having all three kids at home would be way out of their routine these days. And my brother and sister-in-law have no children and with Cyan's disability (cerebral palsy but very mobile) maybe all three kids seems too overwhelming.
Have I just revealed my inner control freak? I guess this is all a part of knowing the adoption is being orchestrated by God and I'm not supposed to be holding the reins. He is supplying everything we need and I can trust Him.
Any sage wisdom or calming words from you all?
As we get close to the beginning of a new school year, I am doing my usual analysis of where the kids are at and where they're going. We home school and this will be Brina's freshman year (where has the time gone!); she and Joel are involved in band and orchestra and love it; Cyan is getting started in some new therapies that will give her the boost she needs right now. And as we get into the early autumn, we are also looking forward to Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) travels. It is such a special family time as we have come to love and appreciate how the biblical feasts broaden our walk with Christ. Anyway, this is not to say that life is too busy to welcome more into our family. Quite the contrary. Can't wait to add new faces around the table. I'm just pondering the fact that all of these things revolve around fixed schedules and, of course, the adoption will just happen when it happens. So we are learning to relax and continue to make plans that benefit and bless our household, while knowing we have to stay flexible. Good lesson for life in general.
Well, thanks for taking the time to read. Blessings on your own journey.
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