Home Study Time!

     We have received approval from the agency that will be doing our home study last weekend and have since received our packet from them to begin working on.  Wow...exciting but a LOT of stuff to do!  And I, being a planner, and so overwhelmed!  I'm planning on sitting down today and making lists and plans for how and when to complete it all.  But I know that if we take it one step at a time, we will get it done.  Anyone who has adopted or know someone that has adopted has heard about "The Paper Chase"...well, that's what we are about to begin!
     Along with our packet, we received the invoice for our home study.  The money side of things can definitely be stressful and scary.  As Tyler and I were discussing it last night, we were both kind of stressing about it.  But you know, as we were talking I was reminded again...God doesn't call us to something and then say, "Okay, now figure out how to do it, plan it, prepare for it, and make it happen."  He simply calls us to be obedient to His Word, and then He asks us to trust Him.  How beautiful and peaceful life can be if we just trust Him instead of trying to figure it all out on our own.
     I once read a devotion that has stuck with me for many years since reading it.  The lady who wrote the book was describing her time on a retreat to a lake.  Their large group decided to take a boat ride in which they all had to row the boat out into the open water.  It was tiring, hard, sweaty work.  But just when they thought they couldn't row anymore, their guide explained that is was time to put up the sail.  To all of their surprise, the boat they were own was actually a sailboat.  They put up the sail, sat back, and enjoyed the beautiful view and the warm breeze.  She explained that our life in Christ should be like a sailboat, but many times we try to row and work our way along.  It is our own fault if we keep rowing and rowing and trying to make it using our own pitiful strength.  It is our own fault if we don't put up the sail and let God carry us through it all.  I want that for my life.
 
   On another note, we had our book fair at school this week.  How does that relate to the adoption?  Well, one of my kids bought the most precious book and I had to get one for myself!  It's called Little Pink Pup.  Its a sweet little story of a piglet that was adopted into a family of dachshunds.  The book is dedicated to all the children that may look different from their families and says "Your families love you just the way you are."  So sweet!  Click on here to check it out.

So, as we continue to this wonderful journey, we are filled with joy for what God is teaching us and how He is growing us up in Him.