Well, that is what my heart is singing right now, with tears streaming down my face :-)
Let my back up a bit... I am sure that if you have been reading here for any length of time, you know that we have been trying to adopt children through the county of __________ ... this has taken much more time than we were expecting, and we have had our share of negative (and positive) thoughts that go along with any hitch in a get along :-)
That being said, and on a completely separate note, we have also been working on strengthening our family as it exists now.
-We have started homeschooling (pretty obvious with the homeschool blog huh? lol)
-Daddy has been reading the bible to us at dinner time and walking us through some wonderful discussions and time with the Lord.
-We have been doing a WONDERFUL curriculum that is centered around memorizing scripture.
-We are learning to be at HOME alot more... eating, schooling, baking, cleaning, gardening, etc...
And we have been reading alot of family focused authors... just for encouragement's sake I suppose, but it has had a really big influence on our thinking. We have realized that we have a world view that we did not choose... that we just kind of grew up with and never questioned... well, we are questioning it now. Reflecting on God's words more and peers words less... praying ALOT!
In all of this... reflective thinking, we came to the conclusion that we made a mistake when we decided to "have no more babies". Lots of prayer, and research led us to a doctor in Southern California who "un does" such mistakes as a ministry. His fee's are SUBSTANTIALLY more affordable than most other doctors because he does not pay himself for the procedure... HOWEVER, it is still alot of money to cover the costs, and it is all paid up front, no credit.
This is a HUGE blessing!!!! We have been saving for it for a few months now... on schedule for the September surgery date. AWESOME! THEN... we were blessed yet again. With a date change :-) Now the surgery is in July. Yay, but WOW... we are now no longer on schedule to have the money saved up in time... For about three weeks now we have been living out of the freezer and cupboards... making due with what we have, not spending money on ANYTHING that was not completely necessary. But as they do, unplanned things popped up here and there and we started to realize that there was no way we could make our deadline.
We started thinking about ways that we could raise money as well as save it... we have sold books out of our homeschooling stash, we have planned yard sales, we have collected recycling from relatives and friends, babysat for friends... you name it, and we have been trying it. But with little hope of reaching our goal.
Today the mail came and we had the usual junk mail, a package, and an unexpected letter from the county auditor regarding our property taxes. Those are NEVER good!!! The last time we got one it was an audit on last year's income taxes and we were billed upwards of $2000 OUCH!
THIS one was different though... This one contained a completely unexpected and unrequested refund application. Apparently our property taxes were assessed during a time when the value of the property was much higher than it is now and for some reason they have RE assessed the value and therefore adjusted the tax (which we paid back in December).... The difference? only the amount that we have been trying to save to pay for the surgery next month! :-D
I still cannot get over how loving our God is!!! He put this desire in our hearts, and He provided the means to achieve it. PRAISE to our God!!
So we have now come back to my song...
My God is so BIG,
so STRONG, and so MIGHTY,
there's nothing my God cannot do
Hey Hey!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! And Remember how much our God cares for you!!! -Christina
Psalm 127 ESV
"1 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain, 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. 5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Psalm 37:4
"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"
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