It's Christmas in September!

That's what it feels like anyway...

As I type this a beloved aunt and uncle, along with their children and grandchildren, have all made the trek from Long Island to Disney World. We can't wait to see them. This is the aunt and uncle who shared the Gospel message with me through their words as well as their deeds. These are the cousins who have been more like siblings than cousins throughout my life, and their children like my nieces and nephews. We can't wait to see them all!

Why are we not out at the parks with them? Because, as if it wasn't huge enough to have them all here, God's blessings go on! At 5:42am my brother, Mike (aka Uncle Clem), is arriving from Las Vegas to spend the week with us also and we are at home preparing for his stay with us. How cool is that!!!

But wait, it doesn't stop there! It keeps getting better!

Uncle Clem adds a second driver to our car, so instead of going to Disney tomorrow we're making a quick trip to Atlanta to see my parents. (We haven't seen Pop since Christmas!) So we get to see Grandma and Pop, and the cats and dogs, AND even my brother, "Uncle Brian"! He's a standup comedian, and he'll be doing a show in Chattanooga, just an hour from my parents. Mike and I will be driving up to see the show, but Brianna will have to stay with her grandparents because she's not quite old enough to be at a comedy club.

After that we get to visit our old church and lots of dear friends, and even celebrate birthdays with my dear sisters in Christ, Tracy and Mary - with whom "birthday month" came into existence.

FINALLY on Monday we'll get to Disney and the NY relatives.

We'll have 3 days with them before MORE friends join us! On Thursday (9/27) our friends from Atlanta, The Coombs (Aaron, Shanna, Chandler, Carson and Dylan), as well as our friend from Jacksonville "Uncle President" (aka David) will be added to the mix.

The relatives and the Coombs will all be gone by Saturday, but Uncle Clem and Uncle President will be here through Sunday, when we hope they will go with us to church. We haven't been at church in weeks, and can't wait to be there on 9/30. As if salvation isn't enough God has so richly blessed us with SO MANY dear brothers and sisters, both natural born as well as adopted. HE IS SO GOOD TO US!!!!

I hope to post (with pictures) throughout the week and let you know how things are going!

1 Peter 3:1-7

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you [1] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

I have been thinking a lot lately about who I am...Who I am in Christ, who I was without Him, who He wants me to become...

As I search the depths of my heart I am amazed to find fruit of God's character there. I do not recognize myself...I am surprised to find that the me I knew for so long is no longer the me that I am now. And who I am now is not the me I am becoming because God is still at work!

Are you dizzy yet? Yes, I really do think like this! lol

I am truly amazed at the work God has done and continues to do in my heart. I see more and more that I almost can't believe is really there. I think it's that "imperishable beauty" I hear so much about. In ME!!! Isn't He amazing????

Oh me of little faith, I never thought it was possible! BUT GOD! But God in His goodness IS transforming me into the image of Christ. He is dressing me in robes of righteousness. He is preparing me for the great wedding feast. And, let's be honest, I hope He is also preparing me for a wedding feast here. While is has been the desire of my heart all these 10 years of widowhood (yes, on October 2 it will be 10 years!!!) to be married again "one day", I actually find myself having faith that "one day" may actually come sooner or later!

If you know me, you're laughing at me right now. I know you are! lol It's okay, I'm laughing at me too! How could I not expect "one day" to come when God told me it would??? But, there it is...I did not have faith for it!

Finally believing God will eventually make "one day" a reality is an example of me finally believing (in my heart) what I say I believe (in my head). I know, I know, it took me long enough! Well, better late than never! heehee

Marriage is only one area that God has given me faith for lately. I have more and more faith that I am fearfully and wonderfully made and that "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:6) Again, things I have said I believe, but only now do I feel that I OWN them. Isn't He so good?

Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness to mold me into the image of Christ! Thank You for the trials and suffering that have produced good fruit! Thank You for Your great kindness to me! Lord, may I continue to submit myself to Your good work and see Your glory proclaimed in all the earth through my life.

In the meantime, I want to invest in who I am today...the bride of Christ. As the Lord has been so faithful to be my husband, I want to be faithful in being His bride. I found an excerpt from a book on the girltalk blog that I have already ordered from Amazon. I want to cultivate more of that imperishable beauty in my heart and this book seems to be a tool to be used toward that end.

Here's the excerpt:

“But sisters, the man who will make for you a healthy, tender, passionate, enduring, mutually fulfilling life partner is a man who prizes faith and integrity in himself and goes weak in the knees at your inner beauty too. This beauty ages well—it is an ‘imperishable beauty.’ It is this beauty that men see and appreciate as you grow through the seasons of life.” (p. 128, Doing Things Right)

I don't just want men to see and appreciate it, I want God to see and appreciate it. After all, HE is my faithful Audience of One. I want to do things right in matters of the heart based upon His Word for His glory alone!

Thanks for coming along for the ride!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOZAFFA!

Today is Jozaffa's 6th birthday...that's right, he was born on the infamous 9/11 of 2001. I am so in awe of God's greatness when I think about the fact that while death and destruction was going on in one part of the world that this gorgeous, smart, amazing child was being born in another.

In God's kindness He allowed me to send Jozaffa a couple of little birthday presents. It turned out Pastor Daniel and his wife, Marlaine, were both flying to Haiti this week, and they said they would be happy to take the gifts along. Of course I also sent Jinette her belated birthday gifts too. I made them each a little photo album of pictures from our trip there in June, and then sent them each a bag of smarties, some matchbox cars and a bag of balloons for Jozaffa, a My Little Pony and some hair clips for Jinette, along with as much love as I could stuff in the package.

Last night on the way to ship the package Brianna was praying for the kids. (She is so precious!) What a heart she has for these children that she has never met. She was pleading with God to let both she and I go see them, and to "get them" soon. What an excited big sister she would be if God's plan is really for us to adopt them.

I continue to learn about God through the Haitians. Brianna and I were discussing the prospect of sending presents to J & J, and how the rest of the children would feel that they did not get anything. I asked about this when I was in Haiti. I was told the children rejoice with those who are rejoicing. They do not get jealous or begrudge each other, they understand that God gives as He pleases. Wow. What an amazing living example of Romans 12:15: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."

Brianna and I were both challenged by this example, and by God's Word. How selfish we are to grumble and complain at what we do not have as if God owes us anything! Lord, thank You for Your kindness to use the Haitians to convict us of our sins. Father, please continue to show us our sin that we may continue to kill it and become more like Christ.

If you're reading this today, please take a moment to pray for the birthday boy. I am praying that he will know God's love for him, as well as God's pleasure in creating him, and that he will know Jesus as his Lord and Savior from this day on.

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!

Latest update on Mom

I'm sorry! So many of you have emailed me asking for another update on my mom...She seems to be doing fine, at least as far as this health issue. All of the previous, ongoing issues are still a concern, and a matter of constant prayer, but best we can tell the latest hospital stay was stress induced.

My parents have received some very wise counsel from my brother, Brian, and they are now considering the next step. Brian counseled them to sell their house and move to one of the places where we (their children) live (Tennessee, Nevada or Florida)...we'll see what happens next!

Again, thank you so much for your prayer and concern for my family!