He's not finished with me yet

I've had the song "Wait and See" by Brandon Heath on my mind all day. I couldn't remember all the words but the lyrics He's not finished with me yet keep going threw my mind. So I thought I'd search google to see what the remainder of the lyrics are and to see what God might be trying to tell me. Below is what I found. A lady by the name of Cindy posted this on her blog. Wondering does she read my mind or what??? Sounds like my life and the things I feel.

Here's a link to her blog.. http://cindysinspirationalmoments.blogspot.com/2009/05/hes-not-finished-with-me-yet.html

I too often worry about: accepting myself the way God does and trying not to be a perfectionist. I get so caught up in pleasing people and forgetting that the one that I need to worry about pleasing is the one who created me in the first place. When I look in the mirror, I don't see perfection. I see someone who is too lazy, lacks discipline, gets too upset with her kids, doesn't fit into her favorite jeans any longer, tries too hard to fit in, a sinner....just not perfect. The song "Wait and See" by Brandon Heath speaks in it's lyrics: "There is hope, for me yet, because God won't forget, all the plans he's made for me I have to wait and see, he's not finished with me yet, he's not finished with me yetStill wonderin' why I'm here. Still wrestling with my fearBut oh….He's up to something,And the farther out I go, I've seen enough to know that I'm not here for nothin'He's up to somethin'..."I think God is trying to show me that even though I continue to be a work in progress, He created me just the way He wanted me to be, with a purpose. He's still chipping away little by little to form me into a perfect diamond; clear, beautiful, full of luster. I know that I will never achieve perfection this side of heaven. Paul states very clearly in Romans chapter 7 how He continues to work on us and form us into the person He wants us to be: "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:6. He was also very aware of how much he WANTED to do and say and be all the right things, but in the flesh was so unable!! "We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am!" God's word has come alive to me more than ever before in my walk with Him. The awesome thing is that when we confess these things, our imperfections, our sins, all those things the enemy uses to drag us down, there is no longer any power behind those lies. Romans 8:1 goes on to say "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." I am able to leave all those things at the foot of His Cross and know that when I confess, and those things are brought out into the light, they evaporate and become powerless against me.I'm still working on me day by day. It's a long, arguous process, as I am sure many millions of people have dealt with; change takes time. I heard something kind of cool last night when I was at a church small group. When we are looking at our past, beating up ourselves on our past failures, we need to remember that God didn't say I WAS, He said I AM. When we are looking to the future, striving to change and hoping for the time when "X" will happen, we need to remember that God didn't say He WILL be, He said I AM. I want to rest in the lap of I AM, and know that He accepts me just the way I am right now.

Made it threw yesterday

Never did really figure out what was up yesterday but today is a new day.

This weekend will be a big weekend. Friday will start out with an Informational Meeting on adoption. I will be assisting our agency Dillon International. The meeting will start @6 PM at the Jones Center in room 113. If you know of anyone that's interested in learning more about adoption please send them our way.

Sunday Johnny and I will celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary. He's scheduled to take care of his dad that day so I'm hopeful some of my bigger kids will volunteer to baby sit for us on Saturday so we can go to dinner. I can't believe we've been married for 23 years. It seems just like yesterday that we were married. I know the old saying Time just flies and oh how it does.

Our church recently created a website where we post weekly devotionals. Here is this weeks devotional if you would like to take a look. http://valleylighthousechurch.com/pennedby.html I found this devotional on my friend Connies blog and asked her if I could share it on our church website. If you have a devotional or testimony you would like to share post it on my blog and I'll try to get it added to our website.

Tina

odd day

Have you ever had one of those odd days where you just feel like you should be somewhere else doing something else but you don't know where it is or what it is your suppose to be doing..? Well today is one of those days for me. I really don't feel like I should be at work today but I really don't know where I was suppose to be if it wasn't at work. odd yes I know but I just keep having this odd feeling something is different about today.

Some of you may be wondering how the graduation dinner went. Well we got up early and scrambled around the house all morning trying to ensure I packed everything we needed to cook and server food with. We got down at the river around 12:15 and started the grill around 1:15. My sister-in law and I cooked until 4:45. Guests were suppose to come at 5. But at 4:45 the rain started and there didn't appear to be an end in site. Guests started coming to our surprise and sat in their cars waiting for the rain to clear. A few minutes after 5 we decided to recoop and figure out a backup plan. Yeah you'd thought we'd already had one of those wouldn't ya! Deb suggested that the barn up the road was mostly empty and we could move up there. So with the help of several people that jumped out of their dry cars to help us move stuff we relocated everything to the barn. When it was all said and done we had plenty of room in the barn and had about 50 people show up. So all in all it was a long day but well worth it AND by the way the food was good!

Pray for Joseph and Ashton. They are both looking for jobs right now. Pray God will lead them to the perfect job that will meet their needs as they start school.

Well guess I'll get back to work and try to figure out why this day seems so odd.

Happy Gotcha Day Addie

Tomorrow will mark the 3 year anniversary of the day Addie was placed in my arms. Wow has it been 3 years already?

It all seemed so surreal at the time. I really don't think I let myself believe that she was our daughter until we were in the U.S. with her. She was so cute and such a sweet baby. The first day we had her we decided to go out for a walk and see Nanchang. So off we went. TinaH and I walking and Addie in the stroller. We stopped to talk to another family along our way and as we turned to walk on I thought I'd check on Addie. There she sat hands clutched to the stroller setting straight up fast asleep. Bless her heart I had to pry her hands off the stroller. That scared little girl quickly became a shining spot in our lives. She has a deep down belly laugh that just makes you smile. We are so blessed that God saw us all the way across the world from Addie and picked us to be her parents! Yes God picked us to be her parents and we are truly blessed. As we've adopted many people will say how blessed our children are. I always think about how blessed we have been to be chosen to be their parents.

This morning as I was combing Alex's hair he said mommy you know what? I said what Alex and he said I haven' t had kisses yet today. Too sweet! Of course he got hugs and kisses. Every morning as I head out the door he says hurry mommy, hurry and come home from work, hurry.

This evening their preschool will be holding a graduation for the kids going to Kindergarten next year. Alex and Addie get to join in on the activities. They've been learning a song that names each state in the U.S. I've been very impressed and can't wait to see what other songs/surprises are in store.

Here are some before and after pictures.

Before May 23rd 2006

What a smile now!

Before on September 30, 2007

And again what a smile!

We're blessed beyond measure.

Tina

Yard work and Graduation

Here's the flower pots Johnny made for me for mothers day. The flowers are a work in progress. Hopefully they'll come out of it soon.

Here's a flower bed I put together yesterday. Yes the ground around it really is that bad! But I thought the flower bed turned out well.

Jonathon and Grandma Lola

Our graduate!

2 good looking graduates!

Graduation

Joseph and Ashton will be graduating tomorrow night. God has blessed us with 4 wonderful children and the opportunity to have Ashton as part of our family also. I'm sure tomorrow night will be filled with many emotions but one of the biggest emotions will be those of a very proud momma. Please pray for Joe and Ashton as they begin the next chapter of their lives. Pray for Johnny and I that we will always follow Gods guidance in everything we do that He may be glorified.

Tina

Graduation Party

As many of you know Joseph and Ashton will be graduating on May 19th. My nephew Kyle will be graduating on May 23rd. We're combining the graduation celebrations for the three graduates and celebrating on May 23rd at 5 PM. We will meet down at the river on Johnny's brothers land. Meat will be provided. We ask that you bring a covered dish and lawn chairs. If you need directions please respond to this post and I'll send you directions.

Thanks,
Tina

Is 8 enough?

My friend Connie has adopted from China several times and currently has 6 children. She just finished up her paperwork to adopt again. God has blessed them with the opportunity to adopt 2 more children from China. Kooper and Kinley will be joining their forever family soon! If you would like to check out Connies blog please visit http://www.k6comehome.blogspot.com/

Connie is selling candles to offset some of the adoption costs. These are some of the best candles I've ever used. If you need a candle or two or three please remember Kooper and Kinley and help bring them home.

Tina

He Came!

For those of you that were wondering... He came! For those of you that helped me pray. I think you from the bottom of my heart. Jonathon and Shawna came yesterday morning. Shawna talked like they might come back next weekend also! Please continue to pray for them that they will get into church. They both use to attend church regularly so I hope this is the start of getting them both back in church.

I had a wonderful Mothers Day weekend. Saturday I went and ate lunch with my mom, my brother and my grandmother. We had a very relaxing lunch and then went shopping for a little while. When I got home Johnny, Joe, Alex and Addie had fixed a cascading flower pot for me and planted flowers in it. I tried to take a picture of it this morning but the batteries on my camera were dead. I'll try to get a picture updated later. I think it's one of the best most thoughtful presents I've ever received. Now if I can just keep the flowers alive! Saturday night we went to Johnny's moms and spent the evening with her. Yesterday morning I called my mom and she came over for breakfast. After breakfast Ashton gave me a framed picture of her. She'd asked me what I wanted for mothers day and I told her a picture of her so she gave me a great picture she had taken a month or so ago for graduation. After breakfast we went to church and I received flowers for being the mom there with the most children. We then went and ate lunch with Johnnys dad and his Aunt Fern. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful women in my life.


I look back at the weekend and how blessed I am. Again I thank everyone that prayed that Jonathon would be in service with me and I ask you to continue to pray that he'll continue to come.



A few weeks ago my brother Ricky came home after a military stent on a ship for 6 months. Rick joined the Marines almost two years ago now and we are very proud of him. He was only able to be at home for 4 days before he had to head back out but we were tickled to spend time with him. Please add him to your prayer list. Our military can always use your prayers and support.

Handsome young man! And girls he's single!

Weekend

So it's Friday and the start of the weekend. I hope each of the mothers out there have a Happy Mothers day. This morning as I was driving to work I was listening to Focus on the Family and they were talking about praying Mothers and the mountains praying moms can move for their children. As I was thinking about my kids and their daily walk with the Lord I began to think about what I would really love to have for mothers day. The best gift I could think of was to have all 4 of my kids in church with me for mothers day. I sneak hints or direct comments to Jonathon from time to time that I'd like for him to come to church with me but the requests seem to go in one ear and out the other. So a little bit ago I texted him and told him all I wanted for mothers day was to have him come to church with me. He responded that he'd try. Well I ask my praying mother friends to help me move mountains to ensure he comes to church with me Sunday. Of course my big prayer request would be that he'd get back in church. He's a great kid and I know he works on Sundays but he doesn't go to work until 2 PM. So I'd love to have him start attending church with our family. I try not push him. I know he's an adult but as a mom who loves him dearly I'd love to be in service with him.

If you enjoyed the commentary in the last post here is a link to the website I've been reading. I hope you enjoyed it. I know I did.
http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/66.htm
Have a Wonderful Mothers Day everyone!Tina

Luke Warm?

We're studying the book of Revelation and I came across this interesting commentary and wanted to share it with each of you. I ask ARE YOU A LUKEWARM CHRISTIAN?

Revelation 3:15-16
I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

You are neither cold nor hot: In this spiritual sense, lukewarmness is a picture of indifference and compromise. It tries to play the middle, too hot to be cold and too cold to be hot. But in trying to be both things, it ends up being nothing - except to hear the words, “I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

Has there been a greater curse upon the earth than empty religion? Is there any soul harder to reach than the one who has just enough of Jesus to think they have enough?

I could wish that you were cold or hot: What Jesus wants to change in us as much as anything is the deceptive playing of the middle, trying to please both the world and Jesus. I could wish that you were cold or hot also points to another aspect of lukewarmness, as a picture of uselessness. “Hot water heals, cold water refreshes, but lukewarm water is useless for either purpose.” (Morris) It’s as if Jesus says, “If you were hot or cold I could do something with you. But because you are neither, I will do nothing.” The lukewarm Christian has enough of Jesus to satisfy a craving for religion, but not enough for eternal life.

The thief on the cross was cold towards Jesus and clearly saw his need. The Apostle John was hot towards Jesus and enjoyed an intimate relationship of love. But Judas was lukewarm, following Jesus enough to be considered a disciple, but not giving his heart over to Jesus in fullness.

Deep down, there is no one more miserable than the lukewarm Christian is. They have too much of the world to be happy in Jesus, but too much of Jesus to be happy in the world.
But how could Jesus say, I could wish that you were cold? We know His deepest desire is that they be hot, with an on-fire love for Him (Revelation 3:19, where the word zealous is associated with this same word hot). Yet if they would not be hot, Jesus prefers cold rather than lukewarm. “So the Lord is saying, ‘If instead of being lukewarm, you were so cold that should feel that coldness, then the very feeling of your need might drive you to the true warmth, but now in your lukewarmness, you have just enough to protect yourselves against a feeling of need.’” (Barnhouse)

Lukewarm prayers mock God. “O my brethren and sisters, have you ever really thought what an insult it is to God when we come before him with lukewarm prayers? There stands the heavenly mercy-seat; the road to it is sprinkled with the precious blood of Jesus, yet we come to it with hearts that are cold, or we approach it leaving our hearts behind us. We kneel in the attitude of prayer, yet we do not pray. We prattle out certain words, we express thoughts, which are not our real desires, we feign wants that we do not feel. Do we not thus degrade the mercy-seat? We make it, as it were, a common lounging-place, rather than an awful wrestling-place, once besprinkled with blood, and often to be besprinkled with the sweat of our fervent supplication.” (Spurgeon)

Lukewarm lives turn people away from Jesus. “Now, lukewarm Christian, what do worldlings see in you? They see a person, who says he is going to heaven, but who is only travelling at a snail’s pace. He professes to believe that there is a hell, yet he has tearless eyes, and never seeks to snatch souls from going down into the pit. They see before them one who has to deal with eternal realities, yet he is but half awake; one who professes to have passed through a transformation so mysterious and wonderful that there must be, if it is true, a vast change in the outward life as the result of it; yet they see him as much like themselves as can be. He may be morally consistent in his general behavior, but they see no energy in his religious character.” (Spurgeon) “The careless worldling is lulled to sleep by the lukewarm Christian, who, in this respect, acts the part of the syren to the sinner, playing sweet music in his ears, and even helping to lure him to the rocks where he will be destroyed. This is a solemn matter, beloved. In this way, great damage is done to the cause of truth; and God’s name and God’s honor are compromised by inconsistent Christians. If you really are God’s people, then serve him with all your might!

Informational Meeting

As many of you know I can't go a day without using the word adoption or speaking about how much adoption has touched our family. If you followed our adoptions to Addie and Alex you know very well how much we felt like we were called to adopt. I've been asked many times "are you going to adopt again?" and my response lately is I just don't know. I don't know what God has planned for our family. If He calls us to adopt again I will listen intently with open ears. With all that said I do however feel a need and a desire to be a voice for orphans.

I know many of you have not been called to adopt nor feel the need to adoptbut the Word says..

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to lookafter orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from beingpolluted by the world. (James 1:27) So while you may not be called to adopt you can still help spread the wordabout adoption.

Our agency Dillon International will be hosting an 'ABC's Informational Meeting on adoption. The meeting will be held on May 29th at the Jones Center in room 113. The meeting will start at 6 PM. I ask that each of you spread word about this meeting to your church members and friends. You never know who's lives you might touch by sharing this information. I am so glad we opened our hearts and minds to the possibility of "adoption". Oh the joy we would have missed if we wouldn't have answered that call. For those of you that are Christians just imagine the gift of "adoption" Christ extended to each of you and where you would be if He had chose not to.

Want a Blessing? Be a blessing to someone else!
Thanks,
Tina

Joe's Senior Baseball Pictures

The coaches wife was nice enough to take 65 pictures of Joseph playing ball this year. I thought I'd share a few of them.

Of course I had to add some action shots.

Not sure what's going on here since he plays 3rd and the ball is coming from the wrong direction.

Home run Senior night winning the ball game!

Joe loved his team and as you can tell they thought highly of him also.

And of course we can't miss our beautiful manager Ashton

These boys played ball together as long as they can remember. I think they will always be great friends. Something I know I'm going to miss!

We survived the weekend

Yep we did it all!

Friday we went to chic-fil-a and the kids played with my friend Tanya's kiddo's. They had a great time and wanted to go back yesterday. On Saturday Johnny and I opted to leave Alex and Addie with Joe and Ashton while we went to the ballgame. It was cold and misting outside so I think it was the best decision for all. We stayed until the 6th inning and then headed home. Yesterday Alex, Addie and I loaded up and headed to Owasso, OK. We got to the birthday party a bit late but the kids still had a few minutes to play and then we headed off to eat Chinese with others in our China travel group. Erica, Charlotte, Gentry and Addie all traveled home together in 2006 and we're always blessed to see the girls and of course see their parents also. We made it back in around 9 PM last night. Whew! Can you say an enjoyable weekend but a tiring one...