ADOPTION CHANGES LIVES

Joy home from Ghana in March 2012

Gives birth children a look at compassion

Sneha home from India in Nov 2009

The five

Elijah home from China in Feb 2008

The Fab Five

 

 

 

Travel to Ghana changed the heart of Elise

 

 

 

I shudder to think where our family would be without the gift of adoption.  We would be on the road to consumerism and "The American Dream". Did adoption shatter our old dreams, ABSOLUTELY!  Adoption opened our eyes to how the rest of the world lives.  Before we could only imagine, one has to see to be transformed.  Knowing isn't enough for most people, at least it wasn't enough for me.  I needed the images racing through my mind and dreams to change me.  I have seen what early neglect and trauma does to a child.  We can't repair all the damage done,but we can be their for them in their time of need.  That is what orphans need, someone to supply theire needs and be there for them when no one else is. Little things we take for granted brushing our teeth, going to the doctor when we are sick, and having a place to call home with people that will love us forever.   Orphans don't know forever, they have hurt , disappointment , and abandonment. 

Psalm 68:6
God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

To view others lives who have been changed by adoption please visit:   www.nogreaterjoymom.com


 

Halloween 10/31/2012

 

 

 

Joy -princess

 

 

 

 

Sneha-princess

 

 

Elijah-Karate Master

 

Elise-Zebra

Elise's 13th birthday with cousins

 

Happy 13th Birthday,Elise!!!!

This post is rantings of a "now" stay at home mother of  5 children. Every time we move I miss where we have been and the people that have touched our lives.  I hope we can stay put if it is in US, but I still would love to move to India, Africa, or China to serve in missions. I do wish my health were better, it lets me down all the time.  I know that I will not have a heart defect in heaven.  I will be able to run and breath, I will be able to walk and breathe, and who knows maybe I will fly and breathe.  Some times I just want to take a long walk without the risk of not being able to make it home on my own.  When it hits my legs won't work, I become dizzy, and of course I have to be able to breathe to walk home.  And they say we have to wait until it is worse to fix it.  I want to scream could you live like an 80 year in the mind of 42 year old.   I am always so restless, never content with just being.  I read and then I want to travel and do. I want to move some where affordable so I can travel abroad atleast once or twice a year.  I guess ignorance would be bliss, but now I know what it is like and I want to go and do something.  Children are dying everyday from hunger and here I sit, people are  dying without the Gospel and here I sit,  there is work to be done and here I sit......Some people believe that if they have not heard the gospel and that they can still going to heaven without knowing Jesus as savior.  It breaks my heart, I know that without a savior each of deserve hell and the only way to be clean in God's eyes is with the blood of Jesus.

Romans 3:9-11

No One Is Righteous

 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. ¹ As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;  there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.

 

Busy yes too busy no.  And so when I can't go I pray and when I can't be more productive I pray.

 

 

Cross references:

1. Romans 3:9 : ver 1
2. Romans 3:9 : ver 19, 23; 1Ki 8:46; 2Ch 6:36; Ps 106:6; Ro 5:12; 11:32; Gal 3:22

 

 

 

Matthew 28:18-20

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

 

 

 

John 3:16

For God So Loved the World

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

 

 

 Well the first month of school flew by and everyone is glad to be back in a routine.   Sneha loves her school this year and gets to swim twice a week with school.  Graedy is enjoying high school and looking forward to driving soon.  Elijah gets to take Mandarin once a week at school since they have a Chinese teacher from Xian to teach Chinese culture and some language.  Elijah also has one of the starring roles in the Christmas musical at our church.  Joy is adjusting better to family life and  learning what it is all about.  The fits are diminishing , thank goodness!  Graedy is busy with water polo, eating, sleeping, and of course school.  Elise is busy with her instruments and volley ball.

यूहन्ना 3:16

¹⁶ परमेश्वर को जगत से इतना प्रेम था कि उसने अपने एकमात्र पुत्र को दे दिया, ताकि हर वह आदमी जो उसमें विश्वास रखता है, नष्ट न हो जाये बल्कि उसे अनन्त जीवन मिल जाये।

 

Well this is what we have been up to for the last few weeks.  Sneha had her teeth,cleaned,filled, and one pulled under anesthesia. She recovered nicely and we are so glad that is done.

 

Elise is not only playing volley ball ,but playing the clarinet, flute, and now the saxophone hoping to be in Jazz band after the first of the year.

Elise made the volley ball team and she is loving it!

 

Graedy playing water polo

 

We have to be at practice at 5:30 every week day morning and his game are up by Seattle so on game nights he gets home at 11pm or later.  He loves this sport and he gets to play almost the entire jv game.  Graedy is also in pep band playing the baritone at football games.  Graedy has always liked to be busy and on the go and he definitely is.

 

 

 

Japanese Garden in Portland

Sneha looking at all the roses

Elijah and Joyce

 

 

Graedy

 

 

約翰福音 3:16

¹⁶ 「神愛世人，甚至賜下他的獨生子，好讓所有信他的人不至於滅亡，反得永恆的生命，

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was going to write a blog post, but I am just out of  time today.

How can Africa be in such need and we look the other way.........

Matthew 25:40
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’



A deep grieving in my heart for Africa and her people.  So many orphans from Aids and why are we
running to help them?  Loving our neighbors as ourselves. Do we really?  "I believe the connection happens when you see people as neighbors and not as strangers.  The people of Africa are our neighbors",best said by Melinda Gates. The tsunami of Southeast Asia 150,000 lives lost and the world paid attention and sent help.  It is hard to find an exact number of people that die of aids each year 1.8 million and many of these in Africa.  Child are left to look after children.  The hope of Africa is in her children, but they need guidance.  A recent World Vision study found that only 7 percent of evangelical Christians were willing to give money to help African AIDS patients.   Jesus is found in the least of these.

Matthew 25:45
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

THE RED DIRT OF AFRICA