random pictures and adoption update

My cute husband;) He's wearing the ugly red shirt they make all the coaches wear. I just realized I didn't have any pictures of him on here !

My baseball players, their little sis and I think one of her babies.

Beniam and Mercy @ a baseball game. It was 37 degrees. Three days later it was 80 degrees!

Many of you have been asking where we are in the process this time. ;0 We need only a couple of documents to finish our home study. Hopefully that will be finished next week. We could complete our dossier at the same time, but we don't yet have the money to send it in. Please pray for us to come up with the money we need to bring our children home. This process is different than our other two. We have met our to be children. We have pictures and videos of our time together. They are biologically related to two of our children. They are so much a part of our thoughts and plans and dreams. I just want to get them here and love on them. I want them to have a Mom and Dad. I also want the stress of this process to go away. I've been meditating on scriptures about worry. I know God will provide, he always provides, but I want him to provide NOW. :-

I'll added a few pictures just for fun. My kids are so dang cute, I can't help but share.

Give Us Eyes

My neighbor committed suicide today. My heart is heavy. I never knew he was in the depths of despair. I guess I never tried to know. One of my sons is very upset. He said "Momma, I just seen him, he wanted some of our dirt for his yard," then he put his head down and began to sob. If only we'd have sobbed with him. If only...I wish I could have a chance to tell him of the hope I have. The hope that is found in Jesus. The one who takes us weary and heavey laden, the one who gives us rest. If only...
Dear Lord it is my prayer that you be with this gentlemans family, you lead to people who will reveal you to their broken hearts. Bring them to me and my family, we will comfort them. Work thru us. Break our hearts for the needs of others. May this tragedy be a lesson to us all. I repent for my household, my nation, my generation, Lord we do not know people. We do not see people. May we know our neighbors. May we see our neighbors. May we reach out to hurting people. Convict us of our busyness. Lead us in your ways. In the name of freedom, Christ Jesus. Amen.

Great video

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=faf0159744aecaf5c732&sp=1

Justice

"Jesus lives next door. He's an eight-year-old girl and her three-year-old-brother. The Son of Man looks like those starving Ethiopian children. He only gets breakfast and lunch at school, when he makes it. His mama is a crack whore. Nobody knows who his daddy is. I heard his mama lets her "Johns" do things to him.
Poor King of Kings
Jesus is two houses down and has six children. Now he's pregnant with the seventh. I don't know if he hasn't figured out what birth control is, or what, but how does he expect his husband to feed all of those babies on that salary? And you know with all those kids the Lord of Lords can't work. That means hardworking taxpayers' money has to go for Christ's food stamps!
He needs to get fixed.
The Lord is a crazy man - paranoid schizophrenic. If he doesn't take his medication, he walks up and down the street, cussing and spitting on everybody he passes. He's homeless. Nobody knows where his family is-if he's got one. Digs out of the trash cans for food. Somebody ought to get him off the street.
Jesus is nothing but a nuisance.
I'm starting to see the Son of God everywhere I go. He's always crying or begging or looking pitiful. Why doesn't he pull himself up by his bootstraps? This is America! Makes me mad. He's ruining our neighborhood. Somebody ought to do something about him.
Somebody."
-Claudia Mair Burney
copied from the book Justice in the Burbs, by Will and Lisa Samson

I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." Matthew 25:35-

The tomb is EMPTY!

Happy Easter. I am thankful this and everyday that the tomb is empty. God is alive! I hope you all enjoyed a good meal, good company and a good easter service this blessed day.

Good News on Good Friday

Please read my brothers blog: tony.tbclife.net. (and my sister in laws, betheglory.blogspot.com) They just made me an aunt x 4! Talk about a pick me up:-) They went to Ukraine for 2 under 5, not 4, 4-9! Our God Reigns...

Confessions of a chubby Mom

I went for my annual exam and got weighed today. On my way there, I prayed that God would comfort me and fill me. I have been trying to lose weight for so long, I can't even remember a time I was NOT trying to lose weight. I don't say that lightly. I'm not one of those people who say they are health nuts, or are dieting and then eat donuts for breakfast. I watch everything I eat. I even changed from being vegetarian to eating high protein. Which I don't like. I don't like eating animal flesh. Yet I am doing anyway. I exercise faithfully. I even enjoy it. But today, I got weighed. I was measured, and found wanting. I have gained 7 lbs since last year. The enemy is wreaking havoc on me now. "You are fat. You are unattractive. You are stupid to think you would be lighter this time." I know that my identity is in Christ and Christ alone, but why does this weight thing hurt so much? Why is it so important to me? Why does it occupy so much of my thought life? Why won't this struggle just go away? Why can't I be OK with being in my own skin? Why do I compare myself to my younger self? How can my head know that being 20 lbs heavier than I'd like is no big deal? There are much bigger weight issues in the world. But my heart doesn't know it's not a big deal. I don't even want to accept me chubby, I only want a me that's thin. And the thinner the better. The quicker the better. Gotta go, gonna see what time the Zumba class is at the gym.

6 years ago..

6 years ago, our little Beniam was born. He was born at home in the village of Soddo Woliata. Around the age of three, we believe, he was orphaned. He spent some time living on the street we have been told. He is our little Man. Though his biological parents past from this life, he has a heavenly father who loves him and prearranged him to have another set of folks to call Mom and Dad.

We took him and his best friend to Chucky Cheese. They partied hard, ate a lot of food I won't keep in my house ! And had a lot of fun. After Chucky Cheese his buddy came and spent the night at our house. This morning his friend joined us for church. After church we went out for Indian food and I'm afraid traumatized Beni's friend who only wanted "Chicken Tenders." Poor kid started bawling at the table. We saw him later at tball practice though and he has recovered from the whole ordeal. :-)

My brother, Tony, and his wife, Kim, leave today to give some little ones a home. Please pray for their safety and for God's wisdom to wash over them as they decide who shall be called their son/s and/or daugther/s :-)

Auntie ME!

We Got the Call

The Merida's are leaving on a jet plane this weekend; and tentatively scheduled to return on May 20, in pursuit of some little ones, ages 14 months to 4 years old. We were shocked when we received word today that we would be leaving so soon. However, we are filled with joy and gratitude, and appreciate your prayers as we seek to bring some kids home. It is indeed a humbling thing to think about - being parents and being loved by a Heavenly Father who paid the infinite price to adopt us; we have walked through some red tape (and more to come); but our Savior has paid his red blood to make us part of the family of faith. I pray that I can emulate my Heavenly Father as I seek to love these kids. s

Copied from my brothers blog:-) See my sister in laws blog for more to come: http://betheglory.blogspot.com