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Friday, August 31, 2012

Surfacing

I've struggled over the last few months with blogging.  It had become a chore.  An obligation.

I was turning in circles.  Jumping from one cause to another.  Making myself a bit dizzy.  

I wanted to stop but the need was always before me.  Lost Kids.  Desperate family.  How can you turn away? I blogged out of guilt and desperation.  I blogged because I deeply cared.  I blogged and I blogged but I knew... deep down knew that the Lord was calling me to rest.  For a season.  He was calling me to change my focus.  Do it differently.

So I stopped.  Cold turkey.  

It was amazing.  Restful.  Sweet.

I rested.  I read other blogs.  I supported families on FB.  I spent time in prayer.  I rested.

I'm still resting.  A week is not enough time.  

I'm not back to full-time blogging but in my rest God gave me a gift last night that I just have to share.  

A gift of a little boy.


JACOB.

Those who have followed this blog for years may just remember this little guy.  

I shouted for him in February of 2011.  A post I called WEEPING WEDNESDAY.

His RR name was Easton.


He was a happy, talking, walking, carefree little guy in an orphanage that just happened to be the SAME PLACE where this little boy grew up.



Yep.  Easton and Aaron grew up in the same baby house.  

I didn't know that when I shouted for him in 2011.  I didn't know.  I shouted because I had received a heart-wrenching e-mail from a family in Germany who wanted to call Easton their son.  They had committed to him, raised money for him, prayed for him, longed for him.  All the while he was happy at the baby house.  He was seen by several RR families.  He was described as smart and funny and focused.  

But then tragedy for this happy, bright-eyed little guy happened... LIKE AARON... HE WAS TRANSFERRED.   Transferred.  And the family in Germany knew that because of the extra hoops and red tape they needed to go through... It would take YEARS for them to get him out.  So they released him.  And they sent me an e-mail and begged me to yell.  To yell for their son.

And I yelled.  And others yelled.  

And a family heard.

A Papa...


And a Mama.

They heard the whisper of the Holy Spirit that this one... this one... He was their son.


So they crossed the ocean for the bright-eyed, smart, happy little guy.

But a year and a half in a MENTAL INSTITUTE had taken its toll.  They arrived to find a little boy who had been drugged and left to rot inside a crib.  He was no longer a happy, carefree little soul.  He was broken and bruised and in deep need of gentle hands who would find the little boy trapped inside.

Like Aaron... he was the FIRST and ONLY child to EVER have been adopted out of this institute.


Like Aaron he was ONLY available because the baby house director had had him listed before he was transferred.


Like Aaron he was destined to a life behind bars.


Like Aaron... he has been given wings to fly.

A brother.  A sister.  Grandparents who love him.


He's been given time and space to heal.

And slowly... God is healing this tiny little guy.  It will take time.  But God is a restorer and the transformation they are seeing in him already is awesome to behold.  


JACOB.

And for a few hours last night I was given a sweet reminder from the Lord of Hosts that this is why I am doing what I am doing.  



GOD SETS THE LONELY IN FAMILIES...

Thanks be to God!!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Stepping Away


Sometimes in life you have to step back and take a break.

This is one of these times.  I just am not able to blog right now.  I need to step away. I need to let the Lord minister for a season to my spirit.  I'll be back.  I have too much on my heart and in my head to quit.  But sometimes you just need to step back and take a break.

Until then... if you are bored and want something to do... these matching grants still need help.  Some of them have not moved AT ALL.  Two of them end THIS WEEK. One of them ends TODAY.



ONE
HEATH'S MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!!

TWO
OLIVER'S MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!

THREE
JACOB'S MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!

FOUR
Ralph still needs $200.00

FIVE
KACEY'S MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!


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ONE
MIKALE'S GRANT HAS BEEN MATCHED!
 

TWO
Madeline for the Boroughs Family
Grant: $5,000
Need $1813.85
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO LIFESONGS
Make sure you put "Preference Boroughs #2965" for the purpose of your donation!!!!
or Mail checks to:
Lifesong for Orphans 
PO Box 40/ 202 N. Ford St. 
Gridley, IL 61744
And write "Preference Boroughs #2965" on the check
http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=BOROUGHS

THREE
STEPHENS'S MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!

FOUR
Lily and Rueben for the Maas Family
Need $1,300.00
 
Grant:$6,000
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO LIFESONGS
Make sure you put "Preference Maas #2853" for the purpose of your donation!!!!
Please put "Preference Maas #2852" for purpose 

FIVE
XENIA'S MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!
Xenia for the Morse family 


SIX
Vincent for the Jones Family
Need $809.00
Grant:$1,000 once their FSP reaches $5,000
http://reecesrainbow.org/38261/sponsorjones

SEVEN
THE SHARPS MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!
 
http://reecesrainbow.org/40761/sponsorsharp-2
THE SHARPS NEED TO RAISE 35,000 + DOLLARS... PLEASE DON'T STOP GIVING TO THEM!!!  

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

How Deep?

I know you wonder sometimes just how deep...


Are his dimples.....


THIS DEEP!!


---------------------------------

Please Please Please keep praying for Selah and her family!!


Her long-term prognosis is HARD.  

There are no words.  You can follow her story HERE.

-----------------------------------

Sometimes families can't get to their little ones fast enough.  Sometimes...


Walden's family was NINE DAYS from holding him in their arms.  

He didn't make it.

They are choosing to cross the ocean anyway.

Would you consider making a donation to the Brook family in HONOR of Walden whom they were going to name ELIJAH!!  



-----------------------------------

Conner is not only out of the hospital... He's walking!!!


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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Seven Left..


We started with 12 matching grants.... We are down to SEVEN!!

I am not giving up on getting these grants matched.  Thank you to everyone who worked yesterday to chip at Jacob's grant... We are almost halfway there on that one!!  Jacob's and Mikale for the Sutton family END SOON so PLEASE let's not waste what they have been given.  Remember... If you donate FIVE DOLLARS... You are really donating TEN DOLLARS!  So throw your fives in the buckets below and watch them multiply!!

ONE
HEATH'S MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!!

TWO
OLIVER'S MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!

THREE
Jacob still needs 1049.00!!!

FOUR
Ralph still needs $740.00

FIVE
KACEY'S MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!


--------------------------------


ONE
Mikale for the Sutton Family
Grant:$1,000
Needs: $810
Ends: August 31st
 

TWO
Madeline for the Boroughs Family
Grant: $5,000
Need $4,000.00
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO LIFESONGS
Make sure you put "Preference Boroughs #2965" for the purpose of your donation!!!!
or Mail checks to:
Lifesong for Orphans 
PO Box 40/ 202 N. Ford St. 
Gridley, IL 61744
And write "Preference Boroughs #2965" on the check
http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=BOROUGHS

THREE
Steven for the Dewberry Family
Need 2,000.00
Grant: $2,000
Need: FSP must read $2688.62 

FOUR
Lily and Rueben for the Maas Family
Need $1,300.00
 
Grant:$6,000
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO LIFESONGS
Make sure you put "Preference Maas #2853" for the purpose of your donation!!!!
Please put "Preference Maas #2852" for purpose 

FIVE
XENIA'S MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!
Xenia for the Morse family 
Grant:$300
Need: FSP must read $14,357


SIX
Vincent for the Jones Family
Need $864.00
Grant:$1,000 once their FSP reaches $5,000
http://reecesrainbow.org/38261/sponsorjones

SEVEN
THE SHARPS MATCHING HAS BEEN MET!!
 
Grant $1,000 once their FSP reaches $1,000.
http://reecesrainbow.org/40761/sponsorsharp-2
THE SHARPS NEED TO RAISE 35,000 + DOLLARS... PLEASE DON'T STOP GIVING TO THEM!!!  


Monday, August 20, 2012

First Day

We debated about sending him full time to school.

We knew what we had done last year just didn't work.  

Part-time homeschooling... part-time public school and part-time trips to Shriners every week for almost an entire year just don't make for good academics for a little guy who is so far behind.


Full-time homeschooling would be an option if we weren't working 24/7 on BiblioPlan right now.

Full-time public school was an option except we cringed at how many kids were on the playground with our fragile son.  

We wanted small.  Small classroom.  Small school.  



We wanted loving teachers who were willing to work with our little guy and the challenges he brings.

Money was an issue.

The Lord provided.



He provided a small school, small classrooms, loving Godly teachers who have already fallen in love with our little guy.

He provided the finances.


He provided a school that Ben passes every day on his way to the community college.


The Lord provided what we needed to send Aaron to a small Christian school this year.

It was a hard decision.


It is a good decision.


He loves it.  

He loves his teachers, his new friends, the sandbox.  



It was a hard decision but a good one.  

Our littlest is now a full-time school boy!!

I'm at peace.

-------------------------------------

Jacob's grant rose a little over the last day... But not enough people!!  


He still needs $1,413.00 to reach his matching grant goal.  

IT ENDS THIS WEEK!!!

My friend shared with me this last week that at her husband's work they were raising money to adopt an elephant.  In 24 hours they raised 20,000.00.  They were so excited that now they are trying to adopt 2 elephants.  

One Elephant.  One little boy.  Both need 20,000.00 to be adopted.

I love elephants.  Don't get me wrong.  But.... in truth... I think we need to get our priorities straight.

That is all I am going to say.


A precious treasure just waiting to be found!!