Praying and Waiting

This was the devotion I got emailed to me today from www.BibleGateway.com ... just what I needed.

Praying and Waiting
Habakkuk 2:1
Additional Scripture Readings: Psalm 130:5-7; Lamentations 3:24-26

There are so many ways in which God's actions or inactions make little sense to us. We ask him for help, and he is silent. We trust in him to provide, and he withholds. But is God inconsistent, or is he simply running according to another time schedule, another set of priorities?
Habakkuk questions God's plan to use the pagan nation of Babylon to discipline wayward Israel. He then settles in to wait for God's answer: "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint" (Habakkuk 2:1). Like a guard who waits through his watch with eyes peeled for a sign of movement, Habakkuk waited for God.

So must we. We must pray with a willingness to wait and wait with a willingness to pray. Waiting and praying go together. Like two shoes of a pair or two halves of a whole, they work as a team.

While I'm Waiting

I heard this song on the radio recently and it really spoke to me.

http://youtu.be/Bb7TSGptd3Y

Noah's Patience

Last night I had a dream that I was expecting triplets!  One can only dream...  It's been hard to give up my dream of bearing more children.  I keep telling myself that as soon as the baby we (hopefully) adopt is placed in my arms, I will understand why God has closed that door.  If I gave birth to another baby I probably wouldn't be pursuing adoption...and wouldn't be matched up with the baby God has planned for us.

So why isn't that happening yet?  It was easier to remind myself of God's perfect timing while I still had steps to complete for the adoption process.  But now that all that is done, I want a baby NOW!  I was having a sad morning after my dream.  Then I read Genesis 7-9 in my Bible this morning.  I cannot imagine how impatient Noah must have been to get off that ark!  Can you imagine being cooped up on that thing with all the animals and his family?  No iphone or DSi to occupy everyone?  Talk about going stir crazy!  As soon as it stopped raining he must have wanted to throw open the ark door and hop on out for some fresh air.  But no...he waited...and waited...and waited some more.  Can you imagine what could have happened if Noah hadn't been patient?

So Lord, as I await to see if you have a baby planned for us, please help me to be patient like Noah was.  Help me to keep my eyes turned toward You as I wait, help me to appreciate and enjoy my wonderful life as I am waiting, and to be very grateful that I don't have to spend my time waiting on an ark full of animals!  :)

"Everybody Do the Crazy Dance"

Woo hoo!!!!!!  Family profile is DONE!  I ordered 2 copies last night to be express delivered by Monday.  And just in the nick of time...because there are 2 babies in the hopper, so to speak.  One of which is due 11/25!  We'll see whether God matches us up with either of these kiddos.  In the meantime, we wait and pray!  :)

Photo Card

Traditional Damask Christmas

Custom Christmas cards are always available at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Adoption Video is Finished

Yippee!  Not only did Ryan go back to school for a full day today (first time in 2 weeks), I also posted our adoption video to YouTube.  Hopefully this link will work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTeXyJUQMIc
That means the only step left is to finish the Long Profile.  My goal was to complete it by the end of the month, but Ryan's battle with pneumonia put a slight crimp in my plans.  Still...we're getting closer!  :)

We're "Live"

Woo hoo!  I just found out that our family profile has been posted on the Bethany website.  Which means we have the potential to be chosen by a birthmom at any time now!  :)  Here's the link:

http://waitingfamilies.bethany.org/home/illinois/alan-and-julie