The end to the beginning

So we FINALLY got word today that we are a LICENSED FOSTER FAMILY! Of course, I cried after I got the news. The call came at the perfect time right after a visit. We started our journey on August 7th - and here we are, nearly six months later, staring the real adventure in the face.  Truly, our adventure has just begun. Once we get "the call," our normal will change forever. 

We face the reality that the children we care for will be broken. They will come from hard places that we can only imagine. 

We face the realization that these children may not know what love is. 

No one has ever told us that being a foster parent is easy - and we don't expect it to be.  

We face the possibility of having several children come and go before one steals our heart and actually comes up for adoption (only about half of them do). 

It will take a couple days for our agency to get us into the state's system as an "open" family. Once that happens (maybe by Friday), we can get a call at any time asking us if we're willing to take a placement. I can go to bed a mom of ONE and wake up as a mom of THREE (albeit possibly temporary). 

((An important and crucial note: my Facebook mention of the child(ren) will be very brief and limited because of confidentially. Their story is theirs to keep and not mine to share. We don't ask each other about our difficult pasts - please don't ask me about theirs.))

I am BLESSED beyond measure to be here right now. God took my broken heart of infertility and replaced it with a heart of purpose. 

God took my sadness and replaced it with jubilance. 

It is only because of HIM that we are here right now.  

To GOD be the glory!!! Can't wait to see WHO He has in store for us :)

 "For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name." Luke 1:49

Least of These

"Boys become kings,

Girls become queens,

Wrapped in Your majesty,

When we love, when we love the least of these. 

Then they will be brave and free,

Shout Your name in victory,

When we love,

When we love the least of these. 

We will love the least of these."

It came to my attention over the weekend that Micah has yet another ear infection. Poor guy keeps asking, "what? What you say mama?" Thankfully, my doctor called in an antibiotic to our pharmacy. Of course - our pharmacy didn't have it in stock, so they transferred it to Kroger. I figured I would just "pick it up real quick after my meeting" in the afternoon.

The plan was good at least. 

After waiting in line for thirty minutes, I FINALLY got his prescription.  By this point I was pretty peeved because I had lost thirty minutes of work time, which meant I'd be working late. 

I left the office just after 5:00, mumbling to myself about the "second home study" (as I've termed it) we have this Thursday. I was really just looking for something to complain about, I guess. I get in the car and KCBI starts playing "Kings and Queens" (lyrics above) by Audio Adrenaline. 

For those who don't know - when Ray and I started this mission we coined that song as the theme, of sorts. I hear it every now and then - but was especially blessed by it today. God knew I needed to hear that song again. He knew I needed a refresher as to the WHY we're going through this. 

If Micah's prescription hadn't taken forever - if I had left the office on time - I would have missed that song. 

I honestly got chills throughout my entire body as that song played. I blared that music as loud as I could - and with it, my singing got louder as well. I needed that, and God knew it. 

Renewed vision. Renewed purpose. Renewed joy. 

God makes all things new. He reminded me of that today. 

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

The Honey Lesson

I have this bad habit of buying a bottle of honey, using most of it, then buying another bottle "because it looks good." Up until yesterday I had four opened, partially-used bottles of honey in my pantry. Honey is amazing because it is the ONLY food (to my knowledge) that NEVER expires. Instead, when honey is exposed to varying temperatures (and over time in general), it crystallizes. When honey crystallizes, it's virtually impossible to get it out of the container. This is what had happened to three out of four bottles in my pantry. I decided it was time to finally de-crystallize the multiple bottles of honey in my pantry so I can USE them. 

I usually break out the honey and green tea when Micah gets sick - so I was able to use the rest of one bottle yesterday. For those who don't know - honey is an AMAZING all-natural sugar source and also aids in the relief of sore throats, coughing fits, and allergies. There are over 60 references to honey in the Bible. 

In order to de-crystallize honey, you have to dunk it in some hot water. One bottle of honey in particular needed REALLY hot water (the bottle on the far right). I boiled some water, then set it aside. I then put the bottle of firmly crystallized honey in the water. As I waited, I pondered - I think Christians can be like honey sometimes. God gives Christians the opportunity to be some of the most influential people in the world - making a difference for Gods kingdom. But - just like the honey - if we sit for too long in one place, we can get hardened and desensitized. We can get complacent. We get laxidazical. Sometimes God has to put us in some hot water to make us useful again - whether it be financial hardship, the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a job - God sometimes has to turn up the heat to restore our usefulness in Him once more. 

I LOVE how honey never expires - just like Gods love for us. He may have to "turn up the heat" in our lives sometimes - but all so we can be used for an even greater purpose than we can imagine. 

"My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off." Proverbs 24:13-14