A Lesson in Faith ...

and A Reminder that God is in Control.

Sometimes we become so entrenched in our daily routines and the complexities, such as they are, of our lives, that we forget that these lives actually belong to God, Himself, and not to us. He created us ... for His pleasure, not our wishes, whims, and desires. The world provides so many opportunities to get distracted and stray from His plan and His truth. And so we trek along on our paths, claiming God's blessings along the way and questioning why things we deem bad happen to us. And what about Faith? Are we not continually stockpiling this precious commodity for the rainy day that is sure to come? With a certainty that only He knows, God shows up and implements the next phase of His plan. Sometimes, we're pleasantly surprised at His script and sometimes we are shocked, left to ask questions for which we will not find easy answers or even any answers at all. And that's when our Faith becomes important. Doesn't His Word tell us in Romans 8:28 that "All things work for the good of those that love Him?"

Connie, Austin, Lily Grace and I drove to Nashville today to attend the funeral for Maria Sue, youngest daughter of Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman. By now, all of you know the sad, tragic event that occurred in the Chapman family. You know the details and I am sure you are in deep prayer for the Chapmans in their time of remembering their precious Maria Sue. I did not want to go, but Connie kept saying that we should since Steven Curtis Chapman has been such an inspiration to us during our adoptions of Lily Grace and Lia Faith. That we should stand with the Chapmans and for them in their time of need. I said that should be private, with only family members and invited guests. But after much discussion and prayer, I agreed (around midnight last night) that we would go. I had no idea that God had laid out plans for a lesson in Faith for all of us. It turns out that a large number of others also decided they would go and God had His plan for this day's lesson in Faith and Worship all mapped out. It wasn't about anybody or anything but Him, and Faith in His plans.

On this day, God allowed us to participate with the Chapmans in a Worship service that lasted nearly three hours and along the way, He showed us a powerful Faith that lives within Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman and all their children. He used this immeasurable Faith to His Glory in the day's lesson. We sang, we cried, we sang some more. We laughed, we cried, then we sang some more. We heard the Gospel and the blessings of this great truth and we cried with joy knowing that Maria Sue had met her Jesus. We sang, we cried, and then we cried some more. We heard stories from many of the Chapmans, including Steven and Mary Beth, and learned more than we ever knew about the miracle of Maria Sue. We thank the Chapmans for being so open and sharing their memories of Maria Sue and the intimate, tender emotions that describe their world in her passing.

It's funny, every time I think I've got this blessing thing figured out, God has to set me straight. We thought we were paying our respects and that our being there amongst all the other well wishers and comfort givers would somehow help the Chapmans see the impact they have had on so many lives. You know, a show of force for the sake of love. Not that they would even know who we were, only that we had come. And God said "Guess what? Here's a blessing for you!" as He held up this most awesome family in the palm of His hand and allowed their Faith in Him to be a blessing and a lesson to us all. Thank you Jesus for that, and thank you for Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman, and for all of their children who demonstrated a Faith that moved mountains on this day.

Please continue to pray with us for the Chapmans and their entire family. And thank you Connie for making sure we attended class today.




Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, and Lily Grace (and Lia Faith, out there somewhere)
Green, Party of Five

DTC!!!

Wonderful news! Our Dossier was sent to China today, so we are now officially DTC - May 20th, 2008! DTC!!!!!! Again. How cool is that? We are ever so slightly closer to a sister for Austin and Lily Grace. The confirmation that this is what God would have us do is all around us. Just like with Lily Grace. I'm not usually an emotional person, but this adoption, even moreso than with Lily Grace, registers a 10.0 on the emotional scale. When I close my eyes and think about Austin and Lily Grace and Lia Faith in the future, I see God, up close and personal. So personal that tears fill my eyes and blur images of two little girls playing together, safe and loved more than anything, observed by a young college student, home for the holidays to spend a few more precious moments with his sisters. Two little girls, comforted and provided for, not by us, but by God, Himself. And the comfort of knowing that when Austin heads off to college in a few years, Lily won't be left behind without a playmate, a soulmate. She will then become the older kid in the house, showing her little sister how things work around here (she already shows us!). Wait a minute, as I write this, it's not Austin who's ventured out, but Lily Grace. Spending the night with Memaw to allow his Mom and Dad to spend some extra quality time with Austin.

Today was a bittersweet day, however. A milestone reached with great joy, yet tempered with sadness. Sadness that so many children in the world's most populated country live, no they simply exist, with little hope for their future. Please don't misunderstand. Obviously, there are hundreds of millions of children who live in China and who are loved by caring and good parents. But there are also many who do not share in the riches of a parent's love. To be sure, the same is true around the world, including here in these United States. And these orphans are the "least of these," the focus of God's plan for our own lives. We have been lead, once again, to adopt from China. We can only bring home one, that's what the paperwork says. One child. One dream. And even now, as the earthquake aftershocks continue to strike fear among the least of these, more and more children are left alone and in desperate need. Yet, I believe God has it in His plans for something extraordinary to emerge from this seemingly hopeless situation. Reaching Back, God's Plan of Salvation for the Lost Children of China, how will we answer His call? Please pray for the people of China in their time of need and celebrate with us that we are now one step closer to walking in God's plan for adding to our family. And know also that this isn't something that we chose to do on our own, nor that we take lightly. Friends will tell you that I said no initially. But then God ... . I can't explain it, but you just know that you know that you know. You know?


While Each Child Cried

A world full of children with bright, happy faces.
Suddenly, noise all around, everything shaking.
No where to run, nowhere to hide.
Just sit silently, while each child cried.

Is this world ending, they must have imagined
As everything they knew around them came crashing.
Try as they might, they couldn't withstand
The shaking and the rumbling of their great land.

Schools without books and lessons undone
Children left wondering and wandering around
Classmates gone in an instant of horror
Those who remain wonder if there's a tomorrow.

Never before have so many felt so helpless.
Never before have so many felt such pain.
Each passing day brings less and less hope.
Each passing day so little to gain.

A child gives his parents a world of hope.
Then taken away in an instant.
No where to run, nowhere to hide.
Just sit silently, while each parent cried.

Please pray for the Lost Children of China. Many of those lost in the recent earthquake in China were children, going about their daily activities oblivious to the danger that would eventually claim their schoolhouse and their lives. Had anyone told them about Jesus, yet? So many times people ask "Why do bad things happen to good people?" None of us know the answer and so we can only offer comfort and encouragement to those at the epicenter of a crisis like this. And from such a distance, we feel so helpless. As parents of children from China, we know beyond a shadow of doubt that these children were good people. And their parents were good people too. Trying to raise their children and do their best for them under the circumstances. Some children lost parents and some parents lost children. For some, there is now no one else. Hopes erased in a moment of unfathomable fear and distress. And what can we do? Everything seems so futile, but yet it is not. Especially if done for His glory. Jesus said that "anything you do for the least of these, you do for me." Anything. And so we are thrilled that we are now DTC and one step closer to receiving the blessings that God has preordained. Anything.

One thing we can certainly do is pray. We can pray and ask God to have mercy on the good people of China and to lift them up in their time of great need. Pray that through this, the Chinese will be able to witness "good works, which He has prepared for us in advance." Pray that relief organizations focus squarely on the needs of the people, letting their "good works" be the only witness to God's great love. We can pray also for the mommies and daddies who now have lost their only child, a child treasured as no other, because he is the hope and the object of their love and for them, there is no other. And pray for the children who remain. Pray that they will be cared for and loved in accordance with God's will.

For the members of Athens Families with Children from China, someone has already mentioned that we should get together and pray for the Chinese and do what we can to help out those many, many people in need. Please, let's pick a date, separate from our June Dragon Boat Races (that's a plug for June!) and pray together and do what we can to help out. Perhaps we can make a donation to one of the orphanages in China as they do their best to provide for the Lost Children of China.

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, Lily Grace (and Lia Faith, out there somewhere)
Green, Party of Five

Tagged ... A Silly Response

OK, I think the way this works is that somebody answers a few questions about themselves or their lives and then "tags" a few others to respond. I assume the same questions apply, so here goes a response. Silly, I know, but I can't think too seriously of myself.

5 things on my to do list:

1) Learn How to Play White Dove by Casting Crowns on My Guitar. Haven’t heard it? After the last song on “The Alter and the Door” CD, let CD player continue for 2:31. Mark and Megan sing in Korean at the North Korean International Arts Festival. Song is by unknown North Korean author.
2) Get Lily and Lia’s new Bedroom Done, er, I mean Started. First, I have to get it cleaned out. More toys and stuffed animals in there than a late summer county fairground.
3) Build a Putting Green for Austin in the Back Yard – He’s divoting my sod to death! But he loves the game.
4) Fix Connie’s Fountain in the Front Landscape – I’m going to regret bringing this one up. Soon as I finish this, I better go work on that. Maybe she’ll still be napping with Lily til I get done.
5) Teach Austin How to Drive (But Pray First) this summer.

5 snacks I love



1) Strawbabies (That’s Lilyese for Strawberries)
2) Ice Cream
3) Apple Pie (OK, that’s not a snack, but combine with 2 and wow (make sure pie is heated))
4) Orange Blossoms - They only come once per year at Christmas (thanks Memaw) but they are absolute heaven.
5) My Neighbor’s Strawbaby Cake

I were a billionaire-
Ha! God doesn’t have time for that. He knows I wouldn’t know what to do with it. Listen, I’d be like a kid in a candy store. I’ll take some of that, oh, gimme some of those. Oooh, check that out! Don’t spend it all in one place, He would tell me over and over and over. There was a man having a conversation with God once who asked “God, what’s a million dollars like to you?” And God said “A penny.” They continued their conversation and eventually the man asked “God, what’s a million years like to you?” And God said “A minute.” After a little more conversation, the man said “God, can I have a million dollars?” And God said “In a minute!” He knows what we need and what we can handle. But it sure would be nice to try and figure it out, wouldn’t it. “God, can I have a penny?” Beyond the obvious, like giving to our church and making sure all of our family members were taken care of, I would finish paying for our adoption and then anybody else’s who needed help. I would pay for Lily and Lia’s college education (Austin’s is already paid for), because I’m certain I’ll have my billion blown before they make college age. I would probably pay for our house, just in case things got tight (you see, now I’m a billionaire and I’m still thinking like Jed Clampitt). My Upward Ministry would get a significant increase in its budget (budget, Connie says, what budget, you mean My budget?). I would sponsor a 1000 kids through Compassion International - Olvin and Shirley would have 998 new siblings! Check ‘em out at www.compassion.com. And finally, I would buy a strawbaby patch so we could eat strawbabies til we puke!

"Where's Dad?", "I think he's out fixing the fountain?"5 bad habits- 

1) Procrastination
2) I’ll identify the rest of my bad habits later
3)
4)
5)

5 jobs I've had

1) Information Distribution Agent (Paper Boy)
2) Lawn Mower
3) Music Instructor (Guitar)
4) Salesman (My Dad’s Music Store)
5) Engineer

5 Places I've lived

1) Mobile, AL; Spent 6 Months in the Port City When I was, Well 0-6 Months Old
2) Athens, AL; Dad Lost His Job in Mobile, So We Set Out for Chicago to Live With My Grandfather When I was 6 Months Old. The Car Broke Down in Athens and so Here I am!
3) Athens, AL; Lived with Grandmother instead of Grandfather
4) Athens, AL; Connie and I Built Our First House Together
5) Harvest, AL; Connie and I Built Our Second House Together

5 bad habits-the last three 

3) Spending Too Much Time Away from Family (Especially During Upward Season)
4) Worrying Too Much (Worry is the Opposite of Faith)
5) Spending Too Much Time in My World and Not Enough in His Word

(Pretty clever how I managed to only list 4 bad habits. I guess the last one might be not paying attention to instructions).


"Let's Play Tag!"

So, someone has to be tagged for this response to be in full compliance with the rules. Therefore, Jamiesons, Morgans, and Hodges - tag, you're it!

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, Lily Grace (and Lia Faith, out there somewhere),
Green, Party of Five

Soul Stocked!

As darkness gave way to morning light, I had a feeling that something cool was going to happen that day. But the clouds filling the sky echoed their own prophecy. "Who Am I" to think that something cool would happen today. It looks like rain, not reign. But "This is the Day" that the Lord has made (and I should rejoice and be glad in it), right? I wanted a sunny day and instead, all I got were clouds threatening rain and thunder and muddy fields for my favorite Saturday of the year - SoulStock!

Looks like umbrellas and raincoats might be the order of the day, on this anniversary of one of the coolest gatherings our fair city has ever hosted. Shame on you, Jerry, for I know the plans I have says God. Plans for an awesome day, filled with My believers worshiping and leading others to My truth! And so around noon, an hour before the gates were to open, the clouds' prophecy was dismissed and a beautiful day dawned. A day fit for outdoor activity, a day the Chamber of Commerce would like to bottle for future events and outdoor gatherings.

How is it that God blesses a city the size of Athens with some of the most awesome names in Christian music every year? Audio Adrenaline, Third Day, Kutless, Newsboys, etc ... Wait, I know what it is - it is unity. You see, the music festival is presented by the local churches in Limestone County and all denominations are involved, yet it is not about the denominations, it's about the message of Jesus! And it's presented in a way that is cool to the youth of our community. And its' free. That's right, free. And now, we're seeing youth from as far away as Kentucky show up for this day of worship. But it's not just youth - they even let some of us old-timers in the gates to raise our hands in praise too!

This year's offering consisted of Skillet, Building 429, DecembeRadio, Ohio Avenue, and Alabaster Box. Brother Joel Carwile fired us all up with a fiery message of hope for the future. Skillet was really good, but my head is hurting from all the banging and screaming! If you haven't seen Building 429, do whatever it takes to see them next opportunity. I promise you won't be disappointed. I have seen them three times now and they get better each time. In addition to having some of the best Christian music on the charts, they share a message of giving and of supporting hurting and lost children around the world. Their message was almost as long as their musical performance and encouraged the believers to demonstrate their faith by stepping out on a World Vision and sponsoring a child. Our pastor's wife got to ferry the lead singer and his family to and from the concert site. She said he was stunned at the turnout - well over 18,000. Austin and I quickly became fans of DecembeRadio - they were awesome. Ohio Avenue is definitely an up and coming group. And Alabaster Box has the current Number 1 song on Christian radio - in Australia!

Lily Grace didn't get to go this year, because she was invited to a birthday party with her Grandma Sara and well, you can't take little ones away from their grandma's plans, now can you? If you're not doing anything next May 3, why not plan to come to SoulStock X - it is shaping up as a must see for 2009! And did I mention it's free? I can't wait. See you there next year.




Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, Lily Grace (and Lia Faith out there somewhere),
Green, Party of Five

Thoughts on a Distant Mother ...

When she's hurting, we don't even know it, though every now and then we feel a connection to a distant mother, unknown, but not unremembered. For reasons we cannot begin to fathom, let alone understand, a despondent mother took a leap of faith on September 24th, 2006. With the weight of the world on her shoulders, she chose to leave her newborn in God's hands. Not likely understanding that His plan was already laid out for her little girl. Was she married? If so, what impact did her decision have on her husband? Did they reach this decision together or will one or the other always wonder what might have been? Did she have other children? Probably not, but if so, what did they think about the fate of their baby sister? Did she wait to see if someone rescued the newly displaced infant or did she hurry off for fear of discovery by authorities whose paths might cross hers on that day?

Founded in the hope that her baby girl would be cared for and nurtured, perhaps even loved one day, she took a leap of faith. She placed her newborn baby girl at the entrance to the social welfare institute and surrendered her future to others. Does she long to go back to that day and change recorded history? To erase the investigation of the discovery of a newborn baby girl, found all alone in a world not adequately equipped for the tough work of caring for newborn baby girls. Would she change anything from that day if she had it to do over again? How has her life changed since that decision?

These are all questions with elusive answers. Answers that we know we may be called upon to help find one day when the innermost being of a young lady needs to be discovered. On that day, we hope and pray that we have been obedient to a God that will meet our sweet baby girl's need for closure and who will equip us with knowledge and wisdom beyond what we have to offer now. Lately, Lily Grace has begun using the Chinese word for grandma to identify the nanny who provided her primary care in her orphanage. She sees her image and calls her the same thing every time. So we know for a fact that she remembers who provided care for her. Perhaps she also remembers her surroundings and circumstances. And this confirms our need to be prepared to answer the call one day to help her understand. For now, however, as Casting Crowns sings, all we can do is "Love Her Like Jesus." And if we do that, I know that He will provide everything else that's needed. And that's our leap of faith.

And so on this Mother's Day, we thank God, not only for our Mothers and our children's grandmothers, but also for a mother in a distant land, who may be faced with daily agony over what became of the sweet, little baby girl that she could not keep. We thank God that she chose to place her baby where she would be found and cared for so that she could eventually become a wonderful addition to our family. We pray that somehow God will envelop her in the peaceful knowledge that her baby is right where He had planned for her to be. In a loving home, a forever home, where she is growing and thriving on life in all its abundance. In a life that only Jesus Christ, Himself, could provide. And we are privileged to be a part of that life.



Happy Mother's Day and Thank You Jesus!

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, Lily Grace (and Lia Faith out there somewhere)
Green, Party of Five

12 Hours and a Capitol Visit

Connie says I can do this, but you know different. "Jerry," she says, "you don't have to write a novel, just get some pics out there for our image-starved friends to enjoy." "They only want to see pictures of Lily Grace and Austin. Everyone else just gets the pics out there." "Of course, they do, sweetheart. But don't they need some context?" "Context? How about some contrast?" Just post the pictures. OK. OK. But at least let me explain what a great day we had and how important this day was to Lia Faith.

After approximately 9 months (we really didn't plan it that way, I promise), we finally gave birth to a fully certified, Secretary of State approved, Dossier for the adoption of a little sister for Lily Grace and Austin. It's only 13 documents, Jerry, how could it take so long? Well, let's see ... Er, never mind, just the pictures, Jerry. Focus ...

So after getting our second I-797 this past week, we went full throttle to get everything taken care of so we could go to Birmingham and Montgomery today. Oh, the second I-797 you ask? Seems the applicant (read that as me) followed the instructions on the I-600 a little too explicitly when the item requested was spouse's name (include maiden name). So, from Dept of Homeland Security's perspective, the applicants had different last names. Didn't catch this initially and it would have been a problem, but DHS was kind enough to overlook my mistake and amend the form. They didn't even charge us - thanks DHS. Only a two week delay!

Pictures, Jerry. Pictures. Focus ... So, first thing this morning, we hopped in the truck, mortgaged the house for a tank of gas, and headed south. First stop, Lifeline Children's Services in Birmingham. Anna and Carla of Lifeline are most certainly two angels set upon accomplishing God's work. For children. Everytime we look at Lily Grace, we're reminded of their contribution to seeing that children get to lead happy, family-filled lives. We are thrilled that they are there for us. Once the Dossier was reviewed and deemed ready to go to Montgomery, we decided to increase the throttle past full steam ahead. Buy some more gas and drive further south. Lily kept saying "Are we going home now?"

We had our Dossier state certified and fedexed it straight to Houston from the State Capitol. There, that's the news of the day. And see Connie, I kept it short and to the point. Oh, nearly forgot the pictures....

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, Lily Grace (and Lia Faith, out there somewhere)
Green, Party of Five