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

The Good News Is ...

That it melts with the appropriate measure of moisture, properly administered, though it may take several hours. The bad news is that a Twizzler is somewhere in size between a Tic Tac and a mini Marshmallow. A tic tac on steroids, if you will. See where this is going? She'll probably never leave me alone with her again now! Connie and her mom decided to take a road trip to Nashville to see some rocker from yesteryear, er oops, sorry - they went to see Bon Jovi and left me alone with Lily Grace. One night, surely he can handle that, right. Granny'll come over and help him. Austin will be there if needed. No problem, right?

During the day, Lily had come into possession of a little bag of candy called Twizzlers. Not the sticks like you've seen, but little balls of sour candy larger than a bee bee, but smaller than a marble. Soft candy with lots of sugar and probably the quickest ticket to sugar addiction that I've ever seen. She probably got it from that little street peddler I've seen stalking the neighborhood. The day's intake had stoked her to the point of bouncing off walls and she simply had to have some more. Addicted to Twizzlers in a single day at the ripe old age of three. So after a day of work (and a month of Mondays at work), I had no energy left to do battle with the candy-demanding, sweet baby girl. "Pleeeeeeeseee, Dad (notice the Dad), can I have some more candy. I need it."



Rather than draw a line in the sand, I figured the best thing to do was to reach a compromise. Actually, that was the lazy thing to do, I should have drawn that line and dared her to cross it! So I decided to give her two more Twizzlers. "Two more Lily Grace, that's all. Watch a little bit of Dora while I fix dinner." See all the bad decisions here - candy before dinner, TV as a baby sitter, appeasing the demands, .... She'll probably never leave me alone with her again!

So after dinner, Lily admitted in a quiet moment "I can't get it out Dad." And she was tugging at her nose and sniffling. She'd been sniffling from allergies all afternoon and evening, so I thought she was stuffy. We blew the snout and I thought that'd take care of it. A few minutes later, again "Dad, I can't get it out." What sweet baby girl? "The candy." Where is it? "It's in my nose." "What, Lily, please tell me you didn't put that candy up your nose!" Oops, wrong tone of voice. Waterworks. Fear. I felt terrible. So I calmed down and asked her again. "Yes, I ate one and put the other one in my nose." Why did you do that? "Because I'm scared!" (Me too, I didn't add).

So, we cleared a table for the exploratory, non-intrusive surgery, about to be performed by a newly self-annointed expert at nose problems. Tweezers, flashlight, moist rag, OK, let's move out! After a few short minutes of nose compresses, nose wipes, and flashlight excursions, I had to conclude there was nothing in there. "Lily, are you sure you put the candy in your nose?" "No, sniffle, sniffle, it's in my belly." "Whew, sweet baby girl, we don't put things up our nose, OK?" "OK, daddy (back to daddy)."

Comforted by the success of our medical foray, we prepared for bed, read a story, and turned out the lights. Looks like everything's well that end's well, right? Now, fast forward to mid day Friday. Phone rings at work and it's Granny. "Lily just blew a big pink ball out of her nose!" "Do you know anything about that?" Not a thing, Granny. What'd it look like?

I feel terrible! With my tone of voice and my concern, I scared the poor sweet baby girl into lying to me! So if you have some of those Twizzlers in your house and a toddler around, you might want to get rid of them. Or at least go down to your local clinic and learn how to do exploratory, non-intrusive nose surgery. And the good news is that Lily learned that we don't put things up our nose. In fact, as soon as I arrived home from work today, she announced "We don't put candy up our nose, do we daddy!"

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

The Sounds of Music ... and Distant Drums!

When we got her referral, we were told that Xing Xing liked music alot and would "wriggle" her body when she heard something that she liked. Well, that's certainly been the case. So we know God had our family picked out for her since we like music alot ourselves. Here, Lily poses with a drum bigger than she is, but that didn't stop her from begging Austin to let her play it. More about that later. Of course, he couldn't, but she would have taken part in the concert herself if she could.

Austin has been in the band at East Limestone since the 6th grade. Actually, he participated a little in elementary school, but didn't become a regular until middle school. This past season, he marched during halftime of the high school football games for the first time and really enjoyed the experience. Since he plays the drums for our praise band at church, the drums seemed like a natural instrument for him for marching band and now jazz band. With the praise band at Isom's Chapel, he has become steadfast and solid, keeping the beat for all manner of Christian music from Casting Crown's "All Because of Jesus," which he taught us, to old staples such as Beulah Land. We're very proud of him for taking on such an important part of our worship service. Of course, every Sunday after services, Lily Grace has to take her turn at the drums or piano.

Now, about that drum. East Limestone held their annual early spring band concert last month and apparently Austin has become the jack of all trades when it comes to drums for the jazz band. He played several different drums during the concert, including the one shown here. He really enjoys the band and does his best to make every note, er beat, count. Lily begged and begged, even taking the sticks away from Austin after the concert, for a chance to play this drum. Maybe in a few years sweet baby girl, but for now, the drums are Austin's domain!

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

An Afternoon with the President ...

No, not that one. It would be an honor though. Uh oh! Hope I don't ruffle any political feathers. My mom and her husband, Billy (Lily Grace calls him 'my Billy') once got an invitation to the White House to dine with President Bush and Laura because of her lifelong support of the Republican Party. Problem is, not once in her voting history has she cast a single ballot in favor of a member of the Republican Party. And so, she didn't go to the dinner! Oh well, a missed opportunity for a minute of fame I guess. I wonder how much Billy had to pony up to get that invitation (and I wonder if Mom ever found out!).

No, this president was Dr. David Williams, newly annointed leader of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, or as it is now known "UAHuntsville." I had the honor of being selected to represent the class of 1986 as a delegate to the inauguration. Of course, unlike my fickle mom, I accepted the invitation and convinced her to come along with me to see this president. We had a great afternoon and got to hear everybody who is somebody in Huntsville and Alabama extoll the greatness of UAHuntsville and its new president. Turns out the chap is from Cambridge University (yes, that one) and is quite humorous, but even moreso the genius at science and engineering. Check out the pictures below of me in my cap and gown - never thought I'd see that again! Austin and Lily Grace - I expect to see both of you in one of these one day (no pressure there kidos). The other picture is of me and mom with the new president.




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

One Day Later ...

Wow, God is really working here! One day after we got the news from Lifeline (read yesterday's post) that they were now "online" with CCAA and posted the fingerprint photo, we received another piece to the puzzle. It's funny I decided to post the fingerprint photo, some would even say coincidence based on what happened today.

Here's the story behind that one. About 3 weeks ago we got a strange letter from Dept of Homeland Security saying that they couldn't process our application because there were some inconsistencies with our paperwork. Without going into details, it was a rather strange letter, so we presented it to Lifeline and they advised us to answer their questions, even though they seemed odd. So, a little over two weeks ago, I sent a letter to DHS to address their "odd" concerns. The letter they had sent us indicated a response deadline of June 12th! We didn't expect to hear back from them until at least mid summer if not later.

So, today Connie walked in from the mailbox and said Happy Birthday, here's your present (tomorrow, I get to add one to the number that describes how young I am!). And there it was - our I-797 announcing that we were approved to travel abroad and bring a new U.S. citizen, a new member of the Green family back with us!!! This is the last piece of the puzzle that is our dossier.

As Christians, we know that coincidence is just a term that we, as secular humans, have created to explain things we can't or won't believe. Truth is, there are no coincidences, only a mighty God working to shape each of our lives as He chooses and to give us a choice in believing in Him, or calling it coincidence. I choose to believe in Him and I hope you do too!

It's All Because of Jesus.

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

A Lifeline for a Life Time ... and an Answered Prayer

"Guess what Lily, God's Working on Our Little Sister!"

This past Sunday, during our Sunday School prayer request time, I felt compelled to ask those in my class if they would pray for the process of adoption for Chinese children with special needs. I hadn't mentioned it before or requested prayer, because there are always so many requests that seem to far outweigh our desire to increase the size of our household by one angel. So I remained quiet about the difficulties we were encountering this time around versus what we experienced with Lily Grace. In a nutshell, God brought Lily Grace into our lives in merely 8 months. With Lia Faith, we're already at 9 months and no prospects yet. I should note that there are many, many families who have waited much longer and who continue to wait. And I am in awe of their faith and their perseverance. And for them I wish there were words to express how much we love them for their willingness to pursue the adoption of these children in the face of so many obstacles and delays. I pray their wait is shortened and that they get to hold one of God's little treasures as a parent soon.

But on Sunday, when my time came, I sat there, for what seemed like several minutes, quiet. I suspect my classmates thought I was about to lay something really heavy on them and so they waited patiently. Just to be sure, I have the most wonderful classmates anyone could ask for. They are incredibly supportive. Joe, Tracie, Scott, Angie, Joey, Cindy, Randy, Teresa, Yvonne, Bill, Larry, Dwight. Everyone should be blessed with friends like these. They are good Christians. They are faithful. I know when I go there, I will see their smiling faces. I just know in my heart that Jesus is smiling when he sees this group together. There is nothing about them that is not genuine and I know that they love my family as they do their own. And we pray for each other.

So after a while, I finally spoke up. "We're having some difficulties in our adoption. Would you please pray for us and pray that the Chinese are able to figure things out so that our Lia Faith can come home to play with Lily Grace. Would you please pray that the Chinese are able to have a good Olympics so that they will be proud of their country and gain stature with the rest of the world and be compelled to reach out to join the world community by sharing their amazingly beautiful and precious orphaned children with those who would love them and provide for them with God's guiding hand."

Three days later, we get a letter in the mail from our agency, Lifeline Children's Services. With initial curiosity, Connie opened the letter and her curiosity turned to joy with the first sentence:

"We are so excited to announce that we have been officially approved for the Special Needs Online Process through the CCAA. We are thankful to be able to continue to assist the CCAA in finding loving, Christian homes for these precious children!"

"He is Working on Lia, Austin!"

Wow! Talk about answered prayers! I know that God answers prayers in His way, in His time. And sometimes the answers aren't to our liking, but they are always what's best for us. God knows that because He created us. God was already working on this, He just wanted to hear from our hearts. And He wanted me to open up and acknowledge that I can't do this without Him. He knows that Connie is not blessed with a lot of patience and that I have only slightly more than she. So maybe He dropped this little nugget for us to keep our hopes alive and to keep us diligently pursuing a sister for Austin and Lily Grace. It's funny that for the first time in several weeks, this weekend I laid out all the paperwork for our dossier on the dining room table to take stock and see if there was something we needed to be doing. Well, there was something. Pray. Pray. And Pray some more. Humble yourself, therefore, before the Lord and wait patiently for His plans to unfold.

We're certainly not there yet and there are many who will go before us, but at least now, things are looking up. Who knows? Lia Faith in 2008? It does have a nice ring, you have to admit.

Oh, and did I mention that He also provided all the financial resources needed for the adoption. It just so happened that a financial transaction from three years ago matured this week and the value well exceeds that which is required to complete the adoption. I had forgotten about this instrument, filed away somewhere under a few years worth of income taxes and refinance paperwork. I know, Dave Ramsey would not approve of my inattention to certain financial matters! But at least this time around, there will be no home equity loan or lifting the seat cushions on the sofa to fund our travel to China!

Our God is an Awesome God, He Reigns from Heaven Above with Wisdom, Power, and Love. Our God is an Awesome God!

Getting Fingerprinted Back in February

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

Where's that Easter Dress, Jerry?

Trust me. This time, I'm not waiting for Lori to ping me on getting a picture posted of Lily Grace in her Easter best. I'm going to get ahead of the game. There's lots to post from the last month or so, but none of it takes precedence over that Easter dress. After a year and a half, nearly two, I have learned that one of the most important things in raising little girls is to share pictures of Easter dresses with all of her "aunties." They shouldn't have to wait and wonder about a topic of this importance! The dress is to be shared on Easter, not a day or two later, and certainly not a week or two later. As is usually the case, Lily Grace was simply stunning in her Easter outfit.

And she enjoyed her Easter season more than anything. She had four Easter "parties" to attend and got to have Easter goodies and hunt eggs at all four. She has become quite the professional at that part of it, announcing quickly at our church Easter egg hunt "That's it, basket's full, I'm finished!" I will offer a more thoughtful review of our Easter Sunday and other recent events later, but for now, please enjoy a few pictures of Lily's Easter best. Oh, and by the way, that awesome young fellow in the pictures with Lily Grace is Austin. He has grown and matured so much in the past three or four months, that he hardly resembles the boy many of you are familiar with.

Upward ... by the Grace of God

Eight years ago, I was sitting in an Awards banquet for Upward Basketball at Isom's Chapel. Proud father and coach of the mighty Panthers, a K-2nd grade group of Michael Jordan wannabes. Austin was closing out his first season in organized basketball and I had been his coach. We had a wonderful season. My assistant coach was the coolest and quietest coach I'd ever met. And it turns out, he was a pastor. (As a footnote, he's now my Pastor!) He basically let me run the show, including the practice devotions even though he was infinitely more qualified in that area. We taught the boys how to dribble and protect the ball, how to defend against the dribble and the shot, how to rebound and claim loose balls. As with any team, we had mottos that we taught:

"Pay Attention, Do Your Best, Have Fun"
"Defense Wins Championships"
"Share the Ball"
"I Will Get My Own Rebound and Everybody Else's"
"Every Loose Ball is Mine"

You know, the usual kind of stuff for a basketball team. I think God was having fun watching us, probably wondering where His motto was, and probably having more fun knowing what was in store later for an unsuspecting coach.

Even though we didn't keep score (officially), I think we did pretty well as a team. The boys always announced we won, whether or not we did is anyone's guess. So there I sat, comfy and collected in the Awards banquet. Comfortable in the knowledge that I'd done the best job I could at coaching the Panthers that season. And then, God announced His presence in a mighty way. A way I was not expecting. That's why God had assigned a pastor and new friend to be my assistant coach. As is customary in an Upward Awards banquet, there was a time of invitation, an opportunity for commitment if you will, to the children (and parents) at the close of the ceremony. Out of six boys on our team, three committed themselves to Jesus that very night and one recommitted his own life to our Lord. The other two professed to be Christians already. And just like that, every member of the Panthers was now one of His, with their names recorded in the Book of Life! I was not expecting this outcome and was totally overwhelmed by it. It was the first time as a father that tears of joy filled my eyes.

One of the three new Christians was my own son, Austin. And trust me, he knew exactly what he was doing, even if I didn't fully comprehend what was happening. Austin began telling anybody and everybody who would listen from that day forward that he had been saved that night. And Upward basketball had a new coach who now understood that it wasn't about the baskets or the rebounds, but the repentence and reconcilliation. God was at work here and it was only now apparent to a young coach. Fortunately, the assistant coach was fully prepared for the event and had mementos for each of the boys to remember the night (Austin's WWJD bracelet still hangs proudly over his 2001-2002 Upward trophy).

Now, eight years later, Austin has finished his eligibility as a player, completing the first year under our new 7th-8th grade boys league, and began his career as a coach, leading the Mighty Incredibles, a K-2nd Grade boys team. He did a wonderful job and we are very proud of him. I am now the Director of the Ministry at Isom's Chapel, thanking God everyday for showing me why the Upward Basketball and Cheerleading Ministry was formed, and Austin is the self-appointed Assistant Director. Along the way I have been fortunate to coach every one of Austin's teams. Some years, I've been blessed to coach two teams. Connie even got in on the coaching one year by heading up a cheerleading team. Austin and I found ourselves severely outnumbered one night when Connie had her entire team over for a spend the night! And this year, Lily got involved by being at the center of attention at every opportunity that presented itself. She got to spend considerable time at the gym as an official "cheerleader" for all the teams, while Connie, Austin, and I did what we could to make the Upward season a success. Of course, it was Lily's educated opinion that the whole show was put on for her benefit. According to this theory, everyone was there to see her and to make sure she was noticed! And she did occassionally steal the show - check out the Bama vs Auburn pics of her and Ben! I thought we were going to have to stop this game until the photo shoot was over! She sat on the bench with me several times and kept me from going "coach" with the older boys teams. By the end of the season, every time I put on a jacket, Lily would ask "Are you going to church?"





We've been extremely blessed to have been a part of so many children's lives through this Ministry and to have been witness to so many who have come to know Jesus while perfecting their jump shot or cheering for the players. This season was my first as Director of the Ministry and, though it had its trying moments, I can truly say that once again, God has handed out the blessings to a Director who was learning on the job. One of the greatest blessings was the privilege of coaching the Lady Eagles, a kindergarten through 2nd grade girls team. I think this was God's way to continue teaching me about little girls, in the hope that I get it right in raising Lily Grace and her future sister Lia Faith. I'll have to admit though to having my own hand in becoming the Lady Eagles' coach. As director of the Ministry, one of my jobs was finding coaches for all the teams. While I wouldn't go as far as to say that I discouraged potential coaches for the Lady Eagles, I continued to hope for an opportunity to work with them myself. And so God said "OK, but only if you give Me the Glory!" So that's what we tried to do.

Six little angels who wanted nothing more than to have fun and score a few baskets along the way. Pink tennis shoes and pony tails. Pig tails and big smiles. Girls who, for the most part, knew the Bible well and even taught me a few things along the way. Like the night they prayed for Lily Grace and we saw Lily's 104 degree fever break by the time I got home. We had a Christmas party, a Valentine Party, and even celebrated Chinese New Year together. Helping one of the little Lady Eagles score her first basket during a game was definitely the highlight of the season for me. He also provided a couple of assistant coaches, Kim and Rebekah, to help me and to make sure I didn't make the girls cry! Kim and Rebekah were awesome. Kim is mother to one of the Lady Eagles and Rebekah is a former Upward player who has moved on to play high school basketball! Take a look at God's Little Lady Eagles and their coaches. What an awesome and fun loving group this was. I told all their parents that I'd had more fun coaching this team than any since that first season, when Austin and a few of his buddies came to know Jesus.




We held our Awards Night this year on February 29th and were privileged again to see more children offer their lives to Jesus. We also saw children grow in their knowledge of the Word and their witness to it. Our hope is that seeds planted this season will be watered along the way so that one day God's fruit will burst forth and a new coach or Director will rise up to carry His Word to a new generation of believers. Wouldn't that just be the coolest thing! We were honored to have Lesha from Lesha's Loft to entertain the children and their parents this year with the most awesome presentation of God's Word through puppets and ventriloquy. Lesha kept us all in stitches as she stitched together the Good News and a season of basketball and cheerleading. Checkout the picture of Lily on the set of Lesha's Loft (once again, commanding attention!). We closed the Awards Night with pictures of the season set to a Casting Crowns song called "All Because of Jesus!"





If you can find an Upward Basketball and Cheerleading Ministry near you, sign up and sit back and watch God work! Or even better still, get involved. Just don't take my job coaching the Lady Eagles!

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, Lily Grace, (and Lia Faith out there somewhere), and the Lady Eagles!
Green, Party of Five (Eleven if you count the Lady Eagles)