A precious moment in time... Faith puts things in perspective once again! :)

Where do I even start?   I have had SO SO SO SO many posts and chapters and things rolling in my brain for the past few days/weeks/months.... that I couldn't help but come here tonight and write about this one...  

One of the things that I've been going to post about (once I get caught up... ha ha ha) was how blessed we are to have Faith and Grace...  sort of my 'rescue' post...

Some of my long-term readers will remember a post years ago.. when I made the statement that we still had babies to 'rescue and save'... and I had some people RIP me a new one online with messages and comments about how "wrong" that wording was.... and how I needed to educate myself about adoption that using those terms would be detrimental to my future children, etc....

It was a VERY hard time for me... and the negative reaction of those readers REALLY bothered me a lot...  I attempted to rebuttal my comments and explain what I 'really' meant... but, I don't know that I was ever really understood.... and honestly it doesn't matter.  

I knew back when I wrote that post that we were also being 'rescued' by our adopted children... :)    I had already began to see the transformation that God was doing in our lives/family as a result of the adoption.    We were growing closer to him...  We were trusting him for a miracle that with our natural eyes LOOKED impossible.    We were seeking him together and in ways that we'd never sought or been at before.   WE experienced God bigger than we've ever seen through all this.   I know that there are some of you that have also been touched by this incredible miraculous story that is our family.   
I can't even tell you how humbled it makes me to think that others have been touched, saved and even possibly rescued as well...

You see it is SO SO SO true when I say that Faith and Grace rescued US.     There have been so so so many times and examples that I could give you... but, tonight (obviously) is the most prevalent example in my mind. 

We started back to school today... F and G started pre-k, Bay started 5th grade and Brook started 1st!   Faith and Grace also started daycare in the afternoons for the first time...  You see today was a day that we've talked about for months... I vividly remember our bedroom in our apartment in Kazakhstan... I was sitting in the floor, Phil across the bed and we were just talking about the August that the girls would start school.  Would we start them in Pre-K, hold them out, could I stay home, how much would they have picked up in 4 months, how much progress would they have made... would they be ready?      We talked about this day in DETAIL numerous times... and anticipated it all summer.    Honestly, I've dreaded it...  I've wished time to slow down and been sad as I've seen it getting closer and closer on the calendar.. :(  

It's truly amazing to me that on this day... August 11, 2011... the day we've dreaded.... our little Faith put things in perspective once again. 

You see there have been some things happening at my work that are overwhelming...  and there are some things that have been happening that I can't write or share about...  but, they are disheartening and overwhelming to Phil and I.  

Tonight as I am saying our normal night time prayers with Faith and Grace... our little Faith was praying first.  She was rattling on about all the things she is thankful for.. with one eye open part of the time to see what else she can see in her room to name. ;)    I have my eyes closed (she thinks), but LOVE to watch them look for new things to thank Jesus for... and them saying their little prayers is one of my favorite times to watch them!  :)   SO precious.... so she's praying along and it was going something like this... "Thank you Jesus my toys, our house, thank you Jesus Mama and Papa and Bay Bay and Brookie and Nana... Thank you Jesus my bed and sheets and um...  covers and clothes and shoes and babies and..."  HUGE pause as she touches her little tummy and her expression changes completely... "thank you Jesus me's full tummy.... (another pause)... "no more hungry"...    She then looks at me to see if I'm looking at her and the expression on her face was absolutely precious.  

Thank You Jesus once again for using these babies to speak to us...    Am I the only one who needed that wake up call?      You see these 2 girls time and time again... have rescued us... from lives of living selfishly and not truly seeing Christ as we are supposed to...

So... If you are reading this... I think it's for a reason.   I think you were supposed to read this and be reminded as I was tonight by my little Faith... of what is TRULY important! 

Live life differently...  CHOOSE to be the one who says.. you know what... I am going to make a difference...  I am going to be kind to my co-worker...  I'm going give some food to a family who I know is struggling... I'm going to pay for that families electric bill this month.   I'm going to give a co-worker a card just because I want to brighten there day...

One of my favorite quotes of all times comes to mind.. and it is: 
"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world when He could do something about it...but I'm afraid God might ask me the same question.
 
WE have to be HIM shining to this world... we as Christians are to SHINE for him...
My prayer for all of you tonight is that you would make up your mind that you will SHINE for him...  Do something this weekend, tomorrow....  BLESS someone... maybe it's just an extra smile a hug...   JUST make up YOUR mind that YOU are going to focus on the 'real' reasons we are alive and in this world.... those reasons are to live for Jesus and show the world that he loves them!

Anyone else moved and inspired by my babies tonight?    Probably not.. lol!  I bet this was ALL for me... but, at least now I have it all written down to tell them about one day when they are 25 and have families of their own!  :) 

Be blessed and will you join me in trying to focus on what is REALLY important in life?     Let's not let the stuff that really doesn't matter zap all our energy...  :)  
Have a wonderful Friday!