Random Family rumblings...second month adoption reflection

A natural cheerleader! 

We had a fun bowling outing with our small group and friends! 

First trip to the zoo! You loved it.  The Gibbons were really putting on a show and you loved all their funny noises.  You had so much fun on the big playground with your brothers. You think you can do everything they can.

Fun at the zoo!

Silly kids

This girl .loves to get eggs! 

Classic!

Farm Finger Painting in the mud.

Little J is getting really opinionated about his clothes...ugghhh...so now I am hoping to say each weekend, "you pick 3 and I pick 2" so that he can wear all his clothes instead of just a few.

Cay and I are setting a lot of traps in the woods these days for animals.

Little Miss is really noticeably better at some physical things like two-feet jumping, running over rough terrain without falling, and climbing up fences, walls, and banks with great gusto!  She has also learned to master the forward flip!

YES, they called us with a girl but she is a rough and tumble little two-year-old tomboy!  Really, she is a wild woman with lots of personality but a really strong will.  I am so tired.   She is a lot of fun, but she is also testing us at every turn to see what we are going to allow.  She is just more into things than any of my kids EVER were.  She's like a little tornado!  She loves to do all the things the boys do, play with balls, wrestle, run, chase chickens,  jump on the trampoline, drive the Powerwheels (and she is an amazingly good driver to have very little to no experience), play outdoors, etc., and she has really just fit here likes she's always been here! 

We are going to remain close to her foster family (elderly folks with 7 kids and 3 adopted ones)...they are such godly people.  We took them dinner last Sat and visited with them and had a great time. She was so excited to have both worlds there and left happily with us.    2 of their kids came to see her and so we got to meet some of their extended family who have loved her so well these past two years.

I am hoping to raise a very strong girl. I think I have just the candidate in this little one b/c she rises to every challenge so far!

This is supposed to be for dolls?! 

 We took Little Miss back to where she lived starting her 2nd month with us and we had a wonderful visit with their family and extended family who came to see her! They are such inspiring people and we are so blessed to be in their world these days.

Some folks keep asking how nervous I am about all this "working out" and I just keep saying that I trusted God with her for 2 years and I will keep trusting HIS best for her life. I have my palms open saying still I trust you God...use me...whatever that means for us.

Little Miss you never forget a name.  You can see someone that you have not seen in a long time and still call him/her by name...maybe you'll be a little politician.  You do love people.  You are totally energized by having people visiting us and going out and seeing folks.  You often say hi to strangers and give them high fives.

You reminded us how fun Red Rover and Ring ARound the Rosie can be!

I never eat a full plate of food anymore without your little hands grabbing bites.  You are such a good eater...of all things..broccoli, edamame, peas, and anything you can spoon!

Little Miss loves some Vanilla Ice Baby!  First of all, I don't know how I discovered this love one morning or WHY I remember every word from seventh grade--so sad.  Still, she loves my rapping.

We are learning "this is not a toy."   She wants to play with all things non-toy like pens/pencils, toilet bowl cleaners, kitchen stuff, etc.

We got all the paperwork for her court date today.  Thank you Lord we are on the month countdown to the termination of parental rights hearing.
  This is the song I am singing...


Thomas Chisholm is  the author of the hymn "Living for Jesus," and I like this one...(in case you didn't know I really love hymns despite that I can't play the piano..or sing...only pray them...)


"He leads us on by paths we did not know;
Upward He leads us, though our steps be slow,
Though oft we faint and falter on the way,
Though storms and darkness oft obscure the day;
Yet when the clouds are gone,
We know He leads us on.
"He leads us on through all the unquiet years;
Past all our dreamland hopes, and doubts and fears,
He guides our steps, through all the tangled maze
Of losses, sorrows, and o'erclouded days;
We know His will is done;
And still He leads us on."

Sweet things I noticed lately:  She asks me in exact words to sing "Jesus Loves Me."  She loves to make up songs (that sound like parts of other songs all mixed together) and sings back to me!
If  I say I like purple, she adds, "I like purple too Mommy!"  If I want a red Popsicle she'll say, " I like red too!"  My boys really never had this stage.

When we were going to church the other morning I was relaying the events to get her ready, "We are going to play with Pam and then Mommy will pick you up and then we'll get Cay."  She adds, "and then Daddy will come home and go to pool."  (She has been asking to go to the pool often b/c I think it is another new world there she wants to conquer.)  Anyway, she then added, "Daddy come home ...I KISS him." She loves to rush Daddy when he gets home and they trade many kisses. He says she's the only welcoming committee he's ever had...yes, I know I should do better.

She loves to sing Jesus Loves Me, Skinny Ma-Rink, and I've got the JOY, joy, joy..where????

The funny thing about taking kids to get eggs is that you find 8 but make it home with 4.

Little Miss you are not much of a girlie girl, but you love nail polish, chap-stick, bracelets and you even let me read all of Pinkalicious to you today!

You rode Jack and the pony for the first time!  You, of course, were not afraid and got on and said, "yee haw!"

Some people have a lot of reservations about adopting "older" children (those not considered newborns or over a year old), but I can tell you that there are some beautiful things about it!  For starters, she can talk and tell us what she wants and what she likes AND dislikes!!  We can explain changes in schedules and dropping off at places like church and she "gets it."  She might not like it, but she gets it.  She can express love and affection and say funny things!  She is already potty-training!  We can play with her and interact and bond by having fun together.  We can teach her lots of fun things and take her most anywhere with us.  It has really been a blessing that she can run along with us and jump right in with the boys!

My Adoption Diary: Month one thoughts...

My adoption dairy.  Month One! 

Our first hike! 

Happy Girl!

Little Miss and her new cousin are only 8 days apart!

first time helping Daddy bring in wood

 I wanted to go back and post these now that our waiting time is over and "Little Miss"  is legally ours forever.  I hope that something in one of these posts might help someone else consider going on the faith journey of adoption!  My prayer for years was that our adoption using the public social services system (that gets a very bad rap) might go smoothly and wonderfully so that many others would take the plunge to choose a child out of the system.  It did, so here I can testify to God's faithfulness and say without hesitation that adopting from "the system" is not always a nightmare. 

These are some of my thoughts on our first month together with sister--

Little Miss let Jeb rock her last night and it was sweet, sweet time with me there cuddling next to them on the floor and watching big brother learn how to be a daddy one day.

I can't believe that she has slept through the night every night here.  I am forever grateful to my child's first parents who loved her, nurtured her, and were attune to her every need (as evidenced in a mountain of paper work I have).  Her first parents were/are simply amazing people that really challenge me to be a better parent myself.   I KNOW they did a good job b/c she can attach so well and so quickly to us and to her new grandparents and family members.  She takes on new tasks (like sleeping in a strange bed) with great gusto like swimming at the pool, jumping on the trampoline, chasing chickens, petting goats, and going on hikes in backpacks.  She has very little fear, which is somewhat her nature I can tell, but also her great upbringing thus far.

Little Miss is saying, "I love you" spontaneously without us saying it first and ALWAYS after we say it (it was not like this a month ago).

Little Miss is POTTY-TRAINED!  I hope no-regression is in store!  I don't know why, but I think potty-training is one of my gifts-ha!

Little Miss knows many animals that she didn't know, all her animal sounds, and is learning some odd body parts like elbows and shoulders these days.  She is starting on colors and shapes...so far we know Blue for Blues Clues and pink b/c most everything for girls is PINK! Where is the purple folks?  That is my fav color and what could be wrong with red for girls....there is just a bit too much pink for me and I always thought I liked pink?

We did have a day with 10 time -outs, but hey, who's counting?  She is what every little toddler is...testing us to see if we will let her take over or if we are going to be in charge!  I am continually reminded to do more teaching than real discipline at this point.  I feel like I am a full-time teacher ..we don't throw things in the toilet, we don't throw things down the stairs, we don't throw things at other people, we don't unroll whole rolls of paper/boxes of tissues, we don't tear books, we give hugs, we don't throw things down the dryer vent, we don't hit, we don't pinch, we don't yell and demand (so happy that she now says cups please vs. MY CUP MY CUP MY CUP while screaming), we sit in a car seat and not scream, we are gentle with animals, as you can see there is some teaching going on!  Still, amazingly, we have had no biting and no hitting of parents?!!!  Hooray!

Not much is sweeter than when my boys flock to her when she wakes up...and seeing her warm up to this idea rather than shy from it.

Specially Marked

I have three birthmarks and my mom always said I must be extra, extra special since my two siblings don’t have a single one!  This helped me be less self-conscious of the spots, and I never thought much of them my entire life until recently.  Twelve years ago my husband and I were just dating when I told him that God had convicted me that part of His plan for my life was to foster parent and/or adopt.  After a decade of marriage we began the process of waiting for “the call.” After the first year of waiting, I did some serious praying and then near the second year mark, I began to wonder if this was really what God wanted for our family. After all, I could have another baby or finance a private adoption.  We had been praying for the protection of our future child, and for discernment to know when to say yes.  God never let go of me on my core belief that in the state system there are many children that just need a chance and lots of love in a healthy family.  Over the years, God sent my husband and I and our boys many adopted children and orphans that we have loved and enjoyed building relationships with before and during our wait that gave us much encouragement and compassion for adoption. I was really wondering if there was a child “in the system” that could fit our family’s parameters though.  During the second year, God worked on us about accepting more risks than we originally thought and about taking a child that was older. I am so glad he did.  We also brought the boys in on praying for a child to love that needs a family during our family devotions that second year.    About one month before my two year deadline I had given God (Yes, I am ashamed of myself…but oh so human and weak that he loved me enough to respond to my desperation.), I had a good cry with our small group and asked them to pray.  Then, only two days later THE call came.  Our life group must have really prayed!  She was a two and a half year old that had been in foster care her entire life.  She had been in a loving Christian foster home with folks we now love and adore!   We said, “Yes!”  Only a few weeks after that meeting, she was in our home and relishing every new opportunity on our farm.  The answer to our prayers was praying with us and FOR us.  It was incredible!  She seemed destined for two brothers.  I already felt so much confirmation of our decision to love her forever since her transition to our family was really quite natural for us all.  But, God was not done with teaching me that he’d had things under control.  Only about two weeks after her adoption day, I was snuggling with her after nap when I noticed it.  Two of my birthmarks are small spots just above each knee.    As it turns out, she now has one above her left knee in the exact location of mine.  I don’t know when it came up, but I had never seen it before.  I cannot help but think that God was clearly telling me that though she was not my biological child that even before she was formed set her apart (Jeremiah 1:5).  He had marked her special just for me, and I knew her frame was not hidden from Him (Psalm 139).  Great is His faithfulness!

 

The Ladies of Spring

Dumbo....those ears are just too much!

 I don't worry much about J having affairs with other ladies, but he does love these girls. 

One of the cow J loves that came from out West.

Pretty Lady

While we were adopting Molly (the same week) this Mama lost her baby, but that has not stopped her from allowing another woman's calf to nurse.  This calf actually has 2 mamas.

Daisy-my favorite cow.

Dumbo with Gertie, her mom.

Our latest addition.

Love that bullseye

If there was plastic surgery for hefers, I am SURE that she would want these horns removed.  They just don't do anything for her.

I call her Mocha Frap

Lovin' and Lickin'

Nothing like a milk nose.  This little fella was not born too long ago, but he is growing like crazy.  No wonder!

This guy is just pitiful.  Skunky, we call him. 

Dave Ramsey V. Francis Chan and David Platt ...money.

Like most of my blogs...I hope this one day gives my kids some perspective on my heart and my thoughts on things...like money.
 
Well, I just can't get my head around reconciling these superstars in the Christian world.   How can we live in America and dream that big dream every day and still live for God as a true disciple?  I feel like Platt and Chan somewhat contradict what Dave Ramsey says...and they have a point.  Too much saving and too much preparedness...where does that leave trusting God?  I am all for not being irresponsible, but living your entire like to store up for yourself just doesn't sit well with me...or saving so you can get out of debt to give later...humm...what if you don't make it there?  I want to give now.

"...the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God."  David Platt, Radical

Here's all I know for sure we'd all agree upon:

1.  I do think credit cards are evil and you better pay them off every month or you are a slave to debt.

2.  Debt kills marriages and creates serious stress  

Proverbs 22:26-27

Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you..

3.  Materialism is silly and basically a monster that will eat you alive.

4.  Getting out of most all debt is freeing (though I have issues with folks not living and not giving and wives and husbands working all the time b/c they are busy saving to pay off homes when that is a tax write off and some business debt is smart debt if it is a wise and decently safe investment opportunity).  

5.  Setting financial goals as a couple and having some small fallback net is wise.

6.  Getting out of debt frees you to focus on more godly things and people you need to love.

7.  Getting out of debt allows you to give more to the church and the poor around the world.

8.  We should work hard and do whatever we do as if we are working for the Lord (and all these people who keep chasing a dream job need to get REAL...there is a reason why it is called a j-o-b and they pay you to do it.  I am all for using your giftedness and what you are passionate about, but some folks just can't seem to find that and they need to quit looking and just work.  No job is wonderful all the time).  

9.  Wanting too much money is dangerous.  1 Timothy 6:7-10
For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 

Here's what I am not sure about:

1. I know I don't want to pay for my kids' full college education...and hey, they might not even want one.  I had to work and scrimp and save during college and pay off loans afterward and I think that is very healthy for a maturing adult!
2. Does God really care if you go to college? No...and here I am a college instructor!
3. Does God want you slaving to pay off that house while your kids grow older and move out and you didn't invest your time in loving them well?  Is your TIME margin more important than any financial margin?  Proverbs 16:8  Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice. 
4. What if I don't live to 50 or 60...I am afraid I would be wishing that I did not live like Dave Ramsey said per say, but instead made investments in eternal things (like my kids/giving to the poor ).  
5. What if I amass all this wealth and then my kids waste it on a college education they don't use or I die and they get money quickly that they didn't earn and then turn from God to wild living instead of disciplined living?  What did I accomplish then?  God gave the money to me and J and we should spend most all of it while we're here I think...I know that is controversial.  
6. If I am working on saving to get this house paid off and not supporting missions and not giving to the poor/my church like I should...is God really into just waiting until I am "where I want to be" for me to start giving more generously and freely!  I don't think so.  
7. Some people are just as prideful about being debt-free and how much they save/manage as the other side of the spectrum of pride in giving it away.  Some folks are just too proud of their frugalness, sacrifice, and envelope systems, stock accounts, 401Ks, etc.  It can cut both ways that pride.  

I want to say that God does want me to keep things "in balance" but as I am reminded by Radical and Crazy Love Jesus was never a man of balance.  He said to the rich young ruler, 

 “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:21-23)

I suppose that I am just for a little financial margin, but totally against having such a margin that you don't really need God anymore.  When I quit my job,  I did not know how we would make it.  A few years later, I realized ...I need a job and yes, God provided that and has provided it for 6 years now.  Are we saving? Not much.  If I have extra cash, am I to save it to make an extra house payment at the end of the year? Maybe.  Or, shall I give it away.  Or, shall I adopt again and invest it in a child's life.  These are questions I can't get my head around.  Should I go back to work so we can meet more financial goals or foster parent and invest in people.  I think I know which way I am leaning.  It really makes me uncomfortable when Christian financial counselors focus on building wealth.  I just don't see that model in the Bible?

And then there is the insurance issue.  How much insurance do we really need...and if we over-insure everything do we really need to trust God?  I don't want to be that way.  In fact, I think we might consider very little home insurance when the bank doesn't own this place.  I just don't know if it is a wise expenditure.  Sure, we need enough to have another place but some folks have ridiculous policies on vehicles, boats, and animals.  Matthew 6:31-33  “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

There is plenty of scripture to warrant saving and scrimping:

Prov 6:6-8 Go to the ant, sluggard; consider her ways and be wise; who having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provides her food in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest. 

Proverbs 13:11  Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Proverbs 21:5  "The plans of the diligent lead to profit, as surely as haste leads to poverty."

Proverbs 13:22 "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous."          but is he really referring to money?  not sure?  

Luke 14:28--"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?"           Yes, this makes since to most...don't put on credit cards what you can't afford.

Luke 16:11  "If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?"        Yup, we have to figure it out.     

Prov 27:23 Know well the face of your flocks; and pay attention to your herds.   Yup, we need to know what we have to work with and where it is going.  

1 Corinthians 16:2  On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.

Psalm 112:5
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. 

But there is more possibly about not saving so much...

"We've missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable. We are settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves."  David Platt, Radical

"This is the unavoidable conclusion of Matthew 10. To everyone wanting a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger, stay away from Jesus."  Platt, Radical

According to David, “the dangerous assumption we unknowingly accept in the American dream is that our greatest asset is our own ability. The American dreams prizes what people can accomplish when they believe in themselves and trust in themselves, and we are drawn toward such thinking. But the gospel has different priorities. The gospel beckons us to die to ourselves and to believe in God and to trust His power.” Pg. 46.  

ROI: Return On Investment is something that we hear about often.  But, is there a plan B for telling folks how to get to heaven while I am investing in getting my house paid off?

David writes, “God has made a way of salvation for the lost, and people cannot come to God apart from faith in Christ...If more than a billion of people today are headed to a Christlesss eternity and have not even  heard the gospel, then we don’t have time to waste our lives on an American dream.” (pg.157)

Quote: God won’t ever say, “I wish you would have kept more for yourself.”

Then, there are those who just want to give some money to their own...citing this verse:

¹⁰ So then, ^gas we have opportunity, let us ^hdo good to everyone, and especially to those who are ⁱof the household of faith.  Gal 6:10   Still, the  Great Commission is for all believers and not just those who are "called" and not just those who are in America...and if you are going to give them the gospel then they can't be also hungry and thirsty and sick?  Matt. 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.   and...

James 2:15-16

If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 

Another author that influenced me in this are is Randy Alcorn and his book The Treasure Principle.  

Fifteen percent of Christ's teachings in the New Testament deal with money and possessions, more than his teachings on heaven and hell combined.   Alcorn compares heavenly treasure, which lasts forever, with earthly riches, which will die with us.  He says that clearly amassing wealth and being full have not made Americans completely happy! 

Deuteronomy 15:10
Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

Proverbs 3:27
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. 

Proverbs 21:26
…the righteous gives and does not hold back.
Proverbs 22:9
He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.

Proverbs 28:27

He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses. 

Luke 3:11
And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.”
Luke 6:30
Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.
Acts 20:35
In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Romans 12:8
…Or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.  Not sure saving up qualifies there....so I suppose it matters what you are saving for...

I guess this issue with how to manage what I'm giving/keeping is just something I am going to constantly evaluate.  I am just going to keep working through and praying about how it will flesh out in our lives...

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5

Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where theives break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  

You've got a Friend....

 Today we were riding to a park and Je-Je was lamenting that no friends were meeting us there to play.  I said, "Now that really hurts our feelings Je-je."  Cay chimes in without missing a beat, "you've got a friend sitting right behind you." 

I LOVED IT!  Amen!  They did go and make friends with EACH OTHER!!  I was amazed at how empty the park was and then I went by a karate studio (there was seriously nowhere to park) that was all packed out and had a realization that most kids are totally "programmed" after school. I am glad we just played together today. 

Our last spring babies came and we ended up with 5 boys and 5 girls.

Mr. Bo

Jeb and Copper

Jonas made a fun swing at the creek!

my happy boy

I was SO SORE AFTER THIS...I am getting old.

Uncle Jacob finally got up the nerve to trust our Wal-mart rope.

LOVES TO FISH!

These kids are living to fish!  They caught 51 minnows the other night while I was grading papers-wow!

sleeping in the big girl bed!  She is growing up fast!  Her pink and purple butterfly bedding is now in there and she is loving the freedom and the purple sheets!

 Seems like so many sad things are going on around us in the world.  I was reading Habakkuk this week and the prophet really has some complicated and tough questions for God.  I was glad to be in the company of someone asking questions...but I liked his final thoughts on God's answers:

Habakkuk 3

New International Version (NIV)

Habakkuk’s Prayer

3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.^[a]

² Lord, I have heard of your fame;
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
    in our time make them known;
    in wrath remember mercy.

³ God came from Teman,
    the Holy One from Mount Paran.^[b]
His glory covered the heavens
    and his praise filled the earth.
⁴ His splendor was like the sunrise;
    rays flashed from his hand,
    where his power was hidden.
⁵ Plague went before him;
    pestilence followed his steps.
⁶ He stood, and shook the earth;
    he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
    and the age-old hills collapsed —
    but he marches on forever.
⁷ I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
    the dwellings of Midian in anguish.

⁸ Were you angry with the rivers, Lord?
    Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea
    when you rode your horses
    and your chariots to victory?
⁹ You uncovered your bow,
    you called for many arrows.
You split the earth with rivers;
¹⁰     the mountains saw you and writhed.
Torrents of water swept by;
    the deep roared
    and lifted its waves on high.

¹¹ Sun and moon stood still in the heavens
    at the glint of your flying arrows,
    at the lightning of your flashing spear.
¹² In wrath you strode through the earth
    and in anger you threshed the nations.
¹³ You came out to deliver your people,
    to save your anointed one.
You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
    you stripped him from head to foot.
¹⁴ With his own spear you pierced his head
    when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,
gloating as though about to devour
    the wretched who were in hiding.
¹⁵ You trampled the sea with your horses,
    churning the great waters.

¹⁶ I heard and my heart pounded,
    my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
    and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
    to come on the nation invading us.
¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

Spring Kiddin'

Proud Papa

Come over and play at the farm one day and see the new babes on the farm this spring!  We'll be here Sat, April 21st most of the day for you to visit some of our babies, collect some eggs and visit other critters around here.   We are also hoping to buy a few goats for people who need a goat for more than a pet.   Jeb is also collecting donations at farm visits this spring to send to a Haitian Goat Project: 

http://fohomissions.org/2.html

The goat project helps Haitians by teaching them to use their natural environment to raise goats, giving them much-needed protein. The Goat Project is designed to help Haitians develop skills to raise livestock themselves as well as instill in them the need to help each other and give back to their community. 

The process begins when someone sends $45 to purchase a female goat which is given to a family which has been trained in caring for a goat (vaccinating for parasites, trimming hooves and proper feeding). The female is bred and the first kid is kept by the family. The second kid born is given back to the community and goes to another family. the third kid is kept and the fourth is given back. The cycle continues. Under this plan, new families receive goats and the original family is able to build its herd.  Male goats are usually sold and the money is used to purchase new female goats.

Marv travels throughout  Haiti several times per year to vaccinate and trim the hooves of the project goats as well as teach the families how to repeat the process.

Traveling is most difficult in the Southern regions because the only access is through long and winding rivers. There is a very short period in late winter which is dry enough to travel.  One must ford the rivers 27 times! Often times there are many other animals not associated with our project that show up for the vaccinations.  Since our ultimate goal is to help as many Haitians as possible find Jesus as well as the means to a better life, Marv attempts to vaccinate as many of these non-program animals as possible.

There are over 55 churches that participate in our goat project.

Marv's home church in Spring Arbor, MI, has celebrated Jesus' birthday the past several years by publishing a 'wish list' of gifts that Jesus would probably choose.  A goat for a Haitian family was on the list and was a favorite gift for families with children! 

Last year their Vacation Bible School has a contest between boys and girls to raise the most money for a designated mission project.  The children bring pop cans and loose change. Several years ago, FOHO's Goat Project was chosen as the recipient.  Every time $45 was raised, another paper goat was hung on the wall amidst lost of cheering.             It was especially fun to deliver all those goats!

Being a middle child is tough.

Redneck Girl--Jeb's pick

Little Dan, Little Ann and Redneck Girl.

Mable