THAT Good

Sometimes to truly enjoy your food, it needs to be a full body experience!

I'm kind of sad I've never had yogurt THAT good...

Adoption Cousins

(This is our April post at No Hands But Ours!)

 

"Where are you from?
What do you do?
What church do you go to?"

     These are the socially acceptable questions everyone asks when meeting someone new. The answers define who the person is standing in front of you and the kind of relationship you may have with them.  But, since starting down the Adoption Road, there is an entirely new group of people in my life that I love and consider dear friends but in the traditional sense, I know nothing about them!

 

     I'm thinking specifically of our adoption travel group. Eight families that didn't meet until in a Beijing hotel lobby, jet lagged, sweaty & a bit nervous. (Clearly at our finest!)  We identified each other across the room & quickly started pulling out photos and sharing our adoption stories. I was shocked to hear MY testimony coming from the lips of these strangers; the same miracles, the same provision, the same calling for this sweet one they've only held in their heart.  The same God.

     Truly, we spent very little time with each other while in China. Three days in Beijing desperate to get to our kids and a week in Guangzhou equally desperate to get our kids back home. Yet 20 months later, through the magic of the Internet, we still post pictures, share stories & prayer requests and celebrate adoption. But I don't know what they do (someone is a teacher, right?!), how long they've been married or even what church/denomination they belong to. (Gasp!). Not once have we discussed theological nuances, church politics or who is pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib. It just doesn't matter. In fact, I probably love them more because of the conversations we haven't had. Not that we have purposely avoided any church-life landmines, but none of that triviality defines the relationship we have with each other or our relationship with OUR Heavenly Father. What binds us together is the overwhelming awareness of God's adoption gospel in our lives. As a group of strangers from across the nation, we share the same story of emptying our bank accounts and flying across the planet to bring our children home & into our families. And in that precious moment on that excruciatingly hot August day in China when our children were finally placed in our arms, we didn't say a word, we didn't have to say it...we GOT it...Jesus DIED to get us home & into His family; and in all of the love (& tears!) that burst from our hearts for our new children on that day, how MUCH OVERWHELMINGLY MORE does our Lord love us?! This beautiful shared revelation, this Gospel thread that knits our families together, is really the only thing that matters. Together we are the forever children of the Most High and our children...are Adoption Cousins.

August 2012. Guangzhou, China

     The Apostle Paul clearly had the same experience in his travels through the early Church. People who GOT it: an intimate understanding that only in Christ is real unity of purpose and joy possible. We partake of the same Grace! Zip codes, salaries & church order don't diminish one ounce of that Truth. And if we don't see each other again on this earth, I am, like Paul says, 'confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in each of us & our new children will complete it until the day of Christ's return' (Phil 1:6). I am also confident we will be MUCH less jet lagged, sweaty & nervous!

     So to our Adoption Cousins, the Bamboo Families, and all the precious people we've met on this Adoption Road...

"I thank my God up on EVERY remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with JOY for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now..." (Phil 1:2-5)

 



The Night Before Easter

Our new favorite book this week...

The True Night Before Easter
By Timothy Penland

'Twas the night before Easter
Peter lay in his bed
He just couldn't sleep
For the thoughts in his head.

So much had happened
In the last several days.
Now it all ran together,
It seemed like a maze.

He met this man--Jesus
Through Andrew his brother
Jesus traveled the country
Along with his mother.

Some called Him the Christ

Some thought He was lazy,

Some said He was wise

Others said, "That man's crazy."

 

Wherever He went

Folks crowded the street,

When He stopped anywhere

Children flocked to his feet.

 

Most everyone liked Him

And thought He was good,

But a few got so mad

They'd kill if they could.

 

He healed many sick

Raised some that were dead,

Said, "Don't hate each other--

Love others instead!"

 

Then a few days ago

As He rode into town,

Many came out to greet Him,

Some even bowed down.

 

People laid down palm branches

Children sang joyful songs,

But the leaders were angry

They were scared of the throngs.

 

They said, "This man's evil"

They thought He should die,

They had a fake trial

And paid some men to lie.

 

Then they sent Him to Pilate

Saying, "Kill Him for us"

"It's you we will follow,

 It's you that we trust."

 

"Don't hurt this good man,"

Pilate heard from his wife.

So he tried to find some way

To save Jesus' life.

 

But the Chief Priest and scribes

Had started a riot.

The people were shouting

And would not be quiet.

 

They screamed, "Just kill Jesus

That's what you should do

You can blame it on us,

He's no King of the Jews."

 

Pilate finally gave in

He sent Jesus to die.

He'd be nailed to a cross

That was raised to the sky.

 

Jesus died on that day

And was laid in a tomb.

As Peter remembered

His heart filled with gloom.

 

He also recalled

That Jesus had said,

He would die for our sins

But he would not stay dead.

 

He said he was dying

To pay for our sin

And, that if He was right

They'd see Him again.

 

Now three days had passed,

Peter was there when He died.

And he started to wonder

If Jesus had lied.

 

Then just before dawn

He heard someone outside.

He wanted to see

But he thought he should hide.

 

When he went to the door

There stood his friend Mary

She was screaming & yelling

The story was scary.

 

She had been to the tomb

She shared what she found

The stone had been moved,

There was no one around.

 

Peter stood there bewildered

By what Mary said,

Then John yelled, "Let's see!"

And he took off ahead.

 

When they got to the tom

Both men went inside,

Jesus' body was gone

That could not be denied.

 

Mary also came back

To the garden grave

She was crying & sad

As she looked in the cave.

 

Then she noticed a man

A gardener she thought

She went to tell him

It was Jesus she sought.

 

The man looked at Mary

"Please help me!" she said

Then He whispered her name

And she lifted her head.

 

Could it really be Jesus?

Was He standing this close?

She just fell at His feet.

He's alive!  He arose!

 

He has risen! He has risen!

The disciples soon heard

And they told everyone

This glorious word!

 

Jesus died for our sins

But then he arose

He was really God's Son

Now everyone knows.

 

His promise is simple

His message is true

The tomb now is empty

He's alive just for you!

Happy Easter from us!

 

Tiny Tots

     It is a rare moment in our day when there isn't some sort of music playing in the house, the car, at church.  Isaac responds wonderfully to music--singing, dancing, worshiping, listening. He soaks it up. So much so that I've figured out ways to manipulate...I mean parent Isaac *wink* through music: "The Isaac at the table eats his food, eats his food, eats his food. The Isaac at the table eats his food, then he can play" (Thank you Wheels-On-The-Bus, inc.!) What can I say?  He eats. He plays. It works.

 

Day 3 as a family in China & he already was helping me with the ipod.

 

     We continue to attend Tiny Tots at the Seattle Symphony every other month. We are so blessed to be near such a creative early childhood music education program!  The fact that they integrate sign language with the music is icing on the cake. And it's a good opportunity to have a little date; get dressed up for an afternoon at the symphony and get a treat afterwards.

 



 

Still too small to keep the seat from eating him up!

 

     This month was Goldie Hands & the Three Bows: Goldie plays the piano and helps Papa Bow (string bass), Mama Bow (cello), and Baby Bow (violin) find the missing pieces to Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Good stuff!

Totally enthralled

     After the performance, Isaac sized up the three bows and marched right up to the string bass...and signaled for his photo to be taken! Goldie Hands ain't got nothing on my boy!

"Just me hanging with the string bass..."

 

The gracious musician let Isaac give him a few tips.

 

    I love seeing his face light up when he is experiencing something new he enjoys. I love it even more that he 'tells' me about it for days afterwards...he has been signing 'spring', 'summer', 'autumn', and 'winter' repeatedly at bedtime for nearly a week :)  And I am so very thankful that music is a language that  speaks to my boy's heart. Methinks piano lessons might be in our future!