Evidences of God's Grace....

Oh, where to begin?!?!

I could begin with the "good news," however I am learning that even what appears to be "not-so-good" is in fact, good for me...in light of the Giver. For me, it's all good. That being said, here's what's been happening on the adoption front:

Admittedly for a while, it seemed nothing was happening. Still no word from China that our dossier and Emmy Xiang's file had been moved to the match room. Still no request for us to download that coveted TP2 and begin the process to order visas to enter China and prepare for travel. Still no word on when our passports would be done. Still no update on our precious child waiting for us in China (does she even know we exists???). Still no work on our quilt to welcome Emmy Xiang.

But we continued to pray and wait. I must say that waiting is hard. God knows that. He's filled His Book with words of encouragement to wait, to trust, to not grow weary, to love and to serve. I've been challenged to do those things...really do those things in my heart, as well as in deed. God has been faithful to provide encouragement in His word, through songs and to provide so many people to encourage me, even if it was just their cheerful, positive always-looking-to-the-sunny- side response to what I interpreted to be not-so-good news. I have prayed again and again that God would give me that"sunny side" attitude, both in my heart and in my outward response, my countenance and my actions. He is doing a major work in me. I struggle, but I am seeing His empowering my responses.

So, you may wonder...has anything changed? Yes. There is much good news...many evidences of His grace for which to praise Him:

1. As I alluded to, I have changed (thanks be to God), and I continue to change. God is meeting me and teaching me in my morning quiet times, through worship, through relationships, through conflict...through living life... so much more about Him and His faithfulness, His kindness, His care and His goodness.

2. We are "purty cert'n" (translation for non-Southern folk: "pretty certain") that we will not be traveling to China to bring home Emmy Xiang in August...or September...or even October. (By the way, this very statement is my largest temptation for struggling with discontent!) Since even today, we've still no word from China, and since the amount of time required between that "word" and when we travel is almost such that to get "there and back again" (to borrow a familiar phrase from a favorite author, Tolkien) by the end of September is fleeting...the likelihood of us traveling then is waning. Most people adopting children from Guangdong province do not travel in October due to a national holiday the first week of October and the Canton Trade Fair, which is held the last two weeks of October in the very city where we will stay for 14-16 days of our adoption trip. So......if families don't get "there and back again" by the end of September, they wait 'til November. That looks like us.

So how is that "good"? Only God knows for sure. But I have seen a few positives even with my own faulty vision:

• more time to prepare (financially, spiritually, physically - have I mentioned that I am practically an exercise drop-out...need prayer here!)
• time for more of our school year to be solidified and running smoothly before we travel (we started homeschooling again this week...still not full steam, but started!)
• it should be cooler in Guangzhou then (I've heard that in the summer in GZ it is hotter and more humid than even Central Florida in the dog days of August, if you can imagine...yuck!)
• maybe we'll finish the quilt before she comes home????
  
• maybe it will even be less expensive (don't know about this one, but I can hope!)
• more time to wait for those passports before we have to harrass the US Passport folks!
• I'm sure there are more....but those are the obvious ones!

3. We continue to receive prayers and wishes and fabric from our dear family and friends to make Emmy Xiang's quilt. I can't wait to post and show some of them as we construct. We are so blessed (and EX especially!) to have loved ones who extend care to one that we've not even seen with our own eyes. THAT is an expression of God's goodness.

4. Our agency has requested an update on Emmy Xiang. Please be praying that the orphanage director and those "in the know" would respond with much information about our precious girl!

5. We got an email that the passports are being mailed. I repeat...we got an email that the passports are being mailed. Praise God!

Join me in thanking Our God for His goodness to me, to our family...though I deserve it not. How great is Our God!