gloriART

I am a big fan of really pretty art pieces, and an even bigger fan of art that is created to serve the Kingdom. I love to see people use their gifts to glorify God, which makes me wonder sometimes what my gift is!  But seriously, my friend Brooke is working hard to raise money for a mission trip to India.  This is a precious family that loves Jesus and is excited to see the Gospel spread to the nations.  It's a beautiful picture.

The funds earned through Brooke's Etsy shop will help them get to India, BUT she has offered to a deal to get Gia home too!  Seriously, I get blown away on a weekly basis when I think about all the people who love Gia already and are doing everything in their power to help.  I cannot thank you all enough!

So here's a taste of what you can find on Brooke's shop...

She will also make custom pieces, so get in touch with her fast and get your order in.  10% of all orders/purchases through February will help bring Gia home, just make sure you tell her you heard about it through my blog or my Facebook.  The rest will send this sweet family to India.  It's a win win!  

Brooke is letting this AUsome piece be 100% Gia profit.  :)  There's also an Alabama one coming too.  Go to gloriART and buy it now!

Sending Hugs

and she certainly is

This was such a good follow up to Kevin's text yesterday.  It was like God saying, "Yes, she is beautiful, and I want you to enjoy it."

We are so giddy today!

Sending Hugs

just a text

to me, from Kevin

Make me melt.


Sending Hugs

what is love?

My husband is so smart.  Beyond his years wise.  I love listening to him preach and teach, and when he writes it never ceases to amaze me.  Here's an article being featured in CCM magazine (this month?).   This blog is dedicated to our adoption, so the only reason this makes the cut is because he talks about Gia.  ;)




"What is Love? (Baby, don't hurt me..)"

Well, one thing is for sure... Love is definitely NOT the oh-so-popular SNL "Night at the Roxbury" piece. It's much more. But as silly as that Will Ferrel bit may be, some of our own views of love might be equally as silly.

Think about it. In the US, it's impossible to cognitively reflect on the day February 14 without seeing the color pink, smelling roses and thinking about the taste of those little candy hearts with (for the most part) lame statements on them. By the way, who really says the things those hearts say? If you're a DUDE reading this and you talk like that, c'mon down to Alabamer and lemme take you fishin' after we go four wheeler riding through the woods. (My attempt at trying to sound redneck.)

Don't read me wrong. I'm not one of those that wants to virtually ignore all 'secular' holidays. In fact, it is rather sad that even in our own faith, Valentine's Day is rather necessary because many of our own grown men within the Church are so pathetic at romanticizing their brides that this is the one REAL date of the year she will actually get, so God forbid my little voice robs her of that. And on that note, husbands, take this from a guy who's not remotely close to being the husband he wants to be, but nonetheless trying: Love. Your. Bride. Woo her. Tell her she's beautiful. Pray for her and over. Thank God daily for her. She ought to be the most precious and valuable asset of your existence outside of Jesus. And do me a favor while you're at it. Read (better yet, memorize) Ephesians 5:25-33 about ten times through and ask God to give you the grace to live that out for the rest of the days He gives you.

I do want to answer the question, though, because I think we can. "What is love?" Well, it is the greatest Cirque du Soleil Vegas show of all time, honoring my favorite band, The Beatles. While that's technically true, I'm really just making sure you're still paying attention. Read on.

Love is the story of the gospel. Love, in fact, IS the gospel. But not in a philosophical or metaphorical way, so that we can all get along and feel good about ourselves. Love is the fulfillment of God's plan to reconcile to Himself all things, so that He might display Himself in the very way that he chose to do so. That is, infinitely glorious. Holy. Set apart. God ordained and set into motion love through the hero of the story, Jesus. Jesus changed everything, and still today, is continually changing everything. He lived the life we could only dream to live, loved the way we could at best wish for, died a death we could never remotely imagine, and conquered Satan, sin and death by raising Himself from the grave three days after hanging on a tree. The cross is love.

I'm writing this piece around the time of something very special for me, and I pray that as the years go on I will understand this love I'm writing about all the more. You see, as I write these closing thoughts, it is actually my little girl's first birthday, and I haven't even held her once, but I love her to death. I have yet to even meet her, but I cherish her like there's no tomorrow. Confused? Well, our daughter still lives where she was born, in South Korea. Malerie and I, as two excited adoptive parents, are begging God to get us to her ASAP, but trusting that He knows best at this whole 'being in control' thing. And I think He's letting us learn love in a whole new way through this journey.

You can't convince me that we're able to have such deep love and affection for our baby outside of the love of Jesus. Adoption is God's idea in the first place. There can be an argument made that it is as close to the heart of God (or closer) as natural childbirth. After all, what does He call us, His most prized in creation? He calls us adopted. Adoption is first a vertical love that puts into motion a horizontal love, and we consider ourselves blessed to be called to answer the charge of James 1:27 in such a real and tangible way:

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

While not of all us will be called to adopt, all of us as believers are indeed called to something ABOUT adoption. I challenge you to ask God how you are to be apart of the adoption world. It will bless your life.

So love this month. Love away. Love God. Love your spouse. Love your family and your friends and your neighbors. And love those little candy hearts. Just remember, you love Him because He first loved you.

~Kevin





Sending Hugs

valentine photo shoot

Did you know Gia's middle name will be Love?  It's only appropriate that we celebrate the holiday of Love with a Gia fundraiser.

I know you've heard me talk about the wonderful work of Page Dollar before, right?  Well, she's volunteering her services again for the sake of bringing Gia home.  Here are a couple of my favorite pics from a shoot we did with her back in October.

Snag a time FAST and get your own personal photoshoot scheduled.

Want some awesome family pics? Or maybe a lovebird shoot with your sweetie? What about baby pictures? Sign up for a one hour photoshoot for only $100. Every penny will help bring home sweet baby Gia Love! Dates are listed below....first come, first served! Jan 28  3:00-4:00--booked (Hickman) Feb 1 1:00-2:00--booked (Ferrill) Feb 3 1:00-2:00 Feb 3 2:00-3:00 Feb 3 3:00-4:00--booked (Hammond) Feb 4 1:00-2:00 Feb 4 2:00-3:00 Feb 4 3:00-4:00 Feb 8 1:00-2:00 Feb 8 2:00-3:00 Feb 8 3:00-4:00 Feb 10 1:00-2:00 Feb 10 2:00-3:00 Feb 10 3:00-4:00--booked (Barnettes) Feb 11  1:00-2:00--booked (McKay) Feb 11  2:00-3:00--booked (Webster) Feb 11  3:00-4:00--booked (Wilson) Feb 12  TBA--booked (James) Sending Hugs

happy birthday

Today is Gia's first birthday!

I had big plans for today, but, as God does sometimes, those are on the back burner for while.  My dream was (and maybe still is) to have family enjoy a Korean meal with us so we can document this milestone, even though she isn't with us.  I also wanted to have her room ready this month as part of her birthday celebration.

Instead, we have new plans.

We recently got word that our best case scenario for her coming home is this summer, but that we should plan to travel January 2013.  Now, I know I made a big deal out of us praying to travel in April and I still plan to have that kind of faith!  If God wants her to come home this year, He'll make it happen.  But I have to say that I'm eerily at peace with waiting another year.  If you ask me about it tomorrow I might have a different answer, but God's been nice enough to grace me with peace for now.

Whenever I have to wait a long time for something to happen, I try to plan little events leading up to it.  For example, when Kevin used to travel for weeks upon weeks at a time, I would plan small home projects to pass the time.  As a kid, I would make construction paper chains to tear each day leading to Christmas.  I'm telling you, I have to engage my brain in something or I'll go nuts!  This is no different.  Gia potentially not being home this year is a bummer, but I'm already thinking of things to do each month to make the time pass.  I haven't gotten far in my planning, and Kevin isn't 100% aware of this little adventure of mine, but I think it will be very fun, not to mention productive.

For this month I'd say our goal is to get the 5K underway.  Next month we may decide to get her closet cleaned out and painted.  We'll just take it one month at a time.

Another thing I thought about was our house selling.  With a new baby, it will be near impossible to prepare a house to sell, so I'm thinking we take the next few months and get serious about any home improvement projects that need to happen prior to her arrival.

And let's not forget the fundraising.  Oh, the fundraising.  Seriously, might be the death of me.

So, Happy Birthday, Gia! A friend posted on FB today that Gia will never have to celebrate a birthday as an orphan, even if she doesn't know us as parents yet.  I just love that.  Gia never had a birthday where she wasn't loved and wanted and prayed for.

Kevin's tweet today summed up our thoughts for this sweet baby.  We pray her life makes much of Jesus.  Her story of being an orphan rescued is a good place to start, since that's what we all are as believers.

Sending Hugs

bogo

Buy an adoption shirt and get one free!  I'm not sure how long we will do this sale, so act now!

Let's get Gia home.

poems

I found these on American Adoption's website tonight, and they melted me.

Legacy of an Adopted Child

Once there were two women who never knew each other.
One you do not remember, the other you call mother.
Two different lives, shaped to make your one...
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.
The first gave you life and the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love, and the second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name.
One gave you a seed of talent, the other gave you an aim.
One gave you emotions, the other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried your tears.
One gave you up ... that's all she could do.
The other prayed for a child and God led her straight to you.
And now you ask me, through your fears,
the age old question unanswered throughout the years...
Heredity or environment, which are you the product of?
Neither, my darling … neither.
Just two different kinds of love.

~ Author Unknown ~

Dear Birth Mother

You gave a gift,
A brand-new life,
Tiny and sweet,
A blessing indeed.
A baby girl,
Precious and small,
An answer to prayer,
No joy can compare.
No more empty arms,
I'm thrilled like no other.
You chose life and
Made me a mother.
Thank you so much
For this precious gift,
For being God's answer
to my prayers and tears.

A Special Bond of Love

A poem of thanks to a birth mother.
Once strangers, not knowing of each other,
God brought us together
To share a special bond of love
With a sweet little girl named Sarah.
You may never understand the pain
Or know the tears I cried.
My heart's desire was for a child
To nurture, love, and guide.
I may never understand the pain
Or know the tears you cried.
You said good-bye to this precious child,
Entrusting me to nurture, love, and guide.
I see your face in her pretty smile,
And love in her sparkling eyes.
She's the answer to countless prayers,
A blessing to many lives.
No longer strangers,
We share a special bond of love
With a very precious gift
From our God above.

I also found a money tracker thingy that I added to the blog tonight.  I started it from what we have left to raise, which is why it only shows $200 progress right now.  We are actually about $8000 deep so far.  Anyway, it's a fun way for you all to keep up with us and for us to be inspired as the money grows.

Sending Hugs