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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Travel Group Reunion


We are off to spend the weekend with 6 of the 9 families we traveled to China with. The girls spent their first 8-10 months of their lives together in the same room of the orphanage. They are each so sweet and we are very thankful to have made life-long friends with their forever families.
I can't wait to see the girls together!! Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Piper #3


3. Adoption was blessed and is blessed with God’s pouring out a Spirit of sonship.

Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:6)

You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (Romans 8:15-16)

God does not leave us in the condition of aliens when he adopts us. He does not leave us with no feelings of acceptance and love. Rather, he pours his Spirit into our hearts to give us the experience of being embraced in the family. What is remarkable about these two texts is the term abba. It is an Aramaic word. Why then does Paul use it, transliterated, in these two letters written in Greek?

The answer is that it was the way Jesus spoke to his Father, in spite of the fact that virtually no one in Jewish culture referred to God with this endearing word abba. It stunned the disciples. They held onto it as a precious remnant of the very voice of Jesus in the language he spoke. In Mark 14:36, Jesus is in Gethsemane and prays, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Therefore, in adopting us, God give us the very Spirit of his Son and grants us to feel the affections of belonging to the very family of God.

In the mercy of God, in our families God works to awaken affections in adopted children for their parents that are far more than legal outcomes. They are deeply personal and spiritual bonds. Adopted children do not infer that they are our children by checking out the adoption papers. A spirit pervades our relationship that bears witness to this reality. Like the other children in the family, they all cry, “Daddy.”

Praise God that he give us both legal standing as his childrenand the very Spirit of his Son so that we find ourselves saying from a heart of deep conviction, “Abba, Father.”

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Humbled

No secret here...adoption, especially international adoption is very costly. We have been asked many times how much and WHY so much. The average being between (I am guessing) $19,000 and $28,ooo. The bulk being for fees, services, travels and care of the children and in some cases birthmothers. If interested, you can find out more about the specifics.

I am here to share the blessing of obedience in the midst of the unknown.


We were sincerely blessed last night at a community cook out. We had spoken with the owner of a small market close to our home earlier in the summer about teaming up for some pizza cards when he mentioned wanting to do a large cook out. He offered to donate a portion of the food sales to our MINUS 1 PROJECT! So, we planned some games with prizes ($.50) for the kids. We had a sweet neighbor donate a VT autographed football to raffle. We were humbled to watch people putting money in our jar without filling out a raffle ticket, paying $25.00 for their kids to play a couple of games (now those are some expensive silly bands!!), and writing a check for more than we could have ever expected! (Side note: we by no means live in Beverly Hills) These gifts came from students and working families. We have been humbled by several other "cheerful givers" such as these...DON'T ALLOW MONEY TO KEEP YOU FROM PURSUING ADOPTION. I have heard some say that God funds what He favors!!





























One of our desires is to pass on fundraising ideas...and to encourage you to start your family's
MINUS 1 PROJECT!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

(Not-so) Wordless Wednesday


Several weeks ago I showed Ethan a "Wordless Wednesday" picture on another blog. These are usually pictures that need no words...silly, meaningful or just cute! For the past several Wednesdays he has said to me, "Mom, wordless Wednesday" and I haven't done it.....until now! This one is for you, Ethan!!!

Monday, July 19, 2010

BIOMETRICS (fingerprints?)


We received our fingerprint appointment today! Looks like we will be planning a date to Charleston, WV. Anyone know of any fun outings in Charleston?


Sunday, July 18, 2010

Home again...


We had a great time at the beach last week. We went with my side of the family...which consists of 15 grandkids! All under the age of 13! Did I mention that there were 10 boys? You can imagine the amount of noise and laughter!!

It was so fun to watch all the kids playing and swimming together. We were happy that the girls liked the beach a bit more this year and I think the boys spent more time out of the house than in! We have a great family!!











































Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this- those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. Psalm 107:1

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Adoption Fundraising Raffle


We held our first fundraising raffle tonight at the boys' swim meet. We raffled off two awesome pairs of goggles (donated by The Swim Shop in Roanoke, VA) and a monogrammed beach towel from Cheathamchat.blogspot.com. They are selling these cute towels as a fundraiser to help bring home their child from Ethiopia. It was fun to have so many friends buy tickets and encourage us on our journey. HETHWOOD HURRICANES ROCK!!


The boys proudly showing their free bowling card for winning their heats!


I guess we will be planning a trip to the bowling alley soon. Don't you just LOVE those kind of prizes!! I am sure it will be fun, but for now we are planning our beach trip. We leave this weekend and can't wait to spend time with family. I'll be sure to post pictures from there!!







Tuesday, July 6, 2010

John Piper #2





Here is the second similarity from Piper's "Adoption: The Heart of the Gospel".

2. Adoption did (for God) and does (for us) involve the legal status of the child.

When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:4-6)

There were legal realities God had to deal with. His own justice and law demanded that we be punished and excluded from his presence for our sins. Righteousness was required and punishment demanded. God had to satisfy his justice and his law in order to adopt sinners into his family. This he did by the life, death, and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ.

This means that the status of being a son legally preceded the experience of the Spirit coming to give us the affections of sons. We are legally sons before we experience the joy of sonship. The object work of our salvation (two thousand years ago at Calvary) precedes and grounds the subjective experience of our salvation by the Spirit today.

So it is with our adopting children today: The legal transactions precede and under gird the growth of family feelings. If the legal red tape seems long and hard, keep in mind that this tape is not yet red with your blood, but Jesus satisfied all the legal demands precisely by shedding his blood.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Lindsey's Day





We had a great time celebrating Lindsey's "gotcha" day with family at my parent's lake house. I felt a bit teary all day just remembering the emotions of that day and the overwhelming thankfulness I feel on a daily basis that she is our daughter!!

2010

2009

2008

Thursday, July 1, 2010

LINDSEY'S "GOTCHA" DAY!!

GOD SETS THE LONELY IN FAMILIES. PSALM 68:6

Three years ago today in Chonqing, China, God set the most precious baby girl in our family. Our family was forever changed that day! I am so thankful that we said "yes" to His plan....Lindsey Fu, you have changed us for the better. We love you so very much!