Let me introduce you to some friends of ours… our youth group is always asking us how we know so many people. Everywhere we go there is always someone in the crowd that we rush to, scream loudly at, and hug and talk forever. Well the reason that we know so many people is that we are old. Old people know lots of people because they have needed lots of help through years. Truthfully we are surrounded by great friends all over the world! We have some great friends from Florida that are the proud parents of 4 bouncy teenagers from Ukraine. Three handsome sons and one pink princess of a daughter. You must meet them and read their blog today! You have the rare privilege of being in on the first steps of these precious teens… not physical walking, but spiritual walking. In the words of our pastor, Bro. Randy, “If this don’t light your fire, then your wood is wet!”
What’s a Radooga June 28, 2008
O.K. lets get the time-line here
2000: Jerry & Jan take the youth group to a new camp called Student Life and it is WONDERFUL!
2001: Jerry & Jan continue to take the youth to Student Life camps during the summers and they try out a Student Life Tour in the winter and LOVE IT!
2005: Jerry & Jan & the youth group attend a Student Life Tour where a Reach Orphans With Hope video shows and the idea of helping orphans has an outlet of ministry.
2005: Jerry & Jan help during a summer program and God begins to expand their family.
2005-present: Adoption drama and finally we get a date to complete the adoption but its the fall of this year!
2008: Jerry & Jan travel to Ukraine to look at Radooga Ministries in hopes that the youth group can do a missions project in Ukraine next year and also to check on the kids because it was reported there was a desperate situation that needed our attention.
2008: Jerry & Jan’s kiddos from Ukraine are scheduled to arrive for a summer visit and the visas don’t get printed before the plane leaves and thus the kids are stuck in Kiev at a “Bible college of sorts”
TODAY: Jerry & Jan call Yana to check in on the kids and find out that everyone got “STUCK” at a …. DRUM ROLL… RADOOGA SUMMER CAMP FOR ORPHANS AND OUR FRIEND GREY HALL FROM REACH ORPHANS WITH HOPE IS ALSO THERE WITH THEM!!!
** check out the site ** http://www.radooga.com/main/
RIGHT NOW: Jerry & Jan are truly humbled and thankful and can hear God laughing right now as He opens our eyes to what He had planned all a long.
Jan’s prayer last night was to have a genuine GOD moment and to see the reign of God in all this circumstance – WOW what a moment!!!
What now – pray – pray for everything that God has planned for them to happen, pray for salvation, pray for freedom, pray for renewal, pray for openness, pray for hope, pray for forgiveness, pray for peace, pray for vision, pray for love, pray for breaking of emotional bondage, pray for the knowledge of safety, pray for physical health, pray that our kids see God’s awesome love for them and that they come face to face with Jesus and just like us can say – we serve a truly AWESOME GOD!!!
Does anybody hear Jesus coming? June 27, 2008
It is 11:30pm on the night my kids were supposed to arrive. Key word being SUPPOSED! They did not arrive tonight. As the story goes the US Embassy in Ukraine would not print the visas they needed (which they submitted correctly and on time) and as a result they could not make their flight. We have had an entire day of “government official policy” bashing. Why is it perfectly alright if the government is late with anything they are supposed to do for us, but if we are late with anything to them we get penalties. For example – what if you mailed your taxes a week late because they weren’t the next thing in line to be printed? I can tell you what would happen – penalties. What if you were supposed to show up for jury duty and just couldn’t get your scheduled arranged so you showed up three days later, what would happen – penalties. We have diligently sent in all paperwork (almost 100 pages to be exact) as requested, to the correct address, and on time. What has been the government’s response – we will get around to it when we can. One document that was desperately needed was actually SITTING on a government official’s desk ready to be mailed but they refused to mail it any earlier so that we could get it on time to send to Ukraine. After 47 emails later they did “allow” us to come to the office and pick it up the next morning and a 2 hour drive later. What ever happened to our government working FOR us and not AGAINST us. Can you hear the frustration as I type and bang loudly on the keys. You know that helps – to bang loudly on the keys. Well, that and about a tub and a half of chocolate. Anyway, where are the kids you say – well they are staying at a Bible college in Ukraine waiting to see if Delta Airlines can get them seats on any flights before July 3rd. They are safe and cared for and I am sure having a good time, I just wish they were here. I want to be able to say that I am really looking at this through the eyes of faith, but to be honest I am more like Mary when she saw Jesus after her brother had already died. At first Mary, who only weeks earlier was content to be listening to His every word at His feet, didn’t even go out to meet Him. She just stayed with the mourners in the house while Martha went to meet Him on the road. Mary’s first response when she saw Him -
Oh, Master I am so glad you came – NO
Oh, Master you are here to do a miracle for us aren’t you – NO
Oh, Master I have the faith that you are here and this is all in Your timing – N0
Basically her response was “If you had gotten here when we called my brother would still be alive”. Be careful and don’t look down a religious nose at Mary. She expressed her honest emotion; how she felt and her humanity. I understand today a fraction of what she felt. All day long I have been saying to God “You are God, You didn’t have to let this happen, You are God in Ukraine, You didn’t show up on time and now my kids are still not here.” and that is the truth. To be honest it was even hard to pray. Well, what happens with the story of Mary -
Jesus yells at her for being a brat – NO
Jesus turns around in anger and leaves her there in her doubt – NO
Jesus punishes her and points out all her faults – NO
Jesus feels her pain and weeps for the situation and prepares to glorify God. He identifies with Mary and slowly today He is reminding me that He too received undeserved “government penalties” and My prayer is that right now he is weeping for hearts and souls of these precious children and my deepest prayer is that He is preparing to glorify God by doing a miracle – perhaps what is happening at that Bible college is actually beginning to, well bring their hearts back from the dead. The tables turned on Mary – first Jesus told Martha to sit and pay attention like Mary, but now in this portion Jesus is telling Mary to fix her brother something to eat – to get busy. Jesus had done what her heart was really needing – not to come early, but to show up late and reveal His power. And now, well now it was time to join in and act. What will I do tomorrow – maybe edge some more stepping stones with a butcher knife, or hang some curtains, or make some pillows for the porch furniture. I don’t know but I am now going to bed and to listen for Jesus coming, later than expected, and hopefully ready to open a few tombs. Soups on, just waiting for the Master to show up.
Love to all and feeling your prayers – Jan
Twas the night before… June 26, 2008
Twas the night before the kids arrive
and all through the house
everyone was movin’ and grovin’
Even Jerry was hummin’ about!
The new clothes were hung in the closets with care
while undies were folded (like they will really care).
I with my butcher knife and Dad with his list;
his summer’s visit is sure to be the best.
What do my wondering ears do I hear
but the sound of flushing toilets with no one in there.
I rush to the bathroom and throw open the door.
“Oh my word, there is water pouring onto the floor!”
I hurry to get Jerry, “Mr. Handy” he’s called
I rush like lightening straight down the hall.
The toilet was round and white and so cold,
as the water poured freely from its porcelain bowl.
Jerry rushed quickly to the shut off knob,
and to the mop I did hasten for the clean up job.
“What should we do, who should we call?”
“The Roach Boys!” replied Jerry, “They fix it all.”
Only in this part of the world can you find
the Roach plumber boys any ole’ time.
Quickly they came to our house in the trees.
On flusher, on piping, on they came with ease.
One in the bathroom, the other down stairs,
They quickly resolved the problem with plenty of time to spare.
“Rush to the other bathrooms!” I did say.
“See if any others are in need of repair right away!”
The eldest Roach brother began calling them one by one
This one needs new flushy things and so it was done.
The second Roach brother looked at number three.
This ‘un needs new guts too and a new flappy thing.
Quickly and speedily they repaired those commodes
until nothing but the sound of happy flushing was heard in our abode.
I can still hear their words as they drove out of sight,
Happy plumbing to all and to all a good night!!
Butcher Knives Make GREAT Lawn Edgers June 25, 2008
Well, it has hit. That dreaded time when moms-to-be get the uncontrollable urge to clean and tidy up everything in site. They call it “nesting” and I am in full nest mode. I don’t know why we do it, you know those ridiculous, totally unnecessary, ultra-germaphobic, cleaning tasks. Things like washing the outside of the house with Palmolive and a scrub brush. That was yesterday’s task. I just really felt as if it should be done, I mean there was dirt on theoutside of the house. Then, well the clean house just made the porch furniture look really dirty, soooo it needed painting. Well once the porch furniture was painted well then there was the matter of the stepping stones. Oh, the stepping stones. We have battled overthe stones. I love them, Jerry and his mower do not. I don’t really know what the problem is because everytime I mow I just drive right over the suckers. Hey, the flying sparks are exciting and the blades are getting sharpened also. Not Jerry, no he weed-eats around them and I am pretty sure he says ugly things while he is doing it, but I can’t fully read lips yet. Well, needless to say Jerry has not done his husbandly duty in caring for the stepping stones. The grass has really began to overtake them; I am sure it is a plot to destroy them. So, after painting every stick of porch furniture I could locate I decided that it was time to tackle the stepping stones. I put my genius mind to work – what could edge the grass from the stones and once again reveal their beauty. You are thinking a lawn edger, right? Well me too, but we don’t own one. There is a reason for that and its called Jerry. There have been times in our marriage when I felt that putting up a “Wildlife Reserve” sign in our yard would be the best alternative. I think Jerry is hoping that deer, elephants and lions will begin livingand bedding down in the yard. Anyway, we have just the bare basics so a lawn edger is just a dream. Well what else – I have my trusty old butcher knife. Yes, I did go into my kitchen and pull out the butcher knife and begin to edge the stepping stones. By the way, it worked marvelously. It just sliced right through the invading grass to reveal beautiful stone released from its chlorophyll prison. I just kept cutting, and trimming until every stone was perfect. As I stood back and looked over my triumph I realized thatI was a total nut. I had just spent several minutes on my hands and knees in my yard with a butcher knife trimming grass. What kinda of loony does that – the nesting kind. All you moms out there you know you have a similar story to tell. Some crazy job that just had to be done before the baby arrived, or in my case the teenagers arrive. Its preparation, even if its ridiculous. It means I am at the end of the real things to worry about. Everything that can be done has been done. Their home is ready. I have a feeling that Jesus is familiar with nesting; He’s been doing it ever since He returned to the Father. He said He was preparing a place for us. I encourage Jerry that in heaven he won’t be in charge of lawn care because it says plainly that you CAN see the streets of gold. I wonder, is Jesus still doing the big stuff in preparation or has He gotten down to trimming the grass with a knife because everything else is ready. Well, whatever the case may be, I want Him to find me busy. So today as I lined each trash can with spring scented trash bags. Did you know they now make scented trash bags? Tomorrow, well maybe its time to re-grout the tile, or hand buff the hardwood, or make new living room curtains. Who knows, but give me my kitchen utensils and I’ll be ready!
“Mama, just think about the happy things, that’s what I do.” June 24, 2008
Oh, to have the faith of my child. I pray daily that I do nothing that would bring my “grown-up” faithlessness into Jon’s world of unhindered faith in the goodness of God. As we were coming back from picking him up from his friends, Josh and Joe’s, house I sighed and Jerry asked what was wrong. I began to just worry – you know everything that COULD go wrong – one of the kids could get snake bit, someone might get struck by lightening, a tidal wave could hit the house, and my daughter could be miserable the entire trip and never want to return. Of all the worries I can manage to dream up the last afore mentioned is the one at the very center of my heart. For those of you who have been with us for these many, many, many moons you know that my daughter is, well, having some trouble. I am so angry at the fact that this precious, beautiful, talented, creature of God has more baggage to deal with than Lindsey Lohan ever dreamed about and none of it is her fault. I guess I am worried about being an adequate “baggage handler”. Then out of the mouth of my sweet little baby boy came the words that began to release some of the fear in my heart – “Mama, just think about the happy things, that’s what I do.” I began to hear Dr. Travis in my New Testament classes start singing “Count Your Many Blessings”. Do we really and fully appreciate the love God has for our children? I began to think of all the things that God had told me before this day. I have a habit of dog earing my Bible on pages that God uses to really guide me – so I headed back there to find some “happy things” Here are a few of these – hope you can think of some happy things as well.
Psalm 22: 24 – For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He did not hide His face from him, but listened when he cried to Him for help. - This verse came to me as I was pondering if God really listened to all these orphaned children.
Psalm 25: 7 – Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with Your faithful love, remember me because of Your goodness, Lord. - God gave me this verse as I was dealing with memories of the past and wondering if my past was reason for God not allowing the adoption to happen sooner.
Mark 7: 37 – They were extrememely astonished and said, “He has done everything well! He even makes deaf people hear, and people unable to speak, talk!” – I received this verse as I was praying for my daughter to be able to open up to me and talk about her hurts and for her to be able to really hear what I have to say to her about my love for her.
Numbers 14: 8-9 – If the Lord is pleased with us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and give it to us. Only don’t rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land, for we will devour them. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us. Don’t be afraid of them! – God gave me this as we were going to visit my daughter and son after being given bad news and I was extrememly afraid of the power others could posses over us and our family. Needless to say God was in every aspect of the trip and it proved to be wonderfuland fruitful.
Psalm 35:10 – My very bones will say, “Lord, who is like You, rescuing the poor from one too strong for him. the poor or the needy from one who robs him?” - again a verse about our trip and my aching for my kids past hurts.
Deuteronomy 30:4 – Even if your exiles are at the ends of the earth, He will gather you and bring you back from there. The Lord your God will bring you into the land your fathers possessed, and you will take possession of it. He will cause you to prsper and multiply you more than He did your fathers. – I was given this verse as I thought of my own mom and dad’s obedience in adopting me and how my mom talks about how blessed she is with the adoption of grandchildren.
Psalm 71: 6 – I have leaned on You from birth: You took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is always about You. - This verse has such a different meaning for an adopted child – God DID take me from my mother’s womb and placed me in a family and He has orchestrated all of time to bring the kids to our family. From a womb to a family – yes, I will praise Him because He cared always!
2 Chromicles 20: 15 – This is what the Lord says: “Do not be afraid to discouraged becasue of this vast multitude, for the battle is not yours, buy God’s. You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. He is is with you, Judah, and Jerusalen, Do not be afraid or discouraged. Tomorrow, go out to face them, for the Lord is with you. – Can I tell you that at this very moment on my radio is the song “You Never Let Go” by Matt Redmon. What a GLORIOUS GOD I SERVE AND AM LOVED BY. This verse has been an anchor for me and was given to me by God as my daughter turned from me and shuned me the first time I met her. I have carried this in my heart for over 2 years and God WILL be faithful to His promises. This battle is not mine it is His and always has been – I am just a tool He has graciously chosen to use. Please don’t think that I have anything speical to offer – it is HIS battle! I pray that I never forget this and that I can stay still and watch His salvation!
GOD IS WITH ME – even when there are snakes, lightening, tidal waves and daughters with baggage. GOD IS FOR ME – even when I am scared.
Yes, Jon, you are right – just think about the happy things!!!
Great News Today!!!! June 20, 2008
Short post today – we have the OFFICIAL word that our kids recieved their visas and will be allowed to travel this summer. June 26th they are scheduled to arrive at Birningham around 8:15 pm. Lots to do, lots to do. Jerry’s “honey do” list just turned into a “honey do it now or else” list!! Gotta go – hanging shades! Please pray all goes well and they can experience family with God all up in it!! – Jan
Anybody got directions to Jerusalem? June 19, 2008
I absolutely LOVE the movie “The Sound of Music” and Julie Andrews is one of my favs. I used to pray that I would one day sing like her, but I also prayed that I would be like Snow White with animals living in my house – thank goodness God knows which prayers to answer!! Anyway, I watched that movie over and over and there is one song that stands out in my mind – the Doe, Ray, Me song. You know, they are up on the mountain having a picnic when she realizes that the Van Trapp kiddos could sing if they knew how. Well the songs starts off with the first line being “Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.” and I agree! So here goes after three years, I just want to reestablish where the beginning of the adoption was. Acts 1:8 – that’s where all this adoption stuff started. Funny, its not really an “adoption” verse. You know there are some of the BIG adoption verses like Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, ” Abba, Father!” and others. But Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ? Well, it has more to do with my heart than adoption. See our pastor at that time was doing a series of sermons on Acts 1:8 and that’s when it hit me. Have you ever been doing something and then really sat back and thought why am I even doing this to begin with? Kind of like when you have been married for 15 years and you are still checking your husband’s pockets before you put them in the washer and you realize that you have not ever once found anything in any pocket and you feel the release of freedom as you just chuck in all his pants without going through each pocket – ah, freedom from pointless work. Well, as I was pondering over the sermon one Sunday it hit me – I had been doing TONS of things in the church just because I thought they were the things a minister’s wife should do and I had never really asked God if there was anything specific that He wanted just little ole me to do specifically for Him. Well He answered!! Basically He said, “Jan you are such a “Martha” type personality – and I created you that way, but there are times when I want you to have a little “Mary” moment and just sit at My feet.” so I began to pray, and prayed for many months about what God had for me specifically. I hate those “one size fits all” clothes because it is a LIE – one size does NOT fit all and my hips are living proof and I am really glad that God is not a “one size fits all” God. I just really have trouble fitting into any conventional mold, it squeezes the life out of me like those stupid one size fits all clothing. Anyway, after months of prayer and just simply sitting at God’s feet He was faithful and begin to give me directions toward my Jerusalem. That’s when out of the blue, a verse from my old days as a Bible driller just kept coming up all over the place. James 1:27 – “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” WOW – this was exactly what my heart was craving – how do I experience religion, the biggest part of my life, in such a way that it truly pleases God and it is not just motions that I go through! So here I was, turning right at orphans and widows. Well I had the widow thing taken care of – my precious mother (by the way she had adopted me in the 70’s when adoption was still taboo, you know before Angelina and Madonna made it a fad) was a widow. But what about the orphan part – I didn’t even know any orphans. I’ll need to pick up here tomorrow. I have a brief window to type because my baby boy is needing some mama time. So what is next after you take a right at orphans and widows? All I can say is that doing this whole God thing is really a trip!
Are we almost there and where’s my girdle? June 17, 2008
Picture this – you and your kids are driving down the Natchez Trace Parkway (the most boring place I can think of, you know 50 mph and trees in every direction) and you have been driving for days and every child with you is now asking the same wearisome question – Are we almost there? This is exactly how I picture God’s reaction to my never ending question about our family’s adoption – Are we almost there? But today, well it is different! Today I feel like – Wow, I have finally arrived. At this point you should hear the Jefferson’s theme song “Moving on Up”. Finally I get to blog about my adoption experience, and what an experience it has been. This whole adoption thing started over 2 years ago. It seems like forever! First the paperwork wasn’t ready, then it was, but wait it had to be filed, then it was filed, but wait there is a waiting period, then complete another dossier and now, well at last all things are in order and finally we can see the end. It feels like getting off the Natchez Trace onto a four lane with a speed limit of 75 mph! Things are moving faster. Anyway, two complete dossiers later and we will be getting to see our kids next week. They will get to come and visit with us for a summer visit. Three years after looking into my son’s beautiful green eyes we are finally getting to practice being a family for the summer. To be honest I am feeling everything!! There isn’t an emotion that I am not feeling! I need some support before I have to up my Lexapro dosage. So… in preparation for the arrival of my two teenagers I want to spend the next few days girdling up myself. No that is not a mispelled word – not girding up because women don’t do that; we GIRDLE up. If you are a southern lady you know what it means to girdle up yo’ self. We have done it hundreds of times, especially if we are seeing old classmates and people we don’t like. Ever so often you need something to bind you together and hold you up and help support the parts that want to drag a little bit. Ever so often you need to look in the mirror and feel like you can conquer that dress that is a size too small and ever so often you need to be pressed in odd ways so that all that is good just spills over. Here I go this week girdling myself up and praying “Seams don’t fail me now!”
