Need

This season of Lent, this time of fasting has changed me and  reminded me of my absolute need for Jesus. Not the Jesus that I put in a box or the one that we clean up for church. No, I need the Jesus...

who got messy

who touched the Leper

who included the outcasts

who came to serve not to be served

who was more concerned with the heart than performance

who ate with sinners

who was humble

who loved perfectly

who called, Judas, a friend knowing all the time what he was going to do

who obeyed to the point of death

who hung on a cross between two men and loved one enough to save him and loved the other enough to let him choose

who took all of my depravity and swallowed it, so that I could share in his inheritance



“Lord Jesus, well beyond this current season of Lent, continue to smite my heart with more of your glory and your grace. I want to boast much more in your righteousness than in my being right. Strengthen my heart with your grace. Continue to feed me from the altar in the tabernacle of the gospel. Though I know you only in part, you know me perfectly, and that is enough.”

- Scotty Smith

He is Risen!!
Love
Tracy 

this happened a year ago

This happened a year ago today.  We were so excited to meet Jonathan but as you can probably tell he was not so sure of us.  Our family is so thankful for adoption, but it was never in God's plan for children to need to be adopted.  His perfect plan did not involve pain, suffering or abandonment for any of us. We are thankful  that  in the midst of this broken world, he redeems us and restores us. We are blessed beyond measure to be apart of Jonathan's life and be his  family.

Love

Tracy



The gospel insn't advice...

The gospel isn't advice:  It's the good news that you don't need to earn your way to God; Jesus  has already done it for you. And it's a gift that you receive by sheer grace-through God's thoroughly unmerited favor.  If you seize the gift and keep  holding on to it, then Jesus' call won't draw you into fanaticism or moderation.  You will be passionate to make Jesus your absolute goal and priority, to orbit around him; yet when you meet somebody with a different set of priorities, a different faith, you won't assume that they're inferior to you.  You'll actually seek to serve...

- Tim Keller

Beloved

Why is it so hard to sometimes just accept the love that God has for me? The love that sent  his only son to die in my place.  It is easy for me to get caught up in thinking I need to do things to earn that love, or that he is more pleased with me when I am doing "more things" for him but that is simply not true. Satan wants us to believe that God's love is contingent on what we do,but it is not about that, it is about what Christ has already done.  He loves you and me and we are his beloved. He loves us because that is who he is!

Beth Templeton played this video during one of the breakout sessions at a retreat I attended last weekend for adoptive and foster moms, called Created for Care.  Watch and be blessed!

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

not quite a wordless Wednesday

Charlie and Jonathan got to see each other this weekend!  Can you tell they were excited?!!  We are so thankful that this friendship which started in Uganda can continue here! 

Happy Wednesday!

Love

Tracy

lots of stuff

Last week, Jonathan had to  get a filling for a tooth that hadn't formed correctly. The picture says it all.  He was not smiling and not happy to be in the dentist's chair.  It took Jason and I to hold him down and by the time our sweet dentist was finished everyone was worn out. Jake and Elyse said they could hear  him in the waiting room! The boy is strong and he hates needles. We are hoping there will be no more fillings in his future!

Last Friday, we celebrated my 40th birthday. It was a wonderful day. My family did an awesome job of loving on me!  And 40 is not so bad!! :)

I came across the coolest teaching tool while looking for ideas to help me teach Jonathan. I wish I had this when Jake was younger.  Jonathan loves cars.  He could play with them for hours.  What better way to teach him numbers than with cars and roads.  The numbers have been made into highways and he can park or drive the number of cars on each laminated card.  You can go here to print off the cards. 

 

I just finished reading this book.  Have you read it?  I really enjoy historical fiction and especially anything WW 2. This is the first book about WW 2 that I have read from a German's perspective.  It describes Liesel's relationships with her foster parents, neighbors and the Jewish fist fighter who is hiding in their basement. This book was not an easy read...it never is when you are reading about war but it was definitely worth my time. 

I have just started reading Rachel Held Evan's book, A Year of Biblical Womanhood.  I'm really enjoying it. Check out what my friend, Mary Beth, had to say here.

This weekend, I am super excited to attend Created for Care.  It is a retreat for adoption moms.  The worship is incredible, the classes and sessions are so uplifting and the time spent with friends is such a blessing. I cannot wait!

 I am going to make these for breakfast tomorrow morning.  Yummy!



Charlie and Jonathan haven't seen each other since we parted ways at Washington Dulles in October.  This weekend they finally get to give each other a hug!  Jonathan lights up when we talk about Charlie.  I can't wait to see this reunion!

I can't stop listening to this song by Mercy Me!



Have a great weekend!

Love

Tracy