His Word For Wednesday

Don't be afraid, for I am with you.

Don't be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

This little man is my three month old Brogie, secure in the grip of his daddy's strong hand. What a picture this photograph creates for me of the verse above . . . God's word tells us not to be afraid or discouraged.  He says that He will strengthen us and help us.  He promises to hold us up with His VICTORIOUS right hand!  When we are weak He is strong. 

At three months Brogan was totally dependant on us for his survival.  He fully trusted the strong grip of his daddy not to let him go.  God promises us the very same thing, that He will uphold us with His victorious right hand.  Not just His hand, but His victorious hand!

My heart is heavy this week.  Many whom I love are struggling right now or have loved ones who are struggling.  They are struggling with BIG things, miracle needing things.  My prayer list is long, and the needs are great, but our Lord is greater than the need.  

My own daddy has been hospitalized since Monday night, and is in great pain.  Tests have determined that his gall bladder needs to come out, they are running other tests first to make sure "there is nothing else going on".  He is in Michigan and I am in Texas.  He will have surgery later today, I feel so very far away. Uphold Him Lord.   I have friends who are hurting and desperate, they need strength, and peace, and they need healing.  Others have loved ones who need the same.  Some need a miracle.  Uphold them Lord.  There are babies and children fighting for every breath they take, fighting battles a child should not have to fight.  Uphold them Lord.  

Thank You Father that You know our every weakness and our every need.  Thank you that when we feel so very small, Your mighty hand is holding us up!  Father help us to turn over our fear and discouragement to You, and as we do, please strengthen us and help us.  Bring peace Lord, and healing.  You alone are Able!  May we praise You in all circumstances, and may we bless Your holy name!   In Jesus name, Amen

Blessings from my nest ~

Tina

Update on David and Rebecca and their waiting children in Brazil ~  Many of you prayed for David and Rebecca's adoption situation.  The desperate need for a job for David (in Michigan, where they have the highest unemployment rate in the nation)  before the courts halted their adoption process.  After two interviews, and things looking promising, David did not get the job.  Since then the orphanage where the children reside has decided that it would be foolish to halt the adoption of this sibling group of FOUR (we know how hard sibling groups are to place).  So word is that this case is "on the back burner" for awhile, instead of being terminated by the court.   We all know that God's timing is perfect, even when it comes to back burners! Thank you Lord for "staying" this case.  Friends, would you please continue to pray that the Lord would move the mountain that stands between this precious family of six in the U.S. and their four waiting babes in Brazil?  He is Able!

He is Risen!

He is risen indeed!  

Thank you Jesus for the cross.

Blessings from our very blessed nest~

Tina

Helloooooooooo . . . Flit Calling

Dear bloggy friends and faithful readers,

Mama says to tell you she is waaaay behind on her blogging and that she is going to try to post again soon.  For now I will tell you that we had a really fun time with Bryce.  He got to "sleepover" on Friday and we got to hang out with him on Saturday.  He got to see Brogie play soccer on Saturday morning, and that made Brogie smile really big! We got to go bowling and out for pizza, too.  That made me smile really big.

There is lots and lots of talk about The Wedding .  . . all I know is that I am going to be the flower girl, and I get to wear a very pretty dress.  There are lots and lots of stacks of white en-buh-lopes sitting around and people talking about addresses.  I think it has something to do with in-buh-tay-shuns.  Mommy is making lots of phone calls and saying stuff like, "We're almost down to six weeks" and she looks a little frazzled (if I do say so myself).

So should we talk about me?  Let's see . . . I know . . . I'm getting taller!  Mommy says I'm three inches taller than when I was in China.  And guess what?  You know how I weighed 27.5 pounds for a very long time?  Well I did.  For like seven months I weighed 27.5.  Brogie was getting bigger, but I was always, always 27.5.  Well, you know how I turned four in January?  Well in January I got a new number, it was 28.5.  Mommy was so happy!  Then in February I got a bigger number, and then yesterday I got an even bigger number, 31.5!  Mommy says that is four pounds in three months, I'm not sure what that means, but mommy is very proud of me.  She also says I am waaaaay heavier to carry around--but she still carries me, oh yes she does!  Lets see . . . what else?  I love school, and speech and mommy says that I am doing good!  I love to draw with markers, and mama thinks I use a lot of paper, but she says that's okay.  I love to sing, and mama like my Hallelujah song the best. I made it up myself, it sounds something like this, "Ha-yuuu-ya, Ha-yuuuuuuuuu-ya".  Do you like it?

Well Brogie is waiting to play with me, so I better go.  I'm glad mama finally gave me a turn to "talk" to you all.  She says she luvs you, and she'll be back soon.

Love,

Teddi ~ a.k.a. "Flit"

Oops, mama said not to foget to say . . .

Blessings from our nest!   xo

Wordless Wednesday (No Foolin')

Blessings from our nest ~ 

 

Tina

Delighted!!!!!

Delight yourself also in the Lord, 

and He will give you the desires

of your heart.  Psalm 37:4

We recently started "Skyping" with our oldest bird Bryce, who is stationed in Spokane, and it has been such a blessing to get to "see" him!  (For anyone who doesn't know what Skype is, it's like a video conference via the Internet.  With the aid of a web cam on either end you can make a call through the net, and then talk and see one another on your computer screen.  It's the coolest thing ever, and it's free!)

So, last night Bryce sent me a text message asking when would be a good time to Skype to see Brogan and Teddi before they went to bed.  I said 7:15ish, and he sent another text saying he was still out, how about 8:00ish.  Well 8:00ish is usually bedtime now that the kids get up early for school, but I told him yes, thinking we would get the kids completely ready for bed and then Skype for a short bit and then tuck them in!  A little before eight, we sat down to read their Bible story, and then we got up to head to the computer--just across the sunroom.  

As we stood up, Brogan said, "I wish we could see Bryce." 

 To which I cheerily replied, "We are going to see him, we're getting ready to Skype right now!"  

To which Brogie's sad little voice answered, "No I mean see him herrrrre."

  

To which I replied (with my mamas heart aching), "I know buddy".

As this conversation was transpiring Bryce called on his cell to see if we were ready to Skype, and in turn Bryan "called" him through the computer.  We heard the ringing sound as the Internet connected with Bryce . . . first one ring, two rings, three rings . . . four . . .  five . . . six . . . seven . . . and just as we began to wonder why he wasn't "picking up", the back door of the sunroom flew open behind us . . . and in walked  . . .

the desire of Brogan's little heart!

We had nooooo idea he was coming!  As I hugged his neck, and asked what he was doing here, the other big kids came running.  Brogan and Teddi had already scrambled up Bryce! 

Turns out, Bryce was given an opportunity to come teach survival training at a base about 4o minutes away.  He'll be in the area for about 10 or 11 days, and part of that time he'll be out in the field.  He's staying in a hotel near where he needs to be for work, but we are hopeful we will get to spend a bit of time with him.  And even if it isn't much, last night was a precious, precious gift.  (Needless to say the 8:00ish bedtime flew out the window . . . Flit and Grinner are currently napping to catch back up!)

This morning while driving Brogan and Teddi to school we talked about last nights wonderful surprise.  I was reminding Brogie of what he had said about wanting so badly to see Bryce, and then I shared with him how God knows the desires of our heart (what we really, really want), and that God knows his very thoughts!  

I told Brogan, "I think God was smiling a great big smile down on you, and thinking, Brogan is about to get a realllllly big surprise!"

The thought of God surprising him like that just tickled Brogan and he giggled the longest, most joyful giggle . . . and then very matter-of-factly he said, "That was like a miracle"!

Yes, Brogie it was.  A miracle just for you! 

Thank You heavenly Father for lovingly tending to the desires of my baby boy's heart.  Thank you for bringing my oldest bird home to the nest for a bit.  

We are delighted!

Blessings from my very surprised nest ~

Tina

Coming soon (hopefully) . . . Brogan's birthday celebrations . . . Taye's Bridal Shower given this past Saturday by Frankie's sweet family .  . . the Pre-K rodeo . . . and more!

Wordless Wednesday . . .Shhhhhh

Blessings from my nest~

Tina

Happy Birthday Grinner!

My Brogan Elijah is five years old today.  How can that be?  It seems he was just a hope in our hearts, and now he is five!  How blessed we are to have him, our little miracle of sorts.  Born to us the year Bryan and I both turned 41, the result of a successful vasectomy reversal.  Sorry if that's too much information, but Brogan really is a testimony of God's grace, and of the blessing of second chances . . . and of our good God giving us the desires of our hearts.  Oh Brogie, what joy you bring!

At the time that Brogan was born I had already been praying for Teddi (by name) for over four years, and just nine months after he was born, she was born.  I surely could not have done that better myself, nor would I have tried!   I know I've said this before . . . but, oh how perfectly God put the rest of our family together after many years of prayer . . . and waiting faithfully!  (Okay, I waited faithfully most of the time, and sometimes I waited rather impatiently . . . but still, God was faithful!)

On March 23, 2004 our sweet boy entered the world at a healthy 9 pounds, 8 ounces!  The name Brogan means strong and sturdy and I prayed daily over my growing tummy that God would make him so,  and once again God was faithful!

I took a little walk down memory lane and would love to share some pictures of my happy guy . . .

Grinner gettin' the grin going!

Ahoy maties!

He had the sweetest baby curls.  Awwwwe . . .

and the most beautiful baby blues.

Howdy!

Serious about his hockey.

Oh how I love . . .

this grinning . . .

boy of mine!

Thank you Lord for Brogan and for the blessing he is to us.  Thank you for making him the perfect little brother to his "bigs" and the perfect big brother to his beloved "Ted".  

May the Lord bless you and keep you little man, and may He continue to grow you strong and sturdy in Him!  We love you Brogie.

Blessings from my grinning nest ~

Tina

Praise report!  Little Miss Katie is home sweet home with her family!  Thank you so much to everyone who prayed for Melissa and her family.  The paperwork prayers were answered and they returned to Japan, together, as a family of five!  Welcome home Katie.  Please continue to pray for the Lord to comfort Katie's heart as she grieves all that she has left behind.  Things are improving, but her transition continues to be rough.  

Still praying for Dave and Rebecca as they wait for word on Dave's second interview.  Also praying for continued grace from the Brazilian officials . . . and that God would make a way for this sibling group of four to come h-o-m-e!  

Thanks all!  T~