Home

This past week has reminded me in so many ways of where "home" is and where it is not. Difficult situations, difficult relationships, saying goodbye to loved ones and losing heart over the loss of a dream.... all of these point to sin in this world in some form or other. In this world, there is so much that we fear, cling to, and desire in an attempt to satisfy, fulfill, or bring security. I'm sure if in our human minds we could truly grasp the brevity of life, we would not struggle. I've heard it said if we understood how short our lives were, we would live differently. I believe that, but not in the way most might think. I wouldn't necessarily do different things or say different things because "understanding" alone cannot take away my humanity. No, I believe it would result in less conflict between my spirit and my flesh.

To understand the reality of an 85 year life-span in light of eternity has to change anyone's perspective. I remember when I was facing giving birth for the 1st time and the terror I felt thinking about it. I would comfort myself with the thought... "it's ONE day, just one day. I can do anything for one day!"(yes, I understand some of you faced longer labor than 24hrs. but hang with me here, just using an average). I can't help but think our lives, defined in the Bible as a "vapor", could be compared to giving birth. In fact, I did not come up with anything new, the Bible describes waiting for the day of the Lord as labor pains.

There are so many people near and dear to me facing extreme trials testing their faith, endurance, and hope in Christ. My heart aches for them. Their suffering is real and it is awful and it can only be blamed by a fallen world. I pray for faith that "understands" in a godly way our "light and momentary" troubles. I pray for those suffering to have that faith too. That we would all hold one another up and march through this life with the joy set before us, awaiting the redemption of Christ in ALL it's fullness. Even creation groans for this coming day.

As always, the Lord teaches my innermost being in times of vulnerability and times of helplessness watching loved ones hurt. Amidst a study I'm doing on the last kings of Judah, I found myself in Romans 8. A favorite chapter for me personally on being adopted by the Father. The passage right after "receiving a spirit of adoption" kindled my heart. It is so good, I must share it with you.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

May we fear, cling to, and desire God Almighty instead of the temporal and lies this world offers. I don't know about you but I can't wait for the day when we all are finally HOME... forever!

Happy Birthday lil' Sunshine!!!

Emily turned TWO today! She's gotten so big so fast...

We'll have a "Melmo" (Elmo) party with the family in a few days but opened a few presents this morning : ) The boys were more excited about her birthday than I think they are about their own... they crack me up! Zachary spent HOURS drawing pictures of Emily's favorite things and making her a picture book and Caleb wrapped almost all of Emily's presents. They both made precious cards for their littlest sister that I thought I'd share.... enjoy :)

( I like my sister because she is crazy and she plays games.)

( Dear Emily, Everybody just loves you so much! I can't believe you are already turning 2 years old! You are going to love all your presents! And also you are almost in preschool already! Love, Caleb )

The Upward Basketball Boys

Daddy and his basketball boys!


Zachary and his team!

Caleb and his team!

The Gross boys are spending their Saturdays playing and coaching basketball. David coached Caleb his first two years and now he is coaching Zachary in his first year. We usually have a morning and afternoon game. Both boys really enjoy playing and the girls are their biggest cheerleaders!

A New Trend??

...just in case you are bored of putting hair bands in your hair,

here's a new idea Miss Sarah came up with all on her own!

... and here's the preferred method.

Why I love orphans

Five years ago my life was changed. God changed my view of Him. It was a time where I was forced to face whether I really believed who God said He was. It was a time of deep hurt, similar to how a spouse must feel when they are betrayed in marriage. The very people God had asked us to minister to were rejecting us or at least a certain group of people. I didn't understand.

How could we not be good enough? God was the One that called us to sacrifice our personal goals and futures to serve Him, to serve His Church. We didn't choose our path, we were just obeying. Wasn't that enough? Wasn't it enough to live each day in faith and love serving where the Lord had planted us? Why do His people require more than faithfulness? I began to question whether church leaders were right or whether God meant what He said that "His grace is sufficient in your weakness". I had always believed in child like faith that I didn't have to be talented, charismatic, or special to serve... I just obeyed what my Father said to do.

Sometimes, when you hurt, it comes out in anger. I definitely had moments of being angry and felt that God needed to "show Himself", maybe in lightening bolts?, and to bring justice to a situation that seemed completely opposite of what is true in His Word. I kept saying in my prayers, "Where ARE you God?". Because if I believed what certain voices were saying, then I couldn't also believe God was who He said He was. God was testing me. He was testing my faith.

At the same time this suffering in ministry was taking place, I had decided to go to an orphanage in Jamaica on a mission trip. It was early February of 2005.

Many of you know that this is where my love for the orphan began. However, what you may not know is why this was so spiritually life changing. It was there in Jamaica when the Lord finally spoke to me, showing me that it was in the least of these where I would FIND Him. He showed me that we are ALL orphans. And He showed me how much He loves the orphan... how much He loves the rejected, the lost, the untalented, the lame, the least, the unpopular, the unlovable. He showed me how much He loves me.

Not only does He love the least of these but that was actually how He chose to come to the earth as the Savior of the world. As a baby that was born in a stable.

I don't know why we continue to think we will find the face of Jesus in the great, the talented, the popular, the wealthy,... not that He doesn't exist among these too. But we forget too often what the Lord spoke to the prophet Samuel, so long ago. "for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1Sam.16:7)

I love that I serve a God like this... my heart melts in love for Him when I read these words. I love that I serve a God that would choose to come to the earth in a humble position. I love that I serve a God who purposely CHOOSES the rejected for great things. I love that I serve a God who loves orphans.

As I prepare for our upcoming orphan conference in February, God has prompted me to dwell on what He taught me just these few short years ago. These orphans are souls that need Jesus. These orphans represent the Father's great love for the rejected, the forsaken, the forgotten. These orphans remind me how much He loves me. I will press on with endurance as I consider the privilege it is to be sent on a quest by the King of all creation for a people that has captured His heart... possibly the most vulnerable of all the least of these, the orphan.

This is why I love the orphan.

If you are interested in coming to the orphan conference, visit www.connectingheartsconference.org

Calling all Adoption Prayer Warriors...

....this prayer request will resound deep in the hearts of all you adoptive families. I received request for prayer today from a dear sister in Christ, Laurie Martin. I can only imagine what this sweet family must be feeling since the 1st news of the earthquake...

After waiting over two years for the completion of their Haiti adoption,
my sister Lisa, and her husband Roger, were planning to travel to Haiti
on Jan. 24-27 to hopefully finalize paper work. Please pray now for
their boy, Billy, and other orphans in Haiti. The initial report is
that the kids at his orphanage are OK, but one wall fell, hurting the
Nanny. This was prior to the aftershocks, and no one has been able to
get through since then.


Please pray also for wisdom and peace for Lisa and Roger in the coming
weeks. Also please pray for their two other adopted girls from Haiti,
Rebekah and Ruth, as they deal with concern and fear for the condition
of their birth parents. Both of these girls know Jesus, so pray that He
will comfort them as only He can.


Thanks so much. Lisa and Roger are pretty overwhelmed and would so
appreciate any prayers lifted up on their and Billy's behalf.

A few Christmas pics : )

The girls were fighting over who would sit on my lap so the boys thought they'd make it even more interesting by trying to fit too....

Caleb and Zach decided to sleep on the floor between the 2 cribs on Christmas Eve.... hmmm, will we be able to get the girls to stay in the cribs all night with such an attraction on the floor??

Really, who eats popsicles on Christmas Eve before bed???

Emily's attempt at being a loving sister

Stanton grandkids... all ten of 'em ( 9,8,7,6,4,3, two 2s, & two 1year olds) WOW!

A special picture with Great Grandma "Mom"... she got all the "greats" reindeer antlers : )

Zach's favorite present... a real Link sword, well, sort of

Caleb's favorite present... a vibrating football game. And Mommy trying to learn?!

I'll have to add more pics later of the other side of the family after we get our camera back from the "shop". It was a wonderful Christmas!!