A Ray of Light

I have not written a post since November. I have been in my tunnel and everything has been black and dreary and I didn't feel like I had anything worthwhile to say to anyone.

Today, however, a ray of light broke through! I want to share a story with you... a young lady who is having a much, much  harder time than me (no way to describe her pain) went to the drugstore. Sitting in her car cutting coupons, she noticed a woman going through the trash. After a bit, the woman went to the car beside her and tapped on the window. She asked if the lady had any spare change. The woman said no. The woman then came up to her window and asked the same question. The young lady replied no and went back to cutting coupons. All of a sudden she felt terrible.  She did have a couple of dollars. She hesitated just a little and then got out of her car and went after the woman. She had walked behind the drugstore and was sitting on a bench with a man. They were not exactly clean and their clothes were dirty, two bags sat beside them as if maybe they were homeless.  The young lady went up to her and said she had been wrong. She did have a little money. When she handed it to her, the woman said, "you mean you came to find me and give me this"?  She looked at the money and said it was enough to buy a pound of bologna and a loaf of bread at Food Lion across the street.  She thanked her again and told her she must truly have a loving heart.

The young lady went inside and did her shopping. She also bought eight packs of peanut butter crackers and two gatorades. Once outside she went back to where the woman was. She gave her the crackers and the gatorade and told them she hoped it would help them.   The couple was so surprised and thanked her over and over.

When I heard the story, I remembered the verse in the Bible that says when you do something for the least of these you do it for Jesus.  Perhaps today, this young lady had an opportunity to do something for Jesus.  In the midst of the horrific week she and her husband have had, this opportunity happened and she responded with her heart. 

Max Lucado says we never expect to see Jesus in a storm.  But it is in the storms of life when he has our attention most.  We cannot go where God is not. Look over your shoulder; that's God following you.  Look into the storm; that's God coming toward you.

I do not have any answers to why things happen that put us in the tunnel.  It is dark and it hurts.  But, if we are sensitive (as the young lady in the story was), God will send a ray of light to us.  I belive that.

NOVEMBER IS ADOPTION AWARENESS MONTH

 November is Adoption Awareness Month, which is the motivation for this blog.  Adoption is something our family is well aware of.  Our daughter Rachael and her husband, Robbie, are desperately trying to adopt children. For almost four years, they have been waiting for their daughter from China. (It was supposed to take 12-14 months maximum!). Due to changes in Chins's adoption policy, it may take two more years! Because of this, they have also begun a domestic adoption process as well. More waiting! 

Adoption waiting can be very frustrating, emotionally draining, heart-wrenching, and sometimes you just get MAD! Some of the things people, with good intentions, can say to you that really gets your blood boiling are  "It's all in God's timing", "you will get a child when God wants you to have one", "it will happen when it is supposed to", "when you get your child, you will forget all about waiting", "God has a plan and the right child for you, just be patient", "bloom where you are planted", "you will have a house full of your own when you get your adopted child", and on and on and on.

Sometimes when people are hurting, it is not necessary to say anything.  Just a genuine hug and a "I love you and I'm praying for ya'll" is all that is needed. And that is needed very often!

There are thousands of children needing a home and Rachael and Robbie want at least two of them!   Please pray for them and encourage everyone you know in the adoption process.

What can you do during November for Adoption Awareness Month? Contact the President, your Senator, your Representative and ask them what they are doing in this regard and would they please do more?

Rachael and Robbie have a blog page about their journey. If you would like to follow Rachael and Robbie, their blog address is http://www.thenicolaisens.blogspot.com/

The Hair Tunnel

What does a trip to the beauty salon and life have in common?  I got my hair cut yesterday.  Bel, my beautician, says my hair is the most challenging to cut of all her customers.  She has a vision for what my hair should look like, but I just can't see it.  I am letting my hair grow a little and working toward a better shape. I just don't know where it is going.  It's that tunnel thing again.  This time it is the hair tunnel.  I am having to trust my beautician (and I do), rely on what she can see and be patient until I get there. That's just like life isn't it? 

We all have plans and dreams.  That is a good thing.  But if we desire for our plans and dreams to line up with what God has in mind for us, sometimes we just have to wait.  We need time to grow a little and allow God to shape our lives.  We have to trust Him and depend on His all-knowing wisdom.  Wait . . . Trust. . .  Grow . . . Depend on God . . . not easy, but necessary.

There is light at the end of the hair tunnel and there is light at the end of life's tunnel. "Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light." Micah 7:8b

Welcome to my blog

I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “there’s light at the end of the tunnel”. That is easy to say, but when you are the one so deep in the tunnel with no end in sight much less a light, it is not so easy.

We all find ourselves in the tunnel from time to time and the purpose of this blog is to let you know that you are not alone.

So, let me tell you a little about myself. I am a preacher’s wife. My husband’s name is Larry. We have been married for 43 years. He has been a minister for 30 years. That’s a tunnel all in itself! We have 2 daughters, Leigh Ann who is married to Keith and Rachael who is married to Robbie. We also have 2 granddaughters Bayley and Georgia with more grandchildren on the way through adoption.

I hope this blog will be a source of encouragement as I share my own experiences as a wife, mother and grandmother.