adoption

Another Update on Peanut

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On my last Peanut update, I reported that she’d doubled in size. Well, I’m fairly certain that she’s doubled in size again. She weighs 8.2 pounds at 7 months old. I have no idea how big she’ll be when she’s done growing, but I’m positive she’ll be way bigger than my Lucy ever was.

She’s still 100% kitten. She has massive amounts of energy. She also has two modes of existence– full throttle and stop. She’s either a blur of fur or she’s asleep. There’s no in between.

She still likes to have her belly rubbed and is still very grateful for having been rescued back on June 30.

That’s why I advocate for adoption and rescuing cats and dogs. If you’re still stuck between buying from a breeder or rescuing from a shelter, I’d go with the shelter. Those are the animals that really need a good home and will always return the favor by being loyal and affectionate.

Life’s better with a pet. Studies have shown that dogs and cats can reduce stress and lower blood pressure. But one caveat– don’t get a pet unless you’re willing to stick with them for their whole life and truly take care of them and love them like they love you.

That’s it. Peanut’s still helping my heart heal after Lucy’s passing. I’m hoping and praying she has a good, long life. I’m praying she knows how much she’s loved just as much as she’s let me know how much she loves me.

 

 

You Are Not Less

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I love my Mom. I love the fact that there’s a Sunday in May dedicated to mothers just like her who have sacrificed and devoted themselves to their families in ways we will never even begin to repay.

I also am aware that Mother’s Day doesn’t have the same joy for everyone. Some feel shamed and some feel heartbroken on this day. Some are made to feel (whether intentionally or not) like they are less of a person and less of a woman on this day.

I want to send this out to those reading who may fall into one of these categories that you are not less.

You are not less if you have chosen not to have children in your marriage because of your own convictions.

You are not less if you have chosen not to get married in order to devote yourself more fully to missions and the service of God.

You are not less if you struggle with infertility and have tried vainly for years to have children. That doesn’t make you any less of a woman of God.

You are not less if you lost a child due to either miscarriage or still birth. It’s not your fault and God is not punishing you.

You are not less if you gave your child up for adoption long ago. Perhaps God knew that the people who raised your child would be better able to meet their needs at that time than you would have been.

While being a wife and mother are beautiful and important roles, they are not your primary role as a believer. You are first and foremost a child, a daughter, of God. If you fail to live that out, you will not truly live out your marriage and family to the fullest. If you do embrace your role as child of your Abba, then the rest will be better for it.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers, whether the children are biologically your or not, whether you even have children or not.

You still matter very much to God and you are not less.

 

At the Right Time

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“When the right time arrived, God sent His Son into this world (born of a woman, subject to the law) to free those who, just like Him, were subject to the law. Ultimately He wanted us all to be adopted as sons and daughters” (Galatians 4:4-5 VOICE).

For some reason, the image that immediately popped into my mind upon reading this verse was that line from The Lord of the Rings when Gandalf announces, “A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.”

I don’t by any means intend to suggest that God is Gandalf, but I do think that Gandalf is many ways is a picture of the Christ. More importantly, this speak a very important truth about God.

God is never early. God is never late. God’s timing is always perfect. Always.

Often in my own life, I’ve found that what seemed like delays weren’t because God wasn’t ready to give but because I wasn’t ready to receive. I had some growing up and maturing to do before I could fully appreciate what God had in store for me.

I do think that often when God doesn’t work according to my timetable, it isn’t because God is thwarting my plans but because God is seeing a much bigger picture and His vision for my life is so much grander than mine.

I heard a very good definition of anxiety as a state of feeling like everything has to happen immediately. The fear sets in when delays begin to seem like denials.

Fear, as I heard it put once, is False Evidence Appearing Real. In this case, faith calls me to trust the heart of God for me in the face of overwhelming yet ultimately false evidence that He will not work out all things together for my good.

Tonight I trust God’s heart as true and God’s timing as perfect. This season of Advent proves to me yet again that God always fulfills His promises to His people.

That’s good enough for me.

 

What I Want for Christmas in 2013

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catslist

You read the title and thought, “Aww, he’s going to wish for things like world peace and global sing-a-longs.” Not really. I have some selfish wants that I’m sharing as well as some (mostly) altruistic wishes. 

1) I would like world peace, but I know the heart of people too well. All I can hope and pray for is peace within the hearts of as many people as possible who are willing to surrender everything to Jesus.

2) One red Mini-Cooper, preferably with white stripes and/or a British flag emblem on the roof and/or on the sideview mirrors.

3) For a personal trainer or someone who will help me get more motivated to live healthier.

4) A MacBook Air ’cause they are so light and fluffy. And because PC laptops are just too slow and clunky.

santaswishlist

5) For each person to see his or her true value in Christ and to know that true beauty comes from being uniquely and marvelously designed by a Creator and loved infinitely.

6) A trip to New England at some point in my life. Ideally in the fall but I’m not picky about when. I would love to try Mystic Pizza🍕 in Mystic, Connecticut and visit a few lighthouses while I’m there. 👍

7) A date with Kari Jobe. 😁 

8) For chocolate to not have fat grams and calories. 🙏

9) Gift cards to amazon.com, Best Buy, Frothy Monkey, iTunes, and Ecko (so I can look swanky).

10) To see every cat and dog in a shelter find loving homes with loving people who will take care of them and treasure them.

11) That stone house in downtown Franklin with the red door that looks so homey.🏡

12) For Concord Road to be four lanes instead of two with a turning lane.

13) A really nifty cowboy hat.

14) Anything I’ve listed on my Amazon wish list.

15) For more kindness and compassion and understanding between people.

economy

Things I Love 9: This Series Is Getting Completely Redonkulous

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island hammock

I apologize for those of you who were anxiously awaiting the next installment of this series. Both of you.

I got off track in more ways than one, but now I continue this seemingly neverending series with #192.

192) A cool breeze on a hot and humid summer day.

193) Any time I get free food, even if it’s just a free dreamcone from Chick-fil-A (one of the perks of having the app foursquare on my iPhone!)

194) Knowing that even if the worst case scenario actually comes to pass, God’s taking care of me and everything will be fine in the end. If it’s not fine, it’s not the end.

195) The absolute magic of Fred Astaire dancing with Ginger Rogers.

196) Homemade bread.

197) Sweet potato french fries (I recommend Pucketts or The Pharmacy).

198) Knowing my family and friends are praying for me as I write this.

199) Being able to pray the prayer that never fails– Your will be done– and sincerely mean it.

200) Being okay after having my heart broken in a very failed attempt to take a friendship to the next level.

201) That the best things in life really are free.

202) GPS for those like me who are directionally-impaired.

203) Ice cold water on a hot day.

204) Unexpectedly seeing old friends at Kairos.

205) Having peace even in the midst of spectacularly blowing a friendship to smithereens.

206) When technology works like its supposed to.

207) Getting all green lights on my way to church.

208) That I am an heir with Christ and no longer a slave to fear but now possess a spirit of adoption and can cry, “Abba, Daddy” to the God and Maker of the Universe.

209) That low sexy voice you get when ever you have a cold or hay fever.

210) Hearing a favorite song at just the right moment.

211) The effortless artistry of Ella Fitzgerald’s voice.

212) That God hears my feeble prayers– and even my sighs and groans when I don’t have the words.

213) That God can use messes like Moses, Abraham, David, Peter, and (most amazing of all) me.