Thursday, September 8, 2011

What is Love? & a NEED

First some random pictures......I mean can she even take a bad picture? NO, and doesn't she look adorable at the new little chair/table set we got at IKEA? Oh and someone asked about our homeschooling shelving in the pics from the last post- IT IS ALL from IKEA ;) One of our favorite stores. About 80% of our furniture is from IKEA.

Hanging out with GG (my great grandma) last weekend. She loves it when we invade!!!

Awww......GG and Sarah........

Kiddos at the table set. Tooo CUTE!!!

This is Jonathan's favorite new face to make almost every time I take a picture of him.

This is Jonathan's crazy looking face that is adorable :)

So last night I went to hear Josh McDowell at our church (every first Wednesday of the month our church has a special service). We were sooo excited to get to go! He spoke on What Is Love? But it was not your typical sermon on love. In fact it was pretty radical thinking.

If I were to ask you right now what is Love- what would you answer?

Yeah, typical things like - God is Love come to mind for me too.....but he said the only problem with that is that it still isn't defined. If we don't define Love then it is really hard because we let society define it for us. With wisdom of a young child you could figure out that this is NOT a good idea.

If Love can be commanded which God does in scripture - Mark 12:30-31

³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^[a] ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b] There is no commandment greater than these.”

-Love can NOT be a feeling. Therefore it must be an action/decision. Makes sense right? Therefore it can not come and go unless you choose to let it come and go.

He said the answer is in Ephesians 5:28-33

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing^[b] her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body. ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”^[c] ³²³³ This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Look carefully at verse 28 and you will see that God doesn't say love your wife as you love God - NOPE God said as you love your own bodies. Hmmm.......sounded strange to me, but that is what God says. Why? Because in verse 29 it says we don't hate our own body instead we feed and care for our body. We feed ourselves, and protect ourselves. Very basic instincts that we all have- to eat and be protected. When we nourish/feed our body we are bringing our body to maturity. In Luke 2:52

⁵² And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

So Jesus grew in wisdom, stature (physically), and spiritually......

In the version Josh used it used the words Nourish & Cherish (which I have heard as well). He explained that those words basically mean Provide & Protect. If we really LOVE someone we will Provide for them so they can grow in maturity- physically, mentally, and spiritually. If we really LOVE someone we will Protect them with all that we are.

So there you have it........LOVE MEANS TO PROVIDE AND PROTECT! NOW YOU KNOW!! AND NOW YOU HAVE A GREAT DEFINITION. Something to measure by. Something that makes sense. It's not about a feeling it is about a commandment. NOW don't let the world change that definition!!!

Pray my small synopsis was a blessing. There is more he talked about as well, but that was the main point I wanted to share right now with you all :)

Adoptive Family Needed for Sibling Group

September 8, 2011

by tracieloux

I was contacted today by a wonderful agency in Oklahoma. They are in need of a very specific family for a sibling group.
Situation: 5 and 7 year old sibling set (5 year old boy, 7 year old girl). They are Cherokee.
Family Needed: The tribe is requiring placement in a tribal family. The children are currently staying in a Children’s Home in Oklahoma. Family can be enrolled in ANY federally recognized tribe. Need a family that is willing to work through the transition including visitations before placement is made. Ideally a family within driving distance of Oklahoma would be good. Family must be home study ready.
Fees: around $13,000-$14,000 total
Please email me at tracie@christianadoptionconsultants.com if you are interested and meet the qualifications.

**On a personal note Tracie is an AMAZING woman of God who worked with us to bring home our Joanna. PLEASE pass this on :) Let's find a family for these precious children!!!