Lots of paper work!

I am sitting here this morning filling out forms for British citizenship .......wow so much!  Howard and I have been through this kind of bureaucratic situation so many times;  living in 3 different countries needing visas, being different nationalities when going to each others countries, the adoption and working with visas for students/trainees.  Although we find it frustrating, we have always wanted to abide by the laws of the land .....thus lots of paperwork and money! 

As I was going through things today I found this journal notation I wrote recently when I had to take the 'Life in the UK' test in order to keep my visa and file for citizenship .....as I read the words it was a great reminder for me again and especially with the season.  

Here it is ......

I am living here in England now on a spousal visa…..it ends in October.  I have to take a test before I apply again to stay here.  It is really kind of weird to me that I have been married to Howard for 17 years…..we have 2 children…..one adopted that took 5 years to complete.  I think it is safe to say I am not married to Howard just to become a British citizen!

Of course Howard would have to do the same thing if he was trying to become a residence of the States.  I know September 11, 2002 changed lives and it was devastating, but the many laws in place now seem only to affect those of us who want to do the right thing.

Well that is the way it is and I choose not to complain, fuss, resent or hate.  Afterall I do have a choice….that is one of the most amazing characteristics of humanity.

I heard something this morning in worship time here at our YWAM base, the leader, who just arrived recently with her family said she was overwhelmed by many things….but she was more overwhelmed by God’s presence.  This spoke loudly to me.  I may be overwhelmed by this test I have to take, especially after the difficult time with getting my British license, but I ask God to empower me to be more overwhelmed with His presence.

I have thought about this all day…..when we allow everything around us to overwhelm us; we are watching those things more than we are Him.  Is He God?  Is He with us?  Does He care?  When we are more overwhelmed with His presence, those things around us that seem so important, so scary, so intimidating……..come into perspective.

Yes I have to take this test (if I want my visa! :)).  It’s Ok, I am enjoying learning more about this country I am living in….their government, their social system, what is important to them……..doesn’t seem so big to me now.

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It is almost Christmas .....yes as I sit here filling out more paperwork .....I am thinking about God entering into our world, coming to us when we could not or didn't even know we needed Him - He came to us.  

What I am doing is what I have to do to participate with Him in His world ......it is serving the bigger picture!  

And besides I do have a great cup of coffee!

God is Committed to Us!

Shortly after GG came to live with us!  So tiny!

Mom & Daughter

Such a character!

At GG's dedication in Costa Rica

 My daughter has been making some bad choices recently.  I will not share what all those are for her protection, but if she doesn't choose a different path it may be detrimental to her as she grows older.

I love her so much, she is my daughter.  I had a conversation with her just recently.  I told her how much I loved her and I was committed to her; committed to do everything I could to participate with God so she would grow up and be the woman God  created her to be; that this is how she will live to the fullest.  At this point I needed to ask God and see how I could teach her and work with Him to empower her to make different decisions.  I knew that she may not like some of the decisions I needed to make and she would not like the consequences.  I wanted to protect her, I didn't want to see her having to do somethings I knew she would not like; but I loved her too much not to.  I knew it might not be pleasant to her now, but hopefully it would help her in the future.  

Our Heavenly Father is often in this place with us and I am sure He hurts as much as I do with Georgina.  When we say yes to Jesus, He is committed to empower us to be everything He created us to be; He is committed to mature us and empower us to grow up.  Not because He is mean or wants to hurt us in anyway, not because He doesn't care.  It is because He cares, it is because He treasures humanity so much.  

Trust Him, know that He loves you and wants to be with you.  

I would love to sit with you in person, over coffee and talk about this.  Stand on that foundation; that God loves you more than you can even understand.