Gratitude: My Driving Force

I thought I was done on this topic. *grin* - But God keeps giving me more that is shaping my heart. I write these words because they are *my* thoughts and I have always been a journaler. I am also (if you hadn't already figured it out!! LOL!) an analytical person, and I am always trying to suss things out and second guess God!!

This morning, I was determined to get some quiet time in before the troops arose. Like that is possible in my house!! We have a 2 year old that has never slept in; he is usually the one that wakes me up. So this morning, after I settled him in front of his babysitter. Yes, I the person who does not like the television and restricts my kids greatly, uses the tv as a personal nanny in the wee hours of the morning! It is either that or have him bouncing off the walls, and I figure tv is less destructive to the sleeping gang and my sanity!

So I got my Bible and my devotions and relaxed with my coffee. I *love* the devotions I use. I am not one for the devotions of today. I find them too airy fairy. I like meaty devotions. Devotions that make you think. Devotions of today are usually related to how the car pool is an analogy for something spiritual. I just don't feel like I am getting the meat and potatoes when I read that stuff! LOL!

My favourite devotions do have stories in them, but they are weighty stories:

The copyright dates are not in the books (just reprints)

Oswald Chambers - My Utmost For His Highest - before the 1930s
Mrs. Chas E. Cowman - Streams in the Desert - 1925
Robert Schuller - Daily Power Thoughts - 1970s

Before I did my devotions, I had been praying and remembering what I was saying yesterday about having an attitude of praise while waiting. I was looking for things to be thankful for, and trust me, it is not easy when you know it is not simply a wait that you are on. I prayed on these things and then, as I was praying, the enemy let slip into my mind the looming adoptive family size restriction that could come into place.

Oh, waiting is not so hard when you know you have a sure thing. But try being peaceful when you know that each day you wait puts you closer to the government meeting that is going to happen sometime, when they are going to decide if they should limit adoptive family sizes.

The further into this adoption we go, the riskier it gets. The longer we wait, the more money we invest, the more our hearts are wrapped up - the tougher it gets.

Last night, my husband and I, and our older two boys were playing a wonderful board game. It is called "10 Days in Africa" - a must buy for anyone adopting from that continent. It is so simple and fun and a game lasts about 20-30 minutes - very doable in any busy family's lives!

As we were playing and discussing various countries and things we knew about them, one of our sons said, "Our girls are from here," as he pointed to Ethiopia. The other replied, "Look how close our girls live to Egypt."

As they said these words, a part of me loved the fact that our boys already love their sisters. Sight unseen they are their sisters, and they are simply waiting for them to come home. But another part of me felt - Stop! What if they don't come home? What if the restriction comes into force. How many hearts will be broken?

My negative thoughts disappeared quickly as I have great faith that all will be well. But still...

So this morning, as I was praying and those negative thoughts crept into my mind, I prayed against them. I prayed that God will NOT stop all these families that love children so much that they want to add one, two, or three more to their already large brood. I know the Lord blesses those who trust Him, and we certainly trust Him to provide for us - food, clothing - he brings it all and more, and so abundantly. Our cup truly runneth over!

After I prayed, I picked up my Daily Power Thoughts and it was so in target with the journey I am on. It was just a confirmation of the prayer I had prayed:

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

Robert Schuller tells the story of himself as a boy, when a tornado ate up his house and all five outbuildings.

That night our family gathered. We held hands and prayed. My father prayed, "Oh, God, I thank you for not a life was lost! Not a human bone was broken. We have lost nothing that cannot be regained. And through the storm we have kept everything that would be irreplaceable - especially our faith."

My father's attitude of gratitude gave him driving power. He went into town and bought an old house that was to be demolished. We took it apart board by board, nail by nail, and rebuilt it over the empty hole in the ground that was the basement of our previous house.

Driving power - the ability to make bold decisions and move forward confidently in the face of tremendous odds!

Wow!! That gives my stomach butterflies. For the next 3, 6, 9, 12 months that is where we will be - facing tremendous odds - odds of being rejected after all we have gone through - simply because our family is too big.

"Whatever you wish will happen! And the light of heaven will shine upon the road ahead of you." Job 22:28

The attitude of gratitude releases dynamic power! Gratitude releases arriving power. You make it!

And when you arrive, you will have also developed the great qualities of character - humility and unselfishness. Humility because you realize you did not arrive through your efforts alone. It took team work. Unselfishness because gratitude is nothing more than saying, "I didn't really do it. Thank you for your help!" Gratitude is saying thank you to this person, to your friends, to your community, and to God.

It is impossible to become a vain, egotistical, selfish person if you maintain an attitude of gratitude!

I will believe for the best - I will have an attitude of gratitude for this adoption and all that has happened and is happening because of it. That will be my driving force through the upcoming unknown months.