Praising and Enjoying the Journey

Funny how things work out!! Last Saturday, I posted on "Waiting. Could it be construed as a privilege?" Then on Thursday night, I went to my ladies Bible study. There are about 5 of us that get together and watch and discuss an ongoing dvd seminar by Joyce Meyer. We are a laughing crowd. We have so much fun, but at the same time so many deep spiritual conversations happen. A real unique group.

So when we got together this week we were watching a 7 minute clip from her seminar when she was discussing praising during waiting. Or another part was enjoying the journey. How appropriate was that!! There were such nuggets of information that I had to keep saying, STOP!!! So I could write things down. That woman talks fast, (almost as fast as me! *grin*) but she sure packs it in!!! And she is FUNNY and REAL!! If you can watch her sometime, do! She is on tv a lot, also.

So here are some of the nuggets I got:

You are not going to hurry God anymore, so you might as well settle down and enjoy where you are at!!

Enjoy the thing you are doing while on the way to where you are going - She reminded us that we have children - enjoy them. Yes, we are looking forward to our referrals and children coming home, but in the meantime, be *sure* to focus on what is happening in your own life!! I am thankful that I am already there on that one. It crossed my mind a few days prior to this that in this next year my 'baby' Briton will grow up one more year! That would be a tragedy if I was so busy focussing on bringing the girls home that I 'missed' that year, by just watching the calendar to when the next important adoption thing happened!

Be more thankful for where we are at. Be thankful for what we have - not what worry about what we want to have.

God wants to bless a thankful people. Murmuring, grumbling, and complaining doesn't move God to help us - be thankful. There are so many things we can be thankful for: indoor plumbing, running water, the van we have. If we don't have shoes, be thankful we have feet to walk on. If you need a new van, thank the Lord for the one you already have. You could be walking!!

We are not born with a thankful, contented heart. We learn it.

Philipians 4:11 - I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to content whatever the circumstances."

She then said that contentment doesn't mean that we don't want change - that would be passivity. She is suggesting that we find a way to be goal-oriented visionaries, while enjoying every step of the journey.

Because life is not really about the arrival. It's about the journey we take to get there. We have to enjoy the journey. Amen!

1st Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

So, during my waiting for my papers to *finally* get sent to Ethiopia - 27 days, but who's counting *grin* - I am reminded to not just be at 'peace' with it, but to be *thankful* for it!! So what am I thankful for? My beautiful healthy boys, that Christmas is coming, that my husband agreed to add two more kids to our already full household, that I have met friends through this adoption process, that God has provided the funds for our adoption and on and on!

On Thursday, after I came home from the meeting I decided to read my devotions. I *never* read devotions at night. It is weird, but God just seems to know how and when to get my attention, and whenever I read my Bible or devotions at a time I would not normally do it, I find I get a reading I need to hear at that time.

My devotions that night all related to one thing: An attitude of praise during the wait. Talk about timing!

"How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly!" Psalm 139:17

The attitude of gratitude releases the dynamic power that helps you survive. Gratitude also releases reviving power. You can find the power to start again when you feel like quitting. You can pick up the pieces and bounce back to make a come back.

So when you feel like quitting next, think about the situation and what the pressures are. Then think about what in that discouraging situation you can be thankful for.

Now over this last week I have gotten to a place of absolute peace about our file and the wait. Total rest. So it was almost *funny* when I discovered that another adoptive parent was running neck and neck with me! I discovered she was waiting for Foreign Affairs, also.

Seriously, I was at peace with our file taking longer than expected to come back from Foreign Affairs, and I was at peace with other families getting to Ethiopia before us. BUT.. BIG BUT... at that time there were no families that were actually asking for the same age girls as we are. So was I really at peace, or was I just not in competition? *smile*

Well, I am happy to say I passed the test! Yesterday, I got an email from another mum and she told me she is also asking for sisters in the age bracket we are asking for. I immediately thought, God is goooood. He is allowing me in my 'restful' place to see if I really am restful. LOL! And I am.

I told our boys that God so know who our girls are that if we pushed our file on and got to Ethiopia before we were intended to, we might end up with the wrong girls!! Imagine if we got girls that didn't like boys! ACKKKK *grin*

So it doesn't matter that there is someone else who might be a day ahead or behind us in the running. Our girls are our girls. I was just pleased to see *how* I reacted to this new news. *smile*

Today though, I was pleasantly surprised to find I am not in competition, as I had thought. This mum's file is not at Foreign Affairs yet; it is on it's way. But that doesn't matter. What does matter is I am growing. Inch by inch, one situation at a time, God is working on my heart. I love to see my own attitude improvements!

Until next time....