Stewarding and Soccer

This past year in my Bible Study Fellowship we've been going through Acts.  Now, as I say that I know that's not the truth- in actuality we've gone through ALL the acts of the Apostles... as in Acts-Jude of the New Testament.  There have been some timeless truths I've seen in this study that I feel God is already and will continue to use to sharpen me in whatever our life events turn out being.

- The Holy Spirit permanently indwells all who believe and empowers us to do what we could not do without him.
- How is Jesus preparing me today to continue on with HIS earthly ministry?
-Real faith is evidenced by real life change.
- When we believe Satan's lies we discount the Holy Spirit's truth.
-Prayer-less lives are powerless lives.
-We can't stay comfortable and be used by God in powerful ways.
- As Christ followers we are not called to sit in the directors chair or the easy chair.
- Is my life worth imitating?
-Spiritual maturity means living by God's grace and for his glory.
-Our beliefs and our behavior go hand in hand.
-We only believe the parts of the Bible that we actually DO.
-Is God's word nice or necessary to me?
-Every opportunity to fear is an invitation to trust.

- In reading through the early church we saw how these new converts to the Way released apostles to go and do God's work. They didn't know what they meant, where they would end up or how much they would suffer and die for this call but they still sent and they still went simply because they KNEW they belonged to God.  A comment my leader raised was "when we don't release (fill in the blank... my kids, my dreams etc...) it's because we don't have an accurate view of who they belong to."

In our past 6 month journey with Little Lady we've often been asked how close we are to adopting her or how long we will have her until "she's ours". I typically respond with something like "well, we aren't sure she will be up for adoption ever so we're just enjoying her each day we have her." I have had people just stare at me then say "oh, I just could never give her back!"  And THEN when I tell them that we're trying to build a relationship with the birth mom...well, you would think I'd have grown a third eye!  But what's honestly going on here is the realization of who she belong to.  She isn't ours!  I wonder how differently our homes - my home- would function if we saw each little (or not so little) life that lives in it through the eyes of a steward and not an owner.  The children God has given to me and Brad are technically "ours" but they're not. They're his too.  My house isn't mine- it's his. My time isn't mine- his. My money, gifts, words- all his.  I need to be releasing these people, these things that I cling too much too dearly and recognize- as the early Christians did- who it all belongs too.  Wow- I'm just so thankful for leaders who clearly teach the Word and even more thankful for the Holy Spirits work.

Life with Little Lady is going smoothly still.  She's 15 months old TODAY and it's hard to believe we've had her for 6 months already.  We've had Mom over for 4 meals and also invited her to spend some time with us on Mother's Day- with extended family which was a new (but comfortable) dimension.  We are doing a lot of praying about any future involvement with her- how much, what degree - but it's been a really neat time getting to know her.  Jaedon beat her in a backyard soccer match last night ;-)

 My little helper- who needs toys right?

 Owen- the card shark.  ...  I'll wait...  OHHHH  there ya go. ;-)

 My handsome lot-

 I know this picture is HORRID (we were sitting in the very back row of the very top of the balcony) but the little blue shirt in the front corner is Seth TOTALLY hamming it up during his spring concert! HI-larious!

 Believe it or not this is the BEST Mother's Day picture we got! HA!

 Jaedon went on an overnight camping trip with his Cadet Troop. LOVED IT.

 And these pictures I put in just to make my sister in law jealous ;-)   We visited the beach - found all sorts of fun like sea shells, the "fun" of wet jeans and how (not) edible sand is!