Block?

Ok, so I have had 4 different posts that I have been so excited about writing...  but they come to me in the car... usually on a Thursday (Mother's Day Out Day) when I 'm actually able to drive around by myself.  BUT... when I finally get a few minutes to write... they are gone..... UGH!  Does this happen to anyone else??  

Would this be called writer's block,  or ADD with memory lapse??  HeeHee!

MIGHTY

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!"  Philippians 4:13.

I grew up knowing this verse, just the same as you did!  I always thought of this as my "Mighty Verse"...  even sometimes picturing Mighty Mouse... Strong and Able!  (cue the trumpet sounds)  I can do ALL things... not just a few things... but ALL things!

When I think of this MIGHTY verse... I think of MIGHTY King David...  and how he did "ALL THINGS" with a slingshot!  And how he forgave Saul repeatedly despite his repeated attacks (I really need to write another blog on what the Lord is showing me about David!)...  You know... MIGHTY STUFF!  The kind of thing you need a MIGHTY prayer like this for!  Forgiveness when 'EVERYONE' would understand if you didn't want to, but knowing what the Lord has Called you to!

Mighty BIG Stuff!

But....  have you ever ACTUALLY read the context?????  I challenge you to pick up your Bible and READ THE CONTEXT!  Read verses 10-12.  The context is regarding CONTENTMENT!  Paul writes: I have learned to be content in any circumstance. I know what it's like to  live with plenty and what it's like to be in need.  No matter the situation, whether well fed or Hungry, whether living in plenty or in want...  I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!

Seriously???  Contentment?!?  Not anything MIGHTY?  Like 'allow me (Paul) to forgive these jailers and torturers who hold me'... Not 'let me be Strong with this Thorn in the flesh.'  Not 'let me use the Power of the Spirit to perform miracles or healing so others will believe?'  Paul writes NOT about a 'Mighty' thing for which he needs strength... but Contentment.

OR.........  Maybe......... The Spirit of Contentment IS a MIGHTY thing!  Have you ever struggled here?  I know I have... ummm...  do... will...  

Do we ever really call upon the Lord to give us a MIGHTY POWER over Contentment??  I don't.  I should.  I better START!  If Paul needed the Power of the Lord to give him contentment... then we should all pray that way too!

You know......  (thinking as I'm typing)....  

Maybe Contentment is the New Testament way to say the Old Testament Promise of BE STILL!   Almost as if Jesus is saying: "BE Content... Stop PUSHING All the time... Let Me do My work... I got this!"  

Does BEING STILL require a "MIGHTY VERSE"?????????  

.......... for me it CERTAINLY does.........

Hope

...waiting... hoping... yearning...

I'm not very good at being patient.... unless the future is guaranteed!  Are you like that??
I can be patient to a point... like waiting for Friday... or waiting for Christmas...  Something that is Guaranteed to happen!  *yes, over-analyzers... I know it's not 'technically' guaranteed!

BUT I don't do so well if there is a "maybe" in there...  

I guess this is why I was SO very encouraged by my study in 2 Thessalonians.  
They were commended by Paul to have GREAT Love and Faith despite very discouraging persecution in his first letter to them.  They were really "doing it" and doing it VERY WELL!  They were hanging in there... they were being patient... KNOWING that Paul had reassured them that Jesus was COMING BACK to get them... and they would have an "end" to this torment!

Well...  they got some bad information... (for me... insert "Doubt" or "Discouraging News")... 
Someone had told them that Jesus had ALREADY come... and so their HOPE in the future was BASHED....  poor souls.....  here they were PATIENTLY ENDURING massive persecution in a time of great turmoil... and someone cut in on them and cut off their GREATEST JOY and HOPE!  It is believed they received a false letter with BAD information and signed by (supposedly) Paul.

I can imagine Paul coming OUT OF HIS SKIN when he heard this... the very group of people that were really ROCKING it for Jesus... just had the LIFE kicked out of them...  I can see him almost SCREAMING "NO!"  I can see him grab up that paper and start writing like crazy... not sleeping... not eating... not even hardly breathing until he could straighten out the mess.  

In Chapter 2 of 2 Thessalonians, Paul writes v2 "don't become easily unsettled or alarmed" by bad news!!  HOLD to the TRUTH that I told you....  and v15 "stand firm and hold to our teachings" and then v16's beautiful benediction "May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His Grace gave us Eternal Encouragement and Good Hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."

BUT... he doesn't end there....  he also says "STAY BUSY!"  Keep on Keeping on!

I think that is when I have the most trouble with waiting... when I'm not busy... 
When I'm busy with paperwork or projects to get ready for something... I'm good!  It's the STILLNESS of waiting that is so hard.  I don't think Paul would put this section in here if they weren't having some of the same problems!  If it wasn't for THEM being idle... but maybe others around them...  You all know what it's like to be working in an office environment with others who AREN'T BUSY ENOUGH...  (I'll just leave that alone...)  

But in my life... be it our adoptions, pregnancy, moving, ministry... etc...  I don't do well when I'm STILL!

SO... for today... to encourage my heart and to renew my HOPE for what has been Promised...  I SHALL PACK... or clean or organize... for 'tomorrow' we are going to BRAZIL!!!!!

December

It's so hard to believe that December is over!!  Seriously... where did it go??? 

Update on Brazil: Well...  We sent off paperwork to be legalized in Atlanta... and they sent it back... We spent another $335 and sent it all off again...  Now we are waiting to see what happens!   We haven't had any real bites on the house...  BUT... I'm not stressing!  We know we should see a pick up in house traffic in January.  And... well... the Visa process is... a process... very similar to the Adoption paperwork process.  It's a lot of hurry up and wait!  Unfortunately, we also know the Brazilian government's way of doing things.  BUT... we also know the ONE who is greater than ALL!  He can orchestrate our Papers to land on the RIGHT person's desk... and for the RIGHT family to show up on our doorstep!  So we wait...  holding tight to the Savior and the One who has promised GOOD in ALL things! 

Update on the Fryar Five:  We've all passed around our share of sicknesses this November and December.  All in All, we have really been very healthy; and for that, we are SO Thankful!!  Chris continues to work very hard with NICS. He is the Remote Business Manager and takes care of the books and business planning for 3 NICS schools, including our school. He also still works in the Finance department for NICS processing support.  I am still enjoying being at home!  I love finding craft projects to do with the boys and trying to teach them anything I can.  I really really love my Monday morning nap with Sarah-Bethany.  It's the only day that we don't have anywhere to go!!  Caleb and Negash are still loving each other one minute and fighting the next... you know... brothers!  It's always comical to see them search for each other and miss each other if they've been apart more than 2 hours!  Sarah-Bethany is now 7 months old! She has 2 sweet bottom teeth, and just said "Dada" yesterday!  She's starting to have some separation anxiety when we aren't here.  I just love our little family of 5!  We had the best Christmas to date!  So much fun as we keep trying to keep the Santa thing going.  Negash also got to play in snow for the first time!  So fun!!  

Here are some pictures!! :)

Thankful!

We had a nice visit with my side of the family for Thanksgiving.... however it was cut very short due to Chris and Sarah-Bethany both being sick... poor babies...  We were SOOOOO sad to miss out on the Thanksgiving feast with the Fryar side... still pretty bummed on that... 

**At dinner, Dad mentioned how great it was to have all of us together for Thanksgiving... then said it would be the LAST one with all of us because next year we'd be back in Brazil...  He was a little teary over that...  

BUT I, of course, also mentioned to him that HE would be IN BRAZIL WITH US for next Thanksgiving!!  He and Mom came 2 years during Thanksgiving and it was so wonderful!!  The Christmas decorations were already up everywhere in town and we got to cheer on the Razorbacks BEATING LSU BOTH YEARS!!  It was so funny because with the time zone differences... we were up yelling at the TV and dancing in the yard at 1 am!!  *That was the year with all the over-times too!!

SO.......  while it may be a little sad now.... at least we can BEAT LSU if Dad comes to Brazil!! :)

.......

But it was a bit surreal tonight as we put up our Christmas decorations and sorted through what we want to sell in the yard sale. It made me reflect over the past few years...

Thanksgiving 2009 - We had received the call from Mom and Dad giving us Mom's new diagnosis of Lung Cancer in October.  We called them on Thanksgiving and let them know that we had decided to come home at Christmas FOR GOOD, not just a Visit.  She was so happy and relieved to hear that we were coming home.  Even though I've working as an Oncology Nurse since 2001... it's still different when it's your Mama!  It was a hard role to play: daughter and nurse.  

Thanksgiving 2010 - Mom was starting to have a lot of pain so she just laid on the couch while we busied about making dinner and all.  She would hurt so badly if she moved at all.  At the same time... we were anxiously awaiting any news to hear when we would travel for Negash... knowing what was soon ahead for Mom.  It was definitely began my season of "Great Contrasts."  I prayed to the Lord as these two massive events were set for a collision course... I prayed "Lord, YOU are going to have to work this out... I can NOT chose between my son and my mother... so I am going to have to STOP worrying... and let you BE GOD!!  I release this!!"  ...and He SOOOO took care of it...  We traveled to Ethiopia for our court trip (1st of 2 trips) on the second week of February, returned and I was home for 1 1/2 weeks before I needed to be with Mom.  She was ushered into Glory on February 26th.  Then we were called to return to Ethiopia to bring Negash home on March 10th.  **That was DIVINE INTERVENTION... only the LORD could have navigated that!  It still makes me sad that Negash has never met her...  she would have loved his hard-working spirit and DRIVE to learn!  ...and now Sarah-Bethany... oh how she would have LOVED to have another girl around...   *deep sigh*

Thanksgiving 2011 - We got to spend Thanksgiving with Dad and introducing Negash to even more US holidays!  So fun!  Everything was still so new for him... and so funny to see how he puts things together!  He and Caleb had fun playing with Brooklyn, Trevor, and Ryan!  Dad was so glad to have all of us there!  We couldn't wait to spend our first Christmas with Negash!  ...AND... we had just found out 3 weeks prior that we were PREGNANT!  What in the WORLD?!?!?  That was INDEED a COMPLETE SURPRISE and a Gift of Heaven!  *Check back to posts from November 2011 to see the Excitement/Fear/ELATION/Nervousness and all that was happening around that time!

Through all... The Lord has been so faithful to us... so Amazing and so True to His promises!  Our last 3 years has not been all happy and joyful... there has been many things our family has had to work through... but we stand humbly before the throne and know that Jesus has been KING OVER ALL!!

**We NEVER would have expected the Lord to call us back to Brazil right now!!  ...but then... He has surprised us at many turns and corners and we now live with the Expectation that He will Surprise us again!!  ...and again...  So we now prepare to go... carrying with us the precious memories of the past Thanksgiving and Christmas times we have been blessed to have Stateside!   ...and looking forward to ALL HE will do in the next few years!

OFF WE GO....

Well... Here we go again!!

The Lord has called us back to Brasilia, Brazil!!  We served there with the Network of International Christian Schools (www.nics.org) for 3 years from 2007-2010.  We are very excited about what the Lord is doing and what He has promised to CONTINUE to do!!  He is working in our hearts now about different areas of ministry and different ways to further HIS KINGDOM!  

Our School, Brasilia International School ministers to kids from ALL OVER THE WORLD!!  Right now, we have an enrollment of 100 kids from 23 different countries!!  How amazing is that?!?!  Just as we saw before when we were there... it was more like the Mission Field came to US!!  To be able to love on kiddos from all over the world, who may VERY WELL one day become the Political Leaders of their countries!!  Talk about an "Investment in the Future of the WORLD!"  That's what we love about the NICS Mission, and about what we experienced as we were there before!

The Preparations....  We now OFFICIALLY have our house on the Market... which... for me... is the hardest part!  We really love our house!!  It's so "US!"  We've worked hard in the yard to get it the way we like it, full of color!!  But.... alas... we know it's just part of the process....

Next we will have a MASSIVE Yard Sale to get rid of the "cluttery" stuff... then a MASSIVE Email send out for the big stuff - furniture, beds, lawn mower...etc.

We do not have a timeline on when we'll go... we would REALLY REALLY Love to have the house sold... but we also know the LORD has ALL of that in HIS Precious Hands!!  He can do ANYTHING!!   We are thinking that it may be April - May or so... but totally leaving it open!  We, of course, have to wait on Visa's too!  Daniel is working through to see what the best option we have for that will be.

HERE IS WHERE YOU COME IN!! :)

Please PRAY!!  Please STORM the HEAVENS for us... for our boys.., for the baby... for our house... FOR OUR KITTY CATS!!!  Please pray for the Lord to show you the best way to  support us!

We *KNOW* the LORD doesn't need Money!  He needs NOTHING from us!!  He can do and can provide ANYTHING and EVERYTHING... but the incredible thing... is that He gives us the PRIVILEGE to use the resources He has given to us to bless others and to steward as He would!  
Would you please consider PARTNERING with us as we go share the Gospel of Jesus with the Nations???  There will be many set-up expenses, travel expenses, and monthly expenses involved with moving to Brazil and getting settled there.  Also, Brasilia is a very expensive city to live in... we know that our regular monthly needs for things like rent and household items will be more than it would be here!  

Here is how... I have a link at the TOP RIGHT of this blog to show you how!!  Here it is again!!!   You can CLICK HERE or go to:  

https://nics.org/Donate-start   Our project number is 001909.  

The address is 3790 Goodman Rd E Southaven, MS 38672.  For Uncle Sam, please make any donations out to NICS, and put our Project number in the memo line.  #001909.

We are humbled!!  Thank you for your partnership!!!!!

Something Bigger than Me

This song is SO powerful!!  It echoes our hearts right now at this season!!

But even more so... It brings to mind our precious friends who are going through something so hard and so painful that I can't imagine bearing their load... But being REASSURED that HE IS UP TO SOMETHING BIG!!  

He has a HUGE Plan for ALL of our lives!!  He is Sovereign!  

He is GOD and He IS IN CONTROL!  

So Thankful for a God who loves me and is willing to put up with me... and even more than that... is willing to SHOW ME more of HIMSELF!  *Amazing Grace!*

Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly) lyrics
Songwriters: Gartley, Dan; Graalman, Mark; Hammitt, Matt; Prevost, Peter; Rohman, Chris;

It's time for healing, time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
But I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone, time to begin again
Re-evaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills?
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything, I surrender
Time to face up, clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life, something Heavenly
It's time to face up, clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out

National Adoption Month

November is National Adoption Month

Last Sunday was "Orphan Sunday."  So I made this banner for my Facebook page.  I originally had "147 Million *MINUS TWO*" written on it... but it just didn't "feel" right...  

Chris came home and saw it and it didn't sit well with him either...  So I started thinking about the Verse I put on it...  ABSOLUTELY!!  We should be "CELEBRATING SONSHIP" during this month and not focusing on what they 'were'!

I very frequently feel an Angry Outburst welling up in regards to the 'popular opinion' on adoption in the world today.  It irritates me SO VERY MUCH when well-meaning people speak about adoption without really understanding it.  ...but alas... I will not VENT OUT right here... not right now...

Our Boys are OUR BOYS!  They have a History that doesn't include us.  They have a story that has Great Pain.  They have learned to Love and Trust beyond what others can comprehend.  We discuss their stories frequently and work together to help them heal.  There is no part that can be simply pushed away for a discussion another day or when they are older.  It is OUR life!

Adoption is NOT EASY...  Adoption is Hard!  There are Multiple Layers of Pain involved with EVERY Adoption, and MOST Importantly: Adoption is NOT ONLY ABOUT YOU!!   

OCTOBER!

October was FULL! 

 ...I think this is getting a little redundant! LOL!

The boys are playing Soccer with the YMCA again this year.  We LOVE this league!  Several of the games have been VERY COLD... and Sarah-Bethany is right there with us... all bundled up and everything!!  She is such a Trooper!  Not sure how she puts up with so much!

AND... we visited 2 different Pumpkin Patches!  We had so much fun!

All Bundled up at the Soccer Game

  

GO GREEN TEAM!

My Handsome Boys!!

The Fryar Five!

Youth Villages - BLAZE

In August 2010, Chris began working with Youth Villages and we have been so blessed by this Amazing Ministry!!  Our campus of Youth Villages is a residential program for At-Risk troubled kids. From their website:

Youth Villages’ residential treatment programs serve boys and girls with serious to severe emotional and behavioral problems combined with other needs. Although placement criteria vary for each campus, the programs accept adolescents and teens with IQ scores of 45 or above. Almost 95% of those admitted have multiple presenting issues.
Our goal is to return children to a less restrictive environment to continue their progress through intensive in-home services, with their family when possible, or therapeutic foster care when it is not. Based on outcomes from July 2002 to March 2010, 79% of youth exited residential treatment successfully either through step-down to foster care or in-home services or through discharge with family.

Youth Villages is not a "Christian" organization... however, they have documented the Amazing success that a "Religious Program" can have on the kids in their care!  They have a "Spiritual Life" program headed by our friend Hilda, an Incredible lady of Great Faith!

Chris started with just volunteering in the Cottages (where the boys live) and having a small Bible study with some of the younger boys there.  We also began to get involved with the Mentor program.  We were so blessed to be able to build a relationship with our Mentee.  We would pick him up and take him to church and out to eat for lunch... as well as other outings.  Negash even called our fella "his best friend" one time!!  What a Blessing!  Chris was even able to lead him to a Personal Relationship with Jesus!! Praise the LORD!!  He left Youth Villages last spring to go to a new foster family who were very interested in adopting him!  We pray for him often!

We were still interested in what other areas we could help out... LONGING for a way to have a 'SMASH'-type Ministry again.  Hilda told us about a ministry which had pretty much died out... It was called Blaze.  It was a Large Group meeting time on Sunday afternoons for corporate worship!

WELL THERE YA GO!!!  THAT IS WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR!!

We started having BLAZE on Sunday afternoons 2-3 times a month!  We love it!!  Youth Villages and Hilda have been so great to work with our family and allow us to take the boys and Sarah-Bethany with us during Blaze.  They sit in the back and color or read or LISTEN TO DADDY as he preaches THE WORD to these boys!  We've had pizza parties, game shows, and given out LOTS of candy!  We have seen SEVERAL of these boys pray to ask Jesus to be LORD of their LIFE at our Blaze event!  Chris has prayed with these boys and taught them more about Jesus than they have ever heard!!  Some of these boys have NEVER heard words of LIFE.... Some have grown up in the church and made very poor choices... and Some of these boys are very confused and have very mixed up ideas of who Jesus really is!  We LOVE the opportunity the Lord has given us to meet them where they are!

Razorback Weekend!!

 Chris and I got the INCREDIBLE Opportunity to go to a Razorback Game in Fayetteville!  We were so excited to have our FIRST alone time since Sarah-Bethany has been born!  We had so much fun and were able to really relax and rest and GET ALL FIRED UP FOR THE HOGS!! 

The boys stayed with G-Daddy and had an AMAZING Time!  Fun of Tent Camping in the Game Room, Fishing, the County Fair and LOTS of bike riding!  Sarah-Bethany got SPOILED by Mimi who "never put her down all weekend!"  They all had a FABULOUS Time!  

Waiting on the Razorback Game to start!

Chris with Chuck Barrett - the Voice of the Razorbacks

Meanwhile... back in Cabot...

Negash with his Big Catch!

4 Months Old!

BIRTHDAYS!

We *LOVE* Birthdays!!  I LOVE that the boys' birthdays are in the summer too!  So much Fun!

This year, the boys got to pick where we go as a family and we have presents at home.  THEN... we have a MASSIVE Silly String fight!  It's so much Fun!!  I Love making new family traditions! 

At the Children's Museum for Negash's Birthday

Dad showing the boys the FINER points of Grocery Management!

Happy Birthday, Negash!!

At Sky Zone for Caleb's Birthday

Happy Birthday, Caleb!!

At the COLOSSAL Silly String Fight!!

Our Small Group joined in the Silly String fight, per Caleb's request!

Getting BIGGER!!