Letting Go . . . He's Already God

I always found the phrase "Let Go and Let God" to be the worst kind of cliche. It sounds great on a bumper sticker but upon closer analysis, it is just plain old rotten theology.  Who am I to "LET" God do or be or accomplish or change anything. He's God.  His word says His plans can not be thwarted.   I don't "allow" him to do anything.  I can simply be used in His plans or sit idly by while He uses others to accomplish the things He was going to do all along.

With our without me.

The phrase might more accurately be stated "Get on Board or Get Out of the Way"   or "Go Big Or Go Home".

In the case of our 15 year old son, Lem and his biological brother, Ariel, we decided to "Get On Board".

If you are my friend on facebook, you've already had a condensed version of the events that brought Ariel in to our family. In fact, just YESTERDAY we were able to pick him up from Children's Garden and bring him  into our home.   I still can't believe he slept here last night, in his bunk bed.  His clothes are in the closet next to Lem's.  He and I had coffee and pan de sal (bread) together for breakfast and I still feel like I'm dreaming.   I am the mother of seven.  Six sons.  I don't mean to get hung up on the numbers but "more than we ask or imagine" is part of the verse that comes to mind.

 

Ariel (white shirt, gray hat) with Lem (purple), Kyle (maroon), Pastor Buddy (black jacket) and three current residents of Children's Garden

Ariel and Lem outside Children's Garden

My amazing sister in Christ, Sharon, saying goodbye to Ariel

In the midst of bringing Ariel home, Aaron and Elliana were invited to stay at Children's Garden for four days and participate in their street outreach program.  They readily accepted that offer and are there right now. I'm so grateful this chance came up for them.

Aaron and Elliana at Children's Garden, right where we left them . . . ha ha

We picked up our dog, Asia, from  a missionary family leaving the field yesterday, too. She's a yellow lab, 3 years old, with a sweet disposition.  I sure have missed having a dog around the house, although I haven't missed the shedding and she sure does shed!

Update on James, out gate guard:
If you're not a FB friend or haven't seen my recent post, our gate guard, James, shot himself in the foot and leg by accident last night.  He is of the Muslim faith and from Mindanao. He's a very handsome, dark skinned young man with a wife in Manila. He lives and works here to provide for her.  Anthony, Lem, Ariel and Francis went to the hospital to visit James as soon as we heard the news. He was standing outside the hospital, in pain, waiting for someone to help pay his bill so he could leave.   Anthony felt led to help out and then to take him to the pharmacy to get his medication.
We know we can not attend to every need that comes to our attention but we also know that without meeting FELT needs, we have no right to speak into people's lives.   That's just how it works.

James 2
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.

James, our Gate Guard (far left, black shirt) with Lem and Ariel

No, I don't believe good deeds save us but they are outpouring of genuine faith.  If James doesn't see us as people who are genuine in our faith, why on Earth would he ever be attracted to it?

In the midst of all this change and busyness, our precious Kyle turned twelve years old today.  We are off to the movies to celebrate.
Last night, we had cake and he woke up to a skype session with his best friends from North Carolina!  What a day already!!!

Thank you, brothers and sisters in Christ.  Your praying and giving are already enabling us to serve in ways we really hadn't anticipated but are so thankful for.   I have never been this humbled.

What a privilege!