Paint Review - Benjamin Moore Advance Waterborne Interior Satin Alkyd Paint

I refuse to work with oil based paints. They are messy, stinky, and too much hassle. I am a simple girl. If there isn't a simple way of doing something, I just skip it.  Unfortunately, we couldn't skip painting our kitchen cabinets.  All we could afford in the chaotic hustle to rebuild our kitchen were these unfinished sets from a discount supplier. 

They were beautiful and well built, but they needed paint.  And I knew better than to use any old paint on such an investment ( a lesson learned the hard way in our last kitchen). 
I wanted that beautiful professional enamel finish. I didn't want yellowing, dings, or a complicated application process. How could I get the best of both worlds?
After researching paints for several weeks I finally chose the Benjamin Moore Advance Waterborne Interior Satin Alkyd. I was swayed by some comments on a professional painters forum that described it as "working with Advance is like painting with a latex paint, but getting oil enamel results. Its so simple."  That did it for me!

 The only place that carried it was a tiny paint dealer 40 minutes away.  So, we filed into the van and headed out.  Once we were there I had to wade through the color catalogs to find just the right white. I told the sales lady I was looking for a "plain white. Not too pinkish. Not too bluish. I just want a simple white."  After sifting through, we settled on the ironically titled "Simply White" - which is a warm, rich, beautiful white. Love it! 

(hard to tell on the computer screen, but it is actually a warm creamy white)

The paint was almost $50 a gallon. Yikes! I bit the bullet and bought two to avoid running out and having to drive back out for another batch. 

We had a Wagner Power Sprayer and was all pumped to use it, until I read several posts about the self-leveling property of the paint and how it really wasn't suited to being sprayed on a vertical surface (gravity, and all!)  So, after 2 coats of primer, I layed all 22 cabinet doors and 12 drawer faces (and a coffee table that wanted in on the action) out in the shade for the first coat.

 

I used a cheap brush with synthetic bristles - nothing fancy.  I was AMAZED at the paint application. I have worked with a lot of paints and this was just a dream. It self-leveled perfectly, eliminating bristle strokes, hiding touch ups, and creating a beautiful smooth surface.

I left everything to dry for about an hour.  When I cam back, to my horror, I found butterflies, gnats, and tiny little grasshopper-y things stuck in the paint - ON THE CABINETS!! 

I reached down to pluck one out and to my surprise the paint surface was dry to the touch, and with a little flick, the bugs just wiped right off.  The surface was smooth as class. I took a rag and wiped the others lightly.  Whew!! 

So, just to be on the safe side...we moved the painting operation indoors to my husband's workshop. Praise the Lord for this 20'x30' insulated workspace. It has been a blessing in so many ways!

I left the doors to dry over night. The next morning I sanded each door and drawer lightly with 220 grit sandpaper and wiped them down.  Then I applied another smooth, luxurious coat of Benjamin Moore Advance.  I repeated this process over and over until I could do it in my sleep (and might have once or twice).  I think it was a total of 6 coats (2 primer and 4 paint) when I finally felt confident that it was evenly coated and completely opaque. 

 

 I then did the same - very carefully - with the cabinet bases.  These were a little tricky because they were standing upright and were more susceptible to drips. Overall, light coats, and lots of sanding, I only ended up with one bad drip under a drawer opening that I needed to go back and touch up.  Pretty painless.

 

Here is a close up of the beautiful satin finish.

 

 

 

We waited about 2 weeks before bringing the cabinets in for installation (mostly because we didn't have any floors in the kitchen yet).  The paint was pretty tough at this point, but the official curing time according to the can says up to 30 days.  It has now been 3 months since we put our cabinets in and we are still COMPLETELY happy with the paint choice. It is as hard as any oil enamel and has taken a lot of rough handling (from transporting, installation, and daily use) without any sign of wear.  I absolutely recommend this paint for any DIYer who wants a simple (albeit a little pricey) paint to work with and a beautiful, tough (scrubbable) finish on their cabinetry.

 

And, best of all. I only used 1/2 a gallon! Which means I have 1 1/2 gallons left to do the trim and molding in the rest of the house....when I feel like painting again.

Expanding the Flock - 18 Chicks and Counting

 

Well, it's been an exciting few days with our new feathered friends.  The chickies only spent one night in their orginal cardboard box brooder.  We decided to upgrade since several of the chicks were already a week or so old and it was a little hard to control the temp in such a little space.

 

Here is their new Brooder Deluxe:

 

 

The plywood frame is 4' x 7'. We have the last 2 ft boarded off to allow for future expansion. We layed down a 1/4" sheet of foam insulation as a barrier between the chicks and the concrete floor.  We added a thick layer of pine wood shavings, 2 feeders, 2 water stations, and their heat lamp.  Just like home.  We took the box they were in and slowly tipped it on its side inside the new brooder. Nobody moved for about 15 seconds. Then one Ameraucana sauntered out.  He took one step out of the box and then suddenly took off running.  The rest of the chicks followed suite, running wild like inmates who had just cleared the barbed wire...flapping, running, and hopping around clucking, "We're free!! We're free!!"  It was pretty entertaining.   

 They have PLENTY of room for now...but, we know now will soon be later...and later means big gangly active birds. We had some wire shelving in the garage that we removed from a closet upstairs. It makes perfect sides to the brooder. Our daughter can peer through the bars like a visitor at a little chicken zoo. We will add some bird netting to the top in a few days before we get any flyers. 

 

 

It took us several hours to get an accurate reading on the thermometer under the heat lamp.  The chicks thought it was a chaise lounge and would sprall out on top of it to snooze. But, after some adjustments we got a nice even pocket of warmth for them to nest in. They sleep snugly in the warm light with their beaks tucked in to eachother's feathers. Adorable little mosh pit.

Our flock now totals 18 chicks.  There was (reportedly) a 6 chick minimum when my husband went to pick up our 2 Barred Rocks this morning...so, he came home with 4 extra Ameracaunas.

Our flock now consists of 2 Rhode Island Reds, 4 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Barred Rock, and 10 Ameracaunas (unknown gender).

 

These new Barred Rocks are the babies of the group. Just 3 days old and as soft as silk.  Don't let their size fool you. They are the loudest and most brazen of all.  They are super active, hold their own among the big guys and gals, and have a deafening "peep".

 

 

Everyone took to the newbies really well...except the Rhode Island Reds. They immediately turned in to playground bullies. The Ameraucanas are really even tempered and didn't tolerate any rough play. They defended the little BRs and even ganged up to form a protective circle around them until the RIRs lost interest. It was fascinating.

 

 

We decided to pull the 2 bullies and the 2 victims all out of the brooder and have a little lesson on playing nice.  Here is the stand off:

 

 

About 30 minutes of socializing and getting used to eachother (and me poking the RIRs in the head everytime they pecked at the BRs) and everyone is now getting along great!

 

 

 

And here are the newest Ameraucanas.  They are amazingly different.  Some look like little owlets, others like Eagle offspring.  Black, brown, tan, yellow, stripes, streaks, and Cleopatra eyeliner...Not a two out of the 10 are alike.

 

 

 

 

What a fun little brood.

 

 

 

 

 

Our First Flock - Bringing Home Baby Chicks to Rehoboth Farm

This post contains affiliate links.

**UPDATED OCT. 2016

Well...we did it...we brought home baby chicks! This is a moment greatly celebrated by this new-to-the-country family.  We dreamed about this moment so many times during our city dwelling days. It is very surreal to think we were paying HOA fees last year, forbidden from keeping any "farmyard pets". And now, only by the grace of God, here we are with our very own little flock.  God is so good.

We picked them up this morning at the local farm supply store.

Like a little happy meal box - but, with "real white meat" inside!

We picked out 12 baby chickies:

(4) Buff Orpingtons - I love how full and fluffy they are when full grown - and their pretty buff coloring.

(2) Rhode Island Reds - They are a good hearty breed I thought we should start with (and redheads, to boot!)

(6) Ameraucanas - they lay blue and green eggs! So fun.
Their coloring is so varied! We got a mystery pack of boys/girls, so only time will tell how many colored eggs we will get. Not sure what will become of the possible roosters.

**They were out of Barred Rock babies, so we will be going back on Friday.  They are a beautiful old-fashioned looking hen!

Here is a "peep" through their little cardboard window:

The Buff Orpington/Rhode Island Red box "cheep cheep cheeped" all the way home.  The Ameraucana box was silent and still. They huddled in a little heap in the corner and slept the whole ride - with an occasional "cheep" when we went over a bump in the road.

 

Here they are settled in their brooder box, complete with all the new chickie necessities.

We originally looked in to purchasing a Chick Starter Kit like this one:

 

It comes with organic chick feed and all the essentials. But, we were able to gather all the supplies locally and piece it together ourselves for quite a bit less. If you don't have a local Rural King or Tractor Supply, everything is available online. Here's a list of everything we used to get started:

 

Cardboard shelter - we used an old appliance box to create a barrier, but had to quickly graduate to a larger home made of plywood.

Brooder lamp (definitely get one with the lightbulb guard!)

Chick feeder (we used 2 of these as well...you can use the plastic jar, but they are compatible with mason jars and we found that the weight of the glass helps keep them from tipping over when the food runs low and the chicks decide to perch on top of them).

Chick starter (this is a NON -GMO organic chick starter.)

Chick waterer (we used two for 18 birds and were refilling them twice a day)

Wood shavings (The pine shavings from the feed store lasted us a long time, even as we expanded their brooder. But, when we ran out we were able to use my husband's wood shavings from the workshop and they worked fine!)

 

 After they became acquainted with their new surroundings, we took them out a few at a time to get a closer look - and ooh and aww over their ridiculous cuteness!

 

 
 

 

 

Sophie, the official family representative, came to welcome the chicks to Rehoboth Farm.

 

"Don't worry, Little Red. You're going to love it here!"

"You....you might be a rooster, so I can't really make you any promises."

 

They are soft, fluffy, sweet, and adorable. They are full of energy and life and will eventually supply us with beautiful rich eggs.  But, mostly they are a milestone.  They are a marker that makes our journey official.

We're farmers now.

 

We are very proud of our first flock.

 

 

CHICKEN UPDATE: CLICK HERE

DIY - How to Make Beautiful Scripture Prints for Your Walls – Custom Typography with Microsoft Word

I just discovered a *NEW* trick and I wanted to share!

 

The Word of God has become so much more than just words to our family in the past few months. I now know why scripture is called "the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT" and our fight, a spiritual "BATTLE". I surely learned to wield that sword last summer. Dodging fiery arrows, however - I'm still working on.

 

I have grown to need God's Word before my eyes at all times as I desire to hide it in my heart, as the scripture teaches. I also want these truths posted "on the doorposts" for my daughter to see, learn, and to cherish.

 

So, I started out with tacky little post-it notes and torn out notebook paper with scribbled verses stuck in every nook and cranny of the house.

 

They were a blessing, but not necessarily a decorative statement - yikes! 

So, I started making these:

 

 Clipboards available in our Etsy shop!

 

 

 

Aren't they BEAUTIFUL?

I can't print them fast enough! I want them in my kitchen, my daughter's room, the hallway, my bedroom....the post-it notes are coming down!

 

And guess what? They're easy to make...and cheap!!

 

Here's how you can make some for your own home:

 

Just open Microsoft Word (or any word program).

Use the fonts available and your favorite verse to complete your design.

Cut a piece of scrapbook paper to 8.5" x 11"

And PRINT!  =)

 

They can also be printed on white cardstock and framed in a colorful frame! Your creative collection can be push-pinned to a bulletin board, glued to a wooden block, or framed neatly for hanging. They would make a beautiful baby shower gift or something to hang in your own nursery. You can even  shrink them down to make stationary or fit smaller frames.

 

Enjoy!

 

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  And thou shalt TEACH THEM DILIGENTLY UNTO THY CHILDREN, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.  And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." - Deuteronomy 6:6-9

 

Rehoboth Farm Collection - How Our Business Was Born

 

We’ve always been the kind to haul scraps of wood out of a burn pile or save old tin cans to create new treasures.  Upcycling was not a new gig for us.  We were pickers at heart and we loved finding somebody’s old and making it into our new.  We love to see transformation, whether it is from a piece of wood to a table, or from a flea market table to a work of art.  We always kidded that our family slogan should be, “We don’t make it, we just make it better.”

But, we have a new slogan now. A slogan very befitting, earned by a trying summer of transformation.

When our moving van arrived, we stood in disbelief.  Our belongings had been strewn along the side of a highway during a truck wreck and were being delivered to us in splintered pieces.  We were relieved to hear no injuries occurred in the collision, but it was a lot to take in. 

There was some sorrow and sentiment as we watched the battered, sometimes unidentifiable contents get carried in to our new home.  But, then we started picking through the pieces.  The wheels were soon turning and we no longer saw what we had lost, but what we could gain.  We sifted through the carnage, pulling out fractured boards, table tops, and cabinet doors, day dreaming about the new life they would soon have.


 With the pile of furniture scraps and any nostalgia set aside, we immediately took on our biggest transformation project yet – Our century old farm house.   We soon found ourselves with more piles. We weren’t sure what we were saving it all for, but we couldn’t let perfectly good lumber, siding, and hardware go to the dump, so we stashed it away. 

A few exhausting weeks later, still unemployed, totally out of money,  and overwhelmed with the house construction, the traumatic move, and the tasks still ahead, we daringly shared our secret dreams with eachother.  To our amazement, we both had the same one!  We wanted to start a family business and repurpose everything we had gathered in to beautiful farmhouse décor.  We suddenly realized this was all bigger than us. Bigger than just our farm.  Bigger than just our belongings.  We could see a door had been opened for us. God was leading us toward a family enterprise, something that used our talents, our hobbies, and our love of transformation.  This was our great escape.  This was our chance to share our creations with others and still put food on the table.  This was our chance to walk in freedom at Rehoboth Farm.  

We immediately charged forward with projects, business start-up, and production.  We opened our Etsy shop 1 month later with 40 items listed.  We are rejoicing in hope of our grand success, but we know it will be by the Lord’s power alone. Only He can make our hearts grateful for a pile of wreckage.   Only He can teach us to hope. He pulled US from the burn pile and made US into treasure. We are HIS story of transformation. 

So, when we say “From our home to yours”, we really mean it. We mean that the shelf you purchased for YOUR home was made from floorboards from OURS.  And even when we use new materials, we mean it was made from our hearts.  

We hope you find something that is a blessing: www.rehobothfarmcollection.com

All Tore Up From the Floor Up - Building a Kitchen From Scratch - Part 1

This post contains affiliate links.

 

 

After tumbling through some pretty heavy duty miracles in 2014, we purchased the farm of our dreams. Seven and 1/2 beautiful acres, room enough for my in-laws, a spacious yard, friendly neighbors, and this wonderful, oversized, super functional kitchen:

 

It was a little worn. It hadn't been updated since the 1980's and the floor was a little soft in spots, but look at that potential! Great counter space, a gas cook top, and the double oven my MIL had always wanted. 

A little paint and some creative updates and it could be beautiful! 

So much storage!

So practical!

We loved it.

We couldn't wait to cook in it.

So, we moved in and lived happily ever after.

But, first...this happened...

 

The first week we moved in...

Not exactly the "open floor" plan we had in mind.

 

The excitement begun the first day we stepped foot in our new home and lasted until we finally stepped foot in to our brand new kitchen - about two months later.  This blog post is the first of many I will use to catalog this unique time of our journey, we like to call "remember when". 

Remember when we had to live in the hotel for a week because we didn't have running water? Remember when we had to wash dishes in the bathtub? Remember when we had a refrigerator in the dining room? Remember when we had to hunt through 4 different rooms and 12 different boxes to find all the ingredients to a meal? Remember when we had a 2 ft. drop at the kitchen doorway so we had to put a baby gate up so we didn't lose any family members?  Remember when we had to heat up water in a crock pot to wash our faces and cook dinner in a toaster oven?

So, what happened?  It's all a blur, really.  My husband almost fell through the floor one minute, we discovered live termites the next, and before we knew it we were back in the hotel we had just checked out of and "Mr. Glenn" (a local handyman who became like kin during the long process) had our kitchen down to bare dirt.  In retrospect (which always seems to cloud my judgment) it's a little funny. Our daughter called it "indoor camping."  Personally, I think it would have been much more fun with s'mores. 

Although we never cooked a single meal in that wonderful, oversized, super functional kitchen, we made quite the gourmet eatery out of our dining room: 

 

It held the place (very crudely) of the kitchen for a great while. The refrigerator came with the house and although a glaring eyesore (stiff competition for the 40 year old carpet), it was quite a blessing to our little camp.  The rolling trashcan cart my husband built a few years before became a handy cook station. The ever-versatile TV trays acted as mobile countertops.  We fed a family of 5 with this quintessential trio of appliances: The Black & Decker Electric burner, the Crock Pot, and the George Forman Grill

 

  The lovely teal bed sheet covered the access door into what would eventually be the actual kitchen. The table top kept the bed sheet from blowing open and allowing saw dust and other debris to soil our luxurious dining/cooking/prep/storage area. 

It wasn't pretty. And it surely wasn't fun. But, our needs were met.  We survived the long frustrating days and refueled on God's promise to make us "fruitful in the land".  Staying focused became easiest at sun set. It meant another day behind us. It meant  we could walk away from the sawdust, the termite eaten floors, the pile of bills, the unpacked boxes, the leaky air mattress, the broken debris that was once our furniture, the visits to the Laundromat, the cold showers, the camp meals, and the chaos...and we could sit on our porch and watch this brilliant display of the Lord's work:

 ...and really, what else matters?

Adoption Update: Following His "High Ways." - 1.13.2014

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

This “Adoption Journey” has been full of surprises –we know you know that as well as we do, since  we’ve taken you along for the ride.  There is so much we have learned about ourselves, the foster process, and the Lord’s faithfulness in the last two years…especially recently.  We have seen that our God is so much bigger than circumstances.  He is bigger than our plans and our timeline.  We are so grateful for His omniscience.  When we get lost in the process, when we are holding on tight to a runaway train, when we can’t see the forest for the trees…He is above it all.  He works around our pride, our fears, and our faithlessness so that all things will work together for good and for His glory.

We hoped in a purpose for the lessons learned, and the struggles overcome but were never prepared for the surprises we faced.  And we never expected to arrive here:

Eight weeks ago God sent us two little girls.  We are just now gathering our thoughts to share our experience.   It was a blessing, it was mayhem, it was the foster placement we had been waiting so long for…and it was the reality check the Lord knew we needed.  The girls were with us for 28 hours.  It was a beautiful whirlwind… and then they were gone.  

We took two weeks off to put our home back together in preparation for the next placement call.  The phone never rang, but the call was clear. Our hearts had been turned to the Lord in faith, and we saw our life through fresh eyes.  Things had changed in our life that we hadn’t slowed down to consider. We knew we needed to re-evaluate our priorities, to acknowledge our limitations, and seek a clearer understanding of God’s will.  When we finally stopped to honestly examine our hearts, the Lord gave clarity.   Despite my prideful eagerness to do more, be more, and give more to the next placement…We were both sure God was telling us to “Step away”.   Despite our hopes to follow through in this great work…We were sure He was asking us to let go of everything invested…all the preparation, all the support, all the expectations, all the training, all the momentum, all the adrenaline….and step away.   

Charlie and I are still very passionate about adoption and want desperately to contribute in a positive way, but it is clear that now is not the right time for our family, so we’re putting it on hold.  The tiny faith it took for us to step in to the adoption process has been tested and tried. Please understand how important you were through those trials.  We know it takes a much greater faith to jump the track after two years with nothing gained except maturity and experience than it did to cautiously climb aboard. So, we’re asking for God’s grace as we continue in obedience, and step out in faith.  We ask for your prayers for our family as we follow His lead…wherever we are headed now.

 Which brings me to the next surprise we never really saw coming:

Tessie was born to two unsaved parents. At the time we knew nothing more than our own selfish will.  Concerned about hereditary birth defects during my pregnancy, we held our breath.  Nine months later we declared Tessie’s perfect health “a dodged bullet” and determined not to “press our luck” with any successive births - allowing that fear to govern our willingness to receive the Lord’s blessings for the next four years.  It was only as God took us by the hand and walked us through the foster process, that we came to realize how sinful that fear was.  Little by little He turned our hearts, little by little He grew our faith, and little by little He opened our eyes…until we had no choice but to face our own cowardice. The hypocrisy in committing to love and care for the unknown needs of foster children while our hearts were closed to receiving  a blessing –knit together in my own womb by a sovereign Lord - because he/she might have cleft palate was shameful.  When those two little girls left our world with the same abruptness in which they arrived, we were left with a harsh truth:  Those are somebody’s babies.  Those are somebody’s blessings…God created those children in His image and gifted them to those parents for stewardship…and they are too selfish to care for them.  Too selfish…just like us.  In that moment of clarity we suddenly knew why God had drawn us through all that chaos.  We realized the ship had not stopped or turned around when He called us to step away…. our Captain just had a higher purpose for that journey than we ever understood.  We thought He had been guiding us toward OUR goal: adoption.  But, all along He had been leading us toward His: Obedience.   And we finally arrived.  We are ready to submit our will, our way, and even our womb.   We are ready to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not unto our own understanding.

We are so grateful for the miraculous work of the Spirit in our calloused hearts.  Our Father has taken so much precious time to work out our fears and grow our faith.  We know He has made us no promises to restore those years wasted in selfishness, and we expect nothing but forgiveness for our faithlessness.  But, we are hoping and fervently praying for the merciful gift of siblings for Tessie in the coming years as we trust in His sovereignty.  

We love you all and are so glad to share this journey with you as the Lord reveals His miracles.  Please continue to pray for our family as we grow in grace.

UPDATE:  A New Twist in the Road...CLICK HERE!

Update: What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Foster Placement - 11.7.2013

In my 9^th month of pregnancy I was told the baby could come “any day now”.  With that sense of anticipation my priorities shifted.  I was urged to do as much reading and sleeping as I could because “once that baby comes….nothing will be the same again.”  Although I could only understand this warning in theory until I experienced it for myself, I tried to get everything done that I knew needed doing and would be exponentially harder after the baby arrived.  Prepping meals, organizing, reading, researching, keeping up with emails and phone calls…etc.  I can remember making sure there was never a dirty dish in the sink or a load of laundry left unattended, because I didn’t want to come home from the hospital to uncompleted chores.
And here I am now – a foster mom– no bulging belly, no swollen ankles, and no due date.  But, with the same sense of urgency I am striving to accomplish all the same tasks I did before my daughter was born.  Grocery shopping – because what if we get a placement and can’t make it to the store right away?  Organizing….because once we get a placement I want to be able to focus on them and their needs rather than hunting for matching socks.   Researching, reading, and keeping in touch….because we all know that’s going out the window when I have a hand to hold, a mouth to feed, or a baby to swaddle.  I know our world is about to be rocked and I’m trying to prepare while I still have time.  So, in some ways it feels very familiar. 

 And yet, in other ways, I know the parallel is not there at all.  When we were expecting our daughter…the due date came and went, but still we waited with eagerness to meet our little one, knowing her birth was inevitable and her presence in our lives was all part of God’s perfect design for our family. Relatives, friends, and coworkers all sent gifts, shared wisdom, and gave encouragement as they awaited the new addition.  They shared their hopes, willing to risk a committal love because she was going to be ours…and in a way…theirs.  We were all curious, excited, and hopeful.  We didn’t know when she was coming, but we knew she was coming from the safety of my womb, to the safety of my arms and she would stay forever. 

As we await a foster placement, our eagerness is bittersweet.  We’re ready, we’re waiting, we’re even excited to help…. But, we know that if we get a call, it is only because a family has been broken in some way, a child’s life has been disrupted, and God’s perfect design has been violated.  An arrival won’t mean the miracle of birth. It will mean a traumatic departing from the life they knew and a painful separation from loved ones.  This scenario is not natural, familiar, or a reason to celebrate.  So, as we hope for the phone to ring, we also hope it never will.
Because we know when we meet a placement for the first time we'll want to scoop them up and shout, “We’re so glad you’re finally here!”   But, instead I picture myself holding a terrified, frail little stranger and whispering, “I’m so sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.”

We pray for courage as we face these unknowns. We share updates and rally support, but we’re unsure about how much to ask of those around us, knowing we can’t stop our battle from soon becoming theirs.  Most of our friends and family are curious and hopeful for us, but cautious.  They aren’t sure what to give, what to say, or how to help, even when they desire to show their support.   They express fears and concerns with honest hearts and try to understand why we would risk the heartache.  This is reasonable.  Foster care is complicated and confusing…especially from the outside.  It doesn’t fit the mold.   When I stock up on baby bottles, onesies, crib sheets, and other supplies at garage sales and thrift shops, I get strange looks.  They stare at where my baby bump should be and ask cautiously, "Are you expecting?"  

YES.  I am.  I’m expecting a child to need a refuge. I’m expecting to be that safe place. I’m expecting to give everything I have during their stay. I’m expecting to say goodbye before I’m ready.  And I’m expecting the call will come “any day now”.

 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

  

Orphan Sunday - Giving Children Hope

Watch this vimeo video: Hope

Foster Care, Adoption, Davion Only, and the Church

Warning: This post has been written from my soapbox.

Will the real body of Christ please stand up?  Will God's children please put down your hymnals, and live out the words you're singing: "Hast Thou, O Lord, a work to do?
Here am I, send me! The field is white, the lab’rers few, Here am I, send me."
Why do we, who claim loyalty to Christ, who preaches the gospel (the adoption of the lost and hopeless into the family of God through His sweet amazing grace), and who are supposed to be known for our love - lack the faith to open our home, our hearts, and our lives to the lost and helpless little souls who need us most?  Why does a 15 year old boy need to borrow a suit and tie and march into a church to advocate for his own needs?  Shame on us that the hurting need to come hunt us down in our pews and appeal to our guilt.  We are Christ's body - his earthly members.  We should be obedient, attentive, and seeking ways to minister one to another.
Yes, foster/adoption can be scary, intimidating, and complicated. But, perfect love casts out fear.  We find perfect love only in Christ.  We are to be His vessels - willing vessels. Willing to take risk, take action, and take on the burdens of others in obedience. When Peter told Jesus he loved Him, Christ challenged him to prove it with his actions. He commanded, "Then feed my sheep."  So, how shameful it is that we sit singing "O how I love Jesus" with nothing to show for it.  There is work to be done, church.  If we can't taken an orphan in, we should be praying for those who can. If we can't offer a bed, we should offer a meal, clothing, supplies, or encouragement to those who will.  We shouldn't wait until Davion Only comes strolling in to our congregation and begs for a home, for his own pillow, for someone to love him. 

I pray that the Lord will work through the publicity afforded this young man in his search for a family.  I pray that it will be an awakening in our sleeping churches - that we will rise in obedience and show our love for Christ in our care for others.
Please read this amazing testimony of an adoptee who has benefitted from Christ's healing power in the home of those willing to love:  Thirty

Adoption Update: Going In To Battle - 10.9.2013

I know this journey with us has been a wild ride. We have tried to obey the Lord's call each time we've been asked to take a step in faith. You have all been so gracious to follow along with each change. Most recently Charlie and I described the risk in the term “legal risk”, assuring you that the hope of adoption would be worth it in the end. Now, two months out, our hearts have been turned again.  Not away from that risk as logic would dictate, but straight toward it - in faith.

Charlie has felt the draw to enter this spiritual battle for some time and in response to some news articles regarding the typical caliber of foster parents in some states, the quality of care offered these temporary orphans, and the brokenness of the system itself, Charlie finally declared “This is war. We need to foster.”

My heart took a little more tugging.  This past week I was led to Psalm 10:18: “Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge (vindicate) the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress (terrify).”

My heart soared as I thought of our great God vindicating the fatherless and oppressed… I thought, Charlie is right – this is war! The enemy must be defeated! Send in the soldiers!  …But then I realized we were the soldiers.  I cowardly listed off as many excuses I could think of to disqualify us for battle.  Fostering is a deep, dark world. We’re not ready. We can’t do it. It’s too risky.  It’s too hearbreaking. Aren’t there other soldiers you can send?  I read Psalm 11 and hid behind David’s apprehension: “…how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.” See? It’s too dangerous.  It’s hopeless.

 As I struggled with the fear that came naturally and the faith that had failed, I glanced again at Psalm 11:1 and realized I had totally skipped the first line. The conviction came immediately: “In the Lord I put my trust.” 

The Holy Spirit continued to work on my heart… until I turned from the fear….until I stood in faith...until I was ready to put on the armor and fight.  Tuesday night when Charlie got home from his FBI (Faith Bible Institute) class I shared with him how I had spent all evening in the Word and God had given me courage to face our new battle.  He looked surprised and said, “That is so weird. The whole time at class tonight I just had this feeling of peace, like we are ready for it now.” 

We meet with our caseworker on Thursday (the 17^th) to open our home to foster placements.

To clarify the difference between our original license and this one….A foster home is to be ready for emergency placements upon need.  These children come in to care for refuge while the courts work out their home lives -for better or for worse. They need immediate care and comfort; some will arrive with only the clothes on their back. We see this is as an opportunity to teach Tessie the principles of Matthew 25:35-40 and purpose to share as much truth and love with them as we can while they remain in our care – whether that means 2 days or 2 years.

Letting go of the hope of forever and focusing on the need of today is bigger than we thought we would ever be ready for. It is something God has readied our hearts for bit by bit as we grew in courage and faith.  Tess is older now. She understands the process and has healthy expectations of potential loss. We believe she will gain great strength from the trials ahead as we all grow. Since her temporary siblings will all be younger than her, we are hoping that Tess’ calm nature and example will be a benefit to them as their hearts are healing. 

We ask for your prayers.  Please pray for victories, for resolve, for faith.  Pray that we always remember to put our trust in the Lord – no matter the circumstance, no matter the enemy.  We know our God is bigger than this system. We know as His soldiers, we don’t get to choose the battle we are called to.  We are simply to lay down our lives in obedience to the great Commander.

Our prayer for each child we care for will be for a miraculous restoration of their family and a healthy reunification.  We know this will mean heartbreak for us each time we have to say goodbye.  We are trusting the Lord to use each transition/loss to grow our faith and show us a little more about what it meant to give up His son for us.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE