Gong Xi Fa Cai

"I wish you wealth and prosperity." Happy Chinese New Year! The Chinese follow a lunar calendar, celebrating their new year on the second new moon after the winter solstice. This means that Chinese New Year can fall anywhere from mid-January to mid-February. This year, we celebrate on Monday, January 26. Each Chinese year is given the name of an animal in the Chinese zodiac. There are 12 animals, and each one cycles around again every 12 years. This year, we are celebrating the year of the Ox.


Chinese legend has it that the 12 animals were gathered on a riverbank trying to decide the order of the animals for the years of the Chinese zodiac. They held a contest, and the order in which they arrived on the opposite bank would determine the order of the years. The crafty rat jumped on the back of the ox, letting him to all the work. Just before reaching the opposite bank, the rat jumped from the ox's back. Thus, the rat is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac, followed by the ox. The lazy pig came in last!

This year, we are celebrating by making paper lanterns to hang in our living room.













We have also assembled treat boxes for each of Dayna's friends at daycare. They will receive a tangerine (for luck), a red envelope filled with chocolate coins (for prosperity), some rice cake treats and a fortune cookie. Each child will also be able to make an ox mask to take home. We're hoping that by sharing some Chinese stories and a movie, that Dayna's culture and heritage will become a bit more meaningful for herself and her friends.













Next weekend, we will celebrate with other adoptive families and get to watch the Lion Dancers. Dayna's still pretty scared of them, but they're still an awesome sight to behold!


Gung Xi Fa Cai!

Zoo Day

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Anxiety

I had a restless night last night. I can't explain why, but I just couldn't quiet my soul. I think I just had a plain old ordinary case of restlessness. Maybe there was a little discontentment thrown in as well. I'm ready to move away from this house and this city...I'm ready to add to our family through adoption...I love my job, but feel like I need a change of scenery... But the unknown aspect of all of these things scares me. What if we can't sell our house? How much money will we need to spend to fix it up first? What if we can't get jobs in the state where we want to move? Where will the money come for the next adoption? What happens if the child we feel led to adopt slips through our fingers? What if I get moved to a new school (AGAIN) and have to spend another 2 years to establish my procedures and method of teaching? What if? Where? How? I guess it's no wonder I had a hard time falling asleep.

And yet I know God is sovereign. For now, we are living exactly where He wants us to be. When His light turns green, He will provide the finances and the very child He intends to be part of our family. And when it's time, He will provide the resources and direction for us to move.

So today, I remind myself of these verses:

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Proverbs 12:25 An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Matthew 7:7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Psalm 94:19 When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.

History

Today a new man will be sworn in as our 44th President. The enormity of this event cannot help but impress me this morning. For the first time, a minority will take the oath to represent our country. How far America has come in her short history...how far we still need to go. But today's event is another step toward equality for EVERY American.

I cannot admit to being a fan of our new President, nor do I believe that our outgoing President is as horrible as so many Americans would like to think. Regardless, it's a position not to be taken lightly, and with it comes great responsibility. Barack Obama will step into the shoes only 42 other men have filled, but he will step into it with a background unlike those other 42 men. Although Barack Obama is not the man I would have picked for the job, nevertheless, Americans voted and today he will take the highest position in our land. I may not be a fan of Obama, but I am a fan of democracy, and today is democracy in action. I cannot help but be reminded of a passage in Romans (13:1) Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. So while Barack is not taking office today as a result of my vote, he is taking that position as a result of God's design. Honestly, I'd rather God be making those decisions instead of me.

Which leads me to the real purpose of my post...

Heavenly Father, I lift up Barack Obama to you today, and for whatever days remain of his time in office. Lord, he is taking on a huge responsibility; give him wisdom and courage to make the right, though not always popular, decisions. Give him a softened heart that will rely on you every day as he governs our country. Give him the humility to accept when he has made a wrong decision. Surround him with wise men and women who will give counsel that will prosper and not harm the people of our country. Protect his life from those who would want to cause him hurt. Protect his marriage and family from the stresses of his job that could tear them apart. Be with Michelle as she takes on the new role of First Lady. Keep her priorities with her family and make her the helpmate her husband needs. Guide their children as they enter their new home and new school, making new friends along the way. Protect their innocence as the weight of the world will surround them in the White House. Put your hand on this family, Lord. Thank you for your continued guidance and direction for our country, and I pray that in all we do, America will bless You. I ask these things in the name of Jesus, to whom You have given all authority. Amen.

*I found this site this morning. Haven't looked through it completely, but what I saw impressed me. Let me know what you think. http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ppt_homepage

Ice Skating

I'm a homebody. If I have a day to stay home (especially in the winter), I prefer to do just that. Last week was a pretty tiring week (I turned a year older, the weather turned incredibly cold, I was just plain tired.)

We had planned on going to Norfolk to see what we could do to help out my mom and aunt with my grandmother's things, but received a call Friday morning that it would be unnecessary. I admit, I was a bit relieved to know that I had Saturday to sit in the house and just be lazy...catching up on a bit of sleep, and snuggling down in some sweats and under a ton of blankets on the couch.

Wouldn't you know it, I got a full night's sleep on Friday and woke up completely refreshed on Saturday. Our cold snap broke (we had wind chills in the -20s and -30s last week), and Saturday stretched before me with no pressing obligations. In my refreshed and recharged state, I suggested we take a little family outing to the state park a few miles from our house. We introduced Dayna to ice skating. What fun we had, and what a trooper she was while wobbling and bobbling around the ice.

When our ice skating adventure was over, we spent some time at the huge indoor playground. What a fun spontaneous afternoon. I think cuddling on the couch under a ton of blankets is overrated, anyway!

Red Light, Green Light

I loved to play Red Light, Green Light when I was a kid. You know the game...you can only run when "it" has her back turned.

In studying the life of Moses this year, I'm struck by God's guidance of the Israelites while in the desert. God's presence, or Shekinah Glory, went before the Israelites everywhere they went. But after the golden calf episode, God had apparently had enough of the Israelites idolatrous hearts. He told Moses that he would send an angel with them, but that He Himself would not go. Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. (Exodus 33:15) Moses would not take another step if the Lord wasn't going to go before him.

Right now, I feel a bit like Moses. We are ready in our hearts to proceed with our next adoption, and have been for almost a year, but we don't have the peace in our hearts that God is going ahead of us and giving us His green light.

The Israelites had a visible sign to know when to proceed and when to stay still. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels. (Exodus 40:36-38)

I kind of wish it were that easy for us. We don't want to run ahead of God, but we are so ready to move on with our family. I thought we learned how to wait on the Lord while we were waiting for Dayna. It seems that lesson is never quite mastered.

So we sit at this red light, with our foot poised on the gas, ready to proceed when God says "Go!"

Mommy Time

I must admit, my favorite time of day is right after Dayna wakes up in the morning. That's when we snuggle (or in Dayna's words, "cuggle") on the couch and spend a few quiet moments together before the craziness of the day begins. Dayna calls this time "Mommy time." (Can't say I'm complaining!)

Well, the underlying circumstances aren't favorable, but I'm looking forward to a little "Mommy time" of my own tonight. In about 2 1/2 hours, my mom and aunt will be arriving from Oregon. They will spend the night with us before driving up to Norfolk.

My grandmother's health is not doing so well. It looks like she will either be staying in nursing care or possibly (hopefully?) qualifying for assisted living. Nonetheless, after her recent hospitalization, it's pretty clear that she won't be able to return to her apartment. Thus, my mom and aunt are coming in for a few weeks to take care of things.

So, while I'm looking forward to a little "Mommy time" tonight, I'm also praying that she has some quality "Mommy time" of her own with my grandma. Grandma is a wonderful lady who has her moments (it must run in the family!), and the added circumstances will bring added stress. I pray that this visit will be one that will leave wonderful memories for everyone and conversations that draw them closer to each other and closer to God.