July 7

It looks like we won't be hearing anything about the future of the Ghana program until at least July 7...stay tuned.

Nursery Decor - Before, & in Transition

Just a couple of shots capturing the room in two of its guest room identities - don't think I ever took a picture of it when it was briefly my office. Below are pictures of the nursery taking shape, including one with its Africa Christmas tree in December 2008! Previous posts show work done on the flooring and trim. And yes, we are still living in the midst of flooring & trim work on the upper level (as we have been since the end of January). I am ready to get the place set back up again, let me tell you.





Hmm, this last picture reminds me to start planning and working on the coordinating cross-stitch - sounds like a pleasant thing to do while camping and sitting on the deck through the summer. Much cooler than knitting an afgan in the hot months...

Now that the trim is nearly done, I am looking forward to seeing the room all finished up. We may not know today where this adoption is headed, but we've come this far.

Maybe This Week?

Still no news...it could be later in the week, at least, before we hear anything. Hoping not to have to wait into next week...

Non-Update Update

We will be hearing from the agency, likely early next week, in regard to the Ghana program...we will camp, and read, and build this weekend in the meantime.

Mulling Things Over...

It would be so lovely to "know" where our adoption pathway is headed. We still hope that this week there will be resolution in the Ghana program - this is our desire, and currently the only option we are both sure we want to pursue.

Having experienced uncertainty in the adoption process for a year now, this is all so familiar we hardly even know how to feel. The unknown is what we know, and perhaps because of that we have maintained a little emotional distance from the process, watching and waiting. It doesn't always feel real for us, although I am acutely aware of the significance of all this for the other couples involved, and catch glimpses of its meaning for us as well. We have been ok with the arms length uncertainty to an extent, however we would both welcome some stability at this point. We have been so convinced of this pathway for us that we have remained optimistic, and confident that Ghana will work out. We still believe it can.

If it doesn't...well, I'm wanting to fight my natural inclination to assume things WON'T move forward, so I am using this as an opportunity to focus on restoration of the program - persistence and faith.

We will manage a change in plans IF it comes to us, but won't count on that yet at all - I don't want to entertain that possibility until we know with certainty what unfolds. We trust that all options are being explored, and that those involved are interested in working collaboratively and for the greater good (and if not, that they will reach that point before it is too late). And it is not yet too late...

Stillness

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."


Some worthwhile reflections thanks to Google:

This command — “be still” — forces us to think on two things: that we are finite, and that God is infinite. That being the case, we need to drop our hands, go limp, relax, and “chill out.” Christian people ought to “come, behold the works of Jehovah,” (v. 8) that we may enjoy a calm confidence in him who gave us his Son.

“Shall he not also with him freely give us all things?” Paul reasoned (Romans 8:32). Psalm 46:10 encourages us to reflect on what God can do in the face of what we are unable to do.

Spiritual serenity, the psalmist admits, ought to be cultivated in spite of the shaking mountains and agitated waters (vv. 2-3; i.e., figures for the difficulties we face in life). This spiritual calm, that God commands, does not come from a lack of troubles; it derives from a steady, deep reflection on the ways God has intervened in history on behalf of his people (cf. Romans 15:4).

So as your world crumbles around you, the call from Scripture is: don’t flinch in faith in God. Stand still — not because of a self-made confidence, not because you are the most composed person in the face of disaster, not because “you’ve seen it all.” Be still because of what you know about God.

It is “God’s past” that provides calm for “our future.” Know that he is God! Know it, not merely intellectually, but practically, spiritually, and emotionally. He is your God. He is the ruler of kingdoms of this earth and the all-powerful Creator of the Universe.

http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1245-be-still-and-know-that-i-am-god
Jason Jackson, February 2006

And...from Steven Curtis Chapman:

Be still and know that he is God
Be still and know he is our Father
Come rest your head upon his breast
Listen to the rhythm of his unfailing heart of love
Beating for His little ones
Calling each of us to come
Be still, Be still

For wisdom, for all involved in decision-making, and whose actions influence this process.

For faith, to actively believe in the possibility of change, and also to trust, letting go of control.

For persistence, in facing barriers and maintaining focus.

For generosity, in being open to possibilities and collaborating in a spirit of resolution.

Persistence

Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

...God is not dead, nor doth He sleep...The right [shall] prevail with peace on earth, good will to men.
(Longfellow)

Matthew 17:20 - "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Matthew 21:18-21 - Jesus also said, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.

Mark 11: 22-23 - "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Deja Vu, Unfortunately

The Ghana program is tenuous once again. There is another short deadline by which the agency requires specific information in order to continue with the program. It is harder this time to believe things will resolve again as they did two weeks ago - but of course it is absolutely possible, so we will continue to pray. It does seem that our agency's partner orphanage has been facing obstacles one after the other recently. I don't know what that means - it could be an indicator that this is not "meant to be" but could also suggest a significant spiritual struggle, and if so, once again, we would ask for the right, and good, to prevail.

The Latest Dream

A while back I posted about a dream in which we were referred a 20 month-old boy and 9 week-old girl from Africa, somewhere, but not from Ghana. Last night, I dreamed we received a referral for lovely identical twin boys from Ghana, 18 months old. Things went well in the dream, which is nice, because most of my dreams are pretty strange and quite unsettling. Funny how when we were in the thick of adoption planning, paperwork, waiting for things to be sent here and there, I wasn't having any adoption dreams that I recall. Then this spring, which has pretty much involved waiting, being pre-occupied with job and household business, and wondering about the future of the Ghana program, I've had two...we'll see how long it takes for another one to come along.

Oh, and now I remember the weird part of the dream - we had to travel to Ghana for some adoption-related reason (not sure what) and were matched with our twins while there, totally unexpectedly, and were able to travel home with them right away. As a result, I had no opportunity to give notice of my parental leave, which I felt badly about. My employer, as I recall, was understanding, but I then learned leave was only expected to last 5.5 months, and I would be returning to work just before Christmas (great timing). I believe I woke up before re-approaching my employer to break the news that I planned to take the whole 9 months of leave permitted in Ontario! Ok, so the dream was odd, but overall still good :)

Remembering Bruckner

1999-June 8, 2009

Taking a moment to celebrate my sister's dog, Bruckner (seen here hanging out with my Scat, in a backyard garden at my place), a happy guy who shared 8 years as part of the family. He was adopted by my sister in Ohio, then moved in with us for 3 years along with my sister, where he developed a lovely friendship with our greyhound, Gatsby, put up with our cats (sometimes salivating after them, especially Scat), and endured Phineas, our basset. Most recently he enjoyed meeting Gladwyn (who must have looked enough like a greyhound for his taste) and sharing his home with our new niece. He hung in there for a little while with lymphoma, enough time for some more good walks, visits, and memories.

Looking Good

Thanks to everyone who has participated in prayer for the Ghana program! We received word this morning that the program remains open, and that while it is still developing, the plan is to move forward. Because some of the details will take time to solidify, there may not be much news for a while, and we know that a referral is still a little ways off, but that's just fine!

Prayer...

Interestingly, I've been working my way through Philip Yancey's book, Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference? lately, after our small group finished a video study on the same. Well, this week is a great chance to look at the practical applications of that reading. The future of the Ghana program in Canada is extremely precarious and will be decided shortly. The question is, do we beg for what we want (partly for us, partly for all the other families involved, partly for the children who are and will be born needing a family), do we ask for peaceful acceptance of any outcome, do we focus on finding clarity in terms of our own future direction in all of this? Or some combination? If we believe that adoption is a good thing and that enabling Canadians to adopt Ghanain children meets crucial human needs, then it makes sense to pray for removal of barriers to this good and restorative work. Yancey's book explores the age-old question of whether it is possible to influence God. I am inclined to agree with the suggestion that at times God does choose to act based on our sincere requests. Particularly if those requests are in line with that which is good and right. So until we know otherwise, feel free to pray specifically that Ghana will remain open to Canadian adoptive parents.

If it does not, then we will need clarity in knowing what to do next. And we will focus on that if the time comes. I would like to say this is all completely unexpected, but I'm so inclined toward a slightly pessimistic view that I can't say I'm altogether shocked. Although I'm quite open to being pleasantly surprised & proven wrong!

Hoping...

We continue to wait for news about progress with the Ghana program after the hopefully short delay while a few matters are clarified and sorted out between countries. Things have been looking hopeful, although there is apparently some uncertainty now around length of stay in-country, which we very much trust will not result in major changes to the process, based on what we understood when we signed on. So, we continue to wait, and check daily for any news confirming where things are at.