MIL: “What are you reading right now?”
Husband: “Parenting books!”
Praise the Lord. 🙂
Tuesday reading
My reading time this week has dropped a bit as we’ve been concentrating on adoption paperwork.
I’m still reading both Radical Homemakers and Twenty Years After.
I finished reading Through Gates of Splendor, which I thought was a very inspiring story but a dry telling. I also finished reading Parenting Adopted Adolescents: Understanding and Appreciating Their Journeys. I thought the book was more intimidating than helpful at this point, as we haven’t met our child and have no idea what types of issues she will actually struggle with. A lot of the stories seemed to be rather pessimistic. Surely all adoptions can’t be so incredibly challenging.
My current adoption read is 20 Things Adoptive Parents Need to Succeed. This book seems a bit more helpful in terms of preparing to adopt, being aware of what a child might be thinking about adoption in general, the role of birth parents and adoptive parents, and the search for identity.
I’m off to continue cleaning my kitchen. I seem to be on a cleaning streak these days…
A bit of late spring cleaning
Prepping for our adoption process has given me the urge to clean. That’s always a good thing, right? I spent some time on Sunday sorting through everything in our hall closet, scrubbing the shelves, and rearranging what was left. I was quite pleased to take a stack of empty boxes (from the iron, coffee press, etc) out to the recycle bin that evening.
Hall closet – before
Hall closet – after
Once I reorganized everything, I started moving some of our board games onto the shelves. Prior to this, they were stacked up on the floor of our dining room. It didn’t make for a very pretty dining room! This looks so much better.
Adding the games!
This morning I made a veganized version of an old favorite recipe.
Cream cheese wraps
I only made one to test out the idea and it was really good. I spread a thin layer of vegan cream cheese on a tortilla and then sprinkled it with diced olives, tomatoes, and cucumber. My non-vegan recipe was cream cheese, olives, and roasted green chilies. I didn’t have any green chilies on hand but I hope to try it again soon. My husband, who didn’t like the non-vegan version, ate half of the wrap. I guess that means they were a success!
“Go forward,” says the Lord!
It seems God keeps putting reassurances in front of me that we are meant to step forward in faith and pursue adoption. Yesterday, the pastor mistyped a slide in his Powerpoint, accidentally listing Titus 2:4 as his Scripture text. He didn’t realize the mistake until someone stood up and read the text during the service.
that they admonish the young women to love their husbands,
to love their children
The congregation laughed but I smiled. The pastor could have typed Titus 1:4 or 3:4 or 4:4 or any other combination of numbers. But, he mistyped and had a text read aloud that reinforces God’s calling for my life right now.
Then I open up Bible Gateway to copy the verse from Titus and find today’s Scripture reading:
As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
Psalm 18:30
Thank you, Lord! We’re stepping out in faith that this adoption is Your will for us!
Hat Progress
I was late to my knitting group this morning because I was asking tons of questions to a local home study agency. Adoption is overwhelming! And we are still miles away from the parenting aspect of it…
At the Eastisde Stitchers meeting, I worked on my Twisted Trellis hat. I’m not fond of the yarn color but it’s a practice hat. I’m learning how to make twisted stitches and several new stitch abbreviations. It’s really good practice. I can’t wait to cast on a project with smaller needles, though!
The second picture is closer to the true color.
Have a great weekend!
Challenging Books
This week I am reading a fairly wide range of genres, though mostly a continuation of last week’s reading. My current selections are either long or rather deep, both of which require more time to finish.
Parenting Adopted Adolescents: Understanding and Appreciating Their Journeys. So far I’m finding that this book makes an awful lot of sense. I’m almost done with the first chapter and have found several passages I would underline if it wasn’t a library copy…
I accidentally buried Through Gates of Splendor in the batch of books I brought home last week. I need to sit down and finish reading the last couple chapters.
I’m enjoying Twenty Years After! I’m curious if a movie has been made out of this particular Musketeer adventure.
Last but not least, I started reading Radical Homemakers. I think it’s going to be a challenging book, pushing the boundaries of the homemaking norm. I might have to buy a copy that I can write in.
Are you reading this week or spending the day enjoying the summer sun?
For this child I prayed…
For this child I prayed…
1 Samuel 1:27
My husband and I are praying over a young lady in Asia, earnestly asking God if we are to move forward with her adoption.
I know that someday soon I will be able to claim this entire verse as my own.
For this child I prayed,
and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.
1 Samuel 1:27
Psalm 16
This week I finish up Psalm 16! This is the first Psalm I will have memorized in its entirety. It’s such a beautiful Psalm.
Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
“You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
As for the saints who are on the earth,
“They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
Nor take up their names on my lips.
O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Happy weekend!!
There’s a post I am trying to write but cannot seem to find the words. I’ll work on it over the weekend and try to post it on Monday.
In the meantime, have a fantastic weekend!!
Plowing through the reading list
Time for another Nightstand post! I’ve been posting almost every week about what I’m currently reading so I’ll just mention what I’m reading at this moment and what’s coming up.
I’m still reading Through Gates of Splendor (this month’s Reading to Know book). It’s a really inspiring missionary story and makes me wonder if I could ever do something so brave.
My current bedtime fiction is Dumas’ Twenty Years After, the sequel to The Three Musketeers. I haven’t read very far but I’m already feeling a bit overwhelmed. It’s been awhile since I read The Three Musketeers so I don’t remember all of the characters. Hopefully they will all sort themselves out.
I am also perusing Knits Men Want in hopes of finding something my husband will let me knit him. So far I’m not having much luck but the writing is rather funny!
Next up:
Happy July reading!!