Forgiveness/Restoration

There are few things that matter beyond forgiveness, forgiveness of other’s as well as forgiveness of oneself. If you are a Christian, that is the example that you are given by Christ, and that is a command you must be willing to accept if you are to expect Christ to forgive you. If you are seeking mercy, you must show mercy. If you are seeking love, you must show love. If we desire to be forgiven by Christ, we must show forgiveness to those who have wronged us.There are times of pain, times in which you may not think you can forgive, where even the thought of forgiveness seems so far removed from your circumstance that you may feel forgiveness is impossible. It is at those times we must turn toward Christ and the finished work of the cross.

The spirit of forgiveness is one of the few things that truly free us to totally surrender and submit to God. And it is here where we can experience what is unexplainable to those who do not believe in the power of Jesus Christ to change lives...it is here we are free to experience restoration.

For years Maria and I went through a sort of spiritual darkness, covered by attempts to follow Christ and outwardly, I'm sure it looked like we were doing a good job. We weren't, and it has been the forgiveness and mercy of a loving God that has brought us to a place where we can drink the restoring waters of the spirit.

For us, though we've been married for six and a half years, 2010 marks the first year that we are truly broken and surrendered to God...take us Lord and make us what you want us to be....

The lyrics to the song below are for my wife...whom I love and adore...you can hear the song itself by clicking on it on the playlist at the bottom of the page....


Call My Name

It's been so long since you felt like you were loved
So what went wrong?
But do you know there's a place where you belong
Here in My arms?

When you feel like you're alone in your sadness
And it seems like no one else in this whole world cares
And you want to get away from the madness
You just call My name and I'll be there
You just call My name and I'll be there

The pain inside has erased your hope for love
But soon you will find
That I'll give you all that your heart could ever want
And so much more

When you feel like you're alone in your sadness
And it seems like no one else in this whole world cares
And you want to get away from the madness
You just call My name and I'll be there
You just call My name and I'll be there

Oh, you just call My name
If you just call My name
Call My name, say it now
I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive
Call My name, say it now
I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive

You just call My name
You just call My name
You just call My name

The love I have for you is so alive
The love I have for you is so aliveYou just call My name
You just call My name
You just call My name

-GREG

Pain

Pain is all relative and sometimes it takes tragedy to occur to realize this all the more. It is no secret that 2009 was a difficult year for our family. 2010 will be our year of hope, restoration and renewal. As I have gone about the last couple days with all that I have going on lately, I stopped to think of how much I have to be thankful for. I have a husband that loves me, a gorgeous son that I adore, my parents, a job, a home, our health. I have so much and yet, there are days I have taken all of that for granted. We all have.


When I read the prayer below this morning, it was another reminder that I have everything I could ever want and need to open my eyes more often and realize that I must not take anything for granted anymore because it could be gone in an instant. An instant.


Lord, I just want to say thank you, because this morning I woke up and knew where my children were. Because this morning my home was still standing, because this morning I am not crying because my husband, my child, my brother and sister needs to be buried out from underneath a pile of concrete, because this morning I was able to drink a glass of water, because this morning I was able to turn on the light, because this morning I was able to take a shower, because this morning I was not planning a funeral, but most of all, I thank you this morning because I still have a life and a voice to cry out for the people of Haiti.

Lord, I cry out to you, the ones that makes the impossible, possible, the one that turns darkness into light, I cry out that you give those mothers strength, that you give them peace that surpasses all understanding, that you may open the streets so that help can come, that you may provide doctors, nurses, food, water, and all that they need in a blink of an eye. For all those that have lost family members, give them peace, give them hope, give them courage to continue on. Protect the children and shield them with your power. I pray all this in the name of Jesus.

In an instant.

2009.....2010

Well as this year draws to a close, I could not be happier to bid 2009 goodbye. It's been a trying year in our household to say the least. No need to recap all that happened. I look forward to what 2010 has in store for our family. I have a feeling 2010 is going to be a very good year.

Happy Almost 2010.

Christmas...

I hope you all had a nice Christmas. We enjoyed ours in Miami this year and Gabriel loved all his gifts as usual. Although we all agreed that we should have just bought him action figures and he would have been just as content.

Two years ago, WHAT?

Yes, two years ago today we landed in Ft Lauderdale with Gabriel -- our forever family. Our adoption process that had taken soooo long, had come to an end -- right there in the airport. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that it has been two years already.

During our adoption process I remember reading other people's stories. Their stories all talked about how time had flown by once they brought their children home, but I never really thought too much about it being us because we were going through so much paperwork and more paperwork to make all this happen. These stories all belonged to other people, not us. And then one day, December 6, 2007, our story began.

I have realized that there are moments that you will never forget. Some you wish to forget them while they are happening and others you hope they never end. Picking up our son in Guatemala will forever be one long moment in my mind. But two years ago, during our Embassy trip, I experienced a moment that I relive quite often because it is a daily reminder for me of how incredibly blessed Greg and I are.

We were sitting in the waiting area of the US Embassy with Gabriel and Colleen, our adoption facilitator in Guatemala, waiting to be called for our appointment. Colleen turned and said to me, "...you are one of the fortunate families...do you have any idea how blessed you are to be bringing Gabriel home for the holidays? Any family here would give anything to be in your place" at which point, I was left breathless and started to cry. I couldn't even say a word but I could tell she knew that I completely understood. I felt all the emotions of the last year and half come crashing down in one moment and I was so overwhelmed with emotion that all I could do was take that moment in.

Shiny gifts are nice for Christmas, but two years ago today, I got the best gift of all -- our son.

Halloween 2009 ~ Spidey Style

Atlantic Beach Wedding Weekend in Pictures

It's funny how dogs and human finds each other even when you think you don't need another dog in your life. We already had two dogs and you would think that would have sufficed. Sadly, Eastwood had been abandoned and desparately needed a new home. Shortly after finding him, we suffered the loss of our fifth baby. Little did I know how much I would need Eastwood and what a comfort he would bring my broken heart.

He might have needed a loving home, but I needed him even more -- to help me realize that life does go on and that there is happiness on the other side of those tears.

Thank you, Eastwood. ♥

And one more makes three

And now for some happy news -- let me introduce you to the newest member of our family.

He is a 6.5 year old German Shepherd that was abandoned in a subdivision where someone brought him to a local k-9 rescue service. We met him one weekend in September and absolutely adored him. He has an amazing personality, loves Gabriel and fits perfectly in with rest of the pack. Everyone that meets him simply adores him. I got to name him this time and picked Eastwood and everytime we tell people his name, they ask, "like Clint?"

Yes, like Clint.

Untitled

I realize it has been over two months since I last posted and unfortunately I have a good reason for it this time. Shortly after my last post, I learned that I was pregnant. For those of you that know me very well, you all knew that after my loss in 2005, I never ever wanted to be pregnant again. But when I tested positive, I knew I had to do everything possible to keep this pregnancy. I went on blood thinner injections twice daily in my stomach, increased folic acid, had to see the doctor weekly and have my blood tested repeatedly, etc. I knew that if things didn't work out, at least I gave it my best try and there would be no regrets.

Unfortunately, my best was not good enough and now God holds one more of my angels in Heaven.

I'm sorry, sweet little one, whose hand I will never hold and face I will never touch. I'm sorry that my best was not good enough to keep you on this side of Earth. But I will carry the sound of your heart beating with me -- forever.

A Case of the Mondays....

Well today started off normal up until we got a call from daycare that Gabriel had what they believed to be pink eye. So off I went to pick him up, drive him to the pedi in Neptune Beach to get a script and spend the day at home with mama. He had it in one eye and that lasted a short while until he rubbed his good eye with the mung in his bad eye and now it appears it has spread.

Let's just pray Greg and I don't get it. It's one thing to be two and have it and it's a whole 'nother thing to be an adult with green pus pouring out your eye -- not so cute! The good news is that Gabriel's ears continue to be clear of any drainage and aside from his eyes, he is doing very, very well.