Home for Christmas

I set up our big Christmas tree yesterday. We were not planning to set it up this year because we were planning to be in Ethiopia during Christmas. I didn't want to have to take it down when we got home, because I knew I would want to be able to focus all of my attention on getting the kids acquainted. Well, unfortuneately, we are not going to Ethiopia yet. We are disappointed, but we're not going to let it ruin our Christmas. We will enjoy being home with our boys. It is Reed's first Christmas, and with Dylan being 4, it seems especially magical for him this year. I'm glad we won't have to miss that. We're looking forward to Christmas morning with 2 of our 3 kids.

It is not always easy to remain optimistic. There are moments that I feel really sad, and moments that I'm angry about our situation. But I keep reminding myself that the whole thing is out of my control. The one thing I can control is how I let it effect me, and I am NOT going to let the negativity win. I refuse to. I am choosing to focus on the positive. Like being home for Christmas. Like the possibility of being in Ethiopia during their Christmas (January 7) or Timkat (January 19, Epiphany celebration).

I won't lie. I could come up with a lot more negative than positive right now, but I won't let myself go there. I know that the end of our adoption process will play out just as its supposed to at just the right time. Oh how I wish I knew when that time was.

A friend shared this with me last week, and I have been reading it over and over....

"Isn't it amazing how faith affects our attitudes about timing? Do we truly believe God knows what is best for us? Then we can also believe God knows WHEN is best for us. Are you waiting on God? Are you anxious because an answer is not coming? Remember no one uses timing better than the One who created time. Use every second of the wait to allow the Father to increase your faith and deepen your trust. Stay so close that when He finally says "now," He'll only have to whisper."