Our weekend was life-changing.
We were thrilled to open our home for three nights to two girls from Children of the World Choir who were participating in our Christmas program at church. Brenda is 9 (from Uganda) and Irene who is 11 (from Philippines) fit right into our family! Having them around here for 3 days was not only amazing fun it was also incredibly humbling. Though we don't know their exact histories/stories we do know they come from severely disadvantaged families or they are orphaned. Children of the World invites children from around the world who are in these situations and who have a sponsor (through World Help or Samaritan's Purse) to travel world wide for 10 months while educating them, teaching them English, and providing them with opportunities to go back to their homes after the tour and impact their people with hope, opportunity, and Jesus. The testimonies from former choir members are so encouraging. Anyway... as we arrived home with our new "sisters" Friday they were initially quiet and reserved. That was short-lived. Regan and Irene quickly settled into watching High School Musical while Brycen and Mark went to basketball practice. Brenda wasn't much on sitting still and being quiet so she came upstairs with me and snuggled up beside me asking me at least a million questions. Then, she jumped up and said, " I will sing for you." I was all for that!!! So song after song, dance move after dance move she stole my heart. But, the one song that stuck out to me was one she sang with the most enthusiasm. She smiled big and sang through her smile while dancing, "Nothin's gonna hold me down, no. Nothin's gonna hold me down." Then she shifted and started dancing to the other side and sang louder,
"Nothin's gonna mute my praise, No! Nothin's gonna mute my praise!"
I sat watching her with tears streaming down my face. In all the Christmas hype and Christmas programs, in all the shopping and parties, end of the semester "things," and in all of the schedule juggling, the waiting grows more difficult with every passing day. I was just reading over blog posts of mine from a year ago, thinking our sweet girl would be home this Christmas. Now, I am realizing she might be home just in time for Christmas NEXT year. We are all learning to trust God's timing in new, real, hard ways. We are growing in our faith and depending more and more on HIm and less and less on statistics, averages, and phone calls. In all of that growing, I have a new motto:
"Nothin's gonna mute my praise! No! Nothin's gonna mute my praise!"
There was something so special about having Brenda and Irene here... it was as if they represented tangible confirmation that God is working with each of us individually in the waiting. Nothing compared to unloading everyone out of the car during the weekend and watching Corbin stand, hand in the air, waiting for Brenda to "unload" so he could hold her hand until we got where we were going. I also loved seeing Brycen serve the girls every night at dinner, making sure they had all they needed and enjoying getting them whatever they needed. Regan especially loved sharing her room with Brenda and Irene! One night while the girls were here Regan and I were chatting and she said, "Just think, Mom, one day, this will be real. My sister won't have to leave."
"Nothin's gonna mute my praise! No! Nothin's gonna mute my praise!"
As we approach Christmas we are continuing to focus on celebrating the birth of our Savior. Knowing without His birth none of us could've been adopted as sons and daughters of The King of Kings. We would still be without an inheritance, without hope, without HIm. Though we are celebrating with one child still away from home, we are celebrating nonetheless. Lakin has gifts, just like the other children, and we are all eager to share them with her when she comes home! In the meantime, we want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. As we focus on the birth of Jesus, we are praying God's best for you and we are grateful for your prayers for our family. In celebration of His coming down to us, His making a way for our redemption, and His willingness to come lowly,
"Nothin's gonna mute my praise! No! Nothin's gonna mute my praise!"
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