Christmas thoughts 2009

We had truly expected that Junior and Diamoh would be home from Liberia by now. Last Christmas things were moving with adoptions and we were actually concerned that things might move more quickly than we were able to accommodate. OH HOW A MONTH CHANGES EVERYTHING! The suspension we had hoped would only last a few months is now almost a year old. We had been told that Daniel's case would be approved quickly despite the suspension because of his serious health issues, but apparently that was over stated or under-acted upon, to slaughter the English language, because the promises of March have marched on through spring , summer, fall, and now, as they march out of 2009 , we find ourselves marching into 2010 with fewer words of promise, but still eagerly awaiting our baby who "should have " succumbed to his condition and to circumstances around him, but whom thankfully, God has sustained for His time of home coming. There is little to say about the future for or with Junior and Diamoh at this point; they are and will always be, regardless of their physical address, the children of our hearts. This year saw a new pregnancy for Hannah and the wonderful birth of Grand baby Charlie David, the growth and strengthening of romance between Malachi and Sopheak with plans of a wedding in 2010, but we saw the decay and destruction of a marriage as well. Caleb's two week leave in September from Iraq was supposed to be so much different than it turned out. While Grand Charlie was coming into this world, the papers were being drawn up and filed to end a marriage. I can't imagine what the weeks between that "vacation" and the day Caleb left Iraq at the end of his deployment to come home had to have felt like for him. During the earlier months of his deployment, things were not good, and getting worse, but there was still the hope that what was wrong could be worked out. The little shred of hope he clung to was smashed in the days leading up to his return to Fort Campbell KY. How thankful I am that Charlie (the Patriarch, not the GRAND Baby) and I made a plan for him to be at Ft Campbell for Caleb's arrival back on American soil. NOT an easy plan to carry out, and we will be forever grateful to co-workers who covered for Charlie to keep the trip possible even when the Army changed the arrival schedule, but what we deemed a necessary trip was indeed a sound decision. Christmas Day itself was affected by this string of life-changing events.Celebrating the birth of our Savior, celebrating God's incredible love and mercy , His extravagant generosity .......it is amazing to contemplate every day of the year , but Christmas Day itself...the idea is overwhelming. This year I was more aware of the need of our world for our Savior than any other in my life. With children stuck in a very poor country, with Daniel totally unable to receive the medical care he needs, with one son in Iraq for another Christmas, with Caleb at home in silent self-controlled agony at the deep hurts inflicted upon him, grand chldren living in sinful, wretched home situations over which we have no legal say, with my heart so aware of the needs ALL around our world for Salvation and Redemption, my celebrating was of a very different nature this year. My favorite Christmas carol this year?
OH COME OH COME EMMANUEL
Verse 1
O come O come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Chorus 1
Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel
Verse 2
O come Thou Wisdom from on high
And order all things far and nigh
To us the path of knowledge show
And cause us in her ways to go
Chorus
Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel
Verse 3
O come Thou Key of David come
And open wide our heavenly home
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery
Chorus
Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel
Verse 4
O come Desire of nations bind
All peoples in one heart and mind
Bind envy strife and quarrels cease
Fill all the world with heaven's peace
Chorus
Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel
Verse 5
O come Thou Rod of Jesse free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave

Chorus
Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

IF EVER EVER EVER our world needed a Savior it is NOW. People were desperate for a Savior in the times leading up to Jesus' birth. They were oppressed, war torn and weary. How much more today, and now many many MORE oppressed, war torn, and weary people are there now? Caleb asked if in Praise and Worship this week I would sing Battle Hymn of the Republic, and God had given me some thoughts already so I prayed about how He would weave them together.............."GLORY GLORY HALLELUJaH
HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON.as He died to make men holy , let us die to make me free..........."
LORD please use me, use me up, pour me out, spend me to advance Your Kingdom...in my family, my neighborhood, my world. Use me to be Your instrument of mercy and love, example and challenge to others. Oh Come oh Come Emmanuel: to me in deeper ways, to more and more people in Your world, may we invite You, pursue You, allow You to pursue us that Your Eternal will would be being done, on earth as it IS in Heaven!