Some thoughts on obeying and a bear

I have been thinking a lot lately about obedience to God and what that truly looks like and what it could mean if you do or do not obey Him.  Recently, we have had the question come up on more than one occasion of why we are adopting. In a nutshell it is because we are being obedient to what God and what he told us to do. While we did know all along that someday we would adopt the timing of it was different than how we had envisioned.

I'm saying all of this because I was thinking about what if we hadn't listened, what if we didn't believe He would do what He said He would, what if we decided it was inconvenient or not the right time. If we hadn't listened who would be getting Charlie? Would he be going to a Christian household who would teach him about Jesus? Would we have regret because of our inaction? I can't answer those questions because we did listen but I wonder about how many other times my heart hardened and I did not listen? How many opportunities have I missed?

When I had Greyson so much of my thought process changed, I saw people in a new light and I saw God in a new light. This adoption process has done the same thing for me. When I pray for this or that, when I beseech the Lord for something, no matter if it is a physical, material or a spiritual matter I want  a certain outcome (and if your like me, I want the "my way" outcome). But have you ever thought about the people he uses in this world to answer prayers (even if it's not the answer you thought it would be)? Have you ever thought that by doing even the simplest thing you may be the vessel by which God can move? I have been praying for the people involved in our process that their hearts be changed and used by God but I should be praying that for myself just as often if not more than I pray that for others. That my heart be open and willing and that I be used by Him.

I want to be the person that obeys immediately because for one it is an act of devotion and love to God and for two I do not know who's life I may be impacting by simply being willing to do what I feel God told me to do. It may not be a big thing, it may seem unimportant to you but it may be just the thing someone else needed. It may be just the thing that changes someones life and you may never even know it. Here I am praying for others and I realized that without many, many other people just listening to the still small voice that prompted them to act we would not be where we are at in this process. We would not have a little boy waiting for us, waiting to join his forever family. So thank you all who have prayed at just the right time or sent a card, money or just texted to let us know your thinking of us. Your simple act of kindness and obedience has already made the difference in a little boy's life and in ours. I pray that each of you and certainly me be attentive to what God is saying to us on a daily basis because He is searching, listening and waiting for us to say yes to Him.

Now on to the matter of a bear, I guess it's really a dog from the store Build a Bear but we made one this week because someone who I have not actually ever met except via facebook is traveling to Korea and wondered if we wanted them to take anything to our caseworker so she could give it to Charlie. We were thrilled about this and are so thankful to them for taking him a little gift. Greyson picked out the dog and named him Furry. He picked out an outfit and we bought a "pawsport" so Furry is now good to travel. We recorded all of us saying Hi in Korean and overall just had a very fun day. Greyson got to make one for himself as well and it warmed my heart when he told the workers at the store that he was making identical bears for himself and his brother. Here are a few pictures that we took of the process and I am glad to have these to add to Charlie's life book: