A Stand-Still? I think not

I have not blogged in a while for many reasons. However, tonight (for some unknown reason) I felt like I had better update everyone! :D Sixteen Small Stones is in this interesting place right now. A place that seems in words to be at, what you may call, a "stand still"...nothing seems to be happening. I have been discouraged about this. My heart YEARNS to DO something....SOMETHING! ANYTHING! Right after the last post here, Katie took off of her blog her list of needed items. I was SO THRILLED...and SO disappointed! We hadn't gotten to send a single item. However, I was and am so thankful that so many people acted quickly and got Katie the things needed for she and her girls and all of the children in her care. I find myself working less and less with Luckyhill Orphan Home. My heart still loves the children there, the people working with the orphan home. I follow the forum for parents who have adopted or are adopting from Luckyhill. I am amazed by this group of people!!!! The good they are doing at that orphanage is PHENOMENAL! I am blown completely away with their willingness to serve and to love the people, adults and children alike, in Ghana and at Luckyhill. The time spent serving that orphan home is HUGE, and EVERYONE is so happy and eager to do it! I LOVE reading about the great work being performed at that orphan home. At the same time, I am again a tiny bit sad to not be part of that great and amazing work. So, where does this leave Sixteen Small Stones? I often wonder the same thing! The places I so wanted to serve, seem to be doing just fine without us! So, really...where does that leave us? As I said before...it SEEMS that we are at a "stand still". Let me assure you now that in God's work, there is NO SUCH THING AS A STAND-STILL! GOD has perfect timing, a PERFECT plan...and it is ALWAYS a work in motion. That being said, I want to also say that I have found that GOD calls you to where you are needed. I used to think I would be opening a foster home in JingMen. I kept feeling like I should wait, wait, wait...wait. So, I waited. Eventually, I found online a blog of two mothers who had opened a foster home in JingMen. At first, I felt betrayed! How had GOD allowed SOMEONE ELSE to take MY job?!?!??! Then I remembered, this is NOT about ME...it NEVER was "MY" job! GOD called THOSE women to do that work that it wasn't right for me to do. I have had the same thing happen with an orphanage, adopting, working with Luckyhill AND working with Katie. There is a REASON GOD has planted these interests in my heart, and I truly and FIRMLY believe that it was to learn something! When I wanted to open an orphanage, it inspired me to find out more about orphans and we were able to adopt my sister from China from what I had learned. When I wanted to adopt, I found Luckyhill and have learned much about how serving orphans works. Also through wanting to adopt, I found Katie and that has ENTIRELY changed my plans and made things come together in ways I didn't before see possible. I see now that I am to start NOT an orphanage, NOT a foster home, but a feeding program like Katie's! If I hadn't found out about Katie, I NEVER would have had the knowledge, understanding, or insight about something like that, about how to run a feeding program, about the difference that can make. GOD has HIS perfect plan! I read on a blog tonight of someone who is good friends with Katie and is now in Uganda with Katie, adopting a little girl, "In life there is GOD's plan, and there is YOUR plan...and your plan doesn't really matter". I LOVE it! It isn't that your plan isn't interesting, or even well thought out...but in the end, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you live GOD's plan! When YOUR plan becomes GOD's plan, you know you are on the right path. And that is what I am trying to do. Let go of MY plan, and learn to blindly follow GOD's plan! So, I ask all of my followers, or those who even just once in a while read my blog, to please bear with me as I search for GOD's plan, and find the strength to walk away from the path I have chosen to follow GOD along HIS path, which, by the way, is ALWAYS the better of the two.

A MIRACLE! I have been DYING to know what to do for Katie (kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com) but haven't heard back from Gwen. (That has me really sad, but that's a different story). Tonight, I checked Katie's blog just to make sure nothing had been changed, no new posts, etc., and GUESS WHAT?!?!?!?!? She had a LIST on her sidebar of things they need! Hallelujah! We are sending a box as soon as I can organize a drive...oh yeah, and tell my board! :D ;) I know TONS of others will be sending supplies, but by golly Sixteen Small Stones will be sending their little package right along with everyone else's!!!! SOOOOOO....This is where all of YOU come in! Want to donate MONEY? Want to donate ITEMS? LET US KNOW! Here is a list of what Katie needs! Come on, everyone! This is the moment you have been waiting for! A chance to reach out! Let's do it! The things she is asking for are cheap and EASY to find! Together, we can DO THIS! Let's get Katie EVERYTHING she needs! Okay?! I am so excited! :) If it weren't the middle of the night, and IF my son weren't asleep in the same room, I may be screaming and jumping up and down! Lucky for the neighbors, I am not. :) If you want to donate, comment on here and I will email you my address and phone number, OR you can email us at smallstonesafricaandchina@yahoo.com If you live nearby, you can drop a donation off at my house, too. I can email you the address and directions! Here is Katie's list: colored pencils panties -- size 2T, 4T, 6, 8 underwear -- size 2T, 4T, 6, 8 construction paper wipes fun kid bandaids neosporin children's Tylenol children's benedryl stickers gummie vitamins ringworm cream -- for use on heads adult Tylenol packets of powdered soup deflated soccer balls tennis balls

A Quote

I LOVE this "quote". It is actually from a book of scripture read by many Christians. Anyway, this scripture really tells how I feel about WHY I absolutely HAVE to return to China. "Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act."