The Outcome

I want to thank you all again for keeping us in your prayers. Believe me when I say that they were every one felt!! We just got word from our lawyer in Guatemala that our daughter's birthmother's sister appeared at the hearing and requested custody of her neice. The court will give her custody if she passes a social worker study and visits her neice once a week for the next month to establish a bond. If she doesn't do this, or fails to be reccommended by the social study, then we will have to see if they revert the judge's decision for her to have custody. She will not get physical custody until all of this criteria are met.
God is good...ALL the time.
Robin

Morning Already?

As I awoke to the alarm this morning, at 5am no less, I hit the floor with a quiet thud as I walked toward the light in the bathroom. I looked up, squinting at my husband who always gets up this early on Tuesday mornings, and said," There are only three things that get me up this early. One, a trip to Disney,two, a trip to Guatemala, and three Jesus!" I went to mass!!
I could hardly believe that it was already time for the darkness to be replaced by the dawn. Hmmmm. How profound of a statement is that on such a day as this. I have waited so long for my period of darkness and waiting to be replaced by the light of a new day. To hear God saying,"See, I am doing something new." Today is the day! Our hearing day. The word "hearing" itself is full of meaning. The court proceeding today is not called a "listening", but a "hearing". To me, that implies that someone will actually hear what is being said. They will not just listen, but will HEAR. Anyone who has ears ought to hear.
I will praise God for His divine life in me. I am so thankful for Him and for His direction and providence. The Lord has done great things for me and I am filled with joy!! He is the bread of life, and He will raise me up on the last day. He reminds me, " I go before you always, come follow me."

To Judge and to be Judged

Greetings! Tomorrow I will be clock-watching and praying and wondering if someone else's schedule is running "on time"!! Our hearing, the one we have been waiting for for a whole year, is finally here! Tomorrow at 10:30 am Guatemala time, a judge will sit on the judge's seat in a courtroom in Guatemala City. That judge will look at our case, and decide what to do. I do not know this judge. I have written a letter a long time ago to this judge. I have prayed for this judge, and I have wondered what I could do to impress upon this judge just how much I love the little girl staring back at her from the page her picture is attached to. How can one person decide the future of another? The decision this judge makes will cause many ripples in the ocean that is the life of a child. I would hope that this judge takes the time to pray to the One True Judge before making any decision. The Judge of heaven and earth. That Judge will give divine wisdom, if only the other judge will seek it. Wisdom. How wonderful is wisdom. It guides us to the path of righteousness. It is ours for the asking. I am asking for wisdom to be given to this judge. I am asking that this earthly judge seek God's plan for the future of this child. I am asking that somehow, some way, this earthly judge will know that this tiny daughter has a family to call her own. A family that has waited almost four years for her to join them. A family committed to caring for her for the rest of her life. Our family. I am asking that this earthly judge seek the guidance of the Heavenly Judge. After all, this tiny daughter has a name, and her name has a meaning, and that meaning is : "God is my Judge."

The Lord's Day

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Today the sun is shining here and the sky is blue. The warmth of the day seeps into my soul. I love days like this. They start out with promise and end with fulfillment. We went to mass this morning and the church was decorated befitting Pentecost Sunday. I can't help but see the "rightness" of this being Pentecost Sunday. The church celebrating the "coming of the Holy Spirit" to us at a time in our adoption when we have been praying so hard for the coming of the Holy Spirit. It is as if the Lord Himself wants everyone to know that He is present for us at this time. The Advocate is ever present to us. The Advocate is ever present to all of us. That is the beauty of our Lord's divine nature. He knows exactly what we need. When we need it most, and He sends us "marching orders" (as Father Phil said today). We come to worship Him and He gives us a mission. I pray that my mission will soon involve a trip to Guatemala to bring home my daughter.
The picture I have posted is so precious to me. The hand of a mother holding the hand of her daughter. The momma holds the child's hand so tenderly and yet open-palmed. It is the instrument of invitation and patience and of honoring the child's ability to "come" when she is ready. Palm touching palm. Nerve endings, like the Holy Spirit, firing impulses of heat and warmth and direction. They both feel the connection. They both long for the touch to never end.
Pray for our touch to never end. Pray Tuesday for the courtroom to filled with the Holy Spirit.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in us the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit so that we may be created, and you will renew the face of the earth.
Oh God, by the light of the Holy Spirit, you instruct the hearts of the faithful,grant that by that same Holy Spirit, we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations, through that same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord Prepare Me

Well, I guess you decided to check one more time to see if I would write anything:-) I am glad you did!! We have much to discuss, but I cannot possibly write it all down. Just know that God has been being "God" and He has been working with me, in me, and through me. Not an easy job, I tell you :-) This year started off very well, with a visit trip in January to Guatemala to see my daughter. I met with our attorney while there, and found out that we had a hearing scheduled that I didn't know about. Imagine my surprise as well as my delight!! Of course, when I found out that the hearing wasn't until May, I was a bit upset. What is a Momma to do but wait?? After the initial disappointment, I realized that a hearing was a good thing, even if I had to wait five months for it to happen. "Lord, prepare me" was a prayer I uttered. I needed prepared for the lengthy wait that stretched before me. I needed to be prepared for the calender to creep by as I waited. I asked the Lord for things to do while I waited so that the time would fly by!! WHEW!! He delivered! Nothing like back to back dance competitions in two different cities with a snow storm thrown in there to boot, then there was the updating of all of the powerpoints for my class I teach, and then there was Easter and a party for my daughter's 11th birthday. Then One son decided he wanted to move into an apartment...then a second son decided that his brother had a great idea!! Okaaaaay. Now I had to run around and find stuff for TWO apartments!! When they were both out, it was then that my daughter decided to "change rooms" which included re-painting walls and re-doing a bathroom to befit a true "tween"...oh, and Mom, can it be done BEFORE my party??? AHHHHH. Needless to say it all worked out, and then we breathed for a moment as we looked forward to the year end dance recital,which took place last weekend. All is quiet just in time for the official countdown to the hearing which will be next Tuesday. "Lord, prepare me for the last few days which will be the hardest of all." He has given me divine strength and encouragment. From everywhere He has placed before me a banquet of mercy, compassion, support, surprises, and rest. GOD IS AWESOME!!!! No doubt about it!! I have received EVERYTHING from my Lord! He has left NOTHING out. His grace has flowed in abundance, and He has drenched me with His Spirit.
Today I pray in thanksgiving for all He has done for me. I sing praise to my Lord and God who keeps all of His promises. I also pray, "Lord, prepare me...for the next step you want me to take. I know the hearing is looming in my future, but You know the outcome. If you are telling me ,"Do not let your heart be troubled", then I won't:-) These last four days could be spent in anxiousness or worry. The last four days could be spent in praise and worship. Hmmm. Praise and worship it is!!
Lord, Prepare me...