Home Sweet Home

     We finally have a home to do the homestudy in!  God definitely came through at the very last minute.  The last day of our lease on our townhouse was August 31st, and we found the house that we are now renting on the 27th.  We did not sign the lease papers until the 30th and we had to move everything in on the 31st, which also happened to be a full work day for me.  God seems to be taking every opportunity possible to stretch my faith.  I'm feeling a little bit like a worn out rubber band right now, but I am very thankful to be in our house.  The dog and our future child have a fenced in backyard to play in, and we are paying less for more square footage.  God is good!  We are still in the process of unpacking, organizing, and decorating, but we are getting settled.  Now that we have a home, I am looking forward to our homestudy (though we are still waiting on an official date).  I feel so relieved knowing that God has already provided the funds to pay for our homestudy.  Thank you again to all of you who worked and gave so much to make that possible. 
     As we move forward, it is sometimes hard not to get distracted by the mountain that still lies ahead, and forget to appreciate what God has already done.  It seems so foolish, even as I find myself doing it.  I can relate to the Israelites as they were wandering through the desert.  We are tempted to say, "What was wrong with them? God gave them food, protected them, parted the Red Sea for them...and they still doubted Him?".  That is, until we find ourselves standing in their shoes.  Why do we doubt, even in the midst of all the blessings that He showers down on us?  There is always that tempting question, "But what if He doesn't come through THIS time?  I know He did that, but what if the next part is too big?"  Even as I think these things, I know how ridiculous it is.  And yet, the questions still come.
     Due to the mild chaos that has been our life recently, we have not had time to get the word out about our iPad/Wii raffle.  So, we are extending the deadline to October 2nd.   Raffle tickets can be purchased on our blog (one for $10 or 3 for $25). If everybody got in on the raffle, we could have the mountain almost, if not completely, tackled.  We still have $13,500 to raise.  During a meeting about a week ago, I also learned that we may have to hire our own lawyer to do our finalization paperwork. Unless we can find someone who would like to donate their services out of the goodness of their heart, this will add an additional $3,000-$5,000 to that total.  So, what is left to raise is going up faster than funds are coming in.  It gets more than a little discouraging at times.  You can help by praying hard and often, and reposting our blog (encourage your friends to repost too!). 
     As we settle in and wait for the next step, I am making every effort to spend time thinking about all we have to be thankful for and praising God for all of the blessings He has already provided us with.  He owes us nothing, and yet He has so richly blessed us.  I am determined to let my praises outdo my worries.