It is 7:00 am for us and everyone but me is sleeping, at least all those in my room. I love it when I have time to just think. This morning, we would generally be getting everyone ready for church. I think often, we take it for granted. We do the same routine every Sunday morning, knowing that we have a place to go to have fellowship with our fellow believers, worship our Lord and SAvior and learn from someone God has chosen to lead us. We don't put much thought into what others around the world face or that we may not have a place to do just that. I think so often we take the ocmfort of our christianity and forget what Christ truly has done for us.
Today, I can not get my children ready for services. Our son has never attended a church, though I am confident that someone has whispered the name of Christ to him. Why am I confident? Because that was a prayer of mine for both Elizabeth and for Ri. This morning, I am just simply reminded that I take my faith for granted.
I have stated over and over again that the adoption of our children reminds me so much of the adoption of us into God's family. Ri is such a perfect pictures of that. You see, we chose Ri. He had no idea that he even needed a family, let alone did that a family was adopting him. He had no idea that we were on the other side of the world filling out all the paperwork and orchestrating every detail so that on May 21st, Liu Ri Chen would be "born" into our family and would become Paul Liu Ri Chen Miller. At that very moment, his whole future changed, his inheritance changed, his life changed. Just like us before we knew Jesus Christ as our savior and were "born" into God's family. God was orchestrating every detail. He was sending people into our life to teach us about Him and His son. He was working things to a point so that one day we would become his child. Before we are saved, we have no idea any of that is happening. ... just like Ri. And on the day that we are saved, our whole life changed, our inheritance changed, our future changed.

Many of you have seen the picture of Ri screaming after our visit to the orphanage, wanting to go back to what he had. Well, I have thought of that a lot since then. His reaction is much like some of ours when we get saved. We are scared to death of what is happening, then all of a sudden when we get a taste of our old life, we begin kicking and screaming. ... thinking that what we had is what we want. If we are God's child, He will hold onto us just like Mark held onto Ri. And when we are done kicking and screaming to go back, we will begin to realize the Love of our Father and realize that His family is where we belong and that we never want to go back to how it use to be. Sometimes, that takes a long time, and sometimes it is very quick. I don't know when Ri will know that he is where he belongs and never want to go back... but I know it will happen.

I am humbled this morning that God would allow me to be the wife of Mark and the mother of 6 wonderful children. I am overwhelmed at his gifts and his mercy in my life. I am overwhelmed that I was, a long time ago, just like my son. I was a child who was lost and enjoying my life just the way it was. When God brought me to a point of recieving his gift and becoming His child.... much like Ri... I did some kicking and screaming. It took some time before I realized what being in God's family truly was all about. It took time for me to trust God's love and realize what I had. Now, you couldn't pay to go back to the life I was living.

Well, I guess I have written enough for this morning. I long to be in church with my church family. May each of you feel the love of God today.

I promised Mamaw that I would take a lot of pictures today. It was raining most of the day yesterday, so Ididn't take many.