A good reminder from my devotional this morning as we go into this holiday season....
Dear Lord, give me Your eyes to see and Your ears to hear the needs of those around me; not just at Christmas, but always. I long to share Your passion for the poor and the needy. Help me remember true wealth is not measured by the size of my bank account, but by the size of my heart.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Reading Books!
While we were reading A Christmas Story, every time we would get to the part about Joseph and Mary, she would say "Joseph, like my daddy!" Since her daddy has the same name! It was too cute. Then we would get to the page with the wise men, and she would say "Wise men give baby Jesus presents!" I loved every minute of reading with her!
We also practiced identifying the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building in the NYC book. She'll be all ready for her first big apple trip with her Aunt Ahmi. :)
Thursday, November 18, 2010
A Ukraine post....
And a call to prayer. Several of the children our group met while working in Ukraine in April are in the process of being adopted...and SO CLOSE to having a family. It's SO exciting! Everyone of them deserves a home.
The challenges that go along with this whole adoption process is how LONG it takes to complete the paperwork, raise the money, complete a home study, a dossier...etc. I am sure I don't even know the half of what it takes, but I know plenty of people working hard, jumping through hoops to get their paperwork done, so THEIR child will be home with their family...and out of an orphanage crib.
Apparently Ukraine is voting this month sometime on whether or not to continue to allow adoptions to take place. This would mean that the parents in the process of bringing their child home would no longer be allowed to complete their adoption (from my understanding). And this....completely.... Breaks. My. Heart.
You can read more about it here and here.
Adoption seems like an emotional roller coaster as it is, so I can't imagine what they are all going through knowing this vote could stop this journey, and leave their child in a crib halfway around with world.
I don't understand the reasoning behind all of this...or the "ins and outs" of it for that matter. I just know that I follow several blogs of adoptive parents, and lots of Ukrainian kids. I've held many of these kids with my own two arms...and I can NOT imagine them losing their chance to have a mom and dad...a family....a home...and all that LOVE.
Pray that the God will soften the hearts of the people voting on this decision in Ukraine, and that Ukrainian adoptions stay open...so all of these kids will find their way home.
The challenges that go along with this whole adoption process is how LONG it takes to complete the paperwork, raise the money, complete a home study, a dossier...etc. I am sure I don't even know the half of what it takes, but I know plenty of people working hard, jumping through hoops to get their paperwork done, so THEIR child will be home with their family...and out of an orphanage crib.
Apparently Ukraine is voting this month sometime on whether or not to continue to allow adoptions to take place. This would mean that the parents in the process of bringing their child home would no longer be allowed to complete their adoption (from my understanding). And this....completely.... Breaks. My. Heart.
You can read more about it here and here.
Adoption seems like an emotional roller coaster as it is, so I can't imagine what they are all going through knowing this vote could stop this journey, and leave their child in a crib halfway around with world.
I don't understand the reasoning behind all of this...or the "ins and outs" of it for that matter. I just know that I follow several blogs of adoptive parents, and lots of Ukrainian kids. I've held many of these kids with my own two arms...and I can NOT imagine them losing their chance to have a mom and dad...a family....a home...and all that LOVE.
Pray that the God will soften the hearts of the people voting on this decision in Ukraine, and that Ukrainian adoptions stay open...so all of these kids will find their way home.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
ESFJ
I saw a link on a blog I read to a short version of the Myers-Briggs personality test. I took the test it in college as part of a class, and I was the exact same as I was tonight.....ESFJ (Extraverted-Sensing-Feeling-Judging). B took the test several years ago, I can't remember his exact results, but I am sure they would be opposite of mine. And we laughed at his results, because a few of his personality descriptions were exact things I had said to him before.
It's interesting to look at the types of personalities people have, and how they perceive things/react to things. Here's the link to the short version of the Myers-Briggs
Here's the short description of an ESFJ...it's a long description, and of course I only copied and pasted the first several paragraphs. They were they said most of the good things, with all personality types, there are definite downfalls...I left those out! I want to hear what my friends are....let me know! :)
As an ESFJ, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit in with your personal value system. Your secondary mode is internal, where you take things in via your five senses in a literal, concrete fashion.
ESFJs are people persons - they love people. They are warmly interested in others. They use their Sensing and Judging characteristics to gather specific, detailed information about others, and turn this information into supportive judgments. They want to like people, and have a special skill at bringing out the best in others. They are extremely good at reading others, and understanding their point of view. The ESFJ's strong desire to be liked and for everything to be pleasant makes them highly supportive of others. People like to be around ESFJs, because the ESFJ has a special gift of invariably making people feel good about themselves.
The ESFJ takes their responsibilities very seriously, and is very dependable. They value security and stability, and have a strong focus on the details of life. They see before others do what needs to be done, and do whatever it takes to make sure that it gets done. They enjoy these types of tasks, and are extremely good at them.
ESFJs are warm and energetic. They need approval from others to feel good about themselves. They are hurt by indifference and don't understand unkindness. They are very giving people, who get a lot of their personal satisfaction from the happiness of others.
They want to be appreciated for who they are, and what they give. They're very sensitive to others, and freely give practical care. ESFJs are such caring individuals, that they sometimes have a hard time seeing or accepting a difficult truth about someone they care about.
With Extraverted Feeling dominating their personality, ESFJs are focused on reading other people. They have a strong need to be liked, and to be in control. They are extremely good at reading others, and often change their own manner to be more pleasing to whoever they're with at the moment.
ESFJs respect and believe in the laws and rules of authority, and believe that others should do so as well. They're traditional, and prefer to do things in the established way, rather than venturing into unchartered territory. Their need for security drives their ready acceptance and adherence to the policies of the established system. This tendency may cause them to sometimes blindly accept rules without questioning or understanding them.
It's interesting to look at the types of personalities people have, and how they perceive things/react to things. Here's the link to the short version of the Myers-Briggs
Here's the short description of an ESFJ...it's a long description, and of course I only copied and pasted the first several paragraphs. They were they said most of the good things, with all personality types, there are definite downfalls...I left those out! I want to hear what my friends are....let me know! :)
The Caregiver
As an ESFJ, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit in with your personal value system. Your secondary mode is internal, where you take things in via your five senses in a literal, concrete fashion.
ESFJs are people persons - they love people. They are warmly interested in others. They use their Sensing and Judging characteristics to gather specific, detailed information about others, and turn this information into supportive judgments. They want to like people, and have a special skill at bringing out the best in others. They are extremely good at reading others, and understanding their point of view. The ESFJ's strong desire to be liked and for everything to be pleasant makes them highly supportive of others. People like to be around ESFJs, because the ESFJ has a special gift of invariably making people feel good about themselves.
The ESFJ takes their responsibilities very seriously, and is very dependable. They value security and stability, and have a strong focus on the details of life. They see before others do what needs to be done, and do whatever it takes to make sure that it gets done. They enjoy these types of tasks, and are extremely good at them.
ESFJs are warm and energetic. They need approval from others to feel good about themselves. They are hurt by indifference and don't understand unkindness. They are very giving people, who get a lot of their personal satisfaction from the happiness of others.
They want to be appreciated for who they are, and what they give. They're very sensitive to others, and freely give practical care. ESFJs are such caring individuals, that they sometimes have a hard time seeing or accepting a difficult truth about someone they care about.
With Extraverted Feeling dominating their personality, ESFJs are focused on reading other people. They have a strong need to be liked, and to be in control. They are extremely good at reading others, and often change their own manner to be more pleasing to whoever they're with at the moment.
ESFJs respect and believe in the laws and rules of authority, and believe that others should do so as well. They're traditional, and prefer to do things in the established way, rather than venturing into unchartered territory. Their need for security drives their ready acceptance and adherence to the policies of the established system. This tendency may cause them to sometimes blindly accept rules without questioning or understanding them.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
I found this recipe on another blog, and it looked so good....I had to try it. I am the only pumpkin fan in my household of two, so I pawned some of them off on a friend and my mom. I accidentally forgot the egg (oops) in the first batch...and they even turned out ok...so, I added the egg and finished baking the rest of them. I can't decide if I'm forgetful...or distracted.
On another note, on Friday I was driving to see a kiddo at a local school and I somehow managed to swallow my gum...and then choke on it. And then when I got to the school, I had to navigate 3 steps in the hallway, and one minute I was marching along...the next minute I was being helped up off the floor. I called husband, and he didn't sound shocked at all that I had swallowed my gum, and then tripped and fell down all within 15 minutes. I called my aunt, who shares my gracefulness and we had a good laugh.
If I had a cooking show, the title might be something like...."What will she forget today?" or "The forgetful cook who falls!" It's a good thing I can laugh at myself...
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 cp flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cp butter
1/4 cp butter flavored shortening
1/2 cp white sugar
1/2 cp brown sugar
1 can pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
Measure and combine dry ingredients, minus sugars. Cream butter, shortening and
sugars. Add pumpkin, vanilla, egg and mix. Add dry mixture and chocolate.
Bake for 11 mins @ 350.
On another note, on Friday I was driving to see a kiddo at a local school and I somehow managed to swallow my gum...and then choke on it. And then when I got to the school, I had to navigate 3 steps in the hallway, and one minute I was marching along...the next minute I was being helped up off the floor. I called husband, and he didn't sound shocked at all that I had swallowed my gum, and then tripped and fell down all within 15 minutes. I called my aunt, who shares my gracefulness and we had a good laugh.
If I had a cooking show, the title might be something like...."What will she forget today?" or "The forgetful cook who falls!" It's a good thing I can laugh at myself...
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 cp flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cp butter
1/4 cp butter flavored shortening
1/2 cp white sugar
1/2 cp brown sugar
1 can pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
Measure and combine dry ingredients, minus sugars. Cream butter, shortening and
sugars. Add pumpkin, vanilla, egg and mix. Add dry mixture and chocolate.
Bake for 11 mins @ 350.
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