Changing Paths

Scott and I would love to ask for prayer. We have been in the process of adoption now for more than one year seven months for 3 children in Liberia. Now, because of changes in the country and the agency, we have had to pull out. It is very disappointing. We are still hoping to complete an adoption, and need your prayers as we discern the path the Lord has for us.

We have been presented with a few different situations for children of different agencies who are all special needs, ranging from mild to severe and all with varying degrees of grants towards their adoption. Pray the Lord would open Scott and I and both our hearts to the special child or children he has for us. Money is very tight, especially after having tried for so long to finish the adoption we were in.

We adopted all 3 of our kids, Michael 11 Kazakhstan, Gabriela 9 independent born in Ukraine, Shawna nearly 2 born in USA. This would make number 4, or more.

Thank you all very much.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com
In the World, But Not Of the World !
Every Child Has a Story, and Every Child Matters !

He shall direct your paths !

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes.
Proverbs 3: 5-7

Thank you Lord for being Savior of Our Lives, for your unending mercy and love, and for directing our paths.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com
In the World, But not Of the World.
Every Child Matters.

Recognition Software

My kids were trying to find some paper in the paperbox, and kept saying there isn't anymore. I walked up to the paperbox, and handed them a piece of paper from it. It was right in front of them. Scott told the kids "You should use your eyeballs for more than just recognition software." It was the funniest thing ever. Oh my goodness.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Heaven or Hell

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, "Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like."The Lord led the him to two doors.He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the man's mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sightof their misery and suffering.The Lord said, "You have seen Hell."They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, "I don't understand.""It is simple," said the Lord. "It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves."When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you.

I will always share my spoon with you.........

First "Park Day"

Michael and Gabriela and all of us had our first "Park Day" with other families of faith today. It was so much fun to meet so many families and really wonderful children. The kids got to play, and we got to keep an eye out and relax. The weather was awesome, a nice breeze and clear skies. We are very much looking forward to the next "Park Day".

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonsonstudios.blogspot.com

Sir Francis Drake

"Disturb me Lord to see the plight of millions, homeless, starving and fighting for life each day. Disturb me Lord when I complain about my lack when I have NO idea what lack really is!
Lord, disturb me, so that I can see past myself and venture forth being Your hands and feet. Help me to dream big dreams only You can bring to pass.
Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess,
We have lost our thirst for the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity.
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back the horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future in strength, courage, hope and love."

Sir Francis Drake

Latest on the Kids

Well, back to school, back to work and the daily routine. Gabriela and Michael are working on book reports. Gabriela is reading Pirates Pass at Noon, and Michael read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They are both working on paragraph writing in school. Something new also are their reading logs where they keep track of the name and author of books they read, and personal spelling lists for words they frequently make mistakes on. Shawna's favorite words as of late are "do it" and "move", and so we are continuing to teach her please and thank you. Shawna has also discovered the power of the hand and mouth - as in hitting and biting when she doesn't get her way. It is hard to watch her doing her timeouts, but she is always very sorry afterwords.

Blessings to All,

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Leaving Liberia

Scott and I just wanted to update you on the adoption process. There have been many changes in Liberia, and the adoption process has been getting longer and longer, 18 months to complete last we heard from the time of referral. We have already been waiting for 5 months for a referral and don't anticipate receiving one anytime soon. We have made the decision after a great deal of heartwrenching prayer to pull out of adopting from Liberia and the agency we were with Acres of Hope. We decided the wait for a child was just too long. Liberia has been on our hearts a long time, and we will continue to pray for this country and the children who live there.

God called us to help the fatherless and the orphans, to help children waiting for parents. Thousands of children around the world need parents and loving homes. We were not called to be waiting parents.

We are praying about where the Lord is calling us next, and have taken steps to ask for our paperwork back. At this time, wee are undecided and discerning what to do next in our adoption journey. We are considering and praying about all our options.

We are going to take some much needed time to focus on our family and spend time with our children.

We will be updating our blog in the upcoming weeks as our journey continues and our path unfolds.

Thank you for all your prayer support, and hope you will continue to pray with us.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com
"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed." Psalm 82 v 3

Psalms

We are continuing to defend the cause of the fatherless, and praying continuously as the Lord leads.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudio.blogspot.com

Christmas Gifts from Aunt Kathy and Uncle Jeff - yeah !!!

All the kids just loved their gifts from Aunt Kathy and Uncle Jeff who mailed them from Northern CA.
Shawna got Dora balls, and just loves throwing them around.
Gabriela got girly stuff for doing her nails and things, and was completely delighted.
Michael got the book on cars that he asked for all year.


God is greater, and he knows everything !

Blessings,
Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

New Year's Resolutions...

Happy New Year to Everyone !!!!
It is now officially 2008.

Our New Year's resolution is to raise enough money to complete our adoption. How about yours? Perhaps an excellent way to hit off the new year would be helping out children in need. We are so very fortunate with all we have here in the US. We take such things as a roof and bed and loved ones for granted. Please consider helping orphaned children have this too - a permanent roof, a bed and a forever family to love them.

Please donate. We have a very easy way to donate through PayPal towards the bottom of the posts.

We had a quieter stay at home this year watching reruns of Project Runway and doing laundry. We ordered pizza, didn't cook, and relaxed. With everything going on the last few months, it was nice to not have to go anywhere ! Who would figure we would find doing laundry relaxing? Ha, ha. :)

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com