Preparing our Fields for Rain

           October 31^st is the big day.  Halloween.  That’s  the day the new Haitian adoption laws will go into effect.  Ultimately, the new laws will make things better for children and families in Haiti, but we were really hoping to get our paperwork submitted so we wouldn’t have to deal with the mess.  We thought we were going to make it, but that just didn’t happen.    Even though our dossier has been in Haiti for several weeks, it will not be submitted before the new laws take effect.  The major issue surrounding the new law is that IBESR will be selecting 3 agencies, and only 3 agencies to process adoptions in Haiti.  If our agency is not selected, then we will have to be transferred to another agency in order to complete our adoption.  That’s not a big deal other than it could hold us up a bit. 

          Basketball started for real this week.  I don’t really know what “for real” means since we never really stop, but we’re in full swing.  I am constantly thinking about ways to motivate and encourage the girls.  Basketball is the hardest sport to play.  It’s one of the most physically and emotionally demanding sports because of its pace, and the season is very long.  On a small scale, it can be compared to this adoption.  One of the quotes I have been using lately comes from the movie, Facing the Giants.  I bet I have said, “I want your best”, over a hundred times throughout conditioning and the first two days of practice.  So many people are satisfied with being in the middle of the pack, on the basketball team and in life.  God wants our best.  He wants my best in everything I do, whether it be yard darts or homework or mowing the yard.  He doesn’t want our best compared to everyone else.  He wants our best compared to what WE are capable of doing.  That’s part of the speech I gave my girls at the end of practice.  I was reflecting on what I said to the girls this evening, which led me to think about another huge theme in that movie, FAITH.  If you’ll remember, the couple in that movie wanted a baby so bad.  One thing that has stuck with me from that is when he talks about “preparing your fields for rain”, which comes from the Bible.  If you’re going to ask for rain, then have enough faith to prepare your fields.  I pray that I can have that kind of faith.   God will come through for us, even though we don’t understand the timing of it all.  I know that every time there is a delay, God is protecting us or our child from something, and I thank Him for that.  Everyone wants to know how much longer and I do to.  We have to have faith that God is at work and this will happen exactly when it’s supposed to happen.  It seems so far away, but all we can do is prepare our fields for rain.