Here Goes Nothin'

I love blogs. They have been an incredible encouragement to me. Why? Because I am crazy enough to home school, foster, adopt and do the self-sufficient farm thing to boot. Throw in a little cancer and a house full of craziness and mess and you could suddenly use a little encouragement. I tend to use my facebook statuses as mini blog posts, so, well, why not give to world my two bits, and maybe, just maybe be a small encouragement to someone along the way too.

I am a mother of 4, soon to be anywhere to between 8-10. We are in the process of adopting a sweet young man (age 9). After seeing the amazing change in this young mans life as well as the change in our own family, we feel compelled to foster as well. As we never do anything on a small scale, we are planning to do it full time as a family. We live on an acreage way out in the middle of no-where Saskatchewan (my little piece of paradise), and have this dream of making a therapeutic farm for foster kids. Its a dream yes, though not without a little reality thrown in. I know it will be hard, at times more than I can bear, but it will be right. I have often heard that the Lord only gives us what we can bear or handle. What a bunch of bunk! If that were true, He has made quite a few mistakes over the past few years. My great and good God is very much in the habit of giving me far more than I can bear. Why? So that I can find my strength in Him. So that the world can see that the only way I can do anything is through Him. Oh, and He has a very good sense of humor as well. Comments like "I will NEVER home school my kids" or "The Lord would never allow me to have cancer, cause He knows I couldn't handle it" or "My child NEVER screams, that kid just needs some good discipline" or " ADHD is soooo over diagnosed, why can't those teachers just do a better job keeping their attention", are fightin' words! The Lord has seen fit to allow me to have cancer, a screamer, home school and now an ADHD (FASD) child. Why? Well, first off, because you really should just not say stupid things, you are just asking for it. And secondly because He knows that in my weakness I lean on Him. It is always in the hard that I run to Him. Most of the time I am stupid enough to run around acting like I can do most everything in my own strength, until of course I crash and look back and see that what I have accomplished has no spiritual value, let alone any earthly value. Whether my house is clean, business is running smoothly, cow is milked, supper is magnificent.... these things matter not. Have my kids been loved and listened to? Have I taught them about out great King in word or deed? Have I faithfully served them and my dear husband? These are the important things. What kingdom am I serving? Myself or my King's? So yes, this new endeavor of ours might be crazy, but it is service to our King, and He has promised to strengthen us and to uphold us.