I-heart.

I went with the youth group to see Hillsong United's new documentary film in Gulf Shores, AL. It was a great time and the film was so moving. They are a band that travels worldwide to sing praise and worship music. They were restless in the fact that on the way to the hotel or the concert venue they saw the poverty and pain in other cultures and wondered if their music was really all that they should be doing. Did it have an effect on the crowds or those around them? It was such a deep film that I am still running it around in my head and heart........

Here's a verse they quoted:
Amos 5:21-24 Message
"I cant stand your religious meetings.
I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religious projects, your pretentious slogans and goals.
I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making.
Ive had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to ME?"

I pray many of the youth were able to soak in the message.
I pray that our youth pastor will be able to use it as a starting point with our teens. Our church is already a missions orientated church. We build wheelchair ramps in the community and have many benevolence outreaches. Our Youth group also has a week of outreach each summer and don't forget the missions trips to Ecuador!

Adoption update:
We got the I-800 approval in the mail Wednesday evening. I didn't think anything of it since last week our officer said we would have to wait for Ecuador to sign off on the papers first. SO I thought this "provisional approval" notice meant,"we have your papers and it will be approved when we get all the information we have requested". My adoption agency director called yesterday and said "Guess what, I just got a notice from Immigrations." She was all excited."Yeah we got one of those yesterday" I replied. no big deal right? "I thought you would've called me!" She said all excited. "Well it doesn't really mean anything. (long pause) does it?" I said/ asked. "Yes! It just means its provisional until she is a citizen!" Who knew?!

Its a good thing I can laugh at myself.... really.
Ive placed a call in to our officer to see if she knows something we don't.

You know, Ecuador said they would sign off on it last week - then we hear nothing before they take a Holiday. Ive been praying they did it and just hadn't told anyone yet. ;)

So I will close for today. This is a moving quote from I-heart.

I am only one, but still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
but still I can do something;
I will not refuse to do something I can do." - Helen Keller