Shelter

In case you haven't noticed, I keep changing my blog design. I actually have a really stylish and happening (okay not so much but it is cute) background downloaded on my computer, but I don't have the technology skills or the time right now to figure out how to get it on my blog. My husband, who thinks he is an expert on computers, says "all you have to do is enter the urls in the right spot". The right spot meaning . . . ? So until I have the time to work on it, i.e. until school's out for summer (sing it with me . . . no I don't make a habit of listening to Alice Cooper . . . those are the only lines I know of that song), I'm stuck with a blogger background. Which means I'll change it until I find something I like. Kind of like picking out the right pair of shoes. You know what I mean don't you girls?

Now if you'll direct your attention to the center of the ring . . . not a lot is happening at this moment in our adoption world (hence the ridiculously long paragraph about my blog background). We are waiting for my fingerprint results to come in so our home study can be officially approved. Don't worry, I won't continue to "beat the dead horse" about the fingerprint issue. That poor horse died weeks ago. While we wait, I'm trying to organize all of our paperwork so that when we have everything in hand we can have it notarized and apostilled as quickly as possible. Just so you know (because I'm sure you want to know more than anything else in the world right now), apostillation (I don't really know if that's a word), is something done by your state government's office that basically confirms that your notary really is a notary. I had never heard of it, but it seems that it is somewhat common when dealing with documents that will cross international lines. Seeing as how I don't typically deal with international documents it makes sense that I wouldn't have a clue.

Beyond that, I'm learning day by day to trust God in every aspect of my life. Sometimes when I look at the amount of paperwork, the time it will take, the long wait, and so on, I begin to feel sheer panic rising up inside my chest. A million, "what if?" questions pop into my head. In those moments, I have a choice to make, I can choose to trust or choose to be afraid. I tend to be a glass half empty type of a person. I'm not a positive person by nature. Just being honest here. See Apologies and Irrational Worrying for more on that. The passage of scripture that I draw the most comfort, the most peace, and the most confidence from in moments of fear and worry is Psalm 91. I've memorized most of it, and when I began to feel afraid I quote it. It never fails to remind me exactly who this God is that I serve. How awesome, how mighty, how powerful He is. And yet how much He cares about each one of us.

Psalm 91 (NKJV)

Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

 ¹ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
         Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
 ² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
         My God, in Him I will trust.”
    
 ³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
         And from the perilous pestilence.
 ⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
         And under His wings you shall take refuge;
         His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
 ⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
         Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
 ⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
         Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
    
 ⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
         And ten thousand at your right hand;
         But it shall not come near you.
 ⁸ Only with your eyes shall you look,
         And see the reward of the wicked.
    
 ⁹ Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
         Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
 ¹⁰ No evil shall befall you,
         Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
 ¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you,
         To keep you in all your ways.
 ¹² In their hands they shall bear you up,
         Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
 ¹³ You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
         The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
    
 ¹⁴ “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
         I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
 ¹⁵ He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
         I will be with him in trouble;
         I will deliver him and honor him.
 ¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him,
         And show him My salvation.”