EE Mission Days 36 thru 40 - Quick Summary

So, where were we....

We apologize for the gap in posting.  We have been focusing our time between getting acclimated to Mila Gayle, visiting Yana Kathleen and preparing for her "Gotcha Day", as well as communicating with family back home.

Here is a summary of days 36 through 40; the last spent in Mila Gayle's region:

01/14/2012 (Day 36) - Spent the day indoors getting acquainted with Mila, and letting her adjust to her new surroundings.

01/15/2012 (Day 37) - Enjoyed some fellowship with the Eubanks; they brought pizzas over to enjoy with us...

01/16/2012 (Day 38) thru 01/18/2012 (Day 40) - We spent this time getting to know Mila; her likes and dislikes regarding food, toys, and interaction with us. 

Yes, she is picky about eating certain foods.  Yes, she dislikes her teeth being brushed.  Yes, she fights naps.  Yes, she throws a tantrum when she doesn't get her way about something.  Sounds pretty typical to me for a toddler...

With that said, the evidences of Grace abound in her.  She enjoys being held and gives nice squeeze hugs.  She blesses us with her smiles and quiet giggles.  She amuses us with what may be deemed "babbling"; but I think it is her attempt to vocalize and communicate.  She has been a trooper during our car rides; where the motion seems to comfort her.

Over these days, her resistance to baths has diminished; she has started splashing and playing while in the tub having soothing warm water poured over her body.  She moves around alot during sleep, but has started snuggling up against me when restless.

I call this the beginning of her coming out of her "orphanage shell".  She has received, and will continue to receive certain liberties in life that she would have never been given as an orphan.

It makes me think about the liberties we have as Christians.  We are constantly making decisions about whether to pursue Godliness or ungodliness.  As Chrsitians, what a blessing to know we CAN make that choice; that is true liberty.  And just like little Mila Gayle, we sometimes choose to resist and rebel against the love of our Father.

James 1: 19-27  - Hearing and Doing the Word 

¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.