OK, I am not saying it is related that I posted I was ready to adopt again and then I break my foot ... I am not saying that one day before we had our big fundraiser with POINT OF GRACE to help bring Joseph and Daisy home that Scott's truck blew up in a school parking lot ... I am not saying that the year we brought Maggie home and her medical needs far surpassed what we were prepared for that Scott changed jobs and we lost insurance for over 3 months.  I am not saying that when we got Emily's referral from China that our fridge and dishwasher both broke in the same week (and I am pretty sure that is when a transmission went out on a car also) ... Not to mention the 100s of other mishaps that occurred !!!

I AM NOT SAYING ANY OF THOSE THINGS ARE RELATED, BUT I AM SAYING THAT IF YOU SAY YES TO ADOPTION THEN BE PREPARED TO MAKE SATAN VERY MAD ... He doesn't want a child brought into a loving, godly home with a family that will teach them about faith and the LORD ... He wants them left in loneliness, hopelessness, and especially wants them vulnerable to the evils of the world ... He wants them to feel abandoned and unworthy, so that he can prey on them and draw them away from the HOPE OF THE LORD  ...

I know that SATAN is real, but that HE DOESN'T WIN !!! We have to cling to the fact that HE LOSSES THE GREATEST BATTLE OF ALL ... We have to stomp on him when he brings doubt into our lives ... We have to turn our hearts off to his negativity when he tries to derail us from the PLAN GOD HAS FOR OUR LIVES !!!

So yes - today I have a broke foot and sprained ankle and Daisy has pneumonia ... but that is just life ... It will be hard for a while and I could choose to think "OH HOW COULD I DO ANOTHER CHILD IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS,", but I won't because at this very moment I have sweet Anna Bliss running errands for me w/ the Emily/Maggie, Aunt Retta took Daisy to the doctor yesterday for me while I was getting my x-ray, dear friends are watching and loving on Joseph at Jeremiah's game, Renee is bringing dinner Saturday (AND SG just dropped dinner off for today), and I have more prayers coming this way than I can count ... You see Scott and I never do this alone !!!! So when time comes for us to adopt again, I won't doubt that we can ... I will know God will provide financially, will provide the time, will provide the friends to walk with us, and will carry us all the way !!!  BECAUSE HE IS THAT AWESOME AND THE GREATEST PROVIDER OF ALL ... He is just waiting on willing hearts to follow his plan  ... HERE I AM LORD!

As many of you know ADOPTION is constantly on my heart  ... As I feel the tug to adopt again and God has given me no direction, I just wait ... Scott and I talk about it and he has been saying it is not time ... I respect his voice, his heart, and his leadership as head of our home ... I will admit this time the conversations are sweeter and less stressful than they were for the last 4 adoptions (hee hee - what a relief)  ... We are not flying blindly in the world of adoption - we know agencies, social workers, understand medical challenges, extra costs, older children, special needs, different cultures, how to manage a household w/ large numbers, the routine of CHAOS, and so much more ... THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS THE FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE LORD ... What he calls our family to do, to stand up for, and to share with others ...

Without telling me Scott began buying 1 lottery ticket each time he buys gas (so perhaps 3 a month = $3) and he said he threw out a fleece to the LORD that if he wanted us to adopt right now then we needed to win the LOTTERY ... So after the adoption topic came up again, Scott shared with me his FLEECE ... I will admit that I giggled ... Most would probably think if that is the ONLY chance you have of adopting then you should be discouraged or upset, but for me it was a beacon of light ...

I know that each time Scott buys a ticket he is thinking of adoption and God will take those moments to direct him in the way our family should go ... I am waiting patiently this time and allowing God to bring this to Scott's heart and mind without me having to pursue it  ... It is ALWAY ABOUT GOD'S PLAN and never mine ... It is always about GOD'S TIMING and never mine ... It is ALWAYS ABOUT BRINGING GLORY TO THE FATHER and never to ourselves ...

I understand the pressures of a father to provide for his family - 6 kids, teacher's salary, lots of medical, and food alone takes a lot of funds, but GOD MAKES IT WORK everyday in our home (we have never been with out thanks to so many blessings)  ... I will wait on the LORD and my sweet sweet husband ... My heart and arms are open to more children ... It will be fun to watch how God turns the pages of our story ...

Merry Christmas to everyone ... May the LORD shine through you and be a light to others !!!

Sunday was such a fun day as FAMILY and FRIENDS came out to celebrate Elijah's baptism with us ... It is one of those moments that just takes your breathe away ... I saw Elijah w/ Scott knowing that each day he is learning more about the LORD ... He is finding his way in his relationship with the LORD ... Elijah is my QUESTION ASKER ... He has questions 24/7 ... He is not fearful to ask any question and I love that about him ... He is a seeker, a builder, a creative spirit, and an ALL OUT BOY ...

I was so proud of him on Sunday and just wept tears of JOY as he was Baptized ... I can't wait to take him to Honduras in January to let him see NEW THINGS ... I want his little heart to grow even more for others and have a deeper understanding of GOD's KINGDOM ... I know he will love it, but it will also shake him a bit ... Elijah may be a redhead full of energy and could wrestle down a bear, but he has such a tender heart and I know he will hurt for the children he mets ...

I love my sweet sweet son !!! He may not pick up clothes off the floor no matter the punishment, but oh the smiles he puts on my face !!!

Jeremiah has his first official middle school game today ... I look at how he is growing and maturing and to be honest I want it to stop right now ... lol ... He is amazing, fun, loyal, grounded, growing daily in his faith, responsible, loving, and able to do his homework by himself (that is huge ... hee hee) ... I love this kid !!! He is the one who first made me a mother and as I watch him grow I become prouder and prouder of how God is molding him ...

I am told over and over again that this time begins to fly so don't blink or he will be gone ... I think in most cases people think about how their child will be gone one day soon, but I really begin to think about how CAN I IMPACT HIM MORE FOR THE KINGDOM, so that when he leaves he is prepared ... What do I need to say, How do I get him to love the bible, What serving trips does he need to go on, What books should I get him to read, Where can he use his gifts and talents locally to make a difference, How to make FAMILY time fun and something he wants to continue to do when he leaves home, and so much more ... I want him to have on HIS FULL ARMOR OF GOD when he leaves the nest AND KNOW WE ARE HIS BIGGEST CHEERLEADERS... I want him to CHANGE THE WORLD ... I love to watch him LOVE other people especially his younger brothers and sisters ... I don't think they could ask for a better big brother ...

Even though the time begins to speed up, we as parents have a huge job to prepare our children for the battle ahead ... I don't want anyone else to have a greater impact on my child than SCOTT AND I ... I want him to know how he is a treasured child of God and a gift to us ...

He will do great things one day for the LORD ... And to all the girlies out there - you gotta go through Mama O before you get to my boy ... (just sayin)

YOU MUST : 
LOVE THE LORD
LOVE YOUR FAMILY AND HIS
LOVE ORPHANS
HAVE A SERVING HEART
RESPECT ONE ANOTHER
LOVE TO LAUGH
ALWAYS ALWAYS STAND UP FOR EACH OTHER
HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE
and love to wear 147 million orphans gear (hee hee)

the list has more on it, but for now that is a start ...

WE ARE ENTERING YET ANOTHER FUN CHAPTER IN THE OATSVALL TEAM'S LIFE ... Can't wait to see what all God has for us !!!

Compassion or Sympathy

I am writing this post out of a true inspiration and admiration for my wonderful wife. Her compassion for the last,lost and least reminds me of what I read over and over again in the Gospels about Jesus. When you read about him healing the sick, the blind, or the lame, it is often preceded by this statement,"He had compassion on them." Compassion is what motivated Jesus to ACT!
This is where Gwen brings her A-GAME. She acts. I think sometimes we get compassion and sympathy mixed up though. Like pity, sympathy cost us nothing...and therefore is worth nothing. Sympathy is the thought of love... compassion is the act of love. Sympathy says "I might," Compassion shouts " I WILL!!!"
Thank you Lord Jesus that you are filled with compassion toward us and that while we were orphaned sinners you paved the way to heaven for us. Thank you Gwen for being a living message of that compassion. 

Are you a Sympathy person or a Compassion person?

Scott Oatsvall