No, exciting news to report.  This is the part that challenges us!  The not knowing and the waiting patiently that tugs at my heart daily.  I am a new mother, a mother of three new boys, but I haven't even gotten to breathe them in yet.  They are a part of our daily lives, although they are not physically here yet.  When we go out, I constantly count my children....1,2,3,4,5....there is someone missing!  Or should I say there are three missing.  Samuel, Jeremiah and Joel are part of our daily lives.  They are daily in our prayers and daily a topic around the kitchen table!

This past weekend, we went camping up in the mountains.  It was a pleasant get away.  Nice to be in the great outdoors.  The children love to go camping.  They love every aspect of it...the insects, the snakes, reptiles, the campfire.....But their favorite thing is their Daddy telling them stories around the campfire!  This weekend we had a new experience.  Our Hannah caught her first fish!  A beautiful brook trout.  It didn't take much, a cane pole, a bread ball and perfect timing!  She dropped her hook in the river and not 30 seconds later she was yelling....."I caught a fish!"  She was a very proud little girl.   Of course we forgot the camera, but the memories in our minds will always be there.

While Russell was cleaning the fish, the kids were poking at the head and touching the eyes!  "Samuel, Jeremiah and Joel would love this!  They could have fish head soup!"  was the reply of one of the kids.  YUCK!  But from what we hear, the eyes taste pretty sweet.  Can't say I have ever tried them or even want to try them.  From what we have heard, to our Liberian boys, it may be a special treat!  Our whole weekend was filled with comments and wonders.  We were all wondering what our boys would think of camping.  We had lots of laughter and loads of new memories to carry inside for years to come!

However, on the other side of our campground, there was not much laughter.  Another family had arrived at the campground that same Friday.  They had two beautiful children, an eight year old boy and an almost three year old little girl.  My heart aches for these children.  I do not think that they have very many fun memories as a family.  The father spoke very abusively to these two precious children.  There may have been not only verbal abuse, but I am almost positive there was physical abuse.  The father's words were sharp like a two edged sword.  Our own children looked at us with fear in their eyes.  I have never heard anyone speak to a child the way that man did.  It broke my heart.

His words reminded me of a scripture in Colossians 4:6, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as if were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person."  I guess I should have gone and poured a little salt over our neighbor!  His words were not seasoned, but spoiled.  Not only were they spoiled, they left a horrible taste in his children's hearts.  The Bible speaks of building each other up and not tearing each other down.  In Proverbs 16:24 it says, "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

I know there are times throughout each day when my words do not flow like honey from my lips.  I need not be so quick to speak.  If I take my time and think each word out clearly in my mind, I can take the time to season each of my words.  Words can never be taken back so I need to make sure each word is seasoned just right so that each word will reflect my Savior.

Fish eyes may taste sweet to the tongues of our precious Liberian boys, but I pray that my words will always be words that are "sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."  I pray that those two precious children at the campground will one day get to taste words so sweet.  I pray that all of us will use our words to lift each other up and not make each feel guilty or hurt or torn down.  Lord help us to use our words to reflect You!