Four months ago when I did my first Memorial Box Monday post I wanted to use the time to remind ourselves of all the miraculous ways the Lord has been faithful, just as the Isrealites were instructed to do once-upon-a-time. (A Memorial Box is first explained here.)
Little did I know back then that we would lose our home to a fire. There are many, many facets of emotion when you lose your home to fire. Dw and I spent most of Saturday crying and grieving. One of our teenagers did too. It has been a rough few days.
One thing we have learned is that when we are overcome with grief it helps us to remember what God has already done…and so these Memorial Box Monday posts have taken on an even deeper meaning for us as a family. In difficult seasons it is important to have prepared and one of the ways we prepared for this season was by having a Memorial Box.
Which brings me to my next thought…our Memorial Box was destroyed by the fire so we are hunting for a new one. I feel soooo strongly about the importance of the Memorial Box that I wanted to challenge you my bloggy friends. As I am searching for our new Memorial Box I am actually searching for two. I would like to ship it away to one of you who decide that you would also like to begin a Memorial Box for yourself (whether you are single or have a family). Please allow me this privilege as it will be something to look forward to and concentrate on that’s really fun for me!
All of us have had times where God has shown up big-time and this is one way to remember and pass the stories on to our children and our children’s children. If you have a Memorial Box or are starting one and would like to be included in this giveaway (I will have a drawing here in my home in a couple of weeks), please post a comment that either links me to your blog or includes your email address. Your Memorial Box will most likely come from a hunt at an antique store as I have found some beautiful ones in antique stores. Either way, it gives me joy to think of mailing one of you one as I so desperately want each of you to have one….so join in the plan and start your own Memorial Box. Even if your kids are grown, it is NEVER too late to start one.
Anyway, on to this weeks post:Since the fire we have grieved over memoires and 30 years of treasures we have gathered. We had purged much as we were trying to bring home kids – selling things to raise money for each adoption. But we had held onto the best of the best and the most important of treasures. As it would be, the babies room was originally our guest room and since I love that old quilty/antiquey look I had put our dearest treasures in there for guests to feel cozy and loved. When we moved the bed out and put the two cribs in, we kept the treasures right where they were. I loved sitting in there with the babies and admiring the beautiful heirlooms we had.
Another piece we had was an old quilt box. My mom is a beautiful artist and she had painted a scene of a group of Amish women quilting on that old quilt box. There were two little Amish children peaking out from under the table while those Amish women worked. It was beautiful. Years before Dw’s dad had died he had called us aside. He wanted us to have a pair of shoes that had been in the family for generations. He, himself, had wore them as a baby. When he showed us the shoes we gasped. They were amazing and beautiful and on the underside of the shoes it said: 1757! We had never even known about the shoes and were dumbfounded that Dw’s family had such a treaure that we knew nothing about. We took the little shoes home and were in awe of them. Soon after we were leaving to go on a trip somewhere and we thought about those shoes. Where should we hide them while we were gone? So we ended up putting them in the bottom of the quilt box my mom had painted us. Every now and then we would pull them out and admire them.
SInce the fire we have cried and cried for all that was lost. At times we have been nearly inconsolable as we have grieved most for our home, our photos and for the heirlooms. Their value is minimal to many people, but the sentimental value of each of these items to us – priceless!
Almost immediately after the fire we both thought of the shoes. They had been in the quilt box in the babies room. We ran to find the quilt box, which now sat on the front lawn, charred and completely destroyed from the bottom. Knowing those shoes had been in the very bottom, we knew there was really no hope – BUT GOD!! As soon as I saw how destroyed that quilt box was I began to cry and pray. The God of the Universe has done sooo many things for us that I refer to Him as the Miracle-working, Mountain-Moving, Awe-inspiring, Gasp-giving God. The shoes were not something that is too difficult for Him. Infact scripture tells us that “Nothing is too difficult for Him!” At that moment I said aloud while bawling, “This is not too difficult for you God. You can put those shoes under a snowbank for us to find in the Spring. You can do it anyway you want to. You can resurrect them. You can do anything – just help us to find those shoes!!” Now if the average person saw all the charred beyond recognition things they would laugh at that prayer. It looked impossible!! We told our dear friends who came to help us sift through the things….”If you should happen upon an old pair of shoes or even a piece of something that looks like old shoes – please do NOT throw out – call us immediately. Sift carefully. Sift cautiously – we know those shoes are out there somewhere.” A week passed and there was no sign of the shoes. We kept praying. I kept asking the Lord to put them in the snowbank, what a shock/surprise to find in the Spring. We kept looking. Then that Saturday, 10 days after the fire I was up in my room cataloging. There were some precious friends helping. Carie, Irma, Beth and Lori were graciously going through the stuff and listening to my stories of things that were once treasures (thank you ladies – you have no idea how special you each are to me for being there for me!)…there were so many sweet friends there that day helping us. JD and Steve and Ron and JR and Janet and Shaunna and Marc M. and Mark S. and Pat and my mom and Vicki and Devon. Ashley and Morgan were helping Emma with her things. Brenden and Nick were helping Graham with his room. These people all took time out of their already very busy schedules to grieve with us and help us catalog and carry to the dumpster. Literally the house was full of sweet, caring friends being the hands and feet of Christ, ministering to us with their time. Upstairs in our bedroom my girlfriends had pulled stuff out of the little cubby we had off our master bathroom. Our master bathroom was bite sized and this little cubby (also bite sized) was used for seasonal clothes. They pulled everything out and lined it up and I would go through piece by piece and see if there was anything that I just couldn’t ever part with even though it was ruined by the smoke, soot and water damage. As I was moving through the items that had been pulled out I came across a little box. I remember looking at the box in bewilderment, because my traumatized brain was trying to recognize. This box meant something, my brain was recognizing it. I will never forget my brain trying to recall…it was the weirdest feeling. I opened the box and there was a tiny little knobby glass. Again, my brain was grasping to recall what this box held. As I lifted the glass out and the tissue paper underneath it I screamed!! There were our heirloom shoes!! I screamed with hysteria…as I jumped up and over boxes and clothes and piles of stuff….I jumped into the loft and was screaming hysterically the whole way…”Dw, Dw – the shoes – the shoes – we have the shoes!!” People came from everywhere. (Some thought someone had died I was screaming so hysterically!) I remember turning to Carie and seeing her sitting tears running down her face, she had also been begging God since the fire for those shoes to reappear!! She was there to witness this 2009 miracle with us. **I am laughing and crying as I type and recalling the feelings of finding those shoes in the box in that little cubby.** 
Our Miracle-working, Mountain-moving, Awe-inspiring, Gasp-giving God had moved those shoes from that little quilt box to the cubby. They had been in the quilt box – there is NO doubt! But they were found in the cubby. I am confident that the night before the fire – while the angel of the Lord was keeping the wood wet, He had gone and got the shoes and put them in the cubby, and no one will ever be able to convince me otherwise. Rejoice with us about our heirloom shoes and at the same time remind yourself of the things God has done for you….and post a comment about beginning your own Memorial Box (or tell me if you already have one)…and in a few weeks we will have a drawing….xo
We started a Memorial Box about 15 years ago, but I never really had “just the right box”, so we stopped adding to our collection.
However … I have continued to write down our miracles stories, and am about to update the self-published (comb binding) book that I wrote 10 years ago. Just last November, I gave a message on Miracles at a Family Camp.
Yes … God is a God of Miracles. Yes … God is Faithful. Yes … God’s angels moved your shoes. Praise God!
We have more Miracles stories than I can possibly list here, but I’ll share a few:
God miraculously healed me of endometriosis when I was told I would never have children. (And, I went on to have 10 bio. children, before adopting 3 from Africa.)
God miraculously healed me of cancer, when I had 6 babies under 7 years old.
God sent an angel to pull my 3 year old daughter off of the bottom of a lake.
God miraculously healed my 3 year old son of Bacterial Meningitis, after a week in a coma.
God prompted an anonymous donor to give $15,000 to our church, to help pay for our adoption last year.
God is our Healer. God is our Provider. God IS a God of Miracles.
Thanks for sharing your Memorial Box stories! I would LOVE to get a new Memorial Box.
Laurel š
Oh Linn,
Your story had me in tears. What a gift the Lord has given you. I always thought it was sweet that you did the Memorial Box but you have shown me how important it is.
By the way, I am sitting at the hospital with Cade, he is in for his surgery. We should be home in 5-10 days. Still keeping you in our prayers. Has your dossier for Jubilee been sent to China yet? Your little girl has been on my heart.
Blessings, Lisa C.
Hi Linn,
Glad you enjoyed visiting my blog. I look forward to having you as a new blogging friend.
Laurel
Glad to see you are back to blogging…missed you!!! Glad you found the shoes. We serve such a loving God! He knew all along that He would be sending you small glimpses of hope, love and faith!
Praising God for the shoes with you . . . for all they meant before and the miracle that they now represent! He is faithful! Thank you Father for your loving care of those tiny shoes, they stand for so very much.
Linn, you have so been on my heart. Please know that I continue to pray for you and for your Ty.
I would L-O-V-E to start a Memorial Box, so count me in!
Hugs to Colorado from Texas~
Tina
Many of you are having a problem posting a comment and so I am contacting Google to see what is up…
Carolin sent me this via email since she had a problem posting…but I want all the comments to show since they are so encouraging to so many others…building their faith….here is the first of several…besides if no one thinks that anyone is going to start a Memorial Box and enter the giveaway, others may chicken out as well…so here goes..
Wow Linny, what a story!!! God is SO AMAZING and LOVING and KIND!!!
I have loved reading about your memorial box and have shared the amazing story of the lion/tiger and the dream that DW had about the two cubs. I love that story! I would LOVE to start a memorial box for our family, HE has been so faithful to us through everything and what an awesome way to visually show that!
http://hunterhappenings.blogspot.com/
Take care,
Carolin
Another comment that wouldn’t post from my dear prayer partner who is living in San Diego where her husband has work for the time being….
Linn – I don’t know if this has happened for anyone else but I’ve been trying to post a comment on your most recent post on your blog but the word verification is not loading. Anyway here was my comment…
Linn – I got chills reading your post. I remember when I talked with you – almost immediately after the fire – and you mentioned fearing those shoes were lost. I thought it was such a special thing to have and so irreplaceable – I think that’s why it really stuck in my mind. What an amazing miracle God did for you – what a wonderful answered prayer, an encouragement from God and also a memorial of hope.
I was sharing with P about your memorial box after reading one of your recent previous posts and told him I thought it was a great idea and that I wanted to do it too. I would love to win one so put my name down too :).
Sending love from San Diego!
Brittne from South Carolina also was able to post. Here is her comment:
What a GREAT story Linn!!! I would absolutely LOVE to start a Memorial Box with my Hubby!! Congrats on your miracle find!!!
Many Blessings from South Carolina!
Brittne S.
Carol from Canada suggested I turn off the Word Verification at least until Blogger gets it fixed…so after spending the last 35 minutes figuring out how to do that *sigh* I did it!
Now comments should work no problem…thanks guys for your patience! xo
I love your idea of a memorial box. WHat an awesome reminder of all God has done in our lives. I want to start one for my family. The first thing I would put in will be my daughter’s old glasses case. She used to need them to see the board at school and would get really bad headaches without them. She lost them early this school year and I was not happy. (those things are not cheap)! But now I see that God had other plans. She came out of youth group one night shortly after with tears in her eyes and told me that we didn’t need to go get new ones. GOD HEALED HER SIGHT during worship! She has not had one single headache or sight issue since! Praise God!
Carolynne
i don’t know why we are surprised by how big and gasp-giving our God is, but i am overwhelmed by his goodness. why i constantly wedge God in this little box i so often force him into. . . what an amazing story of God’s provision. his awe-inspiring amazing power. what a precious story He has given you in the midst of ashes. i love your faithfulness to tell.
linn, i have never heard of a memorial box before, but i love the idea of remembering and telling, and therefore am going to begin to look for such a box for our family.
what i love most about the jewish traditions are the many occasions throughout the year where the isrealites stop to remember God’s goodness, mercy and deliverance. i want to instill these stop-action qualities in my own family.
thank you so much for taking me on this journey. i know that one day, the smell of stale smoke and mildew and ashes will be replaced by fresh wood, clean linen, downey exhaust from your drier, and chicken pot pie baking in the oven. you will be restored. in his way, in his timing. and what a glorious place of memories of God’s goodness, provision and deliverance you will be blessed with. i look forward to that day of jubilee with you!
please, please count me in on your giveaway. what a blessing that would be to have a sweet memory of your journey and faithfulness in my very own home.
kimberly
I am reading you blog in South Africa with a heart brimming with tears as I rejoice with you at the goodness of God! How HUGE and utterly WONDERFUL is this amazing God who is so personally interested and invested in the issues of our heart / lives! I celebrate with you at this precious miracle.
I am also so encouraged by your God-inspired idea about the memorial box. What an opportunity to pass onto the generations that follow us the GOODNESS of God! Thank you for this wonderful idea. I am going to go on a little hunt for a special box to call our own. Much love xoxox Janine
I was just thinking how I want to start this with my family of 12…so many things to “remember” as we walk through life.
I would love to win one! Thank you for sharing this with us all!!!
Praying for you all,
Shonni
I discovered your blog right around the time you had the fire. I’ve been faithfully reading it ever since. Wow, all I can say is that you have served as such an encourager to me. Thank you for being so willing to share everything.
I loved your idea of a Memorial box when I read about it recently. My husband and I have been looking for one. We’ve not found it yet. I’d love to win one, so sign me up!
Blessings,
Kathy from NH
http://www.xanga.com/BabyCircus/weblog
(kcirka1@hotmail.com)
Oh Linny! God is so good. Your faith continues to inspire me. I was so hoping at the end of the post (and I really didn’t peek just in case there WERE pictures of the shoes there) that the shoes would be found!
I would love to be entered in your Memory Box giveaway. I think it’s such a wonderful idea.
Much love and my prayers continue!
Ohilda
Linny, I have been enthralled by the idea of a Memorial Box. Would CHERISH one given to me by you! š
Love you!
Nancy (blessed mama to ShaoXi)
email: shaoxi@aol.com
Wow, this story gives me the chills – the good kind :-))
I love it when God shows up in such a personal, intimate way!!
Many continued blessings to you and your family in joy and sadness!
Love, Barb
Trying again.
I am so relieved for you. Jesus is so good isn’t he? What an inspiration you are to so many!
I love the memorial box idea. We don’t have one, but I am so excited to start one! I would love to be included in the giveaway.
Your family continues to be in my prayers. You are such a testiment of God’s faithfulness in our lives!I have been meaning to link your blog from mine for a while now. I will do that today – I know the people that read my blog would be so blessed to read yours.
Thank you so very much for all that you share. It really is an inspiration to many.
Hooray for our sweet God!!! I just knew He was going to show you guys some tender loving care in very special ways. The shoes event is priceless!! I know He kept those safe for you!
I have loved your Memorial Box idea ever since you started it, and I’ve been planning on starting doing it myself. I would love to be included in your drawing! How cool that would be to have a Memorial Box from one of our favorite people! It would be a memory in itself! : ) We are praying for you daily. I hope God will take most of this pain away soon.
love in Him,
Holly
I’m so glad we can post to this blog.
Linn, I never heard about a Memorial box until I read about yours. You’ve convinced me to start one. Our God is definitely a miracle working God. I’m so happy you found those shoes. Hugs
Linn …
GO SEE WHAT GOD HAS DONE!!!!!!
coxfamilyupdates.blogspot.com
Blessings, Lisa C.
Awesome story of God’s faithfulness.
Linn, I tried commenting earlier and couldn’t get the comment to post but wanted to say I love the idea of a memory box so count me in. I just smiled reading about the shoes because I just had a feeling God was going to show you a miracle, isn’t it awesome when he reveals Himself just at the moment we feel the weakest sometimes. I have seen the power of prayers and I am right there with you in realizing how big our God is and how small our problems in life can be for Him to fix. I am so happy you are now in your rental with the kids and that life can start getting back to normal for you all. Keeping you in my prayers and can’t wait to hear news about Jubilee. Me and rachel were just looking at her picture today. kathy teamlowe@yahoo.com
I always enjoy hearing your stories of God’s miracles in your life. Thank you for bringing Him glory!! I love your memorial box idea!! I have, throughout different times in my life, written down events where I’ve clearly, unmistakeably seen His hand in my life… but need practice this more regularly! Do you put actually put an item or note in the box, or is it a figurative kind of thing??
Count me in for your drawing!! How fun!
ellie
Gracious Sakes Alive! Praise God! This is the best!!!
Our God is soooo good to us. :o)
And, yes. I would love to start a Memorial Box so count me in the drawing. :o)
Thanks Linn,
I too love reading your blog and continue to pray for your family. I would definitely like to start a Memorial Box. God is amazing. Blessings to you all from the Texas Panhandle.
Oh Mrs. Linn, I so adore your family blog! It exudes love, compassion, and undeniable faith in God’s Word!
Thank God for answered prayers! Isn’t our God awesome?!! He loves us so much that He tunes His ears to our most humble prayers. He’s concerned about our concerns. The God of the Universe is concerned with our concerns…big or small, no matter the depth. Praise the Lord!!!!
Thank you for the idea of a Memorial Box. Even though I'm a single woman, there are many items and written stories I could already contribute as evidence of God's faithfulness and goodness towards me (and my lineage). He has truly saved me! What a great way to begin setting aside memorabilia of God's blessings in our lives to pass down to future generations. I can just imagine sitting down with my future grandchildren or great nieces & nephews to share the stories and significance behind the items we've collectively contributed to our Memorial Box of God's Faithfulness!
Thank you for the opportunity to enter the drawing. Please visit my profile for my email contact information.
May God continue to richly bless your lives with joy and love!
Tina
I love this story! It reminds me of a story close to our heart because 2 pairs of little girl shoes were what God used to encourage us to press on with our adoption. We put them on our bathroom counter to remind us to pray for our future daughter (now home with us, but we think since there are 2 pairs that maybe there is still a pair yet to fill). They are still there to remind us of our amazing God and what He has done. When I first read of your Memorial Box idea I knew that someday when I found a memorial box, those would be the first things to go in it. So I would love to be a part of your drawing. If you want to read about our “shoes”, go to http://14-degrees.blogspot.com/2008/08/shoes.html.
Hi Pastor Lin,
I try to follow the blogs from people back in Durango. I fell across yours this morning and I just want to say that I am really inspired by yours and Pastor Dwights journey. I also wanted to tell you that I am very inspired by your memorial box. My boyfriend (soon to be finance, we just started pre-engagement classes) are going to go out and start looking at antique stores for our own memorial box that way as we start our life together we can share those mementos as well. Thank you for sharing the mementos of your heart on here. As always I am praying for you, from Tucson.
Terra Montoya
Linn,
I have been praying that God would surprise you with what He saved from the fire! I’m so glad to finally hear what He chose to surprise you with!
I’d love to start a Memorial Box. Count me in!
Lyn from Williamsburg
Journey to Addie
Wow! Praise God for literally moving those precious shoes! How awesome is our God?!!!
I have been looking for a memorial box since I read your first post about it but haven’t found one yet:( If ours came from you, it would be that much more precious to us.
Happy Hunting…I’ll know you’ll find an amazing bargain!
Oh I am sitting here crying like a baby because I am so happy for you and I am so so grateful to our God for revealing himself in these shoes. What an awesome God he is.
You can count me in on the drawing ,I would love to start a memorial box.
Love and blessings, Kristy
Praise God that He saved your shoes for you!!! So amazing and so totally like Him! š I love the Memorial Box idea–it reminds me of the 12 stones that God told the Isrealites to put into the Jordan. God has done so many amazing things for our family of 12. I want to start a box so that I don’t forget any of them!
Karin
http://www.jacobsjourneyhome.blogspot.com
Praise God that He saved your shoes for you!!! So amazing and so totally like Him! š I love the Memorial Box idea–it reminds me of the 12 stones that God told the Isrealites to put into the Jordan. God has done so many amazing things for our family of 12. I want to start a box so that I don’t forget any of them!
Karin
http://www.jacobsjourneyhome.blogspot.com
WOW!
I have been enjoying your blog for quite some time now. You are such an encouragement, and I feel like I’ve known your family for years.
A Memorial Box is a wonderful idea. My husband and I are anxious to start one with our family.
Please enter me in your contest.
We’ll continue to pray for your family.
Jodi
Hi linn we would love to be put in the draw too! My mum n dad lives in China and asked me to add her in (don’t know if u remember me I have posted from the Philippines!)to the draw she loves ur blog as much as I do!
Susanna
Hi!
my name is amy. i am american but i live in germany. my husband is german and i moved here to be with him. I am so inspired by you and your family. I origanally found your blog through 3peanuts a few days after the fire. I am so amazed by everything i have read on your blog.
I have not been to checkin for a few days and was reading the post "Letter for from a bloggy friend". you mentioned your memorial box and i thought "i should really start one. That would be something nice to have when i am old (i am only 22)". Low and behold two post down you offer a drawing. I think this is a sign that i should start one. I know you could not possibly ship one to me here if you picked me, but i want you to know that i am going to start one.
I also wanted to say that seeing and reading each of the mircles on you blog reminds me of all the things God has done for me. I have a four-year-old. yes i was 17 when he was born. i regret not saving myself for my husband, but i do not regret my son. I really think God gave him to me to put me back on track. because of my son i have accomplished things i would have never even tried. besides simply having him, God put me through a hard time (a direct result of having my son a very long story). I came out of that hard time much stronger than i went in, but in many ways much more vunerable. I thnk though that if God had not put me thourgh that time. I would be in such a blessed situation right now.
I no idea why i felt the need to share this, but i did. i hope it did not go to long. I love to read your blog and i wish you and your family all the best.
<3 amy
Linny, I’m so happy you found the shoes. God does care about the details. He shows himself to me daily through blessings just like this. I understand. I look forward to learning how to start our own memorial box. We could fill it up already…so many blessings.
I LOVE the Memorial Box idea. What a great way to literally prove God’s amazing faithfulness. I need to catalog all the things that He has done for me. I would LOVE to be entered into the Memorial Box drawing! What an awesome idea!
Thank you for your shoe story, God knew what you needed before you even did.
Still praying for you and your beautiful family.
You and your family and the shoes are amazing! Thanks for sharing your lives with us. I feel blessed and priveledged to be able to pray for you!
Love the Memorial Box idea!!
I just ran across your blog the other day and so enjoyed reading what God has done for your family. My husband and I have 4 children 2 girls, 2 sons, one from South Korea and the other from Hong Kong. I have never heard of a memorial box but absoulty love the idea! We will be starting one and hopefully we will have a box soon. God is so faithful to us even in the mist of the valley!
Jennifer Moore/TN
I just ran across your blog the other day and so enjoyed reading what God has done for your family. My husband and I have 4 children 2 girls, 2 sons, one from South Korea and the other from Hong Kong. I have never heard of a memorial box but absoulty love the idea! We will be starting one and hopefully we will have a box soon. God is so faithful to us even in the mist of the valley!
Jennifer Moore/TN
What a beautiful idea. I printed out your original Memorial Box post and put it in my journal to reflect on tonight to see what I can begin my box with. Thank you!
Kelly
Dear Linn, I am so happy about your dear shoes. They are so sweet, and irreplacable. Isn’t it so like God to know which things were really so special to you and leave them as a suprise gift!
I am definitely planning our memorial box. Our first item will be a small ceramic figure I found of Little Miss Sunshine. This is because we call Zhi Xia our Little Miss Sunshine. She is just such a joyful child, and she has 2 plaits, just like Miss Sunshine. Also, part of her name means “colourful sunbeam”. God worked miracles at every step of her adoption – from the practical stuff like provision of finances, to the stuff in all our hearts, which is oh so important. We are thankful every day for the giggling little miracle we have in our home, and we know she was personally escorted home by GOD!
I would love to be in your drawing, but I don’t think it’s a good idea, as we live in Australia. So instead, I will keep searching, and when we find the right box, I’ll send you a picture. Thank you for the beautiful idea.
Love Fi
Linn, I would love the opportunity to enter this drawing. With the age my kids are at having a tangible momento of God’s faithfulness would be great for them. (And mom and dad). We continue to pray for you. Ann Marie am@ronsman.com joyfullybusy.blogspot.com
oh how i want God to make a full time memory box straigh in my mind
God has done great things for us and our mouths are filled with laughter- this tangible visual remider is one I intend to start so that i can fix my mind on Jesus the author and finisher of my faith- I am easily distrated and pray that God would give me a singleness of heart and action to fear His name – for my own good and the good of my children after me. Thank you for this post and reminder of how good our God is.
Your love for Him is effective
Linn,
We love to remember, but remembering will be more vivid with actual items to spur our memories. Please count me in!
kingandqueen31@hotmail.com
Audrey for Illinois
alight linny! add me tot he amazing list of people!
i’ve been thinking about you all frequently (and praying, of course) and God has put it on my heart to have memory box and has already guided me to some of the things to be included. and when i thinkg about those thigns he’s placed in my heart, i can see full well how faithful and loving he is. already in my list to be included are the bracelet you sent me from africa, a bracelet we had made for finalizing the adoption of our son, and our original wedding bands (things wnet a little crazy in our marriage at one point, but God healed our hearts and our marriage… and we updated the wedding bands.)
love you and your amazing, faithful heart!
Crying, gasping and thanking God with you.
Now I really want a Memorial Box.
Bless you and I am rejoicing with you at how our Father answered your prayer. Be still and know that He is God.
I am glad that you called it a Memorial Box and not an *Ebenezer Box…somehow it wouldn’t be the same. š
Kimmie
mama to 7
one homemade and 7 adopted
I love, love, love the Memorial Box idea and SO want to do it. My husband and I have been saving “trinkets” and “DO Dads” for our entire married life that we store in the top drawer of his dresser as mementos of things we never want to forget. After 14 years of marriage the drawer is quite full as over and over again we see God’s faithfulness in our life and add another memento. Why I’d never thought of displaying these in order to be able to tell my children and my children’s children the stories…I don’t know..for I DO SO love to tell how faithful He is to us! I’d love to win a memorial box that you pick…and if not I’m gonna find one of my very own! š Blessings!
I would love to be in your memorial box drawing. After I read your first memorial box monday post I clicked on the link to read more about the memorial box and I thought it was a wonderful idea. It is so concrete so it is easy for kids and adults to remember everything God had done for us and how he has blessed us. Thank you for sharing. Your posts are a blessing for me and a very real example of God’s love for us and his desire to be involved intimately in our lives.
Dawn from Southern California
I love your posts, especially the Thankful Thursday and Memorial Box Monday posts. The scriptures you post are amazing as well as so many times they either apply to me or I learn something new. Please enter me in the drawing for the box. I have 3 young children and would love to start a memorial box.
Anita
B.G. Ky
I read above that some people were having trouble…you might already have 3 copies of this, but I’m going to click the “publish” button one more time just in case…here it goes!
I don’t typically sign up for giveaways. Thanks to my sis I’ve read some really inspiring blogs (namely regarding adoption) and have seen lots of contest giveaways. But I usually think “someone else could be blessed by that and I don’t want to get in the way of their blessing” and I do not sign up or participate. The first time I read about your contest in your blog it was no different. I thought that winning the contest and having your hand picked box in my home would be really special but I had no intentions of participating and taking the opportunity to ābe blessedā by your giveaway away from someone else. But the “click here to sign upā button continues to catch my eye and I feel a nudge to participate from our āMiracle-working, Mountain-moving, Awe-inspiring, Gasp-giving Godā! Itās obvious to me why since having your carefully selected box in my home would lend itself to many more opportunities to glorify Godā¦passing on stories of faith with my family and guests who enter our home.
The box you pick out will be a story in itself…whenever I look at it I will be reminded of Godās faithfulness and your example of strong faith in God. I have only been following your blog since your fire and I am moved by your strength and the way you deliberately and whole-heartedly celebrate the āGod detailsā. I love that in the midst of what you are going through you want to bless someone else. I love the reasons youāve shared for having a box as well as the stories themselves that you have shared as you discuss items that were in your box.
If I win I would proudly display the box that you hunted long and hard for and that you carefully and proudly handpicked to be a blessing to another family. The first item in my box would be a smoke alarm battery to memorialize the story of when you and your children safely escaped your home fire because your smoke detector was fixed less than 24 hours before the fire. God is so good, isnāt he? This small detail is HUGE! I hope that those who hear your story when I tell it would be moved to install and/or test their home smoke alarms often. Is it any coincidence that me and my 2 oldest children (5 and 3) JUST read a library book called āDot the Fire Dogā and got down on our hands and knees to practice some fire safety 20 MINUTES ago??!! Even if we donāt win the contest, I want you to know that we had that impromptu fire safety lesson because my sister and I were discussing how you used to pass out smoke detectors as gifts and how you are such an advocate for fire safety. I am so glad your son chose to abandon the photo albums and get out of your home safely!
Bless you and your family Linn! Thanks for sharing your story and yourself with the blog world in such an open and honest way that myself and others have been moved to be real with ourselves and God about how we are feeling and to celebrate all that God has done for usā¦āyippee!!ā
-Patti in Ohio
As always- your stories are so inspirational!! I have been thinking a lot about your idea of a memorial box and very much intend to start my own. I love the idea of a visible reminder of all the wonderful blessings that God gives each of us. Even in our darkest hours, there is light.
Thanks for sharing your stories and your life with “us” I have been following your blog since the fire. I can’t imagine what all you have been through. I have told several of your stories to my friends. They always say and how do you know her… It’s kind of embarassing to say “well, I really don’t, but I feel like I do.”
I keep scrapbooks and try to journal as much as possible about our journey through life with God but I do like you memorial box idea. It’s something I think I’ll be starting soon.
Keep sharing,
Sheri
Kingwood, TX
I have been following your story since the horrible fire. It is amazing how God has been taking care of you and your family. I love the idea of a memorial box. I would love start one for my husband and I then our family. We only have been married for almost 6 years. But we have already been through so many changes and challenges. I wish I had kept treasures from those events to show God’s faithfulness to us. i would love to be entered into the memorial box drawing. Thanks, Selima Garris
Hi Linn,
We do not have a memory box as of yet. With so many things going on in our lives right now, with adopting again, sending the oldest to college, and moving to a new state, I think this is the perfect time to start one.
Please count me in!
Blessings,
Alycia
I had left a comment about your memorial boxes, but couldn’t remember if I had signed up for your giveaway. I guess I hadn’t so I’m saying now, “Count me in.” You bless me! I always love reading your “Memorial Box Mondays” blogs! What a great reminder to remember what God has done for me. Bless you and yours!
I would love to be added to the giveaway! I just read this “MBM” and I finally get it – took me a while – haha. There have been many conversations between hubby and I about what God has done for us and what that was like, etc. so now I get that this is for that! I am laughing because the comment above this is my Mother-In-Law.
Have a great day!
first of all, your blog is an answer to prayer. i can’t remember where i clicked from, but somehow i got here while trying to find out more information about amani baby cottage.
my husband and i have always known we would have babies waiting for us in Africa, but His timing is now getting closer and closer. through research, i found Amani’s website and there i saw my heart!! i’ve been searching like mad for a few days now trying to get any information about Amani that i can. we are starting the application right now.
i love your memorial box….it is just what i’ve wanted even though i didn’t know it. i have a friend that gathers actual stones from the area where His faithfulness was shown and writes the date on them. i wanted to do this, but didn’t want actual stones. THIS is it. I cannot wait to start. thank you.
Hello,
I just found your blog through my adoption agency. We are adopting from Colombia. We have received a referral, but are in a mess with our paperwork. Please pray for us. We have been waiting for 4 years. Anyhow, this is the only blog I read. I don’t like to waste too much time on the computer. I want to say how I look forward to your blogs. You have inspired me in so many ways. One is that I know that my “Relationship” with Jesus is not where I want it to be. Yes, I am a Christian, but I want MORE. I have so much yearning to be with him daily, and you led me to that direction. It is amazing how I feel. Thank you for showing me the way. We have so much to be thankful for. He has saved my life and my family from tragedy among so many other things. We would love to be a part of the Memorial Box drawing. I also will be contacting you in the future about Uganda. We want to adopt more children. That has always been our intention. We never would have thought it would have taken 4 years. My husband has a sour taste in his mouth; however, I know when we come home with our little girl he will feel differently.
Thank you for taking the time to change peoples life. What a great Ministry you have.
Rhonda from Florida
Hi Linn,
I have been reading your blog for awhile now. I just joined your following. I enjoy reading about your family. My husband and I are in the process if adopting from China, we have been LID for almost 2 years. I just love your family they are all beautiful. I had never heard of a memorial box and I would love to start one for my husband and myself and our future daughter. I would love to be entered in your drawing for one.
Your family is in my prayers.
Thanks, Amy Roderick
poohbear_irene@yahoo.com
A friend told me about your blog; I’m enjoying reading through it so much. I wish you were still near Richmond, since that’s where we live! We have 9 children so far, one adopted from foster care and 3 from Liberia. We hope to adopt more, but some days are difficult.
I love the memorial box idea; I’d never thought of it before, but want to start one!
God bless,
Jenny at http://www.xanga.com/foringerfamily
One of the first times that I read your blog it was a Memorial Box story and I cried my way through it and then wrote on a sticky note "memory box" and it has sat there ever since… I really would like to get one as I know that God has done amazing things in my life and I would love to have them together to remind me again and again how amazing He is.