Hello Everyone this is Dwight,
Yep, I’m backkkkkkk. I guess it takes Linny going to Uganda or Denver for me to write. She called me this morning and asked if I would write the Thankful Thursday post – I thought, does she really trust me in this task? You may remember last time I snuck on, I joked that she had me tied up in the crawl space so I could not post, but that was Jan. 13th, not too funny by the morning of the 14th!
So of course I tested her, I said can I say, “I’m thankful for….” and she said no! Bummer! So I’m thankful for alot of things I can’t talk about on her blog, but I am thankful! 🙂 Could this blog be my alter ego which can’t be released from the pulpit…. then again, I pretty much give the unedited version there too!
Linny has actually asked me to write since the fire but I just didn’t have the creative juices to write and I sure didn’t feel very funny so I begged off. Now necessity forces me to come out of the writing closet. (No emergencies please Lord!)
Let me give you a short list of those I’m thankful for this morning:
1. You! You have been an incredible encouragement to our family. More than you could ever imagine. Your prayers yesterday when Linn put her heart on the blog were tremendous.
2. You! Your gifts and packages filled with surprises and thoughtfulness was tangible love in the mail!
2. You! You are a gift from God. He designed you with a purpose that will be fulfilled. He has planted dreams in your heart that will be met in his timing.
3. You! You who are adoptive parents or desire to be adoptive parents. You flow counter – culture to a self orriented society. You sacrifice time, money, lifestyles, and so much more to bring those kids into your home. Ohhh but the rewards are so wonderful!
4. You! As you worship the Lord you bring His Kingdom to earth and you are his precious son or daughter.
5. You! You are one of a kind! So enjoy it, thrill over it, goodness – exploit it!
6. Isaiah! Today is Isaiah’s day. Today he begins the healing process. I’m still praying for a miracle on the way there. Linn says he’s getting very quite and shutting down. I think it is beginning to hit him what he’s about to go through – please pray!
7. It is said that the number 7 is the perfect number. So I reserve number 7 for my wonderful, awesome, gasp giving (in her humor), and beautiful wife. God picked her as my perfect mate. God knew what I needed and He gave me Linny Lee. I have been rewarded by God! The only question I have for her, which I ask her from time to time, is “What did you do wrong that you were penalized with me?” 🙂 Have a wonder filled day!
She will never let me post again because I’m braggin on her, but you already know it!!!
PS: Weather is bad in Denver – please pray!
Praying for your sweet family on this day…
(And we are all thankful for YOU!)
Welcome back.
We’ll be praying for Isaiah, I’m assuming they are looking at casting? or surgery? Neither looks like fun to anyone but especially a boy his age
Welcome back, Mr. Dwight! It was a pleasure to read your post! I missed your blog posts and the wisdom from them. Well, I’m still praying for you all and don’t plan on stopping soon! Love you all!
Hi Dwight, great to have you postin' agin'! Thanks for the update on Linn & Isaiah……..still praying for them and for all of you!
Love you guys!
Whoo hoo! Good to see you back DW! And I don’t think Linny ought to mind you bragging on her. Lord knows she brags on you 😉
Praying for safety and peace and wisdom and courage for Linny and Isaiah as they head into this new phase. And especially for HEALING!
Blessings!
What a sweet and thoughtful thankful list Dwight. You are so right about Linny…she is one incredible lady. praying for her while in Denver.
Just beautiful!!!! And we love your Linny also. 🙂
Ohilda
hey Dw, Liz here – i’m home with a cold so had an opportunity to check out the latest on Linn’s blog. i am praying for Isaiah’s treatment and their safe travel when they head back home. And for Autumn and little Kate too.
i just realized something today about the fire downtown 10 days ago – the main spot hit was Joel’s bar. Did you know that every Wed. afternoon a men’s prayer group met there for “Pint and Prayer” (affiliated with CJ’s ministry). maybe just coincidence, but an interesting one, huh?
Well Dwight, I a thankful for YOU! For the last year I have been blessed to attend the River Church and learn, grow, and be challenged by your messages. Although I am moving soon I will still be listening to your sermons online and of course checking Linn’s blog. I am blessed to know your incredible family!
Michelle
Dwight and Linny~
Pretty sure I can say on behalf of all of us that we are thankful for YOU and your family. Your faith shines like a candle in the dark. We praise God that He uses your family to inspire in so many ways.
Praying for precious Isaiah!
I’m glad that you posted, DW. Praying for your entire family, Linny and Isaiah today especially. I really needed to hear and reflect on your second #2 today. Thanks!
~Kelly
Dw, you are a hoot! What a great post!
I gotta tell the both of you…you guys are truly the perfect pair. And you know what? The devil knows that…and he doesn’t like it one bit. You are not only changing YOUR world but THE world (one blog post at a time 😉 All that you are going through would have torn most couples apart but your Christ-centered marriage and family have endured gracefully. Yippee Jesus!!
Linn…I’m praying that somehow, someway we can travel together to get our girls! Wouldn’t that be such great fun!!
Love you guys!!
Praying for sweet Isaiah as he begins his treatment and for Linn as she is there to support him. Praying for the rest of you guys too:-)
What a wonderful post…and thank you! We are praying for you all today…
Shonni, Kalyn and family
Poor little Isaiah. I know how intraspective our Ruthie becomes when the reality of a surgery or medical procedure hits her. It makes me sad to think of what your little boy must be feeling. Isaiah is in my prayers.
Thanks, Dw, for your post. It was really uplifting!
~Linda from Northern Colorado
Oh how I love it when the men make a post!! Thank you Dwight for letting us see the beauty of who you are by your own words!! I’m thankful I found this blog as you and Linn make me and John feel normal!
Wow, you are almost as good at this as Linn! 😉
We love you guys and will certainly continue to pray, especially for sweet Isaiah. Just from his pictures I just know I love that little boy!
Glad your back DW! We will be praying for Isaiah and Linn as they make the trip and for Isaiah to have peace. Please keep us posted on his progress.
Lisa
Newark, Ohio
thanks for sharing your heart
i am thankful for you and your family.
xx, carie
Just got off the phone with your sweet wife!!! Telling her that all men think alike referring to paragraph two of your post and your last paragraph! Oh my you and Robert need to start your own blog ” A Place Called I Love My Wife!”
Dwight- you are so cool!! Our 25 yr old son wants to move to Telluride/ Durango area- you know what that means? I’m gonna have to visit him and your family- yippee Jesus! I’ll keep you updated on his latest thoughts even if it doesn’t happen someday I will be there to meet the 2 of you and your awesome family!!
My prayers are with you all! Thanks for the kudos! Seriously- I’ll take what I can get!! I am not the norm in Mpls, MN. Hubby and I often talk about how odd we are and why aren’t others doing this! They are truly missing out! We have 5 bio and two precious girls from China and we are working on our next adoption! (yes, we are part of the 50 and over club!)
God’s blessings to all of you,
Jean
What a wonderful post, Mr. Dw! Welcome back and keep writing. Your encouragement on purpose and God’s timing was needed today as I find comfort in knowing that I do have a purpose and was on God’s mind at the time of Creation. It’s almost mind-boggling, but amazing to know and believe. I am thankful for your family and pray for Isaiah’s healing and for safe travels!
God Bless,
Tina
SOOOOO praying for your family!!!
We’re all so thankful for you! We’re the ones blessed!
Thanks Dw!
P.S. Wish you were coming this way this fall too…would love to meet both halves of God’s whole!
Dwight and Linny,
Please know that we continue to pray for you guys. There will be many times that it will all come back to you and try to overwhelm you. I am a couple of days behind on reading my blogs so I read both yesterday’s post as well as todays.
Its odd because just this afternoon I had a conversation with one of my daughters regarding Hurricane Floyd and the subsequent flooding around here. This happened way back in 1999 when we needed to leave for Cchina to adopt our first child we adopted from China. Although it was two weeks(?)after, conditions here were still horrible. We left what was then our 4 children, sitting on the bed of our oldest’s truck waiving good-bye to us. They had no electricity, no water and only intermittant phone service – and we had to leave. We had significant damage to the house and we left the kids to handle it all. Both of us were suffering from temporary PTSD due to everything that had happened (oh the sounds of those helicopter blades still beat in my mind). It was years – literally – before people around here could breathe if the wind even got strong. To this day I cannot watch the entire video that was produced. I can only watch small portions at a time and then I go into overload.
It will take time. And not being able yet to move on due to insurance issues and the like don’t help. Don’t rush the recovery process. You’re grieving the loss of the whole life you used to have. You will probably have to go through the stages of grief several times before you come to total acceptance.
I continue to pray fo ryou all. It’s just so hard.
In His peace – Cindy
MoM(Mom of Many)
http://www.faithfulpromises.blogspot.com
Good job, DW!
Praying for you and your family,
Robbie
You are and always will be in my prayers!!! Its nice to see you back in the saddle so to speak. What a match you two are!!! Its a joy to witness!!!( even if only through blogging!!!)
Kathie from NY
What a wonderful post! Will always pray for you and your family!
He’s baaaaaaaack, and he’s just as crazy as ever!
Welcome back Dwight! Thank you for your precious encouragement. I needed that. 🙂
Continuing to pray for you and Linn, for your kiddos big and small, and for all that is going on. May the Lord give you His peace–that kind that is bigger than we can understand, and may He hold you all closely in His care.
Father, please touch Autumn and Isaiah with Your perfect healing touch. Restore them Lord. Love on this family, BIG. Thank you for their precious, precious hearts, and for their light that shines ever brightly for You! In Jesus name, Amen!
Love you guys~
Tina
I am back too, my computer has been having issues and I have missed your family so much. I have alot to catch up on so have a very happy, blessed weekend!!
Love and blessings, Kristy
Love you guys and loved your post Dwight! I am praying for Isaiah and all the other concerns that Linn has mentioned. Thank you for the encouragement. You are always a perfect balance of challenge and encouragement. I appreciate you and am thankful for all the Saunders on Thankful Thursday. Blessings.
Hey there – I just read Mrs. Linn’s latest tweet on twitter…praying for safe travels and God’s protection while they’re on the road home.
This is the most grace-filled, inspiring blog i have read! I have been ready to adopt for several years. I don’t know how much longer my heart can take it! But i trust HIM, in HIS time, and for HIS Glory…. not mine.
thank you for the encouragement to keep the faith. May God richly bless you ALL. I will be praying for your family. 🙂