Family
is the Template God created
to illuminate His ever circling love for us
as our Heavenly Father.
I spend so much time & effort, BUILDING our family into a circle of faith and support, bound together by the invincible cords of love, that I tend to forget one very intricate “God-thing” that transformed my life, not once, but twice.
ADOPTION
- My Mom & Dad
My birth mother, Kathleen, grieved and fretted, but in the end, didn’t feel she could give me the “family” she wanted me to have. (Choices) She lovingly chose to place me up for adoption so that I could become a part of another family. She loved in the truest sense of the word for true love sacrifices.
I was no less my Mom and Dad’s daughter, because I didn’t share their DNA.
[Tweet “Becoming family stretches beyond the bonds of bone and blood. #adoption”]
Family is a decision to include, love, commit, care for, build up, each other up in this journey of life.
I wonder if “adoption” has fallen out of popularity?
My birth mom was a social worker, and she would talk to young pregnant girls who passionately said they would rather abort than give up a baby to a stranger! They thought it would be better?Not from my point of view! I am beyond thankful Kathleen chose to go through the “difficult times” to gift me with “beautiful times!”
And though I’m not judging anyone for their choices, I don’t understand the obsession with IVF, and Surrogacy, which I believe opens a Pandora’s box of moral, ethical questions that are beyond our wisdom. ie “snowflake babies”,“ disposable babies”, and ever complicated parental legal rights.
I loved hearing my mom tell us the “story of their journey to adopt my brother and I”!
It felt my life was Serendipitous and covered by God’s Sovereignty; designed by the Father who takes care of all orphans- God took care of me and He would have us do the same!
A crystalline moment in my youthful memories, I remember when I said,
“Mommy, I’m so glad you couldn’t have any children!”
Shocked silence ensued. “Why would you say that?” she finally asked.
“Because you never would have looked for me and adopted me. God wanted you to be my mommy!”
[Tweet “Our greatest #pain and #disappointment can become our most #cherished #blessing. “]
She told me later, she hadn’t realized her greatest pain and disappointment was turned into her most cherished blessing! All because of God placing on her and my Dad- the Spirit of Adoption.
Maybe you can’t adopt someone legally, but we can all adopt and pull “orphans”, “castoffs”, “the lonely”, and “the neglected”, into the circle of our family!
[Tweet “If you want to be #rich in #love- open your #heart up and embrace #people.”]
This is the true Spirit of Adoption.
Do you want to be rich in love?
Always make room for more people in your heart!
Romans 8:15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.h Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”i 16For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
Becoming family stretches beyond the bonds of bone and blood.
Family is a decision to include, love, commit, care for, build up, each other up in this journey of life.
Family is the template God created to illuminate His ever circling love for us.
So well said Cindy. So very well said!
I love that God thought up FAMILY! No one should go it alone- lots and lots of people in our lives to shine the love and share the load!
Cindy,
I always remember feeling welcomed into your home and cared for by your parents. They called me one of their other children and I truly felt accepted and loved by them. They were blessings to you, your brother, and to your friends. I am so grateful for the openness there was about adoption in your home. It was a blessing as I later in life became a mother through adoption. That good experience helped me be open to pursuing a family through adoption also. I am also grateful for the brave women who choose to give life to their children and place them for adoption instead of abort them. As I raise my daughter I think of her birth mother and I feel she has entrusted to me a great privilege. I want to honor that by being the best mother I can. I appreciate the encouragement to adopt those who don’t have families into our homes and circles of caring. To practice hospitality by inviting them home for dinner or taking them to dinner. Or just to take some time to talk to them after church. To truly feel cared for by another person. Thank you!!
Thank you for sharing your heart Sheryl! Mom and Dad- and our whole extended family was so good at that- encircling people in and loving them, including them, “adopting” them. I was so excited for you when I heard you adopted. I knew your little girl was going to be loved and treasured and in return, you cup would overflow with love and blessings! Pray everything is going well with you all. I’d love to see some pics sometime- are you on Facebook? hugs and blessings sweet Sheryl!! so many good memories behind- and I’m sure there will be plenty of good ones ahead in His coming kingdom! hugs