You know, some things we don't plan. Some things we try to plan and it doesn't work out. It's not always a bad thing, sometimes it's just even better than we could have planned for. Sometimes we don't understand. Sometimes life hurts. But, we always have a choice. We can take that hurt and focus on the things we do have, the things we can be thankful for. Our blessings through the storm, although many times hard to see, can still be found.
Our life has not gone as we planned it. That, my friends, is simply an understatement. "Not our plan" can mean so many things: moving, surprises, gifts, routines, or losses. Even though our life is not what we pictured, we have a choice to make our loss consume us or we can keep living. We have chosen to keep living, to praise God in our storm, but it's not always easy. In our plan, Thao left this earth too early. We miss him more than anything, but we are so thankful to have the peace and hope of heaven. We are still learning to live with this hole in our hearts.
Our adoption story is a little like what our life has become. Our children's biological families did not plan for this. Our children did not plan for this. Children go to bed and expect to wake up to the same circumstances each day. But the harsh reality is, sometimes in this fallen world, that doesn't happen. Sometimes parents cannot care for their children. Sometimes parents don't come home. Sometimes parents don't wake up. Our adopted children will be no less a part of our family as our biological children, but they come with hurt. This is a pain that we can relate to and hopefully, help them with. Adoption is a lifelong dream for us and even though the timing is surprising to us, we are thrilled. Yes, we are excited to welcome TWO broken, orphaned children in into our home. No, this was not our original plan, but we feel so blessed that God is giving us more children and a chance to help the broken-hearted heal through showing them Christ's love and giving them a family.
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you in with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3b
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
Our life has not gone as we planned it. That, my friends, is simply an understatement. "Not our plan" can mean so many things: moving, surprises, gifts, routines, or losses. Even though our life is not what we pictured, we have a choice to make our loss consume us or we can keep living. We have chosen to keep living, to praise God in our storm, but it's not always easy. In our plan, Thao left this earth too early. We miss him more than anything, but we are so thankful to have the peace and hope of heaven. We are still learning to live with this hole in our hearts.
Our adoption story is a little like what our life has become. Our children's biological families did not plan for this. Our children did not plan for this. Children go to bed and expect to wake up to the same circumstances each day. But the harsh reality is, sometimes in this fallen world, that doesn't happen. Sometimes parents cannot care for their children. Sometimes parents don't come home. Sometimes parents don't wake up. Our adopted children will be no less a part of our family as our biological children, but they come with hurt. This is a pain that we can relate to and hopefully, help them with. Adoption is a lifelong dream for us and even though the timing is surprising to us, we are thrilled. Yes, we are excited to welcome TWO broken, orphaned children in into our home. No, this was not our original plan, but we feel so blessed that God is giving us more children and a chance to help the broken-hearted heal through showing them Christ's love and giving them a family.
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you in with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3b
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18