Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Do me a favor...

      Tomorrow we will have three new children coming.  I would be lying if I said that i  wasn't a little bit scared...

      Some people, after finding out that I am a foster mom say "Wow! That's so admirable!" Others say "wow! I could never do that!" and still others have said things like "Why would you do that to your own children?" Once someone said "Oh I would never do that with MY children in the house because MY children need to know that they come first!"  As if inviting an orphan into our home is going to ruin the childhood of my biological children. As if we are letting monsters into our home...

      Let me tell you a little story...

      My daughter, who turns 10 next week has her own room.  She decorates it just so and has all of her things in place.  She has a cute frilly pink throw pillow with the saying "put your big girl panties on and deal with it" sewn onto it right smack dab in the middle of her bed.  This week, after learning of the children that would be joining our family, she excitedly decided she wanted to share her room and immediately began preparing for her new foster sister to join her.  After a while she came down and said, "Mom, you know the pillow that grandma gave me? Well I think I'm just going to put that away for now.  If i was in that situation, i probably would like to see that." 
      Could I have a more proud mama moment? I gave her a hug and encouraged her sensitivity and compassion.  What a blessing of a child.
      This is only one recent example of one of my children demonstrating Jesus' love to another, but there have been many.  You see, this ministry... this is not ruining my children.  It is giving them people to share life with. To share blessings with.  To make memories with and create lifelong relationships with.  Not everyone will understand why we do this, but we still will.  Not everyone will see the ins and outs of life...the victories and accomplishments...the seeds sown.  Not everyone will see and understand the heartbreak that comes with being a foster family.  But they will also not see the magnificent fruit.  The way that God can weave broken lives together to make a beautiful masterpiece...And He does...

     Do me a favor....

      When you hear the horror stories, remember us.  When you hear someone say "Oh I know someone who did foster care.  What a mess." remember us.  Remember that unconditional love is possible.  Remember that we are all in this world together and sometimes a child just needs someone to care, and love.  Like Jesus does.

      Please don't think of me as super mom.  Please don't think I am "tooting my own horn"  or portraying some kind of superhuman image of love.  I am human.  I fail.  I could sit here and tell you just as many stories of times that i didn't love like Jesus does.  Times I've given up.  Times I'm not proud of.  It's life.  It happens.  But I will keep on keeping on, because I understand redemption. And I know that God is not finished with us yet.  He is making our lives a masterpiece.  A beautifully brutal and broken masterpiece that is full of love and grace.  Grace restores hearts, and love, well, the greatest thing you could ever do is love.