Adoption: the calling to live out 1 Corinthians 13

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“…and now I will show you the most excellent way.”

-1 Corinthians 12:31b

          As an adoptive mother, the experiences I have had are by far some of the most difficult in my life. Don’t get me wrong- I am a joyful mother who loves to laugh and play with my children. Along with the fun, happy times, God has blessed me with circumstances that lead me to trust more deeply in Him. I am still in the midst of them, and I don’t have an end in sight.  Every day I wake up and have to force myself to fix my gaze on Him. I fail: often many times through the day. However, as I have learned, and am learning to give up my own desires and expectations, the Lord is revealing to me His truths along with the bigger picture.

One of the Truths revealed to me recently is how love is the driving force behind adoption. Love was given freely to us by God sending Jesus to earth to die for our sins. Love was perfected in Jesus’ resurrection and completed in our salvation and adoption into God the Father’s eternal family. Ephesians 1:4b says “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” How amazing it is to know the truth that adopting us gives God pleasure! We too can have the pleasure of adoption if we pay attention to the words “in love” at the beginning of that verse. Love is how we can be successful and have joy and pleasure in our adoptive families. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a tells us what love is and isn’t.  We can use each truth to solidify how to love in the midst of the extreme highs and lows of adoption.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

What truly matters

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Well, the day is almost through.  As the darkness grows, I sit here pondering my day.  Did I accomplish what I needed today. I can think of a hundred household chores and school activities that we didn’t get to.  I begin to get anxious. The doubts press in hard.  Slowly, I breathe in and breathe out. I focus my thoughts on Truth. Christ fills my mind and the Spirit moves my heart. I remember that my goal is not to do everything I “should”.  My goal, and what I strive for daily, hourly, and every minute is to become more like Him.  I make mistakes. Boy, do I make mistakes.  I also have won many victories by His power.  Today held many victories.  Looking at them individually, they don’t look like much….but..each minute that I can claim victory over trials and sin builds into hours and days of glory to Jesus!

My family is learning and growing.  Along with that, they are becoming more independent as their personality allows.  Our home is becoming more calm, more reliable.  We are making progress.  God is transforming our hearts into His creation.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 

Does anything matter but this?

Waiting for spring

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I was browsing through some old photos on my computer this morning, and came across some lovely flower shots.  I realize the actual photograph is not very well done. But the composition is amazing!  How can anyone take a bad picture of something so beautiful and delicate. God’s creations are unexpected and are truly a blessing to look at. I am looking forward to the day I can get my hands in the soil and plant some of these beauties this spring. I plan on taking photographs at some steady increment when we plant seeds or little flowerlings (is that a word?)  to watch them grow.  Maybe some kind of flip book will be in store for school this spring.