Sharing My Blessed Heart . . .

I had the sweetest conversation yesterday, with a couple that the kids and I "bumped into" at a neighborhood store. Of course I believe that our bumping into one another was orchestrated . . . because that's just the way that my heavenly Father does things!

My Littles were chattering away to one another, when all of a sudden I heard a man's deep voice say, "I just love that sound!" I looked at him, and he was smiling a great big Texas size grin-- his wife stood beside him. As I acknowledged his comment, he repeated himself, --"I just love the noisiness of kids." He then asked how old Brogan and Teddi were, and I answered, and mentioned they were our fourth and fifth. (I think I also made mention that my Littles were capable of making all of the noise he wanted to hear--anytime) . . .

The subject of the military came up as I mentioned Bryce, while going through my kiddo list. He then shared that both he and his wife (now in their fifties) had retired from the Air F*rce a few years ago, and that he now works as a sheriff.

Then came the part that blessed my heart.

After I finished my list, he said . . .

"We have one. She's 12."

"We just adopted her nine months ago, she's our first."

I think I nearly cried.

They went on to share about how someone from Child Protective Services was coming to share at their church. She was going to be speaking at the early mass, and they attend the later mass. He convinced his wife that they needed to go early, to hear what this lady had to share.

The rest is history.

They became first time parents at age 55 and 57.

I wish you could have seen the look on this man's face as he pulled out his wallet, and opened it up to a precious family portrait of the three of them. A proud mama and daddy with their beautiful, smiling, twelve year old daughter, nestled protectively between the two of them.

He was beaming like a twenty-something new dad announcing the birth of his first child. The differences being-- his close cropped hair was salt and pepper, he had a lot of smile lines, and he had much more life experience to share.

It's the sharing part that chokes me up. It's the decision this couple made that their lives needed to be shared. The decision that said, we have something to offer. A decision that changed the world of a young girl who desperately needed to be loved -- by a daddy and a mama, forever.

They shared (with laughs) about the trials and tribulations of parenting a hormonal 12 year old girl. It made me smile. The mama talked about how their daughter's sense of humor is just like her daddy's--don't you just love the way the Lord does that? He grinned and told me about how his daughter will sneak up and scare him, as he works at the computer. Or how she will spontaneously walk up and hug him and tell him, "I love you, Daddy." And he grinned some more.

We chatted for a good 15 or 20 minutes as we stood in the middle of the store, and I'm telling you my heart was blessed. The kids and I were having a busy day of running around, and it was if the Lord said, "Slow down for a few minutes, and let me refill your heart." And He did!

(I feel like someone reading this, might just need a refill too--or a push in the adoption direction, so there you have it)!

On a related subject . . .

I'm reading a wonderful book right now by Russell D. Moore, called Adopted For Life--The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches. Russell and his wife Maria are the parents of four boys-- the oldest two adopted from Russia. The book is a beautiful combination of the physical act of adoption, and how that intertwines with our own spiritual adoption as Christians. In Russell Moore's words . . .

"Adoption is on the one hand, gospel. In this, adoption tells us who we are as children of the Father. Adoption as gospel tells us about our identity, our inheritance, and our mission as sons of God. Adoption is also defined as mission. In this, adoption tells us our purpose in this age as the people of Christ. Missional adoption spurs us to join Christ in advocating for the helpless and the abandoned.

As soon as you peer into the truth of one aspect, you fall headlong into the other, and vice versa. That's because it's the way the gospel is. Jesus reconciles us to God and to each other. As we love our God, we love our neighbor; as we love our neighbor, we love our God. We believe Jesus in heavenly things-- our adoption in Christ; so we follow him in earthly things--the adoption of children, without the theological aspect, the emphasis on adoption too easily is seen as charity. Without the missional aspect, the doctrine of adoption too easily is seem as mere metaphor."

Good stuff.

Definitely a heart blessing kind of day!

One more thing I must do, and that is wish a Happy Birthday to my sweet sister-in-law (and faithful blog follower), Jodi. Jodi is married to my brother Fritz, and they are the parents of three great boys, ages 19, 18 & 14 (oh my, that's a lot of teen for one household). They are the soon to be parents of a handsome lil' man of three, and his beautiful two year old sister--thanks to the blessing of adoption. I don't think I can share much until things are finalized later in the year--but believe me, when I get the go ahead, this proud auntie will be showing off two of the sweetest lil' faces you've ever seen! Happy Birthday Jodi! I love you so!

Blessings from my nest~

Tina