My Issac Part 2 Meant To Be

 Over the course of our 30 years of providing foster care, we had close to 300 children come through our home. Some stayed just a few hours, some stayed for several years. A few came to stay permanently....they were meant to be.

Excerpts from my book:

When talking about fostering, I’ve been asked many times, “How do you let them go?” 

Over the years I have probably given many different responses, but I have come to realize that there is only one answer that makes sense in my own mind and heart, and that is, “The ones who are meant to be ours don’t leave.”

We did not originally set out to foster. We contacted the agency to inquire about adopting an older child, and we were told there were very few children waiting to be adopted, but there was a real need for foster parents. We decided to pursue both avenues, applying to adopt as well as to foster. We had no idea where this road would take us, we only knew that we wanted more children in our home, however the Lord chose to put them there.

 God has a purpose and a plan for each of us, and we have no way of knowing what part we may play as he carries out his plan for someone else's life. Although we weren't able to share Christie's early life, we're thankful for the time the Lord gave us with her. From the moment we first met her I knew that Christie was our daughter. Although it took a long time to finally get to that point, I never doubted that it would happen. It was meant to be. 

(Christie 1990)
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It Was Meant To Be

 With subsequent foster placements, I didn’t have that same instant attachment. With most children, there is a biological family who just needs time and help to work out some issues, and then the children are returned. To allow ourselves to fall in love with one of these children and to begin to think of them as our own is just asking for a lot of pain and heartache, but that’s exactly what I did with Gussy (Justin). From the moment he was placed I made a conscious decision to just allow myself to love him come what may. It made absolutely no sense to do this; I knew better, so I have to believe that it was God who put that into my heart. Obviously, he knew better than me; that in his time and according to his plan Gussy would be ours. It was meant to be. 
A little of his story is included in this series.

(Justin aka Gussy/Gus 1996)
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 Jerry's was not a foster to adopt situation, but we knew before we ever met him or even saw a picture of him that he was meant to be our son.

 Exactly a year after we started the paperwork, we were told about a little fifteen month old boy. The information we were given described a beautiful little boy with twinkling blue eyes, who was at risk of having many developmental problems as he grew older. As much as we wanted another child, we needed to know for sure that this was the one the Lord had for us. 

 As we prayed for God’s guidance, our church had a visiting preacher come to share his ministry. He used the story of the starfish as an illustration. God’s answer couldn’t have been more clear. This little boy was our starfish. One month later we brought Jeremy (Jerry) home.

Our Starfish

(written for Jerry)

Walking along a sandy beach, 

a boy saw starfish at his feet.

One by one he threw them far; 

into the ocean, flew each little star.

Then a man who was watching just shook his head.

“You can’t save them all,” he finally said.

As the boy threw a starfish out to the sea,

he gazed out at the water, and he started to speak.

“ I can’t save all the starfish along the shore,

But I gave that one a chance to live life once more.”

As I thought of a starfish out of the sea,

the Lord touched my heart, and he spoke to me,

of a boy who was needing someone to come,

and to give him a family and a home of his own.

So, we took our starfish, a gift from the Lord,

and together we’ve been blessed far beyond that shore. 

(Jeremy/Jerry 2000)
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 Danny’s situation was different again. He came to us straight from the hospital, as a foster baby, and we wrapped him up in a fuzzy blue blanket. (he slept with that blanket for years!) He was only supposed to stay for a short time but plans changed, and we were able to adopt him when he was eighteen months old. Because of our relationship with his birth mom, we thought of him like a grandchild, which of course created a stronger bond than with most children.   We hadn’t expected to adopt another child, but once again, God had other plans, and of course, we are thankful every day for our unexpected blessing! 
 It was meant to be.

Danny's Fuzzy Blue

Our God puts together families in such surprising ways.

We weren’t looking for a blessing when you came to us that day.

But we wrapped you up in fuzzy blue, not knowing how long you’d stay

We held you closer to our hearts and loved you more each day. 

As God chose his own son’s family to give him love and care, 

he’s still placing little blessings in those homes with love to share. 

Now you’ve wrapped yourself around our hearts; 

we know that you’re here to stay. 

We hold you in that fuzzy blue, and thank the Lord each day, 

for allowing our family to make a home for you. 

We’re so thankful for that blessing wrapped up in fuzzy blue.

(Daniel/Danny 2002)
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 When asked if we would adopt again, I could only answer that the door would remain open until the Lord closed it. It would happen if it was meant to be.

Psalm 68: 6a God setteth the solitary in families

*End of excerpts

My Isaac

 And then there is our youngest daughter, whose story you'll read in this series. Unlike with Christie, I didn't have the assurance that Danica would be our daughter. In fact, I was sure our family was complete.....and I had complete peace about that. Imagine my surprise when God gave 'my Isaac' back! Still, it was a very long journey. Even though I had lain down 'my Isaac'.....taking my hands off proved to be an ongoing struggle. But, as always, God worked out HIS plan, in HIS time and yes, Danica 'was meant to be' our daughter.

(Danica's Adoption Day)

Continued....Part 3 

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