When we celebrated Arie's baptism last winter, we bought him a silver cross necklace in keeping with Orthodox tradition. A few weeks later, it was lost. We searched everywhere. Under beds, behind dressers, through drawers.... everywhere. We could not find it, but I was convinced it was somewhere in the house. "It will turn up," I kept saying. We held off on buying a new one. Last week- about 6 months after it disappeared- we finally admitted defeat and agreed we should think about buying a new one (it's hard to replace something so sentimental!). "If it was going to turn up, it would have by now."
Today I was taking apart Arie's crib (turned toddler bed) since we are moving him into his "big boy room" and as I was unscrewing the sides, I was praying that God would prepare all of our hearts for this transition. Since I only had Arie in my arms for the final fleeting moments of his babyhood, saying goodbye to his crib in our room is tough. Help me to rejoice in his maturity. To celebrate his growth.
Then out of the corner of my eye, squished between the carpet and the trim previously hidden by his crib, I saw a glimmer. Arie's necklace.
The cross we gave him when we remembered his baptism. When we remembered that before we knew his name, God saw him and baptized him into the covenant family of faith.
I have to wonder if sometimes God just doesn't bend the universe to bring these perfect moments together. A lost necklace, found to answer a prayer.
In Russia. In Moscow. In the orphanage. In the US. In Michigan. In our room. In his own room. In his big boy bed...
He's God's child, this little one. Protected, cherished, and held by our Father.
So are yours- your little ones. So am I. So are you.
"How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you." Psalm 139:17-18
Love, love, love this...and thinking of you often. Stephanie :)
ReplyDeleteI cherish those thoughts! Thank you!
Deletegave me goosebumps reading this!
ReplyDeleteTotally!
DeleteHi, Just wanted to say I read your comments on Adeye's blog and agree with you 100%. I think many people do. Thank you for being brave enough to make the comments. Another commenter did the same. I'm proud of both of you. Given the attacks in response I don't think anyone else dared say anything else. And not to be snarky myself but the commenter who said basically to say something nice or nothing at all, well Adeye's post about the Higbies was very negative about an adoption ministry so I'm not sure she follow that same advice and comments I've read by CT elsewhere about other also are disappointing.
ReplyDeleteHi there- thanks for the encouragement! You are right; others agree. I received a couple messages. :-) I was being critical of the company and product and I think it was taken as a personal attack, which it was not meant to be. At all. It is not a good feeling to be so misunderstood! But thank you for your comment. I agree that "say something nice or nothing at all" is not always the way to go. I prefer that verse "speak the truth in love." We can disagree and have robust discussion WITH love and kindness!
DeleteAmen sister! We don't know each other but I recently found your blog and am enjoying it. I knew where you were coming from and that it wasn't personal. That was very clear.
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