by Lenore Buth
Sometimes God chooses unlikely ways to remind us we have a lot to be thankful for, doesn't He?
Like the time I learned a lot by eavesdropping on someone else's conversation.
Let me explain. Sometime back, I stopped one morning at a local restaurant, ready to have some coffee and read the morning newspaper. Then I got treated to someone else’s story and got a lift for my morning.
The hostess seated me in a booth next to a table where two men seemed really intent on their conversation.
They spoke quite softly, but one of the men had a radio-announcer voice that carried so well I couldn’t help overhearing. After he started speaking I couldn’t concentrate at all on the newspaper. There were no empty tables, so all I could do was try to look as if I were just thoughtfully jotting down notes to myself as I drank my coffee.
Here's what I recall of the story that grabbed me
"I have one brother and he's the only family I have left. We've never been close, but every month or so we talked by phone. We lived a couple hundred miles apart, so we didn't know much about each other's lives—and that was okay with both of us.
"One day I got a call from a Child Welfare worker in his city. She told me the police arrested my brother and his wife for dealing drugs. They took his three children out of the house and turned them over to Child Welfare.
"The social worker told me my brother's kids would go into foster care unless my wife and I took them. We were their only hope and she wanted an answer by the next day. I was speechless and when I told my wife she cried. We talked and talked and cried and prayed. At last we faced the truth. We could not bear to let our two nieces and our nephew end up in the foster-care system. So we said Yes, thinking it would be short-term.
"Not so. Eventually my brother and his wife were convicted of running a drug ring and both got long prison sentences.
"It's been hard, hard, hard, even though we've talked to our pastor and friends many times and yes, we've had family counseling. My nephew adapted to living with us pretty well.
“My 12-year old niece is one who keeps it all inside, but those two both call us Mom and Dad and really, that's what we are. We're the ones who are there and who will be there, and we love them, we really love them and they know that. These are our children!
"The 15-year old is another story. She still has nightmares and keeps dreaming up new ways to rebel. Lisa and I are coming to think she needs more than we can give her. If that’s what she needs then we’re thankful we can provide it for her. Right now we’re just beginning to talk to people who know and to figure out what’s the best course to take. Whatever comes, we’ll be there for her.
"Before this all hit I didn't really know much about talking to God. Oh sure, Lisa and I prayed together and we loved each other. Once we got the kids it seems I’m praying all the time and Lisa says the same thing. Praying for guidance and for strength. Sometimes we've thought we couldn't keep going, but He always gave us strength to lift our hearts. The Lord has brought us this far. How could we not trust Him for the future?
"It took awhile before we saw the wonderful surprise God had for us. One night, after we got everybody off to bed, Lisa and I talked about the early years of our marriage. About the awful time when the doctors told us we never would have children of our own. We were absolutely crushed by the loss of all our dreams. Finally we made peace with the fact and tried to put it out of our minds.
“Then out of the blue God gifted us with three kids! Three troubled children, sure, but all of a sudden we had a family—and they needed us. Needed our love. Needed a stable home where they could feel safe. In so many ways we’ve been able to provide what they wouldn’t have had with their birth parents. Even better, my brother and his wife signed away their rights so we could adopt our three blessings. So in spite of all the pain and the struggle, Lisa and I really are thankful and we truly have a deep-down joy. We know God will get us through."
A change of heart
I walked out of that restaurant with a new perspective on the challenges in my life and my heart brimmed with thanks and praise.
Thanks for that man and his wife who opened their home and their hearts and changed the lives--and the future--of three hurting youngsters.
Thanks to God for supplying the love and strength they need to give of themselves, day by day.
Thanks that these two have eyes to see the blessings and joy hidden within their daily sacrifices.
Like that couple, let's open our eyes to the joy
The Apostle Paul knew personal suffering very well, but he also knew how to find joy. He passes on his secret in Philippians 4:
Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! ... Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers [and sisters] whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things … And the God of peace will be with you.
(Selected verses from Phil. 4:4-9 NIV)
"Rejoice!" Paul doesn’t write it like a nice suggestion, it's more like a must. An attitude we need to choose.
He also says, "If anything is excellent or praiseworthy …." At any given moment each of us is dealing with different challenges in our lives. Jesus meets us where we are. In the midst of every day, every moment, we can—if we look for it—find some reason to praise and rejoice.
We will find it, not because we're so great, but because our God is faithful.