The Big "What If?"

My mom works in a lab at big hospital in Fullerton. Every Thursday a group of teenage girls from the local group home come in to get tested for drugs, STD's, pregnancy... the whole shebang. I told my mom to be really nice to these girls because one of them could be my baby's mama.

That was a fun-scary-sobbering-exciting-close-to-home thought. I'm sure my mom was super thrilled to think about it like that. :) Thankfully, I know my mom will lean on the verse that she taught me as a child, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid." John 14:27

We know that whatever child we care for will be coming from a majorly less than ideal situation. If a baby is in foster care it's not that the mother is choosing to put it there, it's that the state is taking the baby away. And if the fostering leads to adoption, which is our hope, then the reasons why parental rights have been revoked completely are usually pretty bad, and heartbreaking.

One of the neat things about this program is the involvement Mark and I will have with the birth mom and/or dad. This idea used to scare the pants off me! But what if we meet with them, for months we meet, and go through the gamut of junk in their lives with them, and we love them the way Christ loves us, and they learn about Jesus and the work He did on the cross? What if they repent and commit their lives to living and loving the way Christ did? What if their entire family tree is altered for the rest of eternity because of it?? (Kris Franklin is probably DYING right now... shaking her had at my naive idealism.) I know it sounds radical, but I'm just going to call it hopeful. Don't we all deserve the hope of Heaven? Doesn't everyone, even the moms who can't kick the habit and the dads who can't keep their pants zipped, deserve to know that God created them, and created them for more? I believe they do. I pray that I will never wash my hands of a sinner (of which I am one) and say, "They're hopeless." I get that there are consequences for actions, children need to be safe, but that's when I get to trust fully in the work of the Holy Spirit and know that God can redeem and restore ANY sinner... just like He did for me.

I get it, that situation will most likely not happen.

But what if it did???

Comments

Judy Prince said…
Well, today was Thursday and it was "that" day and I did think of you & Mark and the possible mom or dad of the possible baby for which you might possibly be the foster/adoptive parents while I ordered all "those" tests. I can't say that I thought of that verse, though, I actually had a bit of heart palpations (fear). Maybe next Thursday I'll remember that verse but it's probably going to take a few more weeks. I'm so much more jaded than you :( I'm trying, though.
Love you! mom
8:47 PM
Kris Franklin said…
Not even a chance I'm shaking my head, Sarah! I will admit, that at the beginning, it was really hard for me to pray for Dominic's mom. Kurt was much better at that than I was. So was my friend Aly - thank God that He has put such an amazing prayer warrior in my life. But, getting to know his mom, seeing her overcome huge obstacles and knowing that she could only do that by the grace of God has definitely given me hope. God has an amazing plan... we're just here to be his hands & feet. But, I'm preaching to the choir here. ;) I love you!
10:54 PM
Kaci Mae said…
I was talking to the daughter of the CEO of MOPS International (Shelly Radic) this summer. Her daughter shared about a heartbreaking experience they had where her adopted sister that had lived with them for like 6 years had to go back to her biological mother because of a fluke with some paperwork or law...and yet, the family became close with the biological mom and she became a Christian through their relationship! (I wish I could remember the details better but I loved the story and you reminded me of it with your perspective!)
8:43 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Quick Update

Image
We have been in Idaho just a few days shy of 7 months. That's over HALF a YEAR, people. MUCH has changed. Our daily routine? Changed. Weekend plans? Changed. People we call when we're in a jam? Changed. How we're being fed spiritually? Changed. (But not TOTALLY, because we are still being fed hearty meals from the truth of God's Word, only our "server" has changed, essentially). How we function as a family? Changed. Everything has changed.  Half a year in a new land, with new people, and a new EVERYTHING will change you. And we are okay with that. Matter of fact, we're better than okay! We scorched our way through a brutal, smoke filled August, and we are GOOD! We tip-toed into the school year in new schools, with new teachers, and new everything , and we are good! A couple kids even won awards! (She's one ...  the oldest was another, but conveniently ducked the camera >insert eye roll<). We mercifully made new frien...
Read more

My New Language

Image
My teen challenged me to a game of ping pong. Easy enough, one might think, but this particular teen has been playing for YEARS against GOOD players (my mother-in-law is a champ!). Not to mention his muscles are twice the size of mine and he's a least - dare I admit this - a solid three inches taller than I, probably four. He was so sweet when he asked, and I couldn't remember the last time he had, so of course I said yes. From the beginning he knew he could beat me. He is stronger, faster,  *sigh*  taller , and more skilled. So he, sweet thang that he is, played with his weaker hand, which honestly isn't saying much because the boy is straight up ambidextrous . He was still beating me. So he got on his knees. I kid you not. He put one hand behind his back and he. played. on. his. knees . Aaaaaaaaaand he still beat me. It probably didn't help that I was laugh/crying the entire time. He thinks it was because I was having the time of my life, and I WAS! But r...
Read more

The Post About School

Image
Our family has partially or full time homeschooled for eight years. And, getting really technical, if you think of the years per kid, that's 22 years of homeschooling ! I think it's safe to say we are homeschool fans. Our decision to homeschool, initially, came from three factors: 1. Mark is a big proponent of using time wisely, and neither of us were thrilled with the use of time in our local schools. 2. We don't vaccinate, which wasn't a big deal in the beginning because BACK THEN we could just sign a waiver and it was no biggie. Then CA went all - well, Californiaish- and basically it became impossible for us to legally enroll our kids in a public school. 3. What brought homeschooling to our attention was when a family brought us a meal after Mia was born, and in walked this 8 year old boy who was kind, polite, helpful, genuine, respectful, patient, and more. I asked the mom, "Where does this kid go to school? He is incredible! What are you doing??...
Read more