Nothing Is Wasted

"In sorrow we have tasted, but joy will replace it."

Church today was beautiful and difficult all at the same time.  This being our last weekend with Choo Choo made this his last Sunday with the people who have helped to lead him toward God and sweet little friends.  I took a few pictures and many, many friends gave me hugs, "I love you's" and sweet words of encouragement.  Thank you church family!  I cried more than I expected to but that's ok...God caught each one and those are just more seeds to eventually bloom :)

I have already gotten the inevitable question of "will you continue to foster?"  YES!  The hurt is REAL, but I tell you with great certainty that this heartbreak has spurred both hubby and myself into wanting to help another child.  "Are you nuts? You want to go through this again?"  Awhile ago we both said "we need a LONG break after this case has ended (one way or another)."  We were obedient to God's call to foster and just because His plans didn't line up with ours, that shouldn't make us any less obedient.  We will take a short break and heal a bit and then we definitely will jump back into the crazy land of foster care because the need in our county is so great. If we say that we don't want to get hurt again, are we fulfilling God's mandate?  No, we are just being selfish.  These children did not ASK to be in foster care and they need a loving and caring home to go to.  When it is in our ability to provide for another child....what excuse possibly could be good enough to not help them???  God's grace will always be sufficient!

Ya know what I want to see???  I want to have a case where we as foster parents get to come along side birthparents who realize they made a mistake and do EVERYTHING possible to get their child back.  I want to see a court system who doesn't fail a child.  I want to help birthparents and honor them. (AWESOME message on this at church this morning by John Bevere....buy the book!) 

I don't know what God's plans are for Choo Choo, but I know they are GOOD!  As we were eating lunch today I just looked into my sweet boy's face and said "do you know how much you are loved?"  His response was priceless...."God loves me!!!"  Oh sweet boy....you are not making this goodbye process any easier by being the sweetest thing on earth!