Adoption

Today is my oldest grandson’s birthday. What a delight this young man has been to me over the last several decades. He came into our lives as a blond, blue-eyed nine-month-old. When he was little, I spent many Saturdays with him. We went to parks, finger-painted, played, ate ice cream.

He is now my foodie buddy – the only one in this Idaho family that loves exploring new ethnic cuisine. I look forward each month to going to a new ethnic restaurant or visiting an old familiar one with him.  I love him dearly.

Seeing him reminds me of the beauty of adoption. He has none of my genes in him, but he has my heart. He is just as much my own as the two grandsons who were born into this family with some of my genes.

Whenever I look at my grandson, I understand God’s love for me … and for you.  We have been adopted through Christ Jesus into the family of God.

“For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.” [Ephesians 1:4-6 HCSB]

That means that God loves us every bit as much as He loves His beloved Son, Christ Jesus our LORD. Is that not the most amazing thought.  Every year on my grandson’s birthday I am reminded of this. I think I probably remind you of this every year also! It never grows old.

I am a child of God, a beloved daughter. You are a child of God, a beloved son or daughter. Amen & Amen.

I found this devotion in my memories from 2018 and decided I wanted to repost it.  My grandson, Carter, mentioned in this devotion is now back in Boise and I am so blessed!

June 30, 2018

Carter, our oldest grandson, and I visited a local Bosnian restaurant on Monday. The food was delicious. I think I have found a new “favorite” place. Carter and I laughed and talked for about an hour and a half. It was fun, but it was also sad. He is leaving early July for Western Oregon.

Monday as we sat there, I looked at this now grown 6’2” man and remembered the little boy I first knew. Carter came into our life “ready-made” when he was a baby. He’s been my “bud” since he was around two when his parents moved to Idaho. There were a few years where we spent almost every Saturday together. We’d have breakfast at IHOP, then go off on some adventure, grab a little lunch, and finish the day at Baskin-Robbins where he would make me tell him what all the 31-Flavors were before he made his choice.

I’ve taken him on a plane to California, train rides, a car trip to Eastern Idaho to see the T-Rex Named Sue, and lots of other places. We spent a week in Washington DC together, just the two of us when he turned 18. We’ve visited museums, new art exhibits, tea shops and ethnic restaurants. And we have talked about everything, no subject off limits. Now he is going off on his own and I am going to miss him greatly.

A couple of us were talking about adoption the other evening. I said that while Carter has none of my DNA, he has all of my heart.  From the first moment I saw those blue eyes and blond curls I was hooked, line and sinker!

Adoption is one of the most beautiful words in any language. It is especially beautiful in God’s language.

“In love [God our Father] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” [Eph 1:4-7 NIV]