One Day At A Time


It's been nearly 2 months since we began this wild ride of fostering. Our home started out with two adults and a rather old dog; transitioned to two adults, a very active nine-year old boy and an old but re-energized dog; and finally came to be composed of two adults, 3 very active boys ages 8,9, and 10, and a now exhausted old dog.

Life is very different than it was 2 months ago. My days are filled with endless laundry and a dishwasher that is full as soon as it gets emptied, there are Legos and books everywhere, school papers and schedules to keep track of, unflushed toilets are common, and it sometimes feels like I may never get to talk to my husband alone again. In case I sound negative, I would also point out that there are more laughs and hugs, more family reading times, more play times and more opportunities to love.

Honestly, this is hard. Managing meals and homework and bedtime for three children is not easy. (Hats off to those of you who have more! I could use any bedtime tricks you know.) There are days with lots of crying and meltdowns, anger and thrown toys and we sit next to the washer and dryer and contemplate whether we should give up and move to Europe. There are days of sunshine and soccer games and reading until my voice is hoarse but they still want more, and of looking up jokes together and taking turns reading them until everyone gets the giggles. There are nights of crying over the things these sweet ones have experienced in their short lives and praying that they can understand that God loves them even when they say they he must not care or he wouldn't have allowed their lives to be so hard and their hearts to be so hurt. 

On one of our particularly hard days, when we were ready to give up, I was reading in 2 Corinthians and I came across a description of Paul's coming to Macedonia and one phrase struck my heart, "fighting without and fear within." I said, "I think I just found a description of our boys." My husband said, "Well that's not really the context (gotta love a pastor), but ok. Tell me when you get to the part about us."

I kept reading and found "And in this matter I give my judgement: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well." I thought about fostering and how we desired it, how we longed open our home and love children sacrificially as Christ loved us and I was encouraged that we need to persevere and do this well.

Again my dear husband pointed out that the context had to do with a church collecting an offering. So I kept reading, and I came to the verse below which of course in context was a promise made to Paul but I think applies to us and I think probably to every parent.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 13:3

This is it. The promise to us. We must live one day at a time, knowing that his grace is sufficient, learning to be content in our weakness because we know he is strong. He is enough for us and for them.






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