When I was preparing to embark on this journey to India I sent out a plea for introductions...those "Friends of Friends" connections that so many of us living abroad rely on and I was blessed with an incredible response. One group has especially welcomed me with open arms and loving hearts. I love that I get phone calls checking on me and my little charge, I love that I am called "Auntie" just as all women are called here in India. I love that when we are able to join for fellowship on Sunday mornings that there are people all around who have been praying diligently for us. There is a group of women who have been faithfully lifting us before the Throne of Grace and I am humbled by their prayers for not only me and my sweet charge but also as we have had opportunity to share they are now praying for all our sweet China babies and the staff who care for them. Sunday as I joined them in worship, my heart was overwhelmed with gratitude as we lifted up our voices in singing "The Family of God."
I'm so glad
I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God.
You will notice we say "brother
and sister" 'round here,
It's because we're a family and these are so near;
When one has a heartache,
we all share the
tears,
And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.
I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God.
From the door of an orphanage to the
house of the King,
No longer an outcast, a new song
I sing;
From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong,
I'm not worthy to be here, but praise God I belong!
I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God.
Cardiac Rehab is hard work, anyone who has been through it will tell you
that and convincing a little guy of not yet two that walking is healthy and
needs to be done is a chore especially when he sees only the desire to be
carried and the fact that walking makes him hot, sweaty, and tired. So since the doctor ordered exercise I am
given the challenge of making sure that happens. Dr. Joseph was great about giving suggestions
for places to walk that might be interesting and safe along with the
suggestions for other possible strenuous activities for a two year old that we
might attempt. 
The
opportunity to walk outside is wonderful since the daily temp has averaged
75-82*F and there is actually greenery, flowers, and blue sky! I also have lots of opportunity to reflect
and ponder as walking is slow, usually a couple steps and then a pause with
lots of coaxing to get little man to join me.
I have learned so much about baby steps and some things about myself. I have come up with a game, he throws a little
stone and then in his sweet shuffling walk he saunters to where it has landed,
reaches down picks it up, and tosses it a little farther. Sometimes I just can’t help it when his throw
essentially drops it right back at his feet I reach out and kick it just a
little further. Sometimes we stop to
look at little things around us and thus we found ourselves pausing in front of
a patch of impatients. I love these
little flowers they are bright, colorful, and grow easily. I stand looking at them, pointing, trying to
encourage little steps to come look because it might be interesting and of
course make him walk faster. I have to
smile as I consider that if I were a flower in the garden I might just be an
impatient. Over these past many weeks I
have found that I am not always the picture of a calm, gentle, quiet spirit but
rather I am anxious, impatient, frustrated with my lack of ability to
understand whining and pointing, and tired from lack of sleep. I find myself tapping my foot willing him to
move just a little faster and I consider that my impatience with this walk is
what causes me to kick the pebble just a little farther along. I have an even greater respect for mothers at
this moment. Many of you have said how
you do not know how I can work as a nurse 24/7 well I have lots of hands to
help and I don’t sleep with my babies, eat with them on my lap, change them,
bathe their screaming wiggling selves, purchase diapers and formula (I think
this is the same one as home?) or make sure that I have hand washed the clothes
in time to have them dry when it is time to put them on again. This is what life has been like over the last
several weeks not to mention that my baby is a baby with medical needs that
still need looked after. Instead back in
the Big House I have the joy of taking care of many medical needs, snuggling
for a few minutes and then leaving them with a nanny- this is not mommy
work. My Heavenly Father is teaching me
once again so many things not only about His plan for this baby and orphans the
world over who are just like him but He is teaching me more about myself than I
can often absorb all at once. I picture
Him standing a few steps ahead trying to coax me to take a few more baby steps,
to work my heart harder, to trust Him more that He knows what is best for me,
how to make me healthy and strong. I
think he occasionally kicks my pebble not with impatience but with a desire to
see me strive just a little harder, work toward His goal just a little more and
see life a little more through His eyes.
So here I go, finishing this walk chasing pebbles, taking baby steps,
and feeling my heart race, pumping blood rich with a love that will not let me
go. I reach down at the end of the
street pick up the little stone and tuck it in my pocket, something to think
about later after I feed the baby and get him down for a nap.
