Easing Back In

February 15, 2014

Dear Friends,

            But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.  Galatians 4:4-7

     As I am easing back in to the “fullness” of ministry, we continue to go through a lot of transition in our family.  As far as the daily routine of things, we are mostly settled.   But in the long-term, grander scheme of things, there’s a whole lot that has changed—a lot that will continue to change.  Many are asking “How are you adjusting?”  “How’s the family doing?”  “What do the boys think of all this?”  Assuming that people mean our two sons and not our two male dogs (who are also still adjusting, by the way), the general household is doing quite well.  Some days we feel as though all is completely well.  Other days, we feel like we have simply survived.  Once everyone is asleep, Kelly and I do not have much energy leftover for anything.  But we are grateful and we are happy.
     One of the neatest things for me about bringing Vivienne into our home has been this unexpected feeling that she has always been with us.  I know this is not true physically, but I was quite uncertain as to how easily the rest of the family would accept her and assimilate her into the already-existing-mix.  For Kelly and me, quite simply, she is our child.  I think we have done pretty well at treating her just as we do our boys, and with the same love and care.  Yes, she is different.  But for us she is no different than in the same ways our two sons are different from one another.  On occasion, she’ll respond to something in fear, or she’ll say a word we don’t recognize, or she’ll look a certain way which makes me think, “Hmm, I wonder what that’s about”, and I’ll speculate what kind of parents she had, or if there’s a genetic predisposition to something that we may never figure out.  But almost always, she is just a part of who we are, and we are now a part of who she is.  And this last statement is simply a miracle.
     This morning, Vivi received her first set of braces for her legs.  She now has the help she needs to be able to walk correctly.  Eventually, she’ll be able to do this on her own.  But for now, we will continue to have to hold her up or make sure she is near some furniture or a wall so that she can stand and continue to learn how to do this by herself.  And with this comes the perspective that while we have gone through a great deal to adopt her, before we know it she will be up and on her way.  For this season, we are a crucial part of her process (in some ways we always will be), but just like any of our children, there will come a time when they are ready to move on.
     It brings to mind this passage from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, where he uses this word “adoption” to describe the relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ.  Until Jesus was sent in the “fullness of time”, we were essentially unclaimed.  We may have been abandoned; we may have been orphaned; we may have been left to fend for ourselves.  But with Jesus, we are adopted!  The reality now takes on a whole new meaning for me.  We are not left alone, and we really cannot undo that which God has already done.  What great news!  There will be more to come. . .

             

Peace, Love, Hope and Joy,  Tim