A Poem My Friend Found...

A friend of mine told me to go to this blog and check out this poem...I thought this was a beautiful way to describe to people who might not fully understand our reasonings behind adopting out of the Foster System and bringing these little ones into our home...It was a good reminder fo me too when that fear starts to creep in my own heart...On my own it seems sometimes overwhelming to think about parenting one or two more children who may have extensive issues, but when I remember my God who is an "ever present help in time of need", I am filled with joy and peace and know that His grace led us here and it will continue to carry us through!

Adoption is not something God has called every family to do... We know that as of now God has called us as a family to this road and we will continue to walk this path unless the Lord makes it known that He is closing the doors...Here is the poem:

"I was working outside on the garden today (obviously not written today as the snow is falling!) and I started thinking again about the reasons we have for not adopting particular 'hard to place' children. I imagined what one of those unadopted children might say to us if we ran into them later in life.What would they do? Would they smile weakly and offer the words that we offer others as our justification for living safe and not bringing 'them' into our families. Or would their hearts cry out to us even as adults? Here is my thinking on how one conversation might go......

"I understand that you couldn't make room -
that there wasn't a place,
I was not of your womb.
That my age was all wrong,
and my history belonged,
to a place and a people you know have all gone.

I see in your eyes that my life was a chore,
that my needs were too big,
my emotions to raw.

That you were afraid I might never leave home,
or I might find anger and by failure be known.
That my heart was too broken
my mind was too slow,
That the drugs in my system
defined me, you know.

And maybe, just maybe,
I wouldn't love you -
for my mind was too battered
too deep were the wounds.

But I wish you had tried,
I wish you had found room,
For this one tiny boy who
so achingly stood
and looked in the windows and watched
as you prayed,
and asked the Lord Jesus
to move you each day.

To bring out the family
that He had prepared
but none came forward
as I stood lonely there.

I understand - that man would say
my childhood has slipped away.
I have a father, this is true,
I know the same strong God as you.

But I wish that I had, had a mom -
a brother, a sister, a dog, some lawn.
That you had tried to reach me there
not left me to my own despair.

To people who were paid to feed,
and paid to wash and paid to read.
To those who didn't stay too long
and those who chose to teach me wrong.

I wish,
that you had found a way
to wedge me in and let me stay."