Mary Southerland shares with us, "It had been a wonderful day.
We were all tired after hiking Grandfather Mountain and stopping on the way home to picnic beside a pristine North Carolina creek.
Bedtime preparation was proceeding amazingly well.
All that mountain air and country cooking was a natural sedative for our two pleasantly exhausted children.
I looked forward to joining my husband, Dan, in the front porch swing to cuddle, gaze at the stars and dream of what might be.
Danna, our three-year-old daughter,
was out like a light - one down and one to go.
Jered, our six-year-old son scrambled into bed, ready to recap the hiking adventure and make a plan for tomorrow.
We snuggled under the fluffy down comforter, talking and laughing about how much fun the day had been, then settled into a cozy, comfortable silence.
Jered, our six-year-old son scrambled into bed, ready to recap the hiking adventure and make a plan for tomorrow.
We snuggled under the fluffy down comforter, talking and laughing about how much fun the day had been, then settled into a cozy, comfortable silence.
His question ripped through the
still, silent night and my heart, exposing every fear and insecurity carefully
buried there.
‘Why didn’t she want me?’ Jered softly asked.
I knew immediately what he meant.
After years of trying to have children naturally, Dan and I had discovered God had a wonderfully different plan for us.
We adopted both Jered and Danna as infants and marveled daily at the precious gift of our two children.
For years, I had known this question was inevitable but I was still caught off guard by Jered’s probing words.
My uncertain heart cried out to my Father. I needed an answer – for Jered and for me.
Instantly, it came. Bruno!
‘Why didn’t she want me?’ Jered softly asked.
I knew immediately what he meant.
After years of trying to have children naturally, Dan and I had discovered God had a wonderfully different plan for us.
We adopted both Jered and Danna as infants and marveled daily at the precious gift of our two children.
For years, I had known this question was inevitable but I was still caught off guard by Jered’s probing words.
My uncertain heart cried out to my Father. I needed an answer – for Jered and for me.
Instantly, it came. Bruno!
When Jered was four-years-old, we
were given a chocolate colored Labrador puppy that quickly outgrew our small
yard, our not-so-understanding neighbors and our apprehensive children.
We named this gentle giant Bruno.
With each passing day, Bruno became an increasingly frustrated dog.
Our postage stamp sized back yard offered little freedom or room for him to romp.
Our elderly neighbors did not appreciate his early morning barking alarm and our kids soon refused to venture into the back yard because Bruno, who loved them and wanted to play, delighted in pinning them to the ground with his massive paws.
It soon became clear to all of us that we were not the right family for Bruno.
We named this gentle giant Bruno.
With each passing day, Bruno became an increasingly frustrated dog.
Our postage stamp sized back yard offered little freedom or room for him to romp.
Our elderly neighbors did not appreciate his early morning barking alarm and our kids soon refused to venture into the back yard because Bruno, who loved them and wanted to play, delighted in pinning them to the ground with his massive paws.
It soon became clear to all of us that we were not the right family for Bruno.
After an intensive search, we discovered
‘Adopt a Pet,’ a remarkable organization that finds homes for animals whose
owners, for one reason or another, cannot keep them.
We were promised Bruno would be placed in just the right home where he would be loved, well cared for and have plenty of room to run and play.
We talked and explained, struggling our way to the difficult decision that it was time to put Bruno up for adoption.
Still, on the day they came to pick up Bruno, we all cried.
Yes, we knew it was the best plan for Bruno, for us, and for a very excited family that wanted a Labrador, but it still hurt.
Sometimes, doing the right thing - the best thing - the highest thing - is also the most painful thing.
We were promised Bruno would be placed in just the right home where he would be loved, well cared for and have plenty of room to run and play.
We talked and explained, struggling our way to the difficult decision that it was time to put Bruno up for adoption.
Still, on the day they came to pick up Bruno, we all cried.
Yes, we knew it was the best plan for Bruno, for us, and for a very excited family that wanted a Labrador, but it still hurt.
Sometimes, doing the right thing - the best thing - the highest thing - is also the most painful thing.
As I looked into the beautiful, blue
eyes of the little boy I loved more than life itself, I prayed for just the
right words.
‘Jered, do you remember Bruno?’ At the memory of the dog, Jered smiled and sadly whispered, ‘I still miss him.’
I nodded in agreement and replied, ‘I know, Son. I know you loved Bruno and were sad when we had to give him away.
But do you remember why we gave Bruno away?’
Jered thought for a moment and carefully answered, ‘Because we loved him so much and we knew we couldn't take care of him right ... and because he wasn't very happy ... and because we wanted the best home in the whole wide world for him.’
‘Jered, do you remember Bruno?’ At the memory of the dog, Jered smiled and sadly whispered, ‘I still miss him.’
I nodded in agreement and replied, ‘I know, Son. I know you loved Bruno and were sad when we had to give him away.
But do you remember why we gave Bruno away?’
Jered thought for a moment and carefully answered, ‘Because we loved him so much and we knew we couldn't take care of him right ... and because he wasn't very happy ... and because we wanted the best home in the whole wide world for him.’
I paused for a
moment, basking in the simple and faithful wisdom of my Father, spoken through
the heart of my only son.
Now I was ready to answer his unsettling question.
‘She did want you, honey. And she did love you ... so much, in fact, that she was willing to give you away, just like we gave Bruno away.
Just as we wanted what was best for Bruno, your birth mother wanted what was best for you!’
I fully recognize that it was an extremely simple illustration for a profoundly complex life circumstance – but it was enough.
Now I was ready to answer his unsettling question.
‘She did want you, honey. And she did love you ... so much, in fact, that she was willing to give you away, just like we gave Bruno away.
Just as we wanted what was best for Bruno, your birth mother wanted what was best for you!’
I fully recognize that it was an extremely simple illustration for a profoundly complex life circumstance – but it was enough.
I lay there in the darkness, holding
this chosen baby in my arms, listening to him breathe as he drifted into a
peaceful, trust-filled sleep.
My heart filled with wonder and awe at the faultless plan and complete provision of God in our lives.
With tears of gratitude spilling down my face I thanked God for two courageous young birth mothers, for the plan of adoption that brought our children to us and for God's perfect work through an unusual servant named Bruno.
With a contented smile on his face, Jered sighed, turned over and whispered the precious words, ‘I love you, Mom.’
My heart filled with wonder and awe at the faultless plan and complete provision of God in our lives.
With tears of gratitude spilling down my face I thanked God for two courageous young birth mothers, for the plan of adoption that brought our children to us and for God's perfect work through an unusual servant named Bruno.
With a contented smile on his face, Jered sighed, turned over and whispered the precious words, ‘I love you, Mom.’
We are all desperate to be loved and
to love.
We innately search for significance and are created with the powerful need to belong.
We pursue worth in worthless places.
We demand validation from invalid sources.
In the darkness of that mountain cabin, I caught a new perspective of God’s stubborn love and the absolute sacrifice He made by giving up His son, Jesus Christ.
It is only through a personal relationship with Him that we experience authentic love; a love that displaces thoughts of rejection and banishes feelings of abandonment.
It is in this priceless gift that we comprehend the amazing truth that even if we were never wanted or planned by human heart and mind, we were planned and wanted in the heart and mind of God!
And that, dear friend, is enough!
We innately search for significance and are created with the powerful need to belong.
We pursue worth in worthless places.
We demand validation from invalid sources.
In the darkness of that mountain cabin, I caught a new perspective of God’s stubborn love and the absolute sacrifice He made by giving up His son, Jesus Christ.
It is only through a personal relationship with Him that we experience authentic love; a love that displaces thoughts of rejection and banishes feelings of abandonment.
It is in this priceless gift that we comprehend the amazing truth that even if we were never wanted or planned by human heart and mind, we were planned and wanted in the heart and mind of God!
And that, dear friend, is enough!
Let’s
pray
Thank You for loving me, God.
Honestly, I don’t understand that kind of love; a love that sent Jesus Christ
to the cross so that I can live. But today, I celebrate Your love. Help me
remember I am chosen and because of Your love, I will never be alone or abandoned.
You created me for a personal relationship with You. I am not an accident and I
am not a mistake. I was created in response to Your plan. Today, I celebrate
the fact that I am a chosen child of the King.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.”
“The LORD spoke his word to me, saying: ‘Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work.’ ” Jer. 1:4-5 NCV
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