Hurry Up and... WAIT.

FOR ALL WHO WAIT... Patiently or NOT.

(Edited and reprinted from a response to my friend Nichole & her husband, as they waited... seemingly FOREVER... to bring hom their new children. This was in Jan. 2008. Both Nichole and we HAVE our children now:)))

Nichole (and all who read this), I feel your pain and frustration! We are facing similar "delays" that seem out of our control. (I'll name them succinctly, but read to the end! God really spoke to me the other day [in 2 ways] and it really helped me-- and will help you, and others facing similar dilemnas.)

-Our homestudy was turned in (from the contract provider who did our interview), but sat on a desk for 3 days until her supervisor came in to read it. (They don't keep regular office hours.) Delay #1. The supervisor kept it much longer than what her worker said she would- her "1-2 day turnaroun" turned into 6 days. Delay #2. When the supervisor turned it into DHS, they read it quickly (48 hours), then emailed me with the disheartening news that "critical questions were overlooked" and that they were trying to reach the original HS provider to come to our house AGAIN to ask these "omitted" questions. Delay #3 (at least another 7-10 days!!). Now, as of yesterday, the homestudy is turned back in and already read by the supervisor again, but she can't reach the DHS person who needs it-- because the DHS person is in OKC today with meetings-- and they said they can't email the homestudy, even! All we're getting is voice mails... Delay #4. These are only the delays in the last three weeks-- not to mention the ones preceding that.

HERE'S OUR HOPE and PEACE in the midst of this! God reminded me about 72 hours ago, as He impressed these thoughts upon my mind and heart:

 "Before the foundations of the world were laid, before you or these precious children were conceived in the womb, I ordained and designed the exact day that they would come to live with you. I planned for them to be in your family-- and My family-- all along. They will arrive at the exact moment that I've precisely designed. When you've done all you can do to stand, just STAND... just wait patiently. Any "delays" are all in My perfect plan! You don't have to understand, but only trust and obey. Be STILL and know that I AM God. Keep your mind stayed on ME and I will keep you in perfect peace."

Hang in there, Nichole, and others waiting and wondering --- and fretting sometimes, just like me, just like Nichole. God truly IS in control!!

One more precious way the LORD spoke to us was through a precious 8-yr-old little girl, to whom I teach piano, about two weeks ago. All my piano students, including little Ella, are very excited about the new children, and every week when they come, they expect that they WILL have arrived already! (I wish!!) When I had to tell Ella (once again), "No, they're not here yet. I wish they'd hurry up!" Ella replied so sweetly, "Oh, it seems like a long time wait right now. But after they're here, it will have seemed like nothing... like the time passed very quickly, and you'll all be so happy!"

May it be so for all of us. Love and prayers for you today, Nichole!!! While we wait, Becky

New ADOPTION song from Nashville "Heart of Adoption" CD

Becky Wright | Indieheaven | Discover The other 99% of Christian Music

Hear the BRAND NEW song "Always Be Mom and Dad" from the Heart of Adoption CD in progress in Nashville... click on the very 1st song (at the top) when you get there! LET ME KNOW what you think! (All donors to the Heart of Adoption project get a FREE download of this song!) Want to jump on board to help finish this life-changing music project? (All donations are tax-deductible.) More info & short video with COOL PERKS for donors of $1 or more, here: www.beckywrightsongs.com

Sheerah: Grieving Woman... Builder of Cities

I was reading last week in a perhaps not-so-frequented passage of scripture in 1st Chronicles chapter 7, and was literally stopped in my tracks at one particular verse. In the plethora of hard-to-pronounce names of men, grandsons and great-grandsons, an unexpected name in a paradoxical moment of history was revealed.

Describing the lineage of Ephraim, who was one of the twelve sons of Israel (aka Jacob), several sons and grandsons were named. It proceeds to mention two other sons, Ezer and Elead, who were killed by some of the locals in the city of Gath, when Ezer and Elead were trying to steal their cattle. Ouch!!  What a shame-- not only the great loss of two lives, but a black cloud of a less-than-scrupulous legacy to leave to their grieving families.

In fact, verse 22-23 recounts: "Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. Then he made love to his wife again, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah [which means "unlucky"], because there had been misfortune in his family."  Every time they called their new baby's name, it would be painful reminder that their family was "unlucky".

Bad stuff. Painful truth. Real life.  Descendants of the great "Father Abraham", Isaac and their grandfather Jacob, they probably felt certain of a hope-filled destiny, a proud heritage to uphold and continue.  But now tragedy-- and shame-- hit like a tsunami.

However, the next verse- only one sentence in its entirety- struck me like the early morning ray of sunlight to sleepy eyes. Verse 24 says: "His daughter Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah."  It's as if, "Oh-- Ephraim had a daughter, too, and her name was Sheerah (usually daughters or wives weren't even mentioned- much less by their names), and she built several cities."  Wow!! 

Tragedy has stricken most families, mine included.  My sister Elizabeth, born two years after me, was a devoted single mom of five children. Liz was extremely talented, creative, intelligent, and feisty to the core. Tough as a boot- sweet as raw honey, full of faith in God. However, our world came screeching to a halt in June 2004, beginning with a nightmarish phone call from the sheriff.

Elizabeth had taken her five children, Amanda (13), Joseph (11), James (9), Michaela (8), and little Jeneva (aka "Jenny", age 2) fishing at the Illinois River north of town. Our three nephews, Jonathan, Benjamin and Timothy also went along, celebrating the beginning of summer and school vacation.  Young James didn't care for fishing, so he amused himself catching crawdads and minnows in knee-deep water nearby. I didn't know until years later that his mom had warned him three times not to get in the water.

When the strong current knocked James off his feet, Elizabeth did what any normal mother would do- she jumped in to save her son, swimming with all her might to reach him. The other seven children ran along the shore, screaming for help. People began to dive in to find Elizabeth, to no avail. Her body was found thirty minutes later, half a mile downstream.

Poor James told us later, "Angels got me to shore, but momma didn't make it." Elizabeth had shoved him toward a tree root and he was able to climb out. His brother Joseph watched as his mother "closed her eyes and went under... like she just passed out".  They watched their mother save their brother's life, then they watched as her own life ended.

It is likely that Sheerah's brothers, in the bible account, were married and had children- possibly as many or more than my sister had. It is likely that they experienced the same shock and grief and anger and horror and all the other emotions that accompanied my sister's death-- her seeming "untimely" passage into eternity.  I truly know that she is in Heaven, that she is very much "alive"-- just not living where we are-- yet.  And I do not- we do not- grieve as the world grieves, who have no hope of eternal life-- but we STILL grieve, deeply and painfully. A huge cavern exists in our hearts, that will not be filled and healed until we see her again in Heaven. We now gush with joy over Liz's first-born grandbaby, Rachel Elizabeth, born in March 2010.  We try to love her like Lizzie would- but nothing can make up for her absence.

The Bible doesn't mention when Sheerah began building cities (whether before or after her brothers were murdered), but I'm venturing to guess that it didn't happen until after.  Perhaps the sting of shame, perhaps to give her grieving sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews something to feel proud about- or even to provide for their families (which was usually the "man's job")... we don't know.  Whatever her motivation, though, Sheerah turned her pain into purpose. No doubt she held a deep faith in God, as I do, and she experienced the divine help and guidance that only faith can provide.

Beyond the grief, we can truly find greatness and goodness.

Past the pain, we can find purpose... and providence.

Be encouraged today in your journey.  My husband and I will be celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary in March. Both abandoned, divorced, and left with our own grieving children, it was a momentous day when two single parents blended our families for what we hoped would be a brighter future-- and a "happily ever after". 

As my sister Liz described us, "God took two lemons and made lemonade." 

I pray that you'll let Him do that for you today.  Build a city, or at least a good legacy. Elizabeth did-- Sheerah did-- and I hope I will, too.