Yesterday, I had this great plan of writing this lovely blog about how amazing my husband is and how wonderful it is to celebrate his birthday... but before 1:30 pm yesterday I didn't really understand just how much resolve and courage my husband has. The plan for yesterday was to meet my sister and go to the art museum and then head to Fort Collins for some guitar shopping. We (Mika and I) went to the art museum with my sister and the boys hung at REI and we did go guitar shopping (spoiler alert! Paul did get a guitar) but something unexpected happen in the middle, something that has changed who we are, something that reminded us that redemption has a cost and as humans we are quick to count the cost when our Savior didn't count the cost.
While at the art museum I received a phone call from the social worker that did our home study for the adoption, which went to voice mail because I was climbing 7 flights of stairs. In a couple of minutes I got a text from Paul saying that are SW wanted to discuss something with us. Not thinking it was urgent... cause I tend to not think things are urgent, we went about our exploration, met up with the boys, walked to 16th Street Mall and sat for lunch. I looked at the menu and then looked at my phone and noticed that our SW had called again. I excused myself to find a quiet place.... Johnny Rockets is anything but quiet... and called our SW. She told me there was a baby that needed a home and would we be interested in her showing our profile to the birth parents. The kicker was this little boy has special needs. We had already said we would be open to it, but when she told me that and I was walking back to the restaurant to talk to Paul, I began to question it, I began to count the cost. I motioned to Paul to come outside, how providential that my sister would be sitting at the table with us, ready and willing to entertain our kids. We talked, prayed and sat down and waited for God to speak to our hearts. Paul ate, shed tears, looked at me and said "you better call her back", which meant, "how could we say no".
This story doesn't end with us taking this precious one home, but it does end with us praying for this little boy. This morning as I sit waiting, wondering, praying... I think about Sarah, Rachel, Samson's mother, Hannah, and Elizabeth... all these women in the Bible wanted a child and prayed and God answered. Each of these women prayed for their sons in a special way, a way only a mother can pray for her children and God made these men great (human and flawed, but he used them in great and mighty ways). I think possibly there is something special in a mother's prayers, something that can only come from a mother. This little boy may not be mine, but I have prayed for him in a way that only a mother can pray for her child. I have poured out my heart for this little boy, with a willingness to accept the responsibility for his body and soul. He may not end up living in our home, but those prayers.... all of them, they will matter in eternity.
So...Paul's birthday gift... we learned a little something about redemption. This Good Friday won't feel the same as others, because I know that He did something for me, that no human could have ever done. He took it all and didn't count the cost. I also learned that my husband means what he says, when he says we are about caring for orphans, he doesn't mean the ones that will be easier to love, he means that we will take the least of these into our home and pour ourselves out to be Jesus to them. We, the Braddy's, will live out redemption.
