Today's Reflections
Do you believe in miracles? I do. I always did. Here's a doozie as a result of our
China trip.
Let's start at the beginning. Months before we left for China, a friend of mine, Sherri,
donated some supplies for our trip. She sent clothes, shoes, and various baby
supplies.
A couple of days before we left for China, Andrea and I sorted through all the
donations and decided where each thing would go. We basically did an "eenie,
meenie, miney, mo" ... sorting things into 5 different piles.
While in China, we ended up donating things to 5 different locations in 3 different
cities (including the stuff from Sherri). Then we came home.
Meanwhile, Sherri has been through the wringer with various health things and
major delays in waiting for her daughter. Delilah is a beautiful 2 year old in Inner
Mongolia. I know when I was waiting for Zoe, every day was like a dagger in my heart
... I just wanted her in my arms, safe with me.
About 5 days after we got back from China, I got an email from Sherri asking where
her donations had landed. I wrote her back telling her that they went in 5 directions.
"Why do you ask?"
She then sent a picture of Delilah wearing one of the dress tops she had sent to me.
I recognized the top immediately!
I started doing the math of how this had to get to her. We gave this top to China
Care in Beijing ... they had to get it to her in Inner Mongolia ... 700 miles away. Out of
all the outfits, THIS is the one they gave to her. It just happened to fit. They just
happened to take a photo of her wearing it. They just happened to send her that
picture. They had NO idea Sherri had sent this item to China for orphans, much less
knowing that THIS top was from Delilah's mom.
If Sherri had sent me a top to take to Delilah and get a photo of her wearing it, I
couldn't have done it! There's just no way. I don't know her name, where she lives,
how to get there, etc etc.
So needless to say, God is still in the business of details. Sherri is encouraged
knowing that even though her little girl isn't in HER arms, God has her in the palm of
HIS hands. See below to read Sherri's blog about this post.
Dear Lord: Thank you for reminding us that you are very involved in our lives, that
you care about the details, that you have all things in the palm of Your very capable
hands. Thanks for the reminder that YOU are God, YOU are in control. Thank you for
loving one little special girl and her mother enough to send a 'red thread' proof of
Your love!
Sherri's (Delilah's Mom) version from her website:
Monday, March 30, 2009As I have written, the time we have been waiting for our
Letter of Acceptance from China has grown long and we are weary of waiting. I have
had many emotional responses to the seeming unfairness of our long wait and I've
even stooped so low as to wonder if this delay will continue forever and that Delilah
was just a dream that will never be realized in our family.
Ah, me of little faith! Let me tell you a story, weave a tale of impossibilities, that has
convinced me that God laughs when we start to think WE are in charge.
Just after Christmas I went shopping at the winter sale at Old Navy. A friend of mine
in Florida was planning to go on a mission trip to China. She has started a Shoe
Mission for children in orphanages who often do not have properly fitting shoes, or
even shoes at all.
I purchased some shoes and socks to send her, along with a few items of clothing.
One item specifically stayed in my memory because it was so cute that I bought one
to send to China an done to keep for Cami to wear.
This was a yellow and gray fleece lined long top with a hood. I bought a 2T and and
4T, meaning to keep the 4T for Cami. I "accidentally" sent the larger top off to my
friend and so the one I had for Cami was really too small.
As my friend made her final preparations for her trip, I was interested that she would
be visiting the China Care office in Beijing. China Care is the organization that
provided funds for Delilah's surgery last year. They work in Inner Mongolia, but their
main office is in Beijing. There is at least 700 miles between there offices and they
care for hundreds of children, if not thousands.
My friend has been home less than two weeks now. As my agency has continued to
unravel the puzzle of our long wait for our LOA, they requested an health update and
the orphanage sent some photos for me.
When I opened the photos I was amazed that Delilah was wearing a shirt like Cami
had in her closet. There aren't any Old Navy stores in China. Mostly I was just thrilled
as always to see her shining happy face.
But something tugged at my memory. I kept going back in my mind to try and
remember when and where I had sent the matching shirt I had bought.(During the
winter I sent several care packages to organizations in China) When I remembered
that I had mailed it to Beth, I emailed her and asked if she could possibly remember if
this shirt had been donated to China Care. (She had visited several orphanages and
organizations on her trip).
I sent her the picture and she wrote me back to tell me that she was certain that shirt
had been left at China Care because the shiny new shoes Delilah was wearing were
sent to her by a woman in Iowa and they were in the same bundle of donations.
So I bought a shirt in NC, sent it to a friend in FL, who flew to China and dropped it off
at a charity,nearly 700 miles from where Delilah lives and the next week I receive a
photo of my own daughter and she is wearing the shirt!!!!!
This is one of those things that I have to keep thinking about because it's almost
more than my brain can accept. It's much to big to be a coincidence. I call these God
Winks. What do you call it?
March 30, 2009
Do you believe in miracles? I do. I always did. Here's a doozie as a result of our
China trip.
Let's start at the beginning. Months before we left for China, a friend of mine, Sherri,
donated some supplies for our trip. She sent clothes, shoes, and various baby
supplies.
A couple of days before we left for China, Andrea and I sorted through all the
donations and decided where each thing would go. We basically did an "eenie,
meenie, miney, mo" ... sorting things into 5 different piles.
While in China, we ended up donating things to 5 different locations in 3 different
cities (including the stuff from Sherri). Then we came home.
Meanwhile, Sherri has been through the wringer with various health things and
major delays in waiting for her daughter. Delilah is a beautiful 2 year old in Inner
Mongolia. I know when I was waiting for Zoe, every day was like a dagger in my heart
... I just wanted her in my arms, safe with me.
About 5 days after we got back from China, I got an email from Sherri asking where
her donations had landed. I wrote her back telling her that they went in 5 directions.
"Why do you ask?"
She then sent a picture of Delilah wearing one of the dress tops she had sent to me.
I recognized the top immediately!
I started doing the math of how this had to get to her. We gave this top to China
Care in Beijing ... they had to get it to her in Inner Mongolia ... 700 miles away. Out of
all the outfits, THIS is the one they gave to her. It just happened to fit. They just
happened to take a photo of her wearing it. They just happened to send her that
picture. They had NO idea Sherri had sent this item to China for orphans, much less
knowing that THIS top was from Delilah's mom.
If Sherri had sent me a top to take to Delilah and get a photo of her wearing it, I
couldn't have done it! There's just no way. I don't know her name, where she lives,
how to get there, etc etc.
So needless to say, God is still in the business of details. Sherri is encouraged
knowing that even though her little girl isn't in HER arms, God has her in the palm of
HIS hands. See below to read Sherri's blog about this post.
Dear Lord: Thank you for reminding us that you are very involved in our lives, that
you care about the details, that you have all things in the palm of Your very capable
hands. Thanks for the reminder that YOU are God, YOU are in control. Thank you for
loving one little special girl and her mother enough to send a 'red thread' proof of
Your love!
Sherri's (Delilah's Mom) version from her website:
Monday, March 30, 2009As I have written, the time we have been waiting for our
Letter of Acceptance from China has grown long and we are weary of waiting. I have
had many emotional responses to the seeming unfairness of our long wait and I've
even stooped so low as to wonder if this delay will continue forever and that Delilah
was just a dream that will never be realized in our family.
Ah, me of little faith! Let me tell you a story, weave a tale of impossibilities, that has
convinced me that God laughs when we start to think WE are in charge.
Just after Christmas I went shopping at the winter sale at Old Navy. A friend of mine
in Florida was planning to go on a mission trip to China. She has started a Shoe
Mission for children in orphanages who often do not have properly fitting shoes, or
even shoes at all.
I purchased some shoes and socks to send her, along with a few items of clothing.
One item specifically stayed in my memory because it was so cute that I bought one
to send to China an done to keep for Cami to wear.
This was a yellow and gray fleece lined long top with a hood. I bought a 2T and and
4T, meaning to keep the 4T for Cami. I "accidentally" sent the larger top off to my
friend and so the one I had for Cami was really too small.
As my friend made her final preparations for her trip, I was interested that she would
be visiting the China Care office in Beijing. China Care is the organization that
provided funds for Delilah's surgery last year. They work in Inner Mongolia, but their
main office is in Beijing. There is at least 700 miles between there offices and they
care for hundreds of children, if not thousands.
My friend has been home less than two weeks now. As my agency has continued to
unravel the puzzle of our long wait for our LOA, they requested an health update and
the orphanage sent some photos for me.
When I opened the photos I was amazed that Delilah was wearing a shirt like Cami
had in her closet. There aren't any Old Navy stores in China. Mostly I was just thrilled
as always to see her shining happy face.
But something tugged at my memory. I kept going back in my mind to try and
remember when and where I had sent the matching shirt I had bought.(During the
winter I sent several care packages to organizations in China) When I remembered
that I had mailed it to Beth, I emailed her and asked if she could possibly remember if
this shirt had been donated to China Care. (She had visited several orphanages and
organizations on her trip).
I sent her the picture and she wrote me back to tell me that she was certain that shirt
had been left at China Care because the shiny new shoes Delilah was wearing were
sent to her by a woman in Iowa and they were in the same bundle of donations.
So I bought a shirt in NC, sent it to a friend in FL, who flew to China and dropped it off
at a charity,nearly 700 miles from where Delilah lives and the next week I receive a
photo of my own daughter and she is wearing the shirt!!!!!
This is one of those things that I have to keep thinking about because it's almost
more than my brain can accept. It's much to big to be a coincidence. I call these God
Winks. What do you call it?
