Bittersweet (revisited)

 Here is an excerpt from a new book I am reading called "Bittersweet"...

"This is what I’ve come to believe about change: it’s good, in the way that childbirth is good, and heartbreak is good, and failure is good. By that I mean that it’s incredibly painful, exponentially more so if you fight it, and also that it has the potential to open you up, to open life up, to deliver you right into the palm of God’s hand, which is where you wanted to be all long, except that you were too busy pushing and pulling your life into exactly what you thought it should be...it is not life's cruelty, but a function of God's graciousness."

That's the season right now for us. Change... A redirection from the norm.  If life is always sweet, it rots our soul...if it's bitter, we get to experience life and develop the true grace that we need to be whole. When I wrote my last post, that's how I felt about moving forward without our daughter in our arms. It felt SO bitter, but beautifully sweet at the same time.

She is being lifted by name in prayer by hundreds of people that she's never had before.  Can you even imagine, that this tiny little girl was chosen to be the one to be in on this adventure? She has to be pretty darn special right? And now she will get to know God..through love and support. THAT is beautiful.

She is able to be reunited with her biological sister, who she absolutely adores. Seeing them together is just something I will never forget. Her older sister, very young herself, after getting a piece of food, would always pinch off a piece for Eliana. She would always hold her hand automatically to lead her where she needed to go. She would let her sit in her lap and let her do the annoying things that sisters do without ever complaining. She would teach her how to use her little iPad and teach her how to hold a pencil. To think about them not being together in the future is so heartbreaking I can't even put it into words. But now, they are together. THAT is sweet.

To think about a beautiful young mother (who is exactly my age by the way) that wants her children, if the work can be done to help her heal,  to give her grace and forgiveness and to teach the TRUTH to her (that she is worthy, loved, forgiven, chosen...) ..that she can feel empowered and take care of these children and they can be a family again. THAT is SO sweet!

I can just envision the day I see my "brother from a darker mother" (Francis) in Uganda, and he can take us to their home, and I can see these kids together, running to their mama to be hugged, and seeing that mother smile and experience the joy that comes from those moments. THAT is beautiful.

To take away all the beautiful and sweet to focus on the bitter isn't productive or encouraging, so if anyone feels sad or bitter for our family, please don't... focus on the SWEET that's to come for Eliana.
Because redemption...THAT is oh. so. sweet.