Merry Christmas

We have a very dear friend that has walked through most of our adoption journey's with us.  On her last one we were in the process for Shawn and traveled to get him just after Vicki got home with Mary.  Vicki has become like a sister to both of us and is loved dearly by our entire family.

She was there with us to pray about Hannah and listened and provided spiritual support and guidance.  Friends like this are rare and valued.    When we were trying to decide what to do she was the one we called and asked to come over and talk with us.    One Sunday we all sat down around our kitchen table and talked about another possible adoption.    I know in my heart that God used her to speak to us that evening.   She looked at us and quoted a story from the bible to us and said "I have no idea what this verse has to do with adoption but it is on my heart"  That very verse had been in my daily devotion just the day before.  I pulled it up and began reading and was overcome with emotion.  At that time it became very clear to me that another adoption was in our path.   I tried to tell this story to a friend this week and to this day can not get through it without crying because I know that God used Vicki and the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch to speak to me.

All that to say there is another Christmas song that I have deliberately avoided this year.  The song is "Merry Christmas" by Third Day.  Well last Sunday my dear friend texted me and sent a link to that very song.  I still did not listen to it but have it playing in the background now as I type this post.  I still struggle to read the words which are below.

There's a little girl trembling on a cold December morn

Cyin' for momma's arms
At an orphanage just outside a little China town
Where the forgotten are

But half a world away I hang
The stockings by the fire
And dream about the day
When I can finally call you mine

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
So tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in His arms
And tell you from my heart, I wish you a Merry Christmas

As I hang the tinsel on the tree and watch the twinkling lights
I'm warmed by the fire's glow
Outside the children tumble in a wonderland of white
And make angels in the snow

And half a world away you try
Your best to fight the tears
And hope that heaven's angels come
To carry you here

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
So tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in His arms
And tell you from my heart, I wish you a Merry Christmas

And Christmas is a time to celebrate the Holy Child
And we celebrate His perfect gift of love
He came to us to give His life and prepare a place for us
So we could have a home with Him above

It's Christmas time again and now you're home
Your family is here so you will never be alone
So tonight before you go to sleep, I'll hold you in my arms
And tell you from my heart and I'll tell you from my heart
I wish you a Merry Christmas

If you want to listen to the song here is a link to it.  Third Day Merry Christmas  or https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=KZPL6GNX  

So here in our house we have that 17th stocking that each day reminds us that one of our children is not yet here and is in an orphanage in a little China town.   As with our 5 previous adoptions I try to pray daily that God will place believers around Hannah that they will start telling her about us and about Him.  And we look forward to the day when she will be home with us with her forever family.

So our growing family would like to wish a very Merry Christmas to you and your's.