Within minutes of posting the request, comments promising donations began rolling in. She was hoping to raise $320. She raised around $1600. What an awesome picture of God’s people acting in accordance to what we are: FAMILY.
Yesterday, I received the following in my Facebook inbox…
I'm writing each of you because you gave financially to make last night an incredible night for not only T and the kids, but her parents as well, and in turn, for us. I gave them a box and called it "layers of blessings". Every time they pulled back the tissue paper, there was another gift. First a $100 chickfila gift card (for a family of 7, that's probs only 4 dinners or so!), and then a $100 Target gift card, and then a photo book that I made of T's time with us (including some pictures of them meeting her for the first time. I know they treasure that book). Next, the amusement park passes. They were absolutely speechless. And then I told them that there was one more layer...that was an envelope full of bills. A lot of bills. I'm tearing up as I recall the looks on their faces. He was just smiling HUGE, but she was crying. So overwhelmed that strangers did this for them. I told them that I had this plan to get the passes, and was just hoping we could raise enough. Well, apparently, God thought I was thinking too small. Money came in from 31 different people and 6 different states. I was and still am blown away by the generosity of so many. You loved us so well, by loving T and loving this incredible family. What a picture of sacrificial love- on their part and on yours, too!
So, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I know they will share their story of how people they don't even know were so touched by their daughter that they gave to make this an incredible summer for them. To give gifts to their biological children, as well as to T. I wish all of you could have been there to share in that time, but hopefully my description helps. I truly, thank you.
Today, we all received a thank you message from T’s adoptive Daddy. He wrote about how we blessed their family, but in truth, each of us was touched by watching T evolve from a shy, scared girl to a daughter who always wore pink pearls and a tiara, singing along to the music from Tangled. Simply put, we were seeing the Easter story unfold before our very eyes: God was making all things new in T. He was and is making everything sad in her life untrue!
It is true that there is brokenness at every turn—in our world, our politics, our neighborhoods, our families, and our marriages. To quote one of my favorite prayers from the Book of Common Prayer--“we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. There is no health in us.” But what is also true, in fact, what is MORE true, is that this is not as good as it gets. Our stories are not yet finished. The Author of Life is still bringing forth his image in us, not content until at last, we all settle into His forever family.
*And I think it's safe to assume that Spring in heaven will be pollen free.
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