The Heart of the Matter

OK. It's Valentines Day. So that means a real, mushy, lovey-dovey post simply begs to be written. So here goes. God's Word says that whatever is in your heart is what you'll be passionate about. If that's the case, then our hearts must be filled with awe of an awesome God and love for our children and His. We've said many times that we are blessed beyond anything we have ever deserved. The miracles that God created in our lives are beyond our imagination. Beginning with our marriage and then our children. His works are greater than anything I can even imagine, much less try to accomplish on my own.

The first miracle, in my way of thinking, was that God put Connie in my life and hooked us up as husband and wife forever! He must have really had His work cut out for Himself in sculpting that little deal. High school sweethearts - ah ha, that's it. He convinced Connie while she was yet young enough, not made cynical by a cruel world, and before she saw any other opportunities that she should be my soulmate for life. Good plan. Why didn't I think of that? Get to 'em early and mold them into what you want them to be. Connie was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the one person that God planned for me to spend my life with and I am so thankful for that. We've shared so many life experiences together and we know exactly what the other is thinking, er well most of the time that is. Of course for her, that's easy "Hmm I wonder what time the Alabama game is coming on?" For me, it's a little bit more difficult, due mainly to my limited analytical capabilities (if you get a chance, ask Connie one day about the time I donated her entire shoe wardrobe to charity - God must have had a really good laugh about that one). Through good times and bad, God has nurtured the love between us, creating a strong bond that I can only accept as His gift without trying to figure it out.

As a young couple, God's plans did not call for us to have children and we weren't necessarily preoccupied with that. We were both focused on creating for ourselves a career that was both rewarding and capable of providing for future needs that we didn't even know existed yet. Looking back, I'm sure that this too was part of God's plan, that we should become financially stable before undertaking the privilege of raising children. Otherwise, we might not have been equipped financially to undertake the idea of international adoption. Waiting to have children was an idea that was somewhat foreign in our community, as most of our friends were getting married and having children just a year or two removed from high school. In our case, several years passed until after 9 years of marriage, God decided it was time and brought Austin into our lives. Part of the miracle in this was that God, realizing that we were drifting away from Him, had a plan to use a child to bring us back! Wow, what questions that little one would ask. Questions for which we didn't have answers and we knew it. We knew the only answers were to be found in His Word and so this little miracle brought us back to God.

Finally, after another lengthy period without additional children, God began to reveal to us His plan for the miracle of adoption that would lead to our little Lily Grace. That plan required that God convince me that a parent could love children that were not biological offspring. To make a long story short, He did this by placing in our home two children whose parents were forced to move to Illinois for job security. Emily and Amanda became a part of our family and big sisters to Austin and we grew to love them as our own. You've seen their pictures here frequently with Austin and Lily Grace. Their parents are very dear friends of ours and we miss them very much. I've often joked with them that if I'd been more receptive to this adoption idea, maybe they wouldn't have to be shoveling snow in northern Illinois - sorry Maurice and Tammy. Please come and visit and when you do, consider our home as yours.

So, we have a lot to be thankful for on this Valentine's Day. God, each other, and our children - all miracles from an awesome God.

Love,

Jerry, Connie, Austin, and Lily Grace (and Emily and Amanda)

PS. I know what you're thinking and no, I didn't forget Valentine's Day. Connie got a few little stuffed animals, some chocolate, and tickets to the Mercy Me/Audio Adrenline concert in April - maybe she'll ask me to go with her on a real date that night.