Always A Choice.

ADOPTION:
1: to take legally as one's own child
2 : to take as one's own 
3 : to accept formally 

Adoption plays a big part in our life. We have 1 daughter that we adopted when she was a year old, and another that we adopted as an adult. I myself have been adopted by my Dad. My husbands side of the family has had several adoptions through the years. Adoption is an awesome thing!

Along with my 2 adopted children I also have 3 biological children. So I have experienced both ends of the spectrum. We planned our pregnancies so none of them were a surprise, although we'd have welcomed any had they been. Here's the thing though, adoption is 100% ALWAYS a choice. NEVER can anyone say, "oops, we thought we were careful but, we adopted". Sure, there are probably times when adoptions happen that weren't planned, our first adoption was that way, we weren't looking for it but the opportunity presented itself and we gladly accepted it. However, we still had a choice, we could have chosen not to. When we said yes to adoption we said yes to giving these children a loving, safe, forever home. These children have come into our homes looking for a family, for a mom and a dad and possibly siblings. People to love and be loved by always. Not a temporary home, like foster care or orphanages can be, but a forever home.

My heart is just so grieved by the local news of a family who chose adoption and then chose to abuse their adopted children. My heart is grieved by the fact that for one of our daughters, this is her 2nd adoption. My heart is grieved by the gruesome stories of sweet babies that could have been put up for adoption but were aborted and are now being sold as parts.

Worse then my heart being grieved is that it grieves the heart of God. A loving, caring God who adopted us all into His family if WE choose to be. The enemy is so cruel, he doesn't care how he goes about getting his foothold and spreading hate instead of love. No one is safe, not even the children.

Prayers abound from my heart for all of this. I rest in the promise that Joy will come in the morning, because He is good, all the time, He is good.