When Seth came to me, he was six months old. He seemed small in his big crib. Because he was under one year old, foster care Minimum Standards states that babies cannot have blankets in their bed. I used warm pajamas and sleep sacks to keep him warm as the winter months came.
At Christmas time, someone donated many handmade blankets to my agency. When my agency case manager dropped off a bag of presents for him, there was this super soft knitted blanket that was blue with hints of white and tan mixed in. He was still too young to have it in his bed, though. So I held onto it for him.
Shortly after turning one year old, I gave him the blanket to see if he liked it. There seemed to be an almost immediate bond between him and this blanket. Before I knew it, not only was he sleeping with it at bed time and nap time; but he was wanting to take it with him everywhere. It was the most precious thing to see him grab his blanket, squish into a ball, and cuddle up with it when he was tired.
He is three years old now. His love for that blanket is even stronger. He calls it his "baby". He uses it to communicate with me at times. He will tell me, "Baby is tired." Or "Baby needs a hug". When he does that, I scoop up him and his blanket into my arms and hold them close.
This blanket goes with him everywhere. It is in his backpack when we go to church. He takes "baby" with him to daycare. He drags it around the house from room to room. If he is grumpy, he will find his blanket for comfort. If we go somewhere that I'm concerned that the blanket might get lost (like the zoo), I tell him the blanket has to stay in the car. Oh the joy on his face when he is reunited with his "baby" upon entering the car again. He is basically Linus from Charlie Brown. :)
I never would have guessed that this blanket would be so significant to him when it was given to us. I wish I could thank the lady who made it. I'm sure she it would bring joy to her heart to know that something she made brought so much happiness to a little boy.
It just goes to show that you don't have to foster to help the children. You can make blankets too. And maybe, just maybe, one of those blankets will go to a little boy or girl who will find comfort in the softness of the yarn that was carefully put together by your loving hands.
Monday, July 8, 2019
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Covenant
You've probably heard the saying "blood is stronger (or thicker) than water". Most people think that means that blood family is more important than anything else. I always thought that, until I learned about covenant. What does this saying and covenant have to do with adoption? Everything.
Covenant is not something our culture is familiar with. We are more comfortable with the concept of a contract. Contracts can be broken. Covenant is forever. What is a covenant anyway? The use of covenants have been around since the beginning. It was usually used as a way to protect a people group. A smaller or weaker group (vassals) would seek out a stronger more powerful group (suzerains) and come into covenant with them. This new relationship would typically offer protection for the weaker and provision for the stronger. (this is just one example.) There was a specific type of ceremony held to finalize this covenant. One of the things they would do is cut in half an ox or a cow. The leader of the vassals would walk in and out and around the dead animal saying their vows to the suzerains. Part of the vow would be along the lines of "let it be done to us as it has been done to this animal should we ever break our covenant with you." Basically, they were saying cut us in half should we stray from our vows of covenant. It was serious business.
Interestingly enough, there is a beautiful example of this in the Bible between Abraham and God. (You can find it in Genesis 15) God is making a covenant with Abram that he will be the father of many people. God is promising all these wonderful things to Abram, but He knew there was no way for Abram to uphold his end of the covenant. So it was God who walked between the animals that were cut in half. God made Himself lowly to be in covenant with Abraham.
Blood is shed for a covenant to be made. Because of the blood shed, this new relationship holds more power than anything before or after. Water, in this saying, is a symbol for the waters of birth. When a baby is born, water flows.
Covenant says that "blood is stronger than water." Are you getting it yet?
When I adopted my children, I was entering into a legal covenant. These children now have all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a biological child. When I stood before the judge, I was asked a series of questions ensuring that I understood the gravity of what I was entering into. No blood was shed, but a covenant was made non the less.
See part of the reason there are those who are against adoption is because of what it represents. It is a spiritual battle over something that is holy. When we adopt, we are showing the world that we have entered into a covenant with these children. The blood of the covenant is stronger than the waters of birth!! They may have been birthed by another person, but they are now under a covenant relationship with me.
This is something so powerful and beautiful. I'm not sure I am doing it justice. Feel free to do research on covenant. It is amazing!! Every time I hear a sermon on covenant, I learn something new. God sent Jesus to be the sacrifice for us, to allow us to enter into a covenant relationship with Him. I am a daughter of the King! I am an heir! I am adopted into His family!
The blood of the covenant is stronger than the waters of birth!
Covenant is not something our culture is familiar with. We are more comfortable with the concept of a contract. Contracts can be broken. Covenant is forever. What is a covenant anyway? The use of covenants have been around since the beginning. It was usually used as a way to protect a people group. A smaller or weaker group (vassals) would seek out a stronger more powerful group (suzerains) and come into covenant with them. This new relationship would typically offer protection for the weaker and provision for the stronger. (this is just one example.) There was a specific type of ceremony held to finalize this covenant. One of the things they would do is cut in half an ox or a cow. The leader of the vassals would walk in and out and around the dead animal saying their vows to the suzerains. Part of the vow would be along the lines of "let it be done to us as it has been done to this animal should we ever break our covenant with you." Basically, they were saying cut us in half should we stray from our vows of covenant. It was serious business.
Interestingly enough, there is a beautiful example of this in the Bible between Abraham and God. (You can find it in Genesis 15) God is making a covenant with Abram that he will be the father of many people. God is promising all these wonderful things to Abram, but He knew there was no way for Abram to uphold his end of the covenant. So it was God who walked between the animals that were cut in half. God made Himself lowly to be in covenant with Abraham.
Blood is shed for a covenant to be made. Because of the blood shed, this new relationship holds more power than anything before or after. Water, in this saying, is a symbol for the waters of birth. When a baby is born, water flows.
Covenant says that "blood is stronger than water." Are you getting it yet?
When I adopted my children, I was entering into a legal covenant. These children now have all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a biological child. When I stood before the judge, I was asked a series of questions ensuring that I understood the gravity of what I was entering into. No blood was shed, but a covenant was made non the less.
See part of the reason there are those who are against adoption is because of what it represents. It is a spiritual battle over something that is holy. When we adopt, we are showing the world that we have entered into a covenant with these children. The blood of the covenant is stronger than the waters of birth!! They may have been birthed by another person, but they are now under a covenant relationship with me.
This is something so powerful and beautiful. I'm not sure I am doing it justice. Feel free to do research on covenant. It is amazing!! Every time I hear a sermon on covenant, I learn something new. God sent Jesus to be the sacrifice for us, to allow us to enter into a covenant relationship with Him. I am a daughter of the King! I am an heir! I am adopted into His family!
The blood of the covenant is stronger than the waters of birth!
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