REFLECTIONS ON ADOPTION PART 2

I wrote a post a few years ago here and at the end it said, "To Be Continued"... so HERE is the continue. :) Mike and I are getting close to retirement. We already qualify for Medicare, and I started drawing my social security over a year ago. He will have full benefits in February. So, I guess that qualifies us as "elderly". :) It IS however a little humorous when you ready the news and they say something about an "elderly" person and then you find out they are 8 years younger than you are!

Even our old rocking chair is showing its age. That rocker holds many, many memories and now new babies are being rocked in it. In fact, I think I have rocked almost every grand child in it. It is the place to talk, to sing songs, to read books and to pray.

As I reflect on the last 35 years when adoption touched our lives, beginning with Mike adopting all of the boys, and then 22 years ago when we began with the girls, one thing rings out. INHERITANCE! Every child born to their parents inherits their name and legacy. It is a gift from the Lord. A child is securely placed into a family and they identify with that family, that name, those grand parents, great grand parents and they take on the identity of that individual family. In our case, our children are MINICHS.
I remember explaining this to the children when they were very young; "You are Minichs! That comes with responsibility! Honor your name!:) Sometimes they did, and sometimes they didn't. :) But it didn't change who they were.
Our children, because they are OURS, and there is no distinction between biological or adopted, are inheriters of what we leave behind. That isn't just the physical, but it is what our family has built over the years. It is a legacy of love and acceptance, of memories and of a solid future built on the Solid Rock of Christ.

As Christians we too have been reminded that we have an inheritance in Christ and adoption is a perfect reflection of our relationship with God. It is mentioned in Scripture that we are joint heirs with Christ and that we can come to God the father and call him Abba, which means Daddy. He lovingly accepts us with all of our flaws and slowly and perfectly teaches us to be His children through His sanctifying work which begins at His beckoning to us to come, just as we are, and rest in His love. He'll wash us, He will cleanse us, He will guide and teach us.
Oh what an inheritance we have! So now that our children who range in age between 26-47, are grown and have their own families. Some are just beginning, some are close to the finishing line. They too, will carry on the inheritance of how they were raised. They will carry the good and the bad, and as we alwasy say, "Keep the good, throw out the bad and make things even better for your kids!" And they will provide for thier children the inheritance of a good name. They have and will continue to establish their own legacies for their families. And the generations go on. This blog has taken on many topics and has been an honest look into life. We are no longer adopting, but we are LIVING and I will continue to write and reflect on our lives as I can. I don't want to start anything new, this place feels like home. I wanted to finish that reflection. So there you have it. :)
And now I will go and rock in my rocking chair. It is still a great chair!