Life Preaches the Gospel

Yesterday was a day that requires some reflection. It was one of those days that will probably become more profound in my mind as time passes.

It was the 9th anniversary for my wife and me. We were married Dec.16, 2000 in the aftermath of an ice storm. Our marriage is strong, based on our commitment to loving Jesus and letting that priority shape our love for each other. We had a great time yesterday. For dinner, Rachel made my favorite dish, lasagne. She ran out of lasagne noodles and had to use a layer of spaghetti to make it work. It did work. She's a genius.

But to really celebrate nine years of marriage, we had a son. It just so happens that our day in court to officially finalize our adoption of Samuel David fell yesterday at 11:30am. We bundled up the family and made the journey to the courthouse in Carlisle, where our lawyer said these words. I'll paraphrase:

Do you understand that with this adoption, Samuel will be your son with all the rights and privileges of a natural born child? And do you understand that you will be charged with taking care of him, providing for his needs and caring for him as his parents?

Do we understand this? Yes. We understand because we love Samuel; we chose him, traveled to get him, picked him up out of his dire situation, made room for him in our family, and we now give him everything he needs, including the promise of a share in this family forever. Does Samuel understand the ramifications of all that has happened. No. He just knows he's loved. And as he grows, he'll come to understand all of the parts of that love.

It was a very good day.


Ephesians 1:3-14

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.