Christmas goodwill

This is not a post about thrifting, or antiques or other cool old stuff.  But since the blog is called "The House of Goodwill" I'm probably not too off-topic.

This post is an update on the lives of my family and me.  And it will be brief.  (I've got lots to do today!)

I spent the greater part of the last two years working on (and finishing - more or less) The House of Goodwill; work that mostly consisted of painting and furnishing the house.  Before that, I was a full-time foster parent for almost two years.

I've spent the last year praying about what God has next for me.  How can I serve?  What can I do?  How best to fulfill the purpose of my life by helping someone else?

I couldn't help but think about my son - who is adopted - and the amazing way I observed him come to know God and give his life to Him.  And I wonder sometimes where he would be if he wasn't here with us.  I know God used us in his life.  If he could do it once, he can do it again.

And while nothing we do in life is guaranteed a result we hope for, we don't love and serve others for results.  We do it because it's the right thing to do.  It's what God wants us to do.

I saw enough adoption profiles before finding our son to know there are a million other kids out there just waiting; hoping and praying for the family they were denied.  I felt a stronger and stronger sense that this is what God has for us once more.

So, all that lead to this: tomorrow, we will be driving to the Atlanta airport to pick up a thirteen-year-old girl, from a Colombian foster home, to spend the holiday with us.  She will be with our family for three weeks, leaving on the 28th.  She will come to us from a program called Kidsave, that finds adoptive homes for older kids in foster care (in this case, from the country of Colombia).  It is the program through which we found our son.

We are so very excited to share the holiday with her; considering her life so far has mainly consisted of losses, hopefully we can bless her a lot.

Here is her profile:

Isn't she beautiful?

Whether she wants to be adopted by us is yet to be seen.  (The program in part is to help families and potential adoptees see if they feel they are a match.)  But we have made the decision to adopt again regardless.

(And I would just like to take a moment to point out - if it isn't clear - that we are not planning to adopt solely as an act of charity.  While I understand that in a sense it is, when we adopt it will be to have another son or daughter.  Several people implied to me in the past that the adoption of our son was some form of charity or good work we did; this only helps me realize some people have no idea what adoption truly is.  Yes, it's a good work.  But I'm sure no one knows the incredible blessing that my son has been in our lives, or the joy he's brought.)

We hope to bless her.  I know she will bless us.  I'll try to post but I know we'll be busy...so just in case I'm not online much this month I'll just say it now:

Merry Christmas!  May peace, love and goodwill fill your holidays and your hearts. 💗🎄