Adoption, Identity, Trust, and Mother's Day

Today is a beautiful sunny spring day.  Jerry and I rode our bikes to Huizenga Park where our little garden is, and watered it.  We brought a small Bible, found an empty bench in the shade by the pond, and read from the book of John for a bit.  Then we talked about our daughter, Kayla's blog, http://www.rupplife.blogspot.com/.  About adoption, identities, and trust. 

Kayla spoke about adoption as a perfect picture of the gospel, and it is.  Jesus knocks, we invite Him in, and our heart becomes His earthly home. We are adopted. We are His eternal friends, family, and heirs of His Father. The temple of His Holy Spirit.

At church last week a young woman spoke to us about being a foster mother.  She told us that when a baby is born he/she begins to ask the question, "who can I trust?"  When that question is answered by a person, bonding with that person begins. If the question isn't answered by a person, which is so often the case with foster children, he/she will not identify or bond with anyone outside of themselves.  Bonding and identifying with someone requires trust.

Jerry and I spoke about all of our identities: mine being wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, Aunt.  I love these earthly identities!  But identifying with them, receiving my identity from them, and taking pride in them won't take me to that higher place where "living water" flows continuously with peace, joy, and serenity.  Identifying with the One and Only ONE I can trully trust, will.  Speaking of Kayla, she said something else a while ago that seems like a fitting ending to these thoughts, "Stand tall, keep your heart open, and trust the Lord."

I am so blessed to be a mom.  These pictures were taken on Mother's Day.