Purpose

I had a neurologist appointment in Birmingham (about 3 1/2 hours from home) today. Every time I leave I am just so thankful to God. My neurologist always looks at the scans of my brain right after the stroke and says something to the extent of, "people don't normally live through this." He is always surprised at what all I am doing by myself and (I get the impression) he is not a believer and says that I am an inspiration. 

I can only give God all the credit, and I do to my doctor. How can I be bitter about my situation when I could be dead? God saved my life on October 16, 2012 for a purpose.  Each one of us has a purpose on this earth (if you didn't, you wouldn't be here still). I want to live out my purpose well, what about you?

Where Was I?

Today, on the Facebook page I monitor for adoptive parents in Alabama, I asked them to share about when their child(ren) was placed with them. It got me thinking about when Elijah was placed with us. I was not even in the same thing country. I was in a rehab hospital. Not exactly how I had envisioned things.  

I had planned to wear Elijah in the Ergo and walk around Moscow as a family. Instead I was was wearing a bib and not walking. Not what I had planned. 

It makes me think of the song "Blessings" by Laura Story. 

"Blessings"

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

And all the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear

We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love

As if every promise from Your word is not enough

And all the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us

When darkness seems to win

We know that pain reminds this heart

That this is not,

This is not our home

It's not our home

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy

What if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are your mercies in disguise

This was not what I thought my life would look like. But God knew. He made blessings come out of a mess; putting my priorities in place, my parents moving closer and more time with Elijah to name a few. God allowed it, and doesn't want a hurt to be wasted. 

So, Elijah's placement didn't go as I planned. But it was still planned by the Creator.