Doxology

You know that song, Praise God from whom all blessings flow.... Can I be really real for a minute and say that is my least favorite song in the hymnbook? I KNOW, I KNOW!!! That sounds awful, but hear me out... It's not the words for they are so true. Doxology defined is a liturgical formula of praise to God. James 1:17 tells us that "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights". 

But if I'm being honest, it's the tune. You've heard me say it before, I am a music person, love music, BUT that tune does me in every time. Now, if we could rock it out a bit, that would be RIGHT ON! (Yes, the preacher's wife is a bit of a rock and roll rebel at heart, but God loves me and so far the church tolerates me...)

BUT I am not here to dis the song. The lyrics are spot on, especially these days. We sent a package to China last week, and the beautiful folks at SHH that are caretakers of Joseph "Tong" videoed him opening the package and sent it to me; y'all, I love getting videos of our son. But watching his face as he opened and explored all the goodies in that box just gave my heart a little extra squeeze. It was precious! They told me when he got the box, he ran and said, "from my Mama!" and that did me in!

Blessings come in different forms for the Blackwell family these days. I know a lot of folks say their material goods are blessings, others their jobs, many their health. I'm not here to knock anyone's definition of a blessing, but for me lately, it's the smile that lights up the face a little boy 7000 miles away. It's the way his cheeks lift so high you can't even see his precious black eyes. It's the perfect stranger sending me pics of his haircut, or the caretakers intuitive enough to take videos of these moments we would want to be a part of in any way possible. It's the painstaking efforts of a six year old little girl making an Easter card for her little brother she has yet to meet. It's the note you find on a dry erase board written in the careful hand of an 11 year old girl, "we will meet our [#bringtonghome] goal, no exceptions!" when speaking of our efforts to bring her baby brother home.  Blessings like the kind we've received at the hands of anonymous donors helping us bring our boy home, and from strangers who have kindred spirits where adoption is concerned bring us to our knees as we sing, "praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below".

Don't get me wrong, there have been tough times, too. There has been the absence of support from unexpected places, and there have been times I'm so overwhelmed by the sheer amount of requirements that I wonder how in the world we will make our deadlines, and when our financial goals seem so staggering, so un-achievable, but all of these stresses, the heartaches, our disappointments and tears have been bubble wrapped in blessings. Like some well known lyrics say, "Why should I feel discouraged, Why should the shadows come... When Jesus is my portion, My constant friend is He; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me."