The Grandaddy Letters - Volume One

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

Okay, folks, today marks the official first entry in what will doubtless become a series of posts loosely categorized as "The Grandaddy Letters". Yes, that's right, Rebekah and I should be entering the wonderful world of grand-parenting somewhere around the middle of October! This great moment of possibility has been arranged courtesy of Naomi and Craig Campbell, in Moodus, Connecticut.

Adoption Process: Some of you know that the Campbells have been looking to start their family for some time now. Last year they made the commitment to enter the adoption process. They found an agency to work through, filled out the paperwork, went through the initial interviews, and even made arrangements to cover the fees. They started setting up the baby's nursery and were well into their preparations for the first home inspection when things took a different course...

Rebekah and I have always been behind the idea 100%, and we already had contingency plans in place so Rebekah could drop everything and travel to Connecticut in the event things happened in a hurry. Adoption is essentially a pregnancy of indeterminable duration, it's a gestation that can last anywhere from a a month or so to three years.

But now (and it's a story I've heard time and again with parents once they make the decision to adopt) Naomi has her own due date to work with. So the happy couple can map the baby's progress, one milestone at a time. The first sonogram, the first audible heartbeat - and a whole series of "Did you know that the baby is developing (fingers... hair... synapses... elbows... an attitude... reflexes... musical talent!...) this week?"

What I'm loving most about all of this is the level of joy and excitement coming from Naomi and Craig. They are continuing to experience their life together as a wonder-filled gift. It's an attitude - an orientation toward living - that will not only serve them well as a couple, but will turn out to be the best gift possible for their new family.

I can't count how many times Rebekah and I have told couples who need some encouragement that taking care of one-another is the most effective strategy possible if they want to provide their children with the best kind of home. Not a better paying job, not a fancy big house, not expensive toys or fancy schools or competitive travel sports teams.... But a mother and a father who are crazy about one another, who nurture their relationship, who enjoy life together as a family and who anchor themselves in a caring faith community.

Like I said, I know this is not the only note about this ongoing miracle that I'll be posting over the next few months. But I'll close today's missive with one more word for our Connecticut family. They certainly have their priorities in order, but you can never get too much good scripture at times like this!

Don't ever worry about piling up goodies according to the values of this culture. Such things will only deteriorate over time, and they could be gone in a heartbeat. But instead, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Your Creator knows exactly what counts over the long haul, what stands the test of time, and what will result in the kind of peace and satisfaction most people only dream of. It's a fact: where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (The Matthew 6 passage - my paraphrase)

Peace - DEREK