A Moment of Praise (a.k.a, "Stomping & Shouting!")

Those of you who read my recent parable know that there was tremendous cause for rejoicing in the Garcia household this week! We learned by means of a long-distance phone call from an adoption grant agency that our remaining adoption costs will be paid in full and that many of our prior payments will be reimbursed as well. We serve an AMAZING GOD!!

What you don't know is that during this wonderful phone call we began to experience some major sibling squabbling. By "squabbling" I actually mean, well, a full-out war. Talk about embarrassing! Here I have someone on the phone sharing the awesome news that they will be enabling us financially to bring two more children into our family, while in the background they are hearing such hideous noises that they must surely be thinking "maybe we oughtn't help this family to bring any more kiddos into this mayhem if they can't control those they already have!" (At least those were the thoughts running through my mind at that moment in time!)

It was a day or two later when I had the chance to talk calmly with my girls about the importance of that phone call. I shared with them how the adoption of Ian and Alec meant a lot of traveling on airplanes and other things that cost money, which we didn't have. And then I shared with them how God had seen fit to provide every single penny that we needed! As I was talking, the thought came to me and I expressed it to them, that I felt the entire fighting/screaming debacle that exploded around that phone call was part of the devil's plan to steal the glory from God for what He had done. And we can't let that happen!

The girls surprised me a bit with their enthusiastic agreement and decision to "stomp all over that devil!" (complete with motions!) The next thing I knew, we were all stomping on the kitchen floor together ... and then we decided to add some "Hallelujahs!" to God. A song sounded like a good idea, so we started singing "Hail, Jesus, You're My King" with arms raised while feet kept stomping. I think we must've looked and sounded like quite the crazies to anyone within earshot, but I don't think I'll ever forget that moment of impromptu, spontaneous rejoicing with my girls.

And I think that our precious, generous, loving Father won't forget, either. Thank you, Lord!