Gratitude

I realize as I look over my posts, that God has been blessing me with a deep appreciation for the abundance in my life, so I would like to close the week with what is near and dear to my heart today.

The people of Russia are about to celebrate a major holiday period in their country. For the next two weeks many of them will be on vacations and enjoying a festive family time. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to them.

Dear Lord, thank YOU for allowing us the privilege of adopting from such an amazing country with such a rich and magnificent history. Thank YOU for putting such wonderful people in our children’s lives who are working so hard on their behalf so that they may be blessed. Lord, please bless the caregivers and directors who give of their whole heart and spirit each day to lift each child up. Bless them with families and communities who nourish their spirits so that they may return to work each day with a joyful heart. Bless the facilitators who act as the middle men on our children’s behalf as well as our own. They give long hours doing their very best and everyone knows that normally rational people become irrational when it comes to their children. God please bless them for putting up with us! Bless the MOE, the judges, the social workers and lawyers who face the daunting task of representing the best interest of each child and work to ensure each child is placed with a family who will provide a safe a loving home. Please let them know in their hearts that even though the paperwork can be overwhelming, we truly applaud their intense efforts to guarantee each adoptive family will be a blessing to their child. Bless the communities who support these children financially as well as spiritually. Bless the drivers, translators, travel facilitators, apartment managers, hotel staff and all of the Russian people who contribute their time and energy to assisting adoptive families trying to find their children. May they find great peace and joy in their work and may they all have the holiday of which they dream.

As God already knows- that truly comes from my heart, because right now my heart is exploding with gratitude. I would rent a billboard and put it on every corner if I could, but I can’t so I am going to count on God to write it on each person’s heart.