Commencement

Well, it's official - as of about 3 weeks ago, we have completed the 21 hours necessary for our foster/adoption license through His House.  Hooray!  We completed one phase and now, we're on to the next phase: a phase filled with paperwork and documentation, background checks, and home study visits.  So much uncharted territory and so many unknown variables!  Coincidentally, as we were "graduating" from our coursework, several of our friends had graduates of their own, as their children were graduating from high school and moving on to life as a college student.  It paralleled our graduation in so many ways.  Such an exciting time, filled with so many choices and decisions to make.  New responsibilities and challenges abound, with opportunities for success and failure at every turn.  It can be a little intimidating.  Who am I kidding - it can be overwhelmingly daunting at times!  But it is in the midst of these times - the times when I am brought to the end of "myself" and all that I am comfortable and familiar with, when the path ahead is unknown and clouded with all of the things I "see" before me - that I am brought to a place where I cling to the Lord even more.  Reminds me of the Scripture in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 that says "So we do not lose heart.  Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."  For now, we will choose to "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14)  Only in His strength, and all for His glory!