The Brown Paper Bag

A brown paper bag greeted me at my back door as I came in from lunch today.

Our neighbor, and long time friend, had placed it there. 
Although she doesn't know what today is,  this sweet gesture is very precious to me. 
Why?  Because God has blessed me through her

to tell me that this special day in my life is not forgotten. 

Today is the anniversary of my adoption.  March 27, 1963.  I was adopted 49 years ago! 

 My adoption announcements began, "Hello!  I'm Adopted."

And on the inside, continued, "I wasn't expected.  I was selected!"

For 42 of those years I had parents who celebrated every March 27th with me as if they just brought me home. They took me to The Shrimper many times to celebrate. I would always order popcorn shrimp, fries or baked potato, and coleslaw. 

Guess what I had to eat for lunch today?  Yep! The same!

My dad has since passed away- almost 7 years ago now. With the death of my dad we lost much of our mom as well.  Her dementia restrained her ability to keep up with time and dates. She has never remembered birthdays or adopted days since.

Although our mom lost the calendar portion of her memory, she never forgot two of the grandest moments of her life- the days when she and dad brought each of us home to be their daughters.  She could tell our adoption stories over and over again and we would never tire of hearing them. 

(Mom holding me the day they brought me home.)

Adoption was always something to celebrate around our house because a husband and wife, who tried to conceive the natural way for nine years, decided to adopt.  After living in foster care for about 3 months, at the age of five and a half months, they brought me home. God had given them the desire of their hearts; the desperate desire to be parents. 

As I sit here today with my laptop and share with you my thoughts, it is really sad for me since my parents are no longer here to celebrate with me.  My mom passed away a little over 2 weeks ago now, and the only one that ever remembers is my sister. 

But today, through my friend, Barbara and the brown paper bag, God gave me a precious gift . 

 It's like mom and dad didn't forget!  Inside of the bag was a cd of piano music- fabulous arrangements of old hymns.  I am a pianist and my parents gave me the gift of music.  Not through their genes, but out of their love for music, and the fact that I had come from a musical family, they provided every opportunity for me to learn and develop my God-given talent. 

 They were my biggest fans!

So today, instead of dwelling on the sadness that I will never again celebrate with them, I want to celebrate the gladness in my heart that I had parents who chose me, who loved me with every part of their being, who taught me about the Person of Jesus Christ, and most importantly, lived Jesus before me.  He gave me such a treasure; parents that God selected just for me

through the precious option of adoption.

(The evening I came to my new home-

Over 80 people came to visit that night and mom says I smiled for them all!)

Adoption has always been a part of my testimony in proclaiming the greatness of God.  I claim Psalm 139 as my Scripture picture and take immense joy in knowing that God designed me and designed my parents to "train me up in the way that I should go." (Proverbs 22:6)

(Woah! Look at those cheeks!)

In Romans, Paul uses the word adoption to explain how we became God's children. 

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" (Romans 8:12-17).

I give praise to God today for the gift of my parents.  Their love, their patience, their care and nurture, along with my Savior, Jesus Christ, have made me into the woman I am today.

 I pray that I can carry on their legacy with my children. 

Have you told your parents lately how grateful you are to have them as your God-given parents? 

If not, and if it's possible, why not tell them today?  

There will come a day when they will no longer be here for you to tell.

Have you been adopted into the family of God?  If not, I pray that today you will be led by the Spirit of God to ask Him to receive you.  Pray believing.  Turn from your sin and seek to follow Him today.

If you need help in doing this, please don't hesitate to comment on this blog,

and I will follow up with you.  I would love to welcome you to the family!

The following is my own arrangement of the song "You Raise Me Up".  I changed the title to "You Raised Me Up" as well as the words to fit my story.  This is my "Thank-You" tribute which I was able to sing for my parents in concert.

Before time began, God had a plan

To place me in the home He chose for me

And so you came and took me in your arms

And loved me through to more than I could be.

You watched me grow and loved me so

I felt so safe and secure when you were there

You taught me how to pray and call on Jesus

You taught me how to love and how to care.

You raised me up so I can stand on mountains

You raised me up to walk on stormy seas.

 I am strong when I am on your shoulders

You raised me up to more than I could be.

(Arranged by Melanie C. Shull, 2006)

"For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.  I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, Marvelous are Your works, And this my soul knows very well.  My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed, and in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them" (Psalm 139: 12-16).

My Pleasure,
Melanie