Today my oldest child proved herself a good friend.  I’ve always known she was a good friend because she has so many friends.  Tonight, we picked one of her friends up to join us at our mid-week church night.  It was the friend’s birthday and her family was busy and Claire wanted to be with her on her birthday….so she invited her along.  Friend and I had to wait for Claire to finish at dance before church and friend said, “Mrs. Kredit, did Claire tell you what she did for my birthday?”  “No…..what did she do?”  “Well, she had notes for me and after every period of class, there was another note in my locker, saying something she liked about me.  At the end of the school day I had 9 notes!”. 

Claire was busy yesterday from 7am until 10pm…..and yet she found time to do this for her friend.  I was moved by the level of mature blessing my 13-year old girl possesses….again.  Friend…..is an adopted child.  Her mom told me once, that she was adopted as a pre-schooler, and her past was pretty rough before her adoption….and tonight, I’m thinking this. 

We are embarking upon a rather difficult adoption.  Our child will likely be an older pre-schooler when our adoption is finished…..and her past has some rough bumps in it as well.  I can only hope and pray, that 10 years from now, our child, too, will have a special friend who stays up way too late to make a list of all the things she likes about my girl.  I can only help that she lavishes her love and praise on my little girl, who is almost then a young woman….and validate her for exactly who she is.

Dear Lord, please help us all to become good friends to those around us, and make those lists of all the things we love about them, so that they may know how much they matter.  Amen.