Unexpected Blessings

"God's answers are wiser than our wisest prayers."

I saw that in a store once on a neat looking wall plaque. I thought it was pretty nice. When I saw it I reminisced about God's answers to all of our prayers these past two years and how true it was. God is sovereign and His answers are wiser than our prayers. I even mentioned the plaque and store to my mom, since it happens to be in the small town where she lives, so that she could watch for it to go on sale for me. I only buy things on clearance - especially frivolous things like wall plaques.

I am a practical person.

Okay, except for completing three international adoptions in four years. And except for adopting "out of order". And except for that yearning to adopt again someday. Alright, alright, adoption aside, I really am a practical person.

In day-to-day living I like to keep things practical. I like the chores done before I go to bed so that I wake up to a clean, organized house. I like lists and supplies that keep us on track. Some of our kiddos carry with them enough personal trauma to be an earthquake sized distraction for themselves and those (siblings) around them, so I tend to limit outside distractions - TV, entertainment, guests, activities. This helps us focus on the basics of life: learning to fuction as a healthy, safe, stable family, learning basic educational concepts, and growing in our faith.

It sounds so simple, so ideal, so practical. And what I have been learning is that God's plans and his blessings aren't always practical. (If they were always practical I guess we would not have any of our children!) And so it should not have come as any surprise that God chose this time, and this space (our townhome with a tiny green space), to bless us with a new pet. We absolutely were NOT looking for a pet. We absolutely had determined we would not be dog owners again until we lived in a home with a yard. And we absolutely would not be having a large dog since our youngest was scared of dogs. That is the only practical thing to do, after all. We absolutely had decided that we had our hands full with four children right now and did not need another entity at home to care for.

And God blessed us anyway. And it is so good. I am still in shock as we watch all the blessings unfold of having this impractical pet in an impractical home at an impractical time.

Our newest family member is a 2 1/2 year old golden labrador (yellow lab-golden retriever cross - big dog) named Keira. She came to our family when her family could no longer care for her. She is completely and wonderfully trained and very, very calm with the children. The best way to describe her is as a "therapy dog". Silly, I know. She goes running with me in the mornings and falls asleep on my feet at night while I'm correcting school work and preparing the next day's work, and she is calm and gentle while the children learn to love and trust again in our home. In just four days our youngest child has overcome his fear of dogs and has a new best friend. At this very moment they are laying together cuddled up in the living room in the sun.