January 2nd - Ch, ch, ch, changes

     The calendar has flipped to 2012, and along with the comes all the possibilities, dreams and hopes for a the new year. Some have famously predicted doom and gloom for this period of time, but I don't see it that way. For us it is a new year full of 'what will happen' not a worried what will happen but rather an expectant 'what will happen'. It reminds me of my last birthday when we were in Canterbury and my actual birthday i had no part in planning, it was all a surprise, I simply had to go along and enjoy. There was no fear of would it be fun, would Rebecca and Lizzie have put together a fun day, I knew it would be a blast, and it was. That is what this year feels like, there is much unknown but excitement ringing throughout.
     A friend in West Church has loaned me a book she was reading it's called Adopted for Life by Russell Moore, and it has been an amazing read so far. He lays out the deepness of the love of God for us as He adopts us into His family, and how this is seen throughout the whole of scripture. Moore is also painting a vivid picture of importance of adoption in our society, how many verses are instructed to care for and love the orphan. The acceptance into a family with all the privileges and inheritance that comes with that name is such hope to those who either have not had family, or who might have been aborted. Reading this book has been like reading our thoughts, as we both taught on the power and privilege of adoption at the Bible College but now truly living out that message, not just saying them or reading them from the written page.
     One of the keywords that is associated with adoption is change, there is much change for all involved. If it is not a newborn then the child will be changing their living situation, their way of life where they have been, probably their school, friends etc... The changes for the family who is adopting are great as well, possibly adding another child to a full brood, maybe it's the first one, an addition to the house, the purchase of bunk-beds. You get the idea there is not much static in the lives of these families. Now to make it more personal, we are the ones going through these changes. Changing our living situation, having to move house in the UK, radical shifting of our schedules for the two months that we'll be in the US, we don't know when it will be so that takes some flexibility on our part and our church's part. Some of the priorities that we have kept may change now, can't predict what they are now but we'll see change. For the one who we see as part of our family a huge change as well, he or she will become a Robinson, have opportunity to see a part of the world that some probably never will, have a church full of people who will show love, many changes will come to this little person. I'll leave with a link to a song that I really appreciate 'Beautiful Things' by Gungor, talking about God makes beautiful things out of us, that is the definition of change, we'll embrace that.