Wednesday, January 18, 2006

'Jacob have I loved'

Back in college, I noticed that God's judgments in the Bible always came mixed with mercy of equal measure. I wonder sometimes if the reverse isn't also true.

About four years ago, my wife, older daughter and I opened our home to a 2-year-old foster child whose parents had neglected him in some pretty substantial ways. During the nine months he was with us, Isaac made a lot of progress and became apart of our family. The day he left, my heart was torn from my chest. I've never stopped thinking of him, and in my heart he will always be my son.

I would have adopted him in a heartbeat, but for reasons that continue to escape me, the state decided he belonged with his parents, even though they had made no progress or improvement in the areas that had led to the removal of their children.

Isaac had a sister, about 18 months younger than he. While he stayed with us, his sister stayed with another young couple from our church. Although she also returned to her parents after nine months, his sister remained a part of her foster parents' lives, and somewhere in the past two years, she moved in with them.

They are now in the process of adopting her. Her biological mother is signing the adoption papers today. All that remains is for a judge to make it official.

I'm happy for them, but I haven't seen Isaac in years, and right now all I want to do is cry.

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