Finally a Cheerleader

I've been thinking this past week, (before the wreck and just being thankful our family is alive and well), about cheerleading. I went to my first Franklin High School football game this past Friday night for their homecoming and as I watched the cheerleaders, it brought back some memories of trying out for cheerleading in the 7th grade and not making the squad. It was very painful at the time:-). But I've been thinking more about cheerleading my little girl with special needs. I've been thinking about what an honor it is to champion her and cheer her on and help her be all that she can be. The feelings when she can finally spit out a new word, or button her button, or ride that horse at a trot. What a privilege to clap for her and hear her hoot and holler when she's so proud of herself! I cheer my other kids on too, but it's different with her. When you've walked through the angst and the frustrations and the tears and then you get to watch them take flight, it's a heavenly feeling and your heart just about bursts.
I've also been thinking, as usual, a lot about adoption. I have a lot of friends that say that just don't have that calling or the heart. I understand that to a certain extent. But what about God's heart? Aren't we supposed to have His heart? His heart is obviously so FOR the orphans. If we are pursuing His heart, won't we naturally grow in to a heart for adoption? Especially all of us Gentiles that have been so mercifully adopted in to God's family. It seems that if we all just grabbed the hand of one orphan in tow with our own children, the orphanages of the world would empty, and our children would learn how to really love, and we would model the love of Christ to the world. And we would ALL get to be cheerleaders:-)