A.D. Jen

Have you had one of those moments where you didn't understand something, but you didn't say anything? You just let things go on; then thankfully someones else asks the question you ignored. A-ha! Wow! Okay. Now I understand. Then for days you let the thought of what you didn't understand, but now understand so clearly, percolate and it becomes so rich and beautiful and the meaning deeper and more significant that you could have ever imagined at the moment of understanding? No, well I have recently had that moment!

It was our monthly "Family Dinner". A hodge-podge group of us wanderers that God has purposely put together for reasons continuing to be understood.

Attending this particular evening:
*My husband and son
*Kim, Ray, and their 4 lovely children-Our families best friends
*Papa & Sandy-Kim's father and his wife
*Chris & Brittany-Brittany is like a daughter to us-she started out as a neighbor and was our daughters best-friend and is now family.

Absent this particular evening, but a part of this gathering typically, are *Brittny & Clay-My daughter and her finance' and *Heather-our neighbor (her wonderful hubby is away serving our country in the Navy).

Some "Family Dinner" huh? Whose family? What's family? That's family!

Well, these dinners are something we are doing to make sure we make time to get together. You can click along in your life and then it's Thanksgiving and you are like "where did the year go?' and did I spend it with those that matter? After a major life event, like a stroke, you evaluate things. These dinners became one of those things that moved up the list of stuff to be done; and now we do it.

So, we are having a nice evening. Typical, but nice and then I was astounded and confused because in through the front door comes Papa with a birthday cake and lit candles (confused because he was already there) and everyone started singing. I was surprised, which is unusual; they got me. See, Papa and Sandy had to bring dessert this time and they had already brought in a beautiful red velvet cake, but this was another cake. A carrot cake with "Happy Birthday A.D-Jen" aww how sweet I thought. I didn't get "A.D." but okay-I thought to myself. Was it- "anno domini"-which to me means "after death"? Surely not. As Kim took the cake off to be cut she asked something like "Dad, what's with the A.D.?" It means ADOPTED DAUGHTER. I was in the other room as the conversation flowed in like a stream to where I was sitting, I thought: adopted daughter...

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15

Words cannot fully express the deepness and healing this moment has brought to my heart. It has worked on an earthly and heavenly side. My heavenly Father working to bring and inner acceptance through an earthly Fathers adoption; which express on the small scale the greatness of adoption into God's family...AMAZING~ Duality.

A.D. Jen