Sunday, February 27, 2011

Behind Door #1, #2, and #3

My first thought on doors is actually from a story I read in junior high called "The Lady and the Tiger." A man is faced with an almost impossible decision; he has to choose which door to open without really know what is behind either door. Behind one of the doors is a ferocious tiger; behind the other is a beautiful lady. The author tries to help you figure out what is behind each of the doors, but really the choice is up to you and based how you interpret the clues. At the end of the story you are left hanging, not knowing for sure what was behind the door the man chose to open.

My second thought about doors and trying to guess what is behind them deals with game shows. A contestant is shown three doors, each with a number, and he has to choose which door he wants to open, determining what prize he will win. Sometimes the prize is amazing, say, a brand new car. Other times the prize is pretty lame, like a pile of bricks. For the contestant it's all a game of chance (and "luck" I guess) and he doesn't really have any control over the prize he takes home.

My third (and final) thought about doors is the Christian cliche, "When God closes a door, He opens a window." Thankfully, I haven't had to climb through any windows lately, though a few doors have been closed. In fact, I don't know if we are really supposed to try to squeeze ourselves through windows. I am beginning to learn that it's better just to wait for God to come and show you another door to open. It requires a lot less awkward maneuvering and greatly decreases our chance of injury.

As we dealt with our miscarriage, I certainly felt as though the door labeled "BABY" was slammed in my face, with no warning. It's as though I ran smack into the door and broke my nose in the process.

Then, a few weeks later, I was taken aback by another door being shut quite abruptly. Two families gave me notice that for various reasons (preschool, Grandma, daycare closer to home, etc.) their children would be leaving, and I was left wondering what in the world God was doing, how He would provide for us, what exactly His plans are.

It's so cool to see how God works, to try to imagine how He is busy behind the scenes getting all the little details lined up just right so the story on stage turns out perfectly. I feel as though He has shut certain doors so that I would be able to open others that I would never have even noticed otherwise. Or I might have noticed them, but not really paid attention to them or have tried opening them to see what might be behind them. Recently, God has led me to three such doors, each one with an exciting adventure behind it.

Door #1 is labeled "Day-Care" which is kind of surprising since I thought that door had been shut. Apparently it was for a time, but it certainly wasn't locked. God just brought other people knocking on the door, people I never would have thought to invite myself. Come April, I get to take care of a precious baby boy (who will be 3 months old). His grandma goes to my church and had asked about me watching her grandson before he was born. At the time I didn't have any openings and didn't plan on having any either. My how things change! I was at a DC MOM dinner and was telling a friend about how I had lost 3 of my daycare kiddos. The grandma heard me and was immediately at my side asking if I would have a place for her grandson then. Pretty cool how God made sure we were both at the dinner, and that the grandma was within earshot when I was talking to my friend! The door opened even wider this past week when a teacher who has worked with Lawrence came knocking and asking about daycare for next year. She was actually the music teacher where he taught several years ago and is going to be the new music teacher at his current school next year! Interesting how God keeps crossing people's paths like this. I will be taking care of her little girl 3 days a week, giving Coralyn yet another playmate!

Door #2 is labeled "Baby" but not in the way you might think. Tomorrow evening I will have my first childbirth class. Three expecting moms (and dads), plus 2 friends will be coming to my house every Monday for 12 weeks to learn all about pregnancy, labor and delivery, and lots of other fun birth-related stuff. I am so excited to help these families get ready to meet their precious babies. I am thrilled that God has provided this opportunity for me. Not only do I get to teach about childbirth (something I have become passionate about since Coralyn was born), but I get paid to do it. God is faithful to provide, yet again!

Door #3 is labeled "Children" but again in a different way than you would first assume. Tuesday we will have our first class for foster parenting. We had applied to foster as soon as we returned from Haiti last March but were never available to take the classes. We also thought that our basement windows would not meet code and that our house would not be "suitable" for fostering. We had our windows replaced anyway, just to get them updated and receive a nice tax credit come April. When we found out we were pregnant with baby #2, we thought about putting a wall back up to turn the office/playroom into a bedroom for Coralyn so the baby could have the nursery. We didn't need the second bedroom after we miscarried, but decided to go ahead and plan on putting the wall in so that we would have a bedroom to use for foster kids. Our schedule worked out so that we would be available to take the next series of classes and we signed up. We got our fingerprints taken and our backgrounds checked. Everything was a go. Then the lady at the agency came to meet us and see our house. Surprisingly, she said that our downstairs bedroom would work, without having to do a very expensive remodel of the window! We were so excited. We are still considering putting the wall back up, in case we have a foster child who is pretty young and can't have a bedroom downstairs yet. Whatever the case, we are going to class on Tuesday and in 9 weeks we will be well on our way to becoming foster parents.

I am delighted about all these new opportunities God has given us, all these doors He has opened. I am not sure what lies behind each of these doors, as I have only seen a sneak peak, like looking through the little eye hole. The good news is that God knows exactly what will happen once I walk through each of these doors. And better yet, He is going to be with me, every single step of the way.

Speaking of steps, I should probably work on that Beth Moore Bible study so I am ready for our meeting on Thursday. :)

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