Now That My Eyes Are Open

I have just spent another wonderful week at Gull Lake Ministries. It is an amazing christian family camp (I use the word camp loosely-definitely more of a resort!!) located on the shores of the crystal clear Gull Lake in Hickory Corners, Michigan. This is the third year that my family and I have come to this little piece of heaven on earth to "vacation with a purpose". We are given family devos to do together each day, are taught from great Bible teachers, eat delicious food, lounge by the lake every afternoon (mostly only momma), play active and sweat inducing games (mostly daddy), and eat ice cream everyday (mostly darling kiddo). There is something wonderful about this place..You see Jesus is so easily found there. I can't tell you how much my family and I LOVE THIS PLACE!!

There are so many wonderful things about gathering to vacation with 300 other christians that one can't describe and while I have enjoyed every year..This one brought something new. NOW THAT MY EYES ARE OPEN, I saw so many families created through adoption...

We line up to take our family picture for the dvd and I spot two beautiful Asian faces with their adoptive momma. We got to know the youngest well as we spent much time in the creation station coloring and crafting away together...precious.

Then, I was standing in line waiting to enter into the dining room the first day. A little blonde dude about six (so darling) decked out in a Guatemala soccer jersey was waiting patiently in front of me. Recognizing that he probably got the jersey in Guatemala, I strike up a conversation with him. He says, "Yeah, I got the jersey in Guatemala. My family went on a mission trip there this summer." Just then the sweetest thing..A very handsome and dark little guy (also about six) standing in front of the little blonde dude turns and says.."Did you say Guatemala? I was born there." This little man was adopted by a family vacationing at Gull Lake the same week I was. SOooooo sweet to see this little Guatemalan cutie singing the song Oh How He Loves Us and praising the Lord with his sis who was white as snow at the talent show on Thursday night.

Then I am lounging in the Adirondack next to the shore in the sand when a beautiful brown princess caught my eye. Her dark ringlets were so black and her pink swimsuit just made her skin glow. She was a show stopper for sure-soooo cute. She runs out of the lake and into the arms of a white man yelling, "Daddy, Daddy"-another adoptive family in my midst. What a beautiful picture it was.

One more adoptive family to meet at week's end. That is four encounters in one week. To think that God orchestrated all of that for me to see-now that my eyes are open. God is a God of encouragement and He knew I could use some. It was so encouraging to see these families functioning in real life. The love and normalcy of it all gives me such a clear picture of the way that the Father takes each of us into His family and accepts us just as we are-be it ever so different than Him-when we trust in Him!!