Time is so fleeting. One day you can be moving along in life and then the next be gone. This has become so real to me in the last couple of years as I lost my Grandmother to cancer and now today as I grieve the loss of the very person who orchestrated both our Ukrainian adoptions, also because of cancer.
My Grandmother was the most selfless, giving person on this earth. She lived to serve others. Her hospitality was beyond anything I have ever seen in anyone else. She worked hard both in the store her and my Grandfather owned, as well as taking care of her family of five boys. Grammie, was a true sense of a virtuous women as in Proverbs 31. She came to my rescue my entire life when others failed me. My wedding day was the dream of my life because of all she made, gave and sacrificed for me to be a princess for one day. Grammie always smiled and expected you to do so as well. She knew nothing in life was worth bringing you down. Her perseverance was honorable! I could go on typing pages of what my Grandmother meant to me! I miss her greatly. Without my Grammie there is a huge void that no one in the family can ever fill. Although, I will say due to her legacy we have tried hard to carry on the torch of her joyful service to others.
Mary helped hundreds of children to find their forever families. She saved so many children from the awful living conditions of orphanage life overseas. It has been told to me by my pediatrician that my Jared would have not made it to his fifth birthday had he remained in the orphanage. He was malnourished, starving and severely sick. It was also told to me that my Caleb would have been completely handicapped if he even lived. Those of you with any knowledge of premature birth can understand the sensitive nature of a child’s health when born premature. Then add in the fact that Caleb was never touched, barely moved and sat hours on end in his own feces and urine. So much so that he had a bleeding yeast infection from his buttocks to the top of his head. It is a miracle of God alone that Caleb survived without the medical intervention that we have here in the United States for preemies. It’s a miracle that today all of my children are alive, healthy and happy. Mary was a huge part of making that miracle happen!
Mary will be greatly missed. My heart hurts tonight at the thought of the great loss the adoption community now has. Mary’s passion is hard to reproduce for sure! She was positive and joyful in the toughest circumstances. She persevered until the children were home safe with their forever families. I was offered several times in the last year to help more directly with adoptions, but I have always told them that I could not bring others through the adoption process with such grace as Mary always did. God gave her an amazing ability to make a huge difference in not only the lives of children, but also in the Kingdom of Heaven, as she helped bring so many children home into Christian families.
Losing these precious heroes of my life, I am left to ponder whether I am using my time here on earth as constructively as my Grandmother and Mary did? Am I living all for Jesus? Can I honestly lay my head on my pillow at night knowing that I have done what God had called me to do for that day? Can I know in my heart that I made, or tried to make, the difference in people’s lives each day? If I were to die today, first do I have the confidence that I would indeed be with our Heavenly Father, and second, would I be able to hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant” when I meet God face to face?
The answers to the above questions are of utmost importance for any person to be contemplating, for we may not have a tomorrow.
(Right after I wrote this I found out we lost another dear friend Saturday, who supported our ministry, also to cancer.)
I don’t know at some point we will need to move on, but we are going to give it a few more months before completely closing the door.
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