Caring Heart: Christmas with the Family?

Some foster parents continue to foster long after their biological children have grown and left the nest.  This sometimes created unexpected concerns and ripples.

Christmas with the Family?

Oh merciful God, Christmas is almost here.  I am struggling so hard to find the spirit of Christmas and to keep it in my heart.  I know the holidays are sometimes full of pain for them for the Christmases that never were that should have been, and for so much more.  But what about MY Christmases Lord?  My first family is coming home to their home and deserve a family Christmas, too.  I know they understand my reasons for taking this child into my home.  I know that they even support the choice, and welcome this child. But... they are still pained that by my choosing to.. they are also forced into changes they had not expected.  When they come home, they are robbed of anticipating the calm comfort of home.  They know too well that they must prepare for walking into chaos, trauma, rampaging emotions and more that are far more likely than a calm return to the home of their childhood.  Help me to remember that long ago family who brought a child into the world with no room other than a stable.  Help them each to remember the more important traditions of lover over habit, of caring over comfort, of giving over receiving .  Help us all adjust to the changes and celebrate the important things.  Help us to manage priorities and emotions, to recognize that what we may have lost is so very much less than what this child has lost. Help us to remember and honor what is truly important this Christmas. 

Excerpted from "The Caring Heart Speaks: Meditations for foster, kinship, and adoptive parents" by Gail Underwood Parker   Artwork by Anna Parker David from the book cover.