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From the Cottage-by-the-Sea, #19, On Adoption

Thank You Abba Father, for adoption.
For this way that helped us be a forever family.
Thank You Lord for every successful adoption story,
For each one brings You honor and glory.

Thank You Father for caseworkers, attorneys and courts,
For each has a job to do in each individual case.
Thank You Almighty, for each precious child,
For each tear they shed, the shy and the wild.

Thank You Jehovah, for each adoptive parent who exists,
Who opened their hearts and stepped up to care.
Thank You Abba Father, for biological parents too.
Those who gave willingly and those who had to be made to do.

Thank You Lord, for the system, though it may not always work.
Its intention is noble, it’s purpose for good.
Thank You Almighty, the I Am, for the example You gave,
By willingly adopting us the way has been paved.

Most of all Abba, thank You for my precious child,
Who calls me “Mama” and was born in my heart.
Though parenting isn’t simple or easy always,
You’ve given us what we need each and every day.
        -dav 11/22/12. Revised 11/30/16.

—Donna

Their Voices

Bright shining faces,

Beaming with smiles,

Does anybody know Lord,

The pain in their miles?

The miles they’ve walked,

From this place to there,

In need of a home

Somebody to care.

A parent to love them,

A place that is “home”,

They need a Forever Family.

Too soon they’ll be grown.

Each has a story,

Each have a voice,

Each has a need.

We have a choice!

Do we see them?

Do we hear their voice?

Will we meet their need?

Make them your choice?
            -dfav 11-1-12 Revised 11/29/16

—Donna

My Wishes

My Wishes -Originally 11/12/13 on this blog.

I wish I knew their names.

The names of every parent

Who adopted a child.

I wish I could thank them.

Face to face with sincerity

For their love given.

I wish I could know

The children they’ve accepted,

Who they love as their own.

I wish we could have

A great big party to celebrate

The creation of a Forever Family.

I wish no child

Would go to bed without parents,

Without a home to call their own.

I wish I could do more

Than pray or draw attention to

National Adoption Awareness Month.

I wish just one more child,

Could find a Forever Family

Because it’s the right thing to do.

I wish those ones

Would soon add up to all.

So every child has a family of their own.

I wish I could say thank you

To all the people who make

Adoption dreams come true.

Would I be saying thank you

To you, or you, or you

Or maybe to one of you?
                  dfav 11/18/13

—Donna

So Says the Daughter of a King

The Creator of all that is pure and good,
Lord, God, Most High King, I Am.
You’re whose daughter I’m blessed to be.
Though my sinful nature would argue to cast me away,
There’s an adoption seal upon my heart,
A permanent mark least anyone claim not to see,
And it allows me to bring before You everything,
Everything.

So I do, as your daughter, O King of Kings.

Though I face consequences for my actions,
You’re swift to forgive, to help, to understand,
If I am genuine in my repentance to You,
You will stand to help me, protect me,
And if I suffer from a bad choice,
It is because I choose to walk outside of You,
But in time You will use what’s meant for bad as good,
As good.

I am the Daughter of the King of Kings.

                    dfav 10/19/16

—Donna

My First Love

Your love for Your Children is inspiring,
You have been loved by them at times,
But even when they’ve turned their back,
You’ve kept on wooing and loving.

I have read Your letters to them,
I have come to You and You’ve taken me as one,
Your daughter by adoption through Yourself,
Yourself in flesh as Your Son, as Him.

Now, I read Your words and I am drawn,
Drawn to Your heart expressions,
Hungry to be loved like You love them,
From one evening past the next days dawn.

Oh, my Abba Father, invade, my heart,
Though I cannot understand Your love,
With my head I can know You,
My heart must grasp You, it’s missing part.

Please speak to me as You have Israel,
Teach me to love like You love,
Create in me a deeper hunger for You,
Let me never forget Your love is real.

Be the Love of my life that sets the standard,
The love by which all other loves are measured,
That which all other love examines itself,
To speak so sweetly and all love rendered.

Be, Sweet Jesus, my first true love,
Wash me free of all pretense, make-believe,
You are the Lord God Jehovah,
Let us fit together like a hand fits glove.
                 dfav 10/16/16

—Donna

Baby Love

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O Sweet Little Baby,
There’s so much I can teach you,
Show you,
Explain to you.
But you must first learn,
Patience,
And perseverance.

You will imagine you see love,
Do you?
What is the view?
You must learn love.
Love is new or shabby.
It can come from mommy or daddy.

Let me show you love pristine.
New and awakening.
No mistakes and misgivings.
When love is unspoiled,
By sweat and blood,
Emotions do flood.

Eventually you’ll know love,
By its raw taste,
Of life’s dirt and grime paste.
You can’t be fooled by,
Fancy threads,
And gallant beds.

Love’s smell comes from the sweat of the brow,
Bitten lip when hammer slips,
But metallic blood instead of curse words cross your lips.
Love loosens a bit.
When the conversation centers round,
Why a Christian singer is wearing THAT, pulled far down.

O little one there is much I can teach you,
What love looks like,
What entrapment feels like.
What Christ looked like grave defeated!
Love feels like restored,
At the price unable to be counted.

So come quickly now and share God’s love.
The love that will have endured,
The love that has sin’s cost covered.
Come share the love for one another,
The love of husbands and wives,
The love of friends in our lives.
But, yes, O yes, share that of Christ who will never die.
—Donna.     dfav 5/22/16

For Me, the Unpopular One

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On Sunday morning I sat near you,
Sang the songs and worshipped too.
I wasn’t quite as loud and clear,
But I was close, did you see me there?
Before worship in Sunday School,
I hugged the wall as you all acted so cool.
Once I gathered my courage and said “Hi”.
But little registered as you passed by.
You and your friends were never mean,
Just that knowledge I wasn’t seen.
I’ve never been a popular kid,
Fitting in seamlessly I never did.
But here where God’s truth is known,
Shouldn’t it be easier if in us He’s grown?
Is it my school or my hair?
Is it my size or gender? Hardly fair.
Is it my shyness that puts you off?
Or was I wrong and there’s no room at the cross?
Why did I keep coming back to see,
Something change in a group who won’t miss me?
But take this from a newcomer who tried coming in,
I really wanted to be your friend.
And if Jesus can forgive where we’ve been,
All our screw-ups, all our sins,
Then surely so can we who do not know, 
Who made these rules of whose cool anyhow?
I think it may be too late for us to be friends,
I’m really sick and our chance passed by like the wind.
But perhaps I can help you now,
For me, make extra effort somehow,
To open up to the new quiet kid coming in,
Who searched for fellowship among their spiritual kin.
               dfav 11/6/15
—Donna

Yes—Yes We Are!

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Oh, my goodness!
Thank You, Lord!
That bright-eyed, smiling girl,
Bounded in my room this morning,
“Are you awake?”
“Good let’s cuddle!”
And—We did.

Oh, my goodness!
Thank You, Lord!
This long-limbed, miracle child,
Happily explained how she was awake,
“Went to sleep but,
An hour later, awake!”
And—we giggled!

Oh, my goodness!
Thank You, Lord!
She’s still in there,
The little girl in a young lady’s body,
Who can freely be,
Seven or fourteen,
And—we love it!

Oh, my goodness!
Thank You, Lord!
You called and she answered,
She’s more Your daughter
Than she is mine,
And we are thankful,
Yes—-yes we are!
              d.f.a.v. 6/25/15
—Donna

Heaven’s Broken Heart

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Is the only broken heart in Heaven Your’s, Lord?
Are You the only one who weeps at our pain?
The One we reject?
Show no respect?
Are You the One in tears for our self-made pain?

Though billions of souls are there praising You?
Though angels sing glory to Your every name?
Does Your heart have a hole?
‘Cause we are so bold?
Though billions of others praise Your name?

There shouldn’t be any sadness in Heaven.
No anguish of any hearts over there.
Do You bear Your burden alone,
In our Heavenly home?
So those gone don’t know what’s going here?

Is the only broken heart in Heaven Your’s, Lord?
Do you look down on earth and cry for us all alone?
The Cornerstone builders reject?
Whose sacrifice we neglect?
While You call, “My children come home! Come home.”

Then Lord, I propose our hearts should break too,
By the very same things that so disturb you,
We too should cry,
At the cost of our tries,
At all the things that so grieve you.
               -d.f.a.v. 4/15/15 for 4/16/15
—Donna