When we set out on this journey we had no idea what God was going to do, who He was going to use, or the ways He would grow us to trust Him more. While volunteering at Passion 2011 we met a new, dear friend, Meredyth. She has become a special part of our family since P2011, spending every other weekend at our house away from her home in Lexington, KY. The first weekend Meredyth came to visit Mark was in Israel so we had a fun, girly weekend. During that weekend she helped me so much with the kids and we just spent time getting to know her and her getting to know us. Along the way I was talking to her about our adoption and how Brycen and Regan have been so involved and eager to talk about their sister often. In that conversation I told Meredyth the story about Regan and the little boy in class who took back his $1 that she was so eager to put in the adoption jar (you can read the full story in the post titled, "Sunny Side-Up"). I didn't give the conversation much thought afterwards, but sweet Meredyth did.
This past weekend Meredyth was supposed to come in on Friday and circumstances happened that made her trip delayed. Before the weekend plans changed, however, Meredyth had shared with me that she had a surprise to tell me and that she had to tell me in person. Needless to say, I couldn't wait for her to get here... not just for the surprise, of course, but I DO love a (good) surprise! When we didn't think she was going to be able to come she was upset about having to wait two more weeks to tell me her good news. So, I suggested she send me a video text (ahem, yes, I love technology), so technically she WAS telling me herself. When I hit play I had no idea what was waiting. It was Meredyth explaining that the story of Regan being upset about that one dollar not being able to go into the jar moved her... much like it had the person who turned that one "lost" dollar into $102 in loose change. So, Meredyth went back to Kentucky and spoke to a few friends about it. She then turned her phone to video four glass jars full of loose change from people we don't even know all for our adoption jar. Tears streaming. The amount didn't matter so much to me. The mere thought of others, who have never met us, sacrificing and offering their loose change to us was overwhelming. It was as if God used these strangers to speak into me His provision, faithfulness, and (again) His ability to provide for us in the unlikeliest of places. Here are the jars at our house:
I haven't finished counting it, but almost! So far I am up to $322 and I still have one jar to count! Just by giving away "loose" change. As I began praying blessing on those who had thought so much about our little girl God really spoke to me. It was as if He was saying, "It isn't just loose change, Carrie. It is tightly tied to the heart of a little girl they don't even know." Yes, yes it is, so it isn't just "loose" change anymore. It IS tied tightly to the heart of our daughter living half way around the world. Words will never be enough to say "thank you." Praying as we go about our lives we won't just see our change, but we will see LIFE CHANGE. So little, yet so much. Loose change? I don't think so. Grateful beyond words, blessed beyond measure, humbled to my knees.
