What's a Picture Really Worth?

Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Oftentimes, I agree. You can see so much in the scenery, the eyes, or the events going on in a picture. Your imagination can run wild. However, There are two pictures in my mind today that are worth a lot to me but require very few words. These two pictures have nothing to do with each other and yet they do (to a degree). Let me explain.

Our 18 year old daughter graduated on Saturday. What a powerful event in any child's and parent's life. The girls were in green caps and gowns and the boys were in blue. As I scanned the green gowns looking for that familiar smile, hair or shoes, my heart was desperate to capture every moment. Time flies with your babies and I almost felt anxious wanting to slow the moment down. There she was! To most people she was just another "green gown" but to me, I saw Jesus. Now, before my daughter's head explodes if she reads this, I don't mean she IS Jesus. I mean I saw God's handprints all over her. Just like her artwork early on that she painted with her tiny handprints, I saw God's prints colorfully displayed on her. As I tried to hold my camera steady and tried to focus through tears, I attempted to take several shots as she walked by. All the pictures were blurry. I put the camera away and allowed my memory to take the picture.

That picture I now have, speaks only a few words that have filled my heart with peace today. "GOD IS GOOD". When I made choices that were bad, God was good. When Morgan's painful journey was bad, God was good. When the world says a child of divorce could end up bad, God is good. When my parenting is bad, God is good. God's goodness has me resting so much easier as a parent and yet has me challenged to try even harder. It is powerful stuff to invest and trust in faith for years and then to see it in front of you in an image of His goodness. Nahum 1:7 says "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him."

My second picture is of a child I have never met. Ridley and I both got convicted about 2 years ago to adopt a child from Compassion International. Our son Harrison simply requested a boy since he was surrounded by girls in the family. As we plugged into the computer an age bracket and our gender request, 600 boys came up. I was blown away. I remember our family sitting in front of the computer trying to decide how we choose one boy out of the 600 needs. I decided we should find one with Josh's exact birthday. I felt it would be a cool way to help Harrison and Abby celebrate their baby brother's life that was ended so quickly.

When we punched in October 21, 2002, one little boy popped up. His name was Ermias Kindu from Ethiopia. Immediately he melted our hearts. As he filled our screen with his attempt to look his best, I immediately thought "THIS IS THE ONE". There was nothing more to say. We sat there silent for a while as if we were literally opening our hearts to him in that moment.

We have prayed for Ermias to be able to get a goat for his family, we have prayed for his shelter, his health and his mom and sister. We have received letters and pictures allowing us to know him even better. With Ridley and I both understanding the needs and stress of single parenting, we knew loving on this boy was also loving on his mom. I can't tell you how many times I think about and pray for this familiar little stranger, Ermias. I love him and have already been praying to meet him and his family one day.

We recently received a new picture of Ermias and it was the first time I have seen a hint of a smile. His surroundings confirmed that things were better for his family and he was being taken care of. His picture hangs by our family calendar. As I left the house today and zoomed past that calendar, Ermias caught my eye. The picture in my mind today is familiar. It still doesn't require a 1,000 words. Simply put....."GOD IS GOOD".