Is this worth it?

Is this worth it?  Much to my dismay, these were the words I heard uttered from the mouth of one of my very tired children yesterday morning while waiting for our 13 hour plane ride to end. How could this child of mine think that?  And yet, after a grueling two day plane trip across the world, how could I not accept the humanity of this comment.   As much as I would like to believe that I have somehow trained my children to be selfless and self-sacrificing,  they are still children.  How can I possibly expect them to totally understand or embrace what we are doing. And yet, that is what I am asking of this child.  I am asking this child to trust me and to trust God.

This is worth it. The six hour car ride is worth it.  The grueling plane ride is worth it.  The long visa line is worth it.  The gathering and shipping of donations is worth it.  The missing work, school, athletics, etc. are worth it.  Why?  It is worth it because every child deserves a family. It is worth it because every child needs to feel loved and cherished. It is worth it because God has said in His word that caring for widows and orphans is worthy.  And for our family, caring for widows and orphans means adoption. 

So, after our visit with E and K at the Transition Home yesterday, I asked my child if it was worth it.  With a big smile, the response was "Absolutely."  I believe that God is up to more than just our family adopting these two little girls.  He is also interested in molding and shaping the hearts of my children.  And whatever God wants to do so that my children's character and lives will reflect more of His, I believe it is worth it.