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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Confused (08/16/07)
God Has A Plan

“Mom, I feel so bad, I’ve been sick for over a month and I’m not getting any better.” The weak voice of my usually, perky, upbeat daughter, brought tears to my eyes.

“Oh, honey, you need to see the doctor, I’m sure it’s just something minor.” I replied, trying to keep a positive note in my voice.

“You’re not going to believe this, but Kent is on his way to the store to get a pregnancy test. It’s a waste of money, I’m not pregnant, but he insisted!”

“Tell me about your sickness,” I probed.

“Well, I had to pour out a pot of coffee yesterday because the smell made me sick. I also had to throw some food away that was in the fridge, because just the thought of it made me want to throw up.”

“Uh-oh” I laughed to myself…..she IS pregnant. “Honey,” I said gently, “you’re pregnant!”

“I’ll call you after I do the test,” she replied tiredly.

I hung up, laughing to myself. Poor kid, this is really some unusual timing. Married twelve years, with one child already, a little girl adopted from Russia last year, and the adoption of a little boy from Korea in process, this is really going to be something to get used to.

“I’m pregnant,” she was incredulous. “I can’t believe it, Kent and I just had to laugh.” I heard the irony in her voice. “Can you believe the timing, Mom? I’ll call you later after the two of us have had a chance to talk.”

During the weeks that followed, we kept the phone lines hot with calls back and forth. My daughter was very confused about the timing of this pregnancy. She had never felt the need to become pregnant, and she and her husband had always planned to internationally adopt.

A trip to the doctor confirmed that Mary was indeed pregnant. As word began to spread, the response was, “Oh, that happens all the time, you adopt and then you get pregnant.” Someone even said, “Oh, are you going to let someone else have the little boy from Korea now that you’re having one of your own?” Or “Well you were so wonderful to give a little girl from Russia a home and now God has given you what you REALLY want.”


Mary was upset and wanted to shout from the top of the town, “I did not want to be pregnant….Adoption was always our first plan of action. I don’t know why God is allowing this!”

“Mom, why would God let me be pregnant when he knows there are little children all over the world who need loving homes, when he knows we’re in the middle of an international adoption, when he knows that I never cared to be pregnant? Why would he let me be so sick that I can barely function? What am I going to do?”

I tried to be patient and give encouragement and support, but I was six hundred miles away. I did the best thing I knew to do; I called everyday and prayed every second.

As the days went by Mary became sicker. There were days when she could barely find the strength to get out of bed. She had to take her two year old to a sitter because she was unable to care for her. I longed to be with her but there was no way I could be.

During this time, I tried to encourage her with the thought that this sickness would only last a few months and soon she would feel like a new woman. However, I was concerned that Mary wasn’t coping with the pregnancy emotionally. I continued to pray and trust.

Mary was scheduled for an ultrasound and Kent met her at the doctor’s office. Together, they were able to finally see the baby. Its little heart was beating and its little hands were moving. A REAL little baby! They both fell immediately, completely, totally and forever in love.

Today, Mary’s sickness is gone. She is feeling really well and is able to care for her two year old. The adoption of their second child from Korea is in full swing and they wait with great anticipation for the birth of their third child. Mary isn’t confused anymore and she tells everyone who will listen, “Whatever our plans and dreams are, God has a plan and his timing is perfect.”
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Jan Ackerson
08/24/07
I love reading about God's plans, which are almost NEVER the same as ours...cute story.

I think your formatting "glitches" may be due to a setting in your computer--you might want to check to see if it's set for foreign language characters. The "preview" button on the submit page should show you if there are extraneous characters to take care of, too.

Thanks for this lovely story.
Joanne Sher 
08/25/07
Neat little story, that was a delightful read. Enjoyed this very much!
Donna Powers
08/27/07
A very nice story and a reminder that God does have a plan for each of us. A very enjoyable read!
Myrna Noyes
08/30/07
This is a well-written, lovely story, Leanna! (I hope you were able to figure out what happened with those strange typing characters!) Our lives hold lots of surprises, but God holds our lives! :) Thank you for sharing this with us!