Sacrifice and Selflessness

Monday, April 28, 2008

A friend recently shared with me the song 'Everything To Me' by Mark Schultz. It's an awfully powerful song--especially to those of us whose lives have been touched by adoption. I'm not really familiar with the artist or his other work, but my understanding is that he was adopted as an infant and the experience gave him an opportunity to learn about God that he might not otherwise have had. He says since recording this song, he has received numerous messages from young women who (as a result of hearing his story) chose to make an adoption plan instead of aborting their babies. I think the song and its message really hits me because since adopting two children, I couldn't begin to count the number of times people have told me "I just don't see how she gave her child up--I could never do that." And what I always think, and sometimes answer in response, is: "She's sacrificing for her child, trying to give him what she can't. She could have killed her baby, or tried raising him without emotional, physical, etc. resources, but she made the selfless decision." Most amazing to me is the way God can turn our shortsighted actions into a beautiful opportunity to praise Him for His deliverance. I think one thing that hit me the most is the very last part, as he talks about being a husband and father to his children. Perhaps a cycle is being broken. Instead of fatherless children producing more fatherless children, our adopted children have the opportunity to experience an intact family and expect/pursue the same family life in their adulthood. I pray that the words to this song will be true for Easton and Kiana, who have been added to our lives through adoption, some day as well! I must have felt your tears when they took me from your arms, I'm sure I must have heard you say goodbye Young and so afraid had you made a big mistake, Could an ocean even hold the tears you cried But you had dreams for me, you wanted the best for me, And you made the only choice you could that night You gave life to me, a brand new world to see, Like playing baseball in the yard with Dad at night, Mom reading Goodnight Moon and praying in my room So if you worry if your choice was right, You gave me up but you gave everything to me And if I saw you on the street would you know that it was me, And would your eyes be blue or green like mine? Would we share a warm embrace, would you know me in your heart, Or would you smile and let me walk on by Knowing you had dreams for me, you wanted the best for me And I hope that you’d be proud of who I am You’d see you gave life to me, a chance to find my dreams And a chance to fall in love You should have seen her shining face on our wedding day Oh is this the dream you had in mind When you gave me up, you gave everything to me And when I see you there watching from heaven’s gates Into your arms I’m gonna run And when you look in my eyes you can see my whole life See who I was, and who I’ve become. Cuz you gave life to me, a brand new world to see Like playing baseball with my son late at night And reading Goodnight Moon and praying in his room I’m so grateful that I had this life. . . . .When you gave me up, you gave everything to me.