Embracing the Paint-by-Numbers of Life
A Lesson for Foster and Adoptive Families As a child, I remember vividly the excitement of receiving a paint-by-numbers kit as a gift. The image of a majestic horse adorned the canvas, promising hours of creative enjoyment. With eager anticipation, I dipped my brush into the pots of paint, meticulously filling in each designated section with the corresponding color. When the final stroke was made, I stepped back to admire my masterpiece – a beautifully colored horse that seemed to gallop off the page. Reflecting on that childhood memory, I can't help but draw parallels to life itself, particularly the journey of foster and adoptive families. Just like my paint-by-numbers horse, we are often presented with a template, a set of instructions, or guidelines on how to navigate the complexities of life. For many of us, these templates are found in the teachings of faith, whether it be through the Bible or other spiritual texts. But here's the catch – just because we have a template ...