Foster Care is Fun. 

Yes! Foster care is fun! We write a lot about the weight that it carries. But looking at our day-to-day life, fostering can be so much fun! We get to watch kids grow up and experience life with all their commentary along the way.

We get to help kids experience new things all the time. And while that can be scary for some, most of the time it brings some hilarious reactions. Kids have no filter. So whether it’s a new food or new place, kids say the darnedest things!

We get to do things like arts and crafts, building things, coloring, playing outside – those are just simply FUN to do with kids. Seeing their creativity and abilities brings us joy and laughter.

Nehemiah 8:10b says “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

We have the privilege to raise some of God’s most precious creation. They truly are the joy of the Lord. We find strength in our laughter with children.

Example: A child saying my name over and over while I’m trying to pack the cottage for camp. I’m obviously getting frustrated in hearing them call me continuously. It’s the typical “mom. Mom. Moooommmmm. Mom mom. Mom.” To which I finally reply ‘yes. What do you need?’ Child: should I tell the boys that we need to shave our beards before we go camping?

Bahahaha! I almost instantly think  “This will work. We can do this.” The trip we packed for and planned for. It’s stressful, but it will be ok. We can get through it. Similarly, when we get more than 1 admission at once, and I’m well aware that we are causing a tornado at the doctor’s office for physicals. Then one of the children licks the patient bed in the room. All you can do is laugh. Like, what in the world is he thinking?!

These times normally come in between being scared and asking a million questions about what a doctor does and screaming because there is a strange lady (nurse) wanting to check their blood pressure. So it seems like there’s hope when they decide to show a very child-like weirdness of licking benches.

Children are such an example of the roller coaster of life and the hope that Christ brings. In the middle of  stress and chaos and tantrums comes a sweet kiss on the cheek or a small hand that wants to hold mine. God uses them to show us that He really is in our midst, especially when we don’t always feel it.

So, Foster care is fun! It’s not a deep, profound thought, but it’s a unique way that God strengthens us for the dark days. Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time to weep and a time for laughter. We are so grateful to work in a ministry that is so full of laughter!

I’ll leave you with my current favorite song from a 5 year old: ‘Hallelujah. Praise the Lordt. Come Jesus, don’t tell me what to do. Don’t you tell me what to do. Hallelujah.”