Luke's Heart

This evening I was doing some cleaning in my kitchen and I found something that touched my heart.  On top of the fridge I found a construction paper heart that Luke had cut out and written his prayer requests on.  On the heart it said,

prayer requests
orphan
van
a dog

He made his little prayer request heart last August when we sat him and Ray down to talk to them how God had laid adoption on our heart.  Our vehicle at the time was at max compacity, so it was a given that we were going to have to get a new vehicle before we added another child to our family.  Once Josh and I revealed to Luke and Ray that God had laid adoption on our hearts, we began to pray about it nightly as a family.  We prayed for God's guidance, we prayed for God protection of our future child, and we prayed for orphans in general. 

Almost immediately after we began to pray as a family about adopting, Luke penned his prayer request heart.  We placed it on the refrigerator to be a reminder to us all to be praying about our adoption and the things God was going to have to provide for us, like a van.  He request for a dog seemed out of place, in light of the other two things we were praying for.  Especially since we already had a dog, which was Luke's dog.  I have to say that I prayed about the first two requests numerous times, but not neccessarily for the third.  At some point, I guess the heart fell off the fridge and was placed on top of it.  We adopted an orphan(or THREE), God provided the prefect van for our family.  Prayer requests answered.  Or atleast the important ones, anyway.

God is interesting though.

About two weeks ago we added a dog to our family.  She was a free dog that a friend had found abandoned on the side of the road, but couldn't keep her.  I couldn't resist her sweet face, and neither could Josh, so we decided we would take her.  This might sound strange, but that dog has been such a blessing.  She is the prefect dog for our family.  Also, a couple of days ago we started to foster a dog that needs is in need of a permanant home, and that too, has turned out to be a blessing, especially to Luke. 

So when I found that little heart on top of the fridge tonight, I couldn't help but smile.  God is good, and sometimes he not only gives us our needs, but he also gives us our wants.  That is what a loving father does.  Lavish special gifts on his children, even when we might not need or deserve them.

A dog might not seem like a big deal.  But that dog that Luke spent all those months praying for, has been just what I needed.  Once again, I am reminded that I am incapable of planning my life better than God can.  And once again, I am reminded that God hears even what might be considered the "unimportant" of requests. 

I guess I need to brace myself though, because Luke's newest request to God is that I will either get pregnant with twins, or that we will adopt a baby boy and girl....