'For I know the plans that I have for you...

" 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope" Jeremiah 29:11

The other night, I drove by a house that I really wanted when we were house-hunting. It was perfect--huge yard, huge bedrooms, I loved it. I can't remember the details of why we didn't get it, but I think it was because it was For Sale By Owner, and the seller didn't want to work with our buyers agent.

I was sad, but we moved on.

As I sat on my deck today, surrounded by ten children and their moms, I smiled thinking of that house. We ended up in a wonderful neighborhood, with all kinds of friends the girls' age within walking distance. They have a great dance studio within two minutes, where the same friends dance. They play soccer and basketball and t-ball with the same friends, and have a very secure childhood because of where we live. If we had bought that other house, the girls would have missed out on so much. While we didn't know it, God had other plans for us and that first house wasn't it.

When you lose a child, born or unborn, it's hard to see any silver lining. I've lost three, and while it was hard to understand at the time, God knew the plans he had for us.

The first child we lost, we were young, living away from our family, married only a year. We weren't settled. I had to be on bed rest for my two girls, and God knew being on bed rest an hour from my doctor, my hospital, and my family was not a good thing. We needed to grow up, and to have time alone before we threw kids into the mix.

When we lost the second child, we had two beautiful girls. As I look back now, I see that the timing wasn't right. Bobby had started his fire classes, and was gone two or three nights a week. There was still a chance Kaylin needing more surgery or another cast. Taking care of two girls, teaching full-time, and taking master's classes was enough for me, and God knew it, even if I didn't.

And for the third, I was due in March. Just last month. Anyone notice how completely stressed out I was last month? It was a rough time. Once again, God had different plans for us, even if I thought I knew better.

" 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope" Jeremiah 29:11