by Joyce M. George-Knight

Created on: December 02, 2009   Last Updated: December 03, 2009

Bob Carlisle and Randy Thomas wrote a song that is frequently used for the father's dance with the new bride, Butterfly Kisses. "I couldn't ask God for more than this is what love is. I know I've got to let her go but I'll always remember every hug in the mornin' and butterfly kisses." When your child reaches the point of spreading his or her wings to begin a life of their own, you realize just how much of a difference you made in his or her life as a child. This precious gift of a child was placed into your hands to guide, teach, protect and encouraged to emerge as the person that God intended them to be. That innocent life trusted us completely and depended upon you for everything. How you responded to that child makes all the difference as to his or her perception of life. Therefore, you make a tremendous difference.

We invited into our home teen-aged children, who were labeled, "Persons in Need of Supervision." they were either from broken homes or homes with a single parent and never knew their other parent. They were angry individuals, who were fighting their way through life. In conversations with them, they had low self-esteem and they felt unwanted. Parents were too busy to pay attention to them. When we received these teens, the court had removed them from their homes and placed them in our foster care.

As hard as our family tried to enable the foster children to at least feel liked, there was an underlying foundation of mistrust and disbelief. In order to reach them, it was obvious that they required healing from their respective family of origin. An overwhelming need for answers from that family of origin interfered with our efforts. We were able to provide them with food, shelter, clothing and an example of what family life should be like. They, however, kept us at arm's length, which was their means of protecting themselves from more hurt and rejection.

On the other hand, our own biological children had experienced love, encouragement, support and they had grown up with a team-like feeling among their siblings. They laughed, joked and cried together throughout their growing up years. Today, as parents themselves, they enjoy recalling past incidents. Shared stories are the basis for many jokes. Things that were life or death serious back then, now serve as comedy themes for family gatherings. This can be done only because there is a common source of love and understanding that unite them.

Children, who are not related in any way to you, are also

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