turn one gift into another

A friend of mine and her family are adopting a child from India. First of all, I just have to share a bit from one of her posts:

This beautiful video, created for Third Day's Christmas tour, features the song, "Merry Christmas." (The images are of former guitarist Brad Avery's family.) The lyrics are below:

There's a little girl trembling on a cold December morn

Crying for momma's arms

At an orphanage just outside a little China town

There the forgotten are

But half a world away I hang the stockings by the fire

And dream about the day when I can finally call you mine

It's Christmas time again but you're not home

Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone

And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms

And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

As I hang the tinsel on the tree and watch the twinkling lights

I'm warmed by the fire's glow

Outside the children tumble in a wonderland of white,

Make angels in the snow

But half a world away you try your best to fight the tears

And hope that heaven's angels come to carry you here

It's Christmas time again but you're not home

Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone

And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms

And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

Christmas is a time to celebrate the holy child

and we celebrate his perfect gift of love

He came to earth to give his life

and prepare a place for us

so we could have a home with him above

It's Christmas time again and now you're home

Your family is here so you will never be alone

So tonight before you go to sleep, I'll hold you in my arms

And I'll tell you from my heart, and I'll you from my heart

I wish you Merry Christmas

Then, Jen posted THIS and I found myself all choked up over the image of their daughter's Christmas stocking hanging on the fireplace mantel in anticipation of her arrival. Abby is already a part of their family (and hearts) before they've even met! They are preparing a place for her and it will be a beautiful day when she is home.

If you would like to help, you can donate to their adoption fund online. Lifesong for Orphans is matching all donations up to $2,500 of funds raised. Click HERE to donate (be sure to add "Preference Needham Adoption 714" in the description).