Our foster son surprised us on a snowy Sunday afternoon. The Chiefs game was comfortable, putting it to the Broncos and making for happy cheers in front of the fireplace. I was warm and cozy under a throw, loving the afternoon with Sam and football. But foster son had other things on his mind and he wandered into the living room.

A few minutes later, he wandered back into the fireplace room. “Someone told me you played the piano. I’m gonna teach myself how to play ‘Apologize.’ I pulled up the sheet.”

Say what?

For the next hour or so, foster son and I went back and forth. He sat at the piano, I showed him the four main chords that make up the bulk of the One Republic hit song, added the left hand bass, kept an eye on the game, went back in to show him the progression again, sat back on the couch with Sam to check in on Mahomes and Kelce, got called back in to the piano to correct chords, and it was pretty much one of my favorite afternoons.

Sam grinned big and enjoyed watching the two of us talk music while he stayed warm under a blanket.

These past three weeks have been a great beginning for all of us. It is nice to have a young man in the house – he adds a new dimension to life. Daily, he surprises us with his thoughtfulness, like taking care of cleaning the fireplace without being asked, or helping Sam shovel the driveway, spending his Saturday afternoon working alongside us without complaint, and without fail, saying “thank you,” for meals, for a movie night, for a cup of coffee on his way out the door, for help with his laundry that he does all on his own, for some freedom to go to a friend’s house to play video games. The big challenges we thought we were going to face have really been typical teenager kinds of things and hardly anything about which to complain – leaving food in his bedroom and dirty clothes on the floor, a return of junk food in our just cleaned out alternative cancer lifestyle pantry, or his extra long showers that seem to never end.

After a month of devotions and messages on contentment through serving others, we were looking for an “easy” way to get back to giving back, being the hands and feet of Jesus. Our lives have been turned upside down these past two and a half years after cancer diagnosis and our focus had become mostly selfish. Our upside down has become normal, however, and with some added work-related stressor surprises, it really wasn’t the best timing to receive a phone call about fostering.

But God has a way of working when we least expect, and it was very evident to us that He was speaking loud and clear, offering us a way to serve Him by helping a young man who needed a home.

I am grateful to be in a relationship where we are both in sync with the whisper push of the Holy Spirit.

I am grateful for a new distraction that takes our minds off stress and problems and refocuses us to create a safe and happy home for another.

I am grateful for smiles in the midst of upside down pain and heartache.

I am grateful for an extra coat hanging on the hook and a pantry with a shelf of kid snacks.

I am grateful for an added blessing this Christmas.