Today, Sarah signed over her rights.

Now that Sarah is 18 years old, she is legally an adult. Realistically, she can’t care for herself. To care for her and have the rights to do so, we needed to do something legally.

We walked into our county’s agency and we were led into a large conference room. The room was taken up by a large conference table that had twelve chairs around it. The legal representative sat at the front of the table and asked Sarah to take a seat. Sarah moved towards the other end of the table and sat down. Seeing this, we all moved down to be closer to Sarah.

The representative explained to Sarah the purpose of the meeting. She asked Sarah if she was an adult or child and Sarah said, “Child.” She explained to her that since she is over 18, she is now an adult. She asked Sarah again and she whispered, “Adult.”

The representative then began asking her questions: if Sarah wanted us to handle her money and her care, if we can speak to her teachers, her doctors and others on her behalf, etc. Sarah looked at us, looked down or looked around but for each answer she said, “Yes.” Sometimes she would laugh after saying yes as if she thought it was funny that the woman would even be asking her these questions.

The representative was satisfied with her answers and asked if Sarah would sign the papers making us her Power of Attorney. Sarah signed her full name in cursive (something we have worked on for years as a life skill). Two other people from the agency agreed with the representative and signed the Power of Attorney paperwork as witnesses. With that Sarah gave up her rights to us…willingly, wholeheartedly, and completely.

As we were wrapping up the meeting, Sarah decided it was the perfect time to do a spontaneous happy dance. She jumped up from her chair and swayed and flapped her arms, and wiggled her body. She threw her head back and let out a joyful giggle. Then she sat back down and looked at us like nothing happened. David and I looked at each other and just smiled.

As we walked back to our car, it hit me that our daughter walked in as a free adult, but chose for her own health and safety to be under our control for the rest of her life. Out my deep love for her, I want to protect her, care for her and want the best for her. It is an honor for me to be her Power of Attorney. It is something I don’t take lightly.

It reminds me of Exodus 21:2-6, if an Israelite was sold as a slave after six years they were set free. They could walk away free and clear of any debt. Or, they could choose to stay. They could decide that they want to serve and be under the protection and care of their master. If they choose to do this, it says in Exodus 21:6, “…then his master shall bring him to God and he shall bring him to the door or doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.”

Sounds a bit gruesome, but this ear piercing ceremony was a public physical and permanent reminder that this servant is now a bond servant to their master. It was a voluntary decision of a lifetime commitment. They were bonded for life. It was done willingly, wholeheartedly, and completely.

When Christ died for my sins, He set me free; free from death, separation from God, fear, guilt and shame. He set me free from my bondage of sin.

Now this is what I think is a challenging thought…in many ways I, too, while set free and clear from my debt from sin, I want to serve and be under the protection and care of Jesus. I want to choose Him to be master of my life, knowing that out of His deep love for me, He wants the best for me. So, in many ways, I offer myself to be a bondservant. It is a lifetime commitment to serve the One who set me free. It is done willingly, wholeheartedly, and completely.

Like Sarah, it kind of makes me want to break out into a happy dance. ❤