Hallelujah

There we stood,
In a courtroom in the
Theodore Roosevelt US Courthouse,
Surrounded by portraits of judges
And paintings of Pilgrims and Native Americans.
As we waited for the judge,
And I looked around
At the sea of faces
Waiting to be naturalized,
I couldn't help but smile.
My sister was sitting on a side bench,
Looking exhausted,
Showing every leg of
The four-year journey
That had brought her here.
I wondered what was going through her mind.
I wondered if she was wondering
If our parents were on hand
To witness the culmination
Of countless hours of
Emails and phone calls and research
And emotional turmoil that led us
To this moment.

Lord,
Creator of the Universe and
Sustainer of our lives,
I give you thanks and praise
For my sister,
Brought from afar
And grafted into the family
In the same manner as I.
We are different,
She and I,
But Your Hands
Crafted us both,
And I know that You
Joined us in the same family
For purposes only You know.

My Lord God,
You have worked,
And continue to work
Wondrous deeds in my life,
And the lives of those
Close to me.
Thank You for my family,
And for navigating us through
The really rough times.
Continue to guide and protect
Each of us
As we journey through our lives
And ultimately home to You.
Praise to You, Lord God,
For Your Lovingkindness,
For the Breath of Your Mercy
And Steadfast Love
That braces us against
The assaults of the Adversary.
Praise to You, Lord God,
For the unfolding of
The mysteries of our lives,
And the blessings you shower on us
Every day that we open our eyes.
What are we, that You
Even think about us?...
Yet I know that You are there,
Active, involved, moving
Through our lives.
May my life forever testify
To Your Presence,
And my lips ever sing
Songs of grateful praise!