I have the sweetest little 17 month old girl at my church who has Down's syndrome. Just playing with her Sunday and seeing what a funny personality she has really gets me thinking about her situation and my reaction to God's will and providences.
Though I would never pray that a child would have Down's syndrome, I now know that I would also never pray that Down's be taken away from a child who's been diagnosed. That little girl has such a unique calling on her life and glorifies God in a way that I can't. She sees life differently than I do. She views life in a way that will forever be innocently child-like. She will always look for the good in people. She will always love unconditionally.
Thinking about her makes me think of another family I know who has a child with Down's. When the father was told that his child, who had just been born had Down's syndrome, he just smiled.
Smiled?!
I could have imagined myself crying, being silent, mourning...but to smile at the news? Yet he understood God's will and accepted it.
I had a different view of God's providences then but in this past year I am just beginning to see that behind every seemingly hideous providence thrown my way is something beautiful. And I am learning to smile.
And that dear child who is part of my church...I can't help but smile when I think of her, even now. If God has a smiling face behind all His providences why can't I have a smiling face as they come my way?
Just a little food for thought.
3 weeks ago
2 comments:
She is a sweet little darling! I never had this perspective either. I had gravitated, at least, toward thinking that, yes, God would give me the grace to care for a child with special needs if I must - rather than my earlier response of "I just couldn't handle it." But now, I see the beauty. Before, when we would pray about an "addition" to our family, I would add (at least when no one was around and I wasn't afraid to admit my shallow-ness) "but only if we can have a healthy baby who will love the Lord, etc -and preferably one who likes to travel without crying and potty trains himself by 18 months." But as I am learning that God is sovereign over all things, I do not see these difficulties as "why did this have to happen?" - but as blessings.
Hey, I love running those rabbits down with you! We'll get that wascally wabbit one of these days.
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