There is a lot of pain in this world, isn't there? People suffer thru cancer and chemo and mouth sores and awful nausea. People die too young in car accidents. Kids get sick and some die. There is so much suffering in other countries. And there are just plain bad people... people who do bad things and cause pain and hurt in other's lives. There is crime and there are drugs and there is a lot of scary in this world.
All I have to deal with is Down Syndrome.
I am so blessed.
Of course there are hard days. Of course there are days when I worry that he'll be teased or treated terribly. Of course there are times when we are running late and has to stop to smell those dumb roses just one more time. Of course it frustrates me when he won't get dressed or eat anything but yogurt. Of course the lack of communication weighs heavy on my heart. But...
All I have to deal with is Down Syndrome.
I am so blessed.
My heart is so full today. I'm not sure why God puts things on our hearts the way He does. Some days (most... to my shame) I'm completely oblivious to the suffering around me. But some days, I suffer because of their suffering. I thank God that He allows me to feel so deeply. Health is beautiful. Being able to pay the bills is beautiful. Living a comfortable life is beautiful.
Suffering is beautiful too.
It's not really my right to say that as I haven't done a whole lot of suffering in my life... but I have witnessed suffering be beautiful and I have been blessed because of the suffering of others.
All I have to deal with is Down Syndrome.
I am so blessed.
Some people ask me how I do it. I know what they mean and I know what their intentions are. I know they watch me try to coerce Josh to brush his teeth or leave a room. I know they listen to me try to converse with him. I know they mean well. But really... my life is magical and easy and fancy compared to so many others in this world.
People pray for healthy babies. I understand that... but when the baby is not healthy it's still a blessing. Hard, difficult, painful... yes... but oh, the blessing. Even if that baby has Down Syndrome... and a heart defect... and whatever else might make it look, act, learn, eat, live differently.
I don't even know... I'm rambling and just sharing what God is doing in my heart. I'm so thankful for Down Syndrome in my life... but it is... JUST... Down Syndrome.
1 Peter 3:7-9
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
And this... a beautiful face of someone who has JUST Down Syndrome. I AM so blessed.
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