Lessons I'm Learning Along the Road

As I go through my days, God seems to illuminate certain ideas. Life, a least mine, is like running in a great race. Long distance vs. sprinting. And so, there are many lessons presented, few are mastered, most are a work-in-progress.

Patience

Maeve serves as a fine example of this virtue. I've shared how she enjoys working with Eamon during therapy. I realized she has the ability to wait on her brother. She loves him so purely, making no demands or setting any type of time constraint. She simply allows him opportunity to respond. Stopping, waiting, being still. It is here that I can see with clarity and hear the voice of truth.

The theme of waiting and trusting keeps resurfacing - God's way of driving a point home for me. I have been reading from Streams in the Desert, the classic devotional, and so worth a read . It was originally written in 1925, but is relevant for today. It is amazingly contemporary, speaking directly into my current situation, only as God's word could. Proof that the word of God is "living and active".

The Language of Love

Loving Eamon transcends my knowledge of "love". The love I've known before was mostly a give and take. Eamon exudes love, and I marvel how easy it is for me to feel well-connected to our little man. He doesn't give back the "normal' hugs, kisses, coos or a consistent smile that intimate love for another. The miracle is that it is not required. We can communicate deeply through a gaze, touch, whisper, or grunt. Spirit to Spirit.

He is a magnet for children. They are drawn to his presence because God holds Eamon in a place of peace. Mary, the late daughter of Eamon's physical therapist, had many obvious needs and traveled with lots of bells and whistles - much like my Eamon. Mary was on a family outing at the Boardwalk. People seemed to be staring in a way that made her older brother uncomfortable. He asked their mother if it bothered her that people so rudely invaded their time with glares. Her response was telling. She kindly told her son not to worry, and to let Mary do her thing - teaching, offering love and acceptance, and sharing joy. Eamon needs little introduction. His little life beckons us to all that is good, pure and lovely. What a gift!

Perfection

Eamon's life challenges my ideas of perfection. Who determines what is the ideal, or whose life has the most merit. God holds the scale - and Eamon fits perfectly in his balance.

I tend to be a perfectionist, a goal completely impossible to attain. I like to control all aspects of life. Having Eamon has required that I give up, to some degree, control. Ultimately all to God, who can do a much better job than I, but it's a challenge for me. There is tremendous freedom in giving it all over to God - and so, I am working to do so more consistently.

I'm so thankful that God uses my children to teach me. May I be a quick study!