European Travel

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Some Mothers are Chosen by God

There is this mom at my son's school here in Tx. She has five children. She's adorable and fit but most of all she's always smiling. I've often watched her trek in from the parking lot caring her 2 year old on her hip and the infant in the car seat. She walks in to school with her hands full and then she leaves school with her life full. As she leaves school, behind her follow her twin boys and her 12 year old. I find inspiration just from watching her do this simple task everyday. She is amazing. She is definitely filled with the Holy Spirit and it totally shows. I read this forwarded email from a friend (see below) and totally pictured this woman the entire time. Because you see, one of her little boys is mentally handicapped.

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron saint, Matthew, Forrest, Marjorie, daugther. Patron saint, Cecelia." And so on until finally, He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child." The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."
"Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a handicapped child a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."
"But has she patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it."
"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has his own world and that's not going to be easy."
"When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creation."
"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see: ignorance, cruelty, prejudice, and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

This is a abbreviated version, but it's all the best parts to me. Of course, I don't know if God really does this, but it seems like sometimes things that are first perceived as challenges are later recognized as blessings. And only through the Holy Spirit do we simple humans see this. I feel like that blessing is something we can all learn from everyday.

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