I'm so thankful to be here and get this amazing help and knowledge. But I'm also not entirely convinced that the only reason God has us here is for the eating issues alone. See, over the last week I have had the great privilege to meet mamas and their little ones from all over the state, even ones from other states. I have heard their struggles and even seen their little ones make great triumphs. But even more, I have seen our children play together in a way I wish the adult world could fully understand. Some of the children here have bigger, more in depth challenges than others. Some have feeding tubes and g-buttons, some are confined to wheelchairs, some talk and some don't. But one huge thing I have noticed is that they all want to play and feel included. They laugh and shout and play, even though that doesn't always look the same for each of them. They chase each other down the hall, one running and one being pushed in their wheelchair with the biggest rambunctious laughs you have ever heard. All the weight of their circumstance, if only for those moments, are lifted. And all I can think about is Jesus saying, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
To each other they weren't hurting children, sick children, children with disabilities. They didn't see each other's tubes or wheelchairs or pay attention to the ones that can't talk. They were just laughing and playing and leaving the rest behind. They were loving each other without eyes of judgement.
In light of that, I have to admit, sometimes I really suck at loving others. I don't mean to judge, but don't we all do it, in one way or another. Yes, that was me, judging that mama that brought their sick kiddos in without thinking about what that means for me or my son. Yes, that was me in the store, before my son came along, getting irritated that you couldn't calm your kid down from his enormous meltdown. I could name a hundred times when I haven't stopped to take into account all the things that are probably going on in the background of someone's life. But maybe that's beside the point. I think the point is that I don't really need to take them into account. I should be loving them anyway! No matter what is going on, people need to feel loved and valued in the midst of whatever circumstances they are living. They don't need my judgement whether I know all, some or even none of what was going on. With those children, there was no need for any explanations, no need for a backstory. They just loved; pure and simple. I want to live like that! I want to love with my whole heart and leave the rest for God himself to work out.
Yesterday, I met the sweetest little girl, whose favorite color is rainbow and wants to be a mermaid. I don't know her story but I do know that she is pretty sick. I decided I would take that lesson on love and share it with her. I made her a big poster of a rainbow colored mermaid tail with a special little quote for her. "Always be yourself, unless you can be a mermaid, then always be a mermaid." When I went upstairs to give it to her, she had the biggest smile. You know the great part of showing someone love? The Lord gives us the blessing of utter joy in the process. My heart is full of joy because of these kids. The Lord is teaching me how to be more like a child by putting me in one of the most special places, a children's Hospital, where I am encountering them, and Him, everywhere I go. ❤️
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