Today started as most Mondays do. Jake got up and left for work. The boys and I wake and stir. I believe I have a chiropractic appointment. I make our morning NeoLife Shakes.... and on it goes.
Well, I discovered I didn't have a chiropractic appointment (I hadn't set them up for May). This was a blessing because a dear cancer mom needed to talk with me. And talk we did. For an hour. You see, her sweet little girl has relapsed with a rather aggressive cancer. Conventional treatment worked the first time but with remission lasting only a year. This is heart-breaking news. Heart-breaking! No parent should ever have to choose between quantity of life and quality of life for their child. They should never feel pressed between a rock and a hard place when deciding the medical path for their baby. They should certainly never be coerced into anything either. I hope I was a good, solid sounding board for this mom (and dad for a few minutes). She said I was, so I will trust her. What am I supposed to tell a mother who is staring at two options that are so awful I can't even use the typical phrase "lesser of two evils". I pray that my interaction, input, and ideas were a blessing to this family and in no way a burden. Then, the boys and I took Saoirse (Seer-Shuh) to a local dog park. There I was almost instantly connected to this sweet, bright soul named Katie. She was there with her companion to observe the dogs. Katie likes dogs. I waved to Katie and she immediately pointed back at me and walked her companion over to me. She took my hand and guided me around the dog portion of this park. Katie is non-verbal and has Angelman's Syndrome (I was told it was Angel's Syndrome but I couldn't find that exact syndrome, so I assume the companion meant Angelman's Syndrome). Katie reminded me of a person with Cerebral Palsy and a lower functionality. Her smile was big and bright. Her demeanor happy and excited to be around dogs. Her companion said Katie loves to be outside. So, they spend time visiting dog parks and even animal shelters where Katie will walk up and down the rows or sit and enjoy the presence of a canine once in awhile. I tried not to talk around her, because I know she can hear and understand me. Yet, when I did ask a question about her I was intentional about using her name so she would know I was acknowledging her presence. You could tell she is this vibrant soul trapped in a broken body. Her physical being has betrayed her, one symptom of a fallen world. However, her spirit shone all the brighter because of the shaded shell she embodies. Her eyes speak for her mouth that has been silenced by a genetic deficit. Her physical touch and connection conveys a message of love and gratitude that her fingers could never write. The way she would smile at me, reach for my arm, or hold my hand... I felt loved. I don't know why she chose me, but I am grateful that she did. As if this wasn't enough gifting from God, I received a message asking to chat if I was available. It was from a friend whose family is in a sticky situation due to all the vaccination hysteria. They simply needed to feel heard and understood. It also helped that I was able to tell them they are, in fact, not crazy. I told them I was just gonna fill them with so much Truth that their armor would just magnetize to their body (or something like that) so they will be completely protected as this unnecessary war rages. It is a wonderful thing to be a conduit for the Lord as he seeks to reach his children. So many people are unsure of themselves or feel ill-equipped for everyday life. Why can't we just come alongside each other, listen to each other, allow our opinions to be flexible, and realize our beliefs are not devalued simply because someone doesn't share them. We are all smart. We are all capable. We all have value and purpose. Let's work to SEE people and HEAR people. Each person has a story that is worth listening to and imagining ourself in. #walkamileinmyshoes |
The Kenagysare all about making Idaho "home" - hence IDAHOME. Follow our journey here. Archives
January 2021
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