My mind some days

The other day I was talking to a friend on the phone after my doctors appointment. This last appointment was the big one. We found out that we have a little boy on the way! I remember saying that I didn't really have a preference so long as the baby way healthy. I chatted with my friend for a few more minutes before hanging up.

When I hang up, Mom mentions that she had a friend who used that same phrase while she was pregnant. Then when she had the baby it turned out to be a child with down syndrome. She went on to tell me that said friend then felt extremely guilty for telling people that the sex didn't matter as long as the baby was healthy.

Then a question popped into my head as I was driving a little later on. Maybe it's my line of work. Perhaps it's one of my good blogging friends who has a special needs child. Then again, it could be because of my cousin's very adorable 2.5 year old with downs. But I couldn't help to think: Why do people think a disability makes someone unhealthy? 

Does someone who have special needs typically have more challenges? Medical demands? Need more time spent on them? Sure. Having special needs does make things more complicated (i.e. more doctors appointments, surgeries, medical attention, ect). As well as makes life harder on a consistent basis. However, when it comes to those with special needs, I have a hard time as labeling them as unhealthy.

Perhaps it's because I've taken the time to get to know many who have some sort of special needs. Honestly, they have been some of the most healthy people I've known. Sure, maybe they're a little awkward in social settings...but maybe that's because they tend to be so open, accepting and completely brutally honest.*

Many times, the world hasn't been able to condition these sweet beings as it has those of us who don't have a mental, physical or emotional disability. Often we find it hard to be accepting of people no matter their look, beliefs, ect. Yet for most of them, it's easier for them to adapt to new people. When we find it so hard to speak simple truths, they (if verbal) rarely hold back. The list could go on and on.

Perhaps, instead of looking at those with special needs as being unhealthy, we can look at them and think "what can I learn from this person?" Maybe even attempt to connect or get to know those people, their lives, their personalities, their challenges, their achievements (after all many of them have more than we do), ect.

*Keep in mind these statements are generalizations and observations from my experience. I do realize that not everyone with special needs are like this. I don't say these things to offend anyone nor to condemn anyone. I say them to simply share my point of view when it comes to having a disability (no matter mental, physical, emotional) in reference to being unhealthy.

When the rapids surprise

What can I say, there has been a lot of chaos the last couple weeks. Even with all the chaos, I have seen how in the end, so long as I have my faith planted in Him, I will have enough.

Sometimes in this life, people will let us down. Other  times, it will be circumstances around us that attempt to bring us down. Or stress, fear, worry and anxiety will try to sink us. But even when the rapids hit, we can be assured that He is more than enough to provide the strength for us to make it to the other side.

Whenever we take a step in His direction, He gives us strength that is big enough to overcome our obstacles.

Then when we clear the rapids, while we may be exhausted and feel like we've been beaten down in every possible way, we can look back and see how even if it didn't feel like we had enough strength, faith, or peace, we'll see that He gave us more than enough. Sometimes this comes through encouragement from good friends. Other times it comes from a simple song.

**On Fridays I like to join up with tons of others over at Lisa-Jo's place. We write for five minutes flat. Writing without worrying about it being just right or not. Just allowing our heart to spill out for five minutes of unedited writing. Will you join us?

Martha 2.0

So often I think that Mary gets the title of the good sister. The one who got praised for her choice. The question we addressed more was, what about Martha? Sure maybe she missed the point when we first met her. What about the other times we see her.

The next time we see Martha is after her brother Lazarus dies. When Jesus arrives, instead of asking him "where were you?" she simply confesses that she knows He has the power to resurrect the dead.

In this third situation, we see Martha doing what she does best, serving. Not only that, but we see how her heart has changed. Again, Mary comes in worshiping Jesus in her own way. This time, Martha doesn't react as she did before, she just continues to to serve and allows Mary to express herself the way she was built.

So my question is this, if you typically identify with Martha, are you willing to follow her suit? Are we willing to look at the gifts He has given us, and grow into our own gifts? Or would we rather sit back and wish we had the talent that someone else has?

For me, I want to be the type that is moldable. I want to be the wife that God wants me to be. I want to be the daughter that He originally created me to be. The sister that my siblings need. Become the mom that follows His parenting style over the worlds ideas of parenting.

So how about you? How are you going to embrace the giftings he has given you?

Call me crazy...

So if you've been following my posts both here and over at Must Love God* recently I've posted a few times on my one word for the year. Today I had the crazy thought to look across the wonderful tool called the internet to see what others were saying about life after baby. Hence the call me crazy.

As I'm reading this article my eye lands dead on number 15:

Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

I couldn't help but think that maybe that's what this crazy journey to finding the meaning of limitless for my life could be all about. Learning what limitless love looks like in order to understand and display what His love looks like in my life?

It's sure to be an exciting ride.

*if you haven't popped in over here yet...I'd encourage you to. It's a great place of love, encouragement, and support in any season of life you might be in. It's made up of people a lot like you. Broken, searching, confused,  fallen, all while trying to discover what God's purpose is for their life.

86. Salt water taffy
87. Project 345
88. First movements
89. Air conditioning
90. Journaling
91. Dinner with friend
92. Baby steps
93. Peace with decisions
94. Finishing Power of a Praying Woman
95. Starting Power of a Praying Wife
96. New pillows
97. New water bottle
98. Prenatal Vitamins
99. Music that finds the words I couldn’t
100. 31 Days to Pray for Kevin
101. Lies Women Believe
102. Cuddling on our oversized chair
103. Openness with friends I’ve known a short time
104. New shared hobbies with Kevin
105. Hand me downs from friends

*Linking up with hundreds of other bloggers over at Ann's place. Join us.