From God's Hand to My Heart

To comfort those whose lives are changing and to demonstrate how blessings come in expected ways.
May you place your lives in God's hand and let him lead you.

I watched the students from the Life Skills class parade down the hall. Parade is the most apt description for this procession. Swaggering happily each at his own pace, greeting everyone in their pathway. I could not help smile as they passed and I greeted each one individually thinking I was the one initiating the greeting but really they were the greeters. Mr. Lott shook each boy's hand as they passed him. The two women entering the hallway from getting their morning coffee were greeted. They zig-zagged side to side throughout the hallway to meet each person. If one did not greet them they did not even seem to notice they continued in their happy procession.

Abel commented to me in his slurred speech, "I like the rain. Do you like the rain? It's going to rain again today. Look at those clouds." We conversed briefly about the weather before we parted ways. I felt warmed by the brief conversation I had with him. How did this young disabled teen make me feel like I was important to him but he did in a brief moment.

A few years ago, I took little notice of the Life Skills classes. That was before Eric. Eric came into our world with Down Syndrome. Now I say that with so little concern, like commenting on the color of his eyes but then we were unprepared for his condition. I knew nothing of it and the thought was frightening and I knew our world was going to change.

Change it did. With the addition of this precious life came more blessings than I was prepared to understand at his birth. My tears that I cried at his birth for fear of the unknown only come now for love of a child I adore.

At the hospital, hours after his birth, this beautiful little boy melted into my arms as if to fill in all the spaces that separated us and bonded us together for all time. My heart melted. Now three and a half years later, I thank God for the gift of this child in our family and realize that his place in our family has softened some rough edges in each one of us individually. His place in our family has been one of the most precious blessings we have received.

I thank God for his life.
I know God holds him dear as he does other children like him.

Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” ¹⁵ And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

Before God sent him to us he must have placed His hand on Eric's head and blessed him.