Lydia Meets The Little Miracle Girl!

One day in November, around our family table, Lydia asked Chappy and me: "You know what I would most like for Christmas this year?" Since we don't make a big deal out of gifts during the season, we gave her a somewhat puzzled look. She responded: "I want to visit Darya". So in December, just before Christmas, our family made a stop in Florida to visit Miss Darya.

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Most of you will recall, but for those who are new to my blog journey I will give a brief background. Each year for the holidays, our family raises money for orphans instead of spending alot of money buying gifts for each other. In November of 2009, Lydia found Reece's Rainbow online, an adoption agency that focuses on finding families who want to adopt international orphans with special needs....and better yet, they specialize in finding families for international orphans with Down Syndrome (obviously near and dear to our hearts).

To make a long story short, Chappy was away in Africa on a mission trip the day Lydia asked if we could make this cute little girl she had found on the internet with Down Syndrome, Darya, our "2009 Christmas Project"....then she added a kicker: "And mom, if I can raise the $20,000 needed to adopt her by Thanksgiving, will you agree that we will go save her and adopt her into our family?"

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At the time, Lydia was eleven years old and Thanksgiving was seven days away, so what were the chances? Lesson learned: never underestimate child-like faith or God's mysterious ways. She did it!

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When Chappy returned from Africa, he was quite surprised to learn he was going to adopt another little one with Down Syndrome, but pleasantly surprised. We immediately began gathering paperwork, getting fingerprinted, and working on our homestudy....then things were halted. Because of Chappy's age, I learned I would have to adopt Darya as a single mom. The social worker (and friend) who was preparing our homestudy said she didn't feel comfortable with making me appear to be a single mom when I am not; and quite frankly, Chappy and I didn't feel too comfortable about it either. Then, as a final blow, we learned about the aneurysm in Hopey's heart which would make travel with her an impossibility. As a result, reluctantly, we backed away. We sent the money Lydia had raised to Reece's Rainbow, with instructions for the funds to be used specifically for Darya, and then proceeded to close the door of our hearts to the adoption.

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Lydia's heart was broken. More like shattered. In her mind, God had provided a miracle, so it had to be His will for us to adopt Darya. Lydia questioned our faith, she questioned God, and she grieved. We all grieved. Lydia felt our family had abandoned Darya.

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But God works in wonderous ways, and He never disappoints. Just when we were at our lowest, we heard from a family, the Fick family, who had come forward to adopt Darya. I remember screaming for Lydia to come quick to read the message on my computer.....we hugged and cried and cried some more. Jehovah Jireh, Our Provider, had provided. In that moment, all the darkness we had been feeling vanished and we were again bathing in His Light! We knew in our hearts, in a way I cannot describe, that this was God's plan all along!

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Lydia and I began following the Fick's blog and their progression toward their precious daughter-to-be. When they were in the Ukraine, Lydia and I checked the computer multiple times per day to get a glimpse of Darya and to hear a word of news. The tears we have shed over that precious baby girl cannot even be counted....tears of joy!

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After reading this, can you begin to fathom what it was like on our ride to Darya's house last month? The excitement in our van grew the nearer we came to the Fick's home. Looking back now, I wouldn't even call it a "meeting", because to us it seemed more like a family reunion. Marianne and Joel, along with their boys, opened their arms to us and greeted us with huge hugs teemed with warm celebratory laughter. And as for Darya, I cannot say enough. God's radiance is all over that girl.

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The Fick's prepared a mega-Mexican lunch for us (with Joel's famous homemade salsa rivaling any Mexican restaurant); we shared stories, talked about the greatness of the Lord, and watched every move Darya made. Together we were in awe of the Almighty who brought us together through the miracle of Love, culminating in the perfect salvation of a two year old orphan girl with Down Syndrome who had been born a world away in the Ukraine. Only God can write a story like that!!!

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To the Fick Family: We love you!!!

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Psalm 145:6 "They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds."

Hope update: The aneurysm in Hopey's heart remains the same and the backflow (leaking) of her aortic valve appears to be unchanged as well. This is good news, and we are happy!

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We will have a re-check in 6 months to make sure her heart is still cooperating. Many friends/family members have inquired about the size of the aneurysm, so I asked the cardiologist if he would consider it to be "small". He replied: "not small, but moderate in size." I don't know what "moderate" is in terms of an aneurysm, but maybe that answers a question for someone.

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Just a few moments ago, as I was sitting down to begin this post, Hope came to find me and took my finger in her hand to pull me to the piano. She climbed upon the bench and waited for me to sit beside her. I asked: "You want to play a song with me?" She nodded a yes and began to plunk gently on the keys. Looking up to the music stand, I decided to play whatever page of music was present and sing along to make her happy....here are the words of the song Hopey and I played together:

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"This is the air I breathe....this is the air I breathe....Your holy presence....living in me. This is my daily bread....this is my daily bread.....Your very Word....spoken to me. And I'm desperate for You. And I'm lost without You. This is the air I breathe.....this is the air I breathe....Your holy presence....living in me."

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Accident? No, we serve a God who is never taken by surprise! I believe one of His messengers was pulling Hopey by one hand when she came to grab my hand. Imagine that. Hopey with one hand being tugged by an angel as she pulled me along with her other hand to the grand old piano. Perhaps the messenger even whispered to little Hopey who still remains without a voice: "Hey girl, let's go brighten the day with a dose of Jesus!" I'd sure like to think so.

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Yesterday, when I entered Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, I was bogged down and suffocating with the nearly unbearable dread of knowing I was going to view a bubble in little Hope's heart on an ultrasound machine....visible proof that what the doctors have told us is very real. Shaken up with heart pounding, I could literally breathe only because of my Savior. Without Him, I am certain I could not bear facing Hope's chronic heart condition.

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While Hopey used both of her chubby pointer fingers to peck at the keys, she lifted her perfectly round face up to the ceiling as if taking in every word I managed to croon. Separated by 37 years, 30 inches, and a different number of chromosomes, we both reverently reflected on "WHO" it is we eagerly worship throughout the song. Hope's feet dangled off the bench seeming to swing with delight as her spirit connected with the words about the Savior. And then it came to me like a flood: Hopey breathes only because of her Savior too....we all do. His presence is very much alive within us when we open up and experience Him.

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Thank you for all of your prayers as we continue to walk this journey of faith and "HOPE", trusting the Creator Who holds the number of all of our days in His hands and knowing that when we blink our eyes closed to this earth, we shall open them to a new everlasting beginning with Him in glory! Blessed be His Name!

Our Little Princess

You may have wondered why I haven't blogged in a while. Hopey has a BIG appointment on Friday (January 14th) of this week, and over the last few weeks, our family has been taking time to celebrate life with her.

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On Friday, Hope will have her 6 month heart check-up and we expect to learn if the inoperable aneurysm in her heart is continuing to grow....and if it is changing, we hope to get an indication regarding it's rate of growth. Knowing this appointment was looming, and dreading it with every fiber of our beings, our family scooped up our ray of sunshine and decided the very best place for a princess to visit is Disney World (where all the real princesses on earth live). So began our two week journey of celebration in Florida.

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Everything at Disney went pretty much to plan until we entered Epcot. What was our plan you ask? To pretend of course. Afterall, Disney is a place of "magic" where "dreams come true".....a safe place to leave all worries behind and choose instead to engage imagination and wonder.

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From climbing on board the most famous flying elephant in the world to cozying up snugly in a boat to view magnificent singing dolls from all over the world.....from finding a perfect spot on the sidewalk to take in the afternoon parade to meeting up with Mickey Mouse for a big old hug and fist pumps....from eating junk food until we all felt sick as dogs to taking in the most beautiful fireworks display over a castle iced in colored lights with tinkerbell flying from the tip top along a zip line down...down...down toward a crowd of "oohs and aaahs". Simply Magical.

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Yep, our plan was going just fine until we met Linda:

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"How old are your two little ones?" she asked as she posed us in front of the massive silver ball whose extraordinary presence beckons guests to experience the wonder called Epcot.

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While pulling Charlie and Hope out of the double stroller for the hundredth time that day and adjusting them "just so" for the photo op I answered over my shoulder: "Hopey is 5 and our little Charlie-man is 2".

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Her next words caught me off-guard causing my cheek to involuntarily twitch along with the snap of the first photo: "They are both so adorable.....any health issues?" Any health issues??? The question I always dread.

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I put on my best face, took a deep breath and answered: "None for Charlie, thankfully. But (pause) as for Hopey (longer pause) she has had her share of struggles with her little heart." Somehow I managed to get the broken words out of my mouth without allowing the puddle of tears that had suddenly gathered in my eyes to find their way down my cheeks.

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The Hollis gang smiled for the next two shots and I walked over to Linda to grab our photo card while the rest of the bunch worked together to bundle the babes back into their strollers in the 50 degree windy chill.

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I was surprised when Linda looked directly into my eyes and purposefully took my hand in hers as I reached out to take the card from her: "One day, everything will be made right....everything will be perfect.....and I know you know what I am talking about."

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My puddle of tears became a gusher as I stood in front of that great big silver ball at Epcot, but ironically, I forgot about being in that "magical" place during those few moments with Linda. As I cried, she continued: "We will all see each other again some day, and on that day, Hope's heart will be completely healed."

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I shared more about Hopey with Linda and told her about Hope's appointment this week and asked her to pray. She said her late mother's birthday was January 14th, and assured me that will be an easy date for her to remember. Linda promised to pray for our little princess on Friday.

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As I walked away from our new friend toward all the "magic" Disney had to offer our family that evening, my heart lingered back with Linda. For some strange reason, I wanted to sit a bit longer with her and secretly wished the line of guests waiting for her to snap their photo had not appeared. In those few minutes of time in a land called Epcot, a stranger had taken the time to remind me of the place where all of our dreams really do come true.....a place of unfathomable magic....a place called heaven. Her parting words to me still ring in my ears: "Remember, everything will be made perfect, so there is no need to be afraid."

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"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4

Thank you so very much for your prayers for Our Little Princess!

A Christmas Miracle Called "Elizabeth"

Elizabeth. What a beautiful name. To most who glance at her pictures, the little girl in purple is just an ordinary girl. A big smile on her face, feeding her baby doll, you might be fooled at first sight. Elizabeth is no ordinary girl; in fact, she is absolutely extraordinary. She is a recipient of one of God's greatest miracles this season! Oh yes, this little one has been chosen to receive a gift from the King of Kings Himself!!!

Elizabeth was born with Down Syndrome and has lived her life in an orphanage. Orphanages are not joyful places, for many reasons, but primarily because "family" is missing from them. Each child is simply a number that needs to be fed each day....and they are not fed a hot meal cooked by a creative mom who wants to warm her child's tummy and nourish a growing body....but a paltry meal served out of basic necessity. Orphan boys who are born with the God-given desire to rough and tumble on the floor in a fun wrestle with dad, never experience the thrill. And as for the forgotten little girls with delicate fingers designed by their Maker to be tucked safely into daddy's strong hand, she never feels the scruffy cheek of her father's face nestled close to hers when being comforted after a frightening nightmare on a blustery winter night. Getting tucked in at night? Hearing a bedtime story? Tickles under the chin? No, those are pleasures orphans know nothing about.

However, life is too seldom measured in absolutes, so on a comparative basis.....when the standard is a mental institution, orphanges would be called the "Taj Mahal". The little girl called Elizabeth wearing purple in the pictures above is in a mental institution this moment....because she has Down Syndrome and because she is seven.

When orphans with special needs turn 5 or 6, they are determined to be unadoptable and are sent to mental institutions with people of all ages (including aging adults). In this place, orphans like Elizabeth witness all kinds of frightening phenomena: persistent screaming, people being tied to beds, abuse of the worst kinds, etc. Because funding is sparse and adequate help is even more sparse, it is not unheard of for children like Elizabeth to be tied down to beds and never held again when they enter a mental institution.

In thinking of Elizabeth today, I was reminded of another one who shares the name which means "My God Is Abundance":

"During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned to service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying clear conscience before God. But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old." (Luke 1 The Message)

You probably know the story from here...an angel plans a surprise meeting with Zachariah in the temple to tell him some terrific news and scares poor Zachariah into a paralyzed state of shock. I can almost hear his heart thumping through his temple garb when Gabriel began to speak:

"Don't fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John. You're going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you---many will delight in his birth. He'll achieve great stature with God. He'll drink neither wine nor beer. He'll be filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment he leaves his mother's womb. He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God. He will herald God's arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics---he'll get the people ready for God!" (Luke 1 The Message)

Zachariah, the highly respected servant of God, we would suspect to be a man of great faith....eager to accept God's Words given to him via the messenger of God. But no, like many who receive a calling from the Almighty, Zachariah doubted.

"But the angel said: I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news. But because you won't believe me, you will be unable to say a word until the day of your son's birth. Every word I have spoken to you will come true on time----on God's time."

And every word spoken did come true. John the Baptist was born to the barren Elizabeth and her doting husband, Zachariah. "And in all that Judean hill country, people talked about nothing else." (Luke 1 The Message)

Today, I am just as thrilled as Gabriel must have been when he met Zachariah to announce God's miracle in that ancient temple: Miss Elizabeth has been given the gift of a family! The little forgotten girl wearing purple was never forgotten at all; God never forgets a single one of His children.

When parents are unable to parent, or when they choose not to parent, God intervenes and searches the earth for new ones who will step in their stead. The world is full of wonderfully capable parents who just haven't recognized "God's Message" to them yet (which explains the overloaded orphanages and foster care systems around the globe). Thankfully, Elizabeth's family overcame doubts and fears when the call came halfway across the world to their hearts regarding saving a frightened little girl who is living in a strange new place without the love of a family.

So there we have it: two females who share the name Elizabeth with two great miracle stories: One story encompassing the birth of John the Baptist, the one chosen to spread the news about the Savior of the world to come......The other a perfect picture of the Savior Who has already come and Who will come again.

Stop for a moment and think about it, is there a more accurate picture of what the Messiah did for us than the story of little Elizabeth? Jesus adopted us, we who are handicapped in every way and in desperate need of being saved from certain suffering and death....in the Savior's eyes, we are all like Elizabeth. And just as she is being ransomed, we have been ransomed.

"Oh Israel, the One Who formed you says: Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name, you are Mine." (Isaiah 43:1)

Blessed Be Our God Who Is Abundance!!!

To give to Elizabeth's adoption fund, go to http://www.reecesrainbow.org/ and find her in the "My Family Found Me" section....and please don't forget our family's Christmas Angel: "Cutie-Pie Carlene" who is facing the institution and still in need of a family. To give to Carlene's adoption fund, go to: http://reecesrainbow.org/Carlene-gypf We have all been called to do something.

This Is What Christmas Is All About.....

On Friday afternoon around 2pm, I received a call from Lydia and Natalie's school asking that I come retrieve the money that had been raised during the week for our sweet little orphan with Down Syndrome, Carlene, who is living in Russia.

Since Fridays are my cleaning days, I quickly took inventory of my disheveled body and noted I was definitely not prepared to make a run to the school....and then I looked at Hope and Charlie who were still in their jammies....and unfortunately saw they looked more of a mess than me. Since the school is a five minute drive from my house, I had approximately 15 minutes to get the three of us together and out the door before the school closed for the weekend; they were not taking "no" for an answer:

"We do not want to be responsible for all of this cash over the weekend; I am sure you understand. And we feel it would be too dangerous to send this much money home with Lydia and Natalie on the bus," was their final answer. Teachers trump Mom.

Have you ever seen a tornado rip through a town? Well that is sort of what Hope and Charlie saw coming at them when I hung up the phone. I ripped off Charlie's feetie jams and Hope's Elmo P.J.s in one fell swoop before they even had time to process what was happening to them....within seconds they were fully naked and then fully dressed. Equally as fast, I decorated my face, brushed my hair, and made my best attempt to give my hair a "fixed" looked with a few squirts of "White Rain" (every southern girl's secret)......I then tore out the door as M.O.A.M. (Mom on a mission).

Thankfully I arrived with enough time to walk into the school at a leisurely pace, pretending, of course, that I had been relaxing at home when they called....prepared for this visit all day long. When the school administrator left to get the bundled money, a teacher entered the room wearing a "Carly Bell" necklace around her neck.

The "Carly Bell" necklaces have been a successful fundraiser. They are easy and inexpensive to make, and students seem to love them. Lydia and Natalie came up with the idea and wrote the following to their school principal a couple of weeks ago:

Dear Dr. Staggs:

Here is a plan to raise money for Carlene, and we hope you like it. We have made over a hundred jingle bell necklaces. They cost almost $2.00 to make, so we are going to sell them for $3.00 each. We thought we would call this the Carly-Bell Project. Hopefully each time the bell jingles around the kids' necks, they will think of Carlene and be grateful for all the blessings we have been given because we live in the United States of America and hopefully it will make us more mindful of people who are less fortunate. Especially at this time of year. We hope you love this idea.

Lydia and Natalie Hollis

When the teacher entered the office wearing the official "Carly Bell" necklace, I could not help but smile. A little forgotten girl, thousands of miles across the world, was being honored today by this teacher and by a whole school full of fifth and sixth grade students in America.

"I like your necklace," I giggled.

She grabbed the silver bell hanging around her neck: "This has been a wonderful project for our school, and we are all so thankful Lydia and Natalie came up with the idea. All of the students seem very excited about helping an orphan," she replied, "and let me tell you something else......" she paused for a second and took a few steps closer to me to speak quietly as she shared with me one of the most wonderful Christmas stories of this season:

"I have a little girl in my class whose family has nothing; literally, they have nothing. This morning, this little girl came to me with $9.00 to purchase three Carly-Bell necklaces. I was shocked, because $9.00 for her family is alot of money....money needed for essentials like food and heat. She said something about wanting to help the little orphan when she handed me the money, and as I walked to the office to purchase her necklaces, I admit I was confused about why her family would allow her to do this. Throughout the day, I realized Carlene's story has touched this little girl. Perhaps for the first time in her entire life, Carlene has given this little girl an opportunity to reach out and help someone who is even more less fortunate than her. There was such joy on her face as she handed me the money for those bells. It wasn't about the bells for her at all, however, it was about her having the chance to reach out to help another little girl in need." she finished the story and turned to leave with a "Hope you have a Merry Christmas and I hope Carlene finds a family very soon!"

I took the money from the school and added it to our ziploc bag when I returned home. The bag in our house is loaded with $20, $10, $5, and $1 bills. I counted it this morning, and so far it contains nearly $2,000.00 raised for Carlene from bake sales, the Carly-Bell Project, Babysitting, a plea to Chappy's co-workers, etc. As I placed the wad of cash in the bag, I thought of the wealthy folks all around us who could write a check for $20,000.00 and save Carlene's life with the simple stroke of a pen without it impacting their lifestyle at all....I thought of other folks who could agree to forgo eating out for a week and give the $100.00 savings toward saving Carlene....yes, I was reminded, for most of us, giving is not a sacrifice at all. It is a choice.

For this little mystery student at Freedom Intermediate School in the small town of Franklin, TN, however, giving was a sacrifice....the fact is, she gave more than she had to give. And as she walks down the halls with those bells jingling around her neck, I can't help but believe those bells are being heard throughout the heavenlies as a reminder of a heart that truly pleases God. Her gift certainly opened my heart toward God.

"Can I see another's woe; and not be in sorrow too? Can I see another's grief, and not seek for kind relief?" ( poem: "On Another's Sorrow" by William Blake)

Digging deeper than the little girl's gift, interwoven beautifully, is the familiar story of the Widow's Mite (Luke 21:1-6). Most people see the story as a measure of giving and the widow's heart to willingly give all she had; however, the story is actually much deeper in my opinion. The Pharisees of that day (church leaders) were so preoccupied with the beauty of the temple and with religiosity, they were guilty of completely missing God's heart. They had gotten so caught up in mistakenly believing their beautiful temple symbolized success with God, they missed opportunities that were slapping them in the face. If the Pharisees had been busier pouring money lavishly upon the poor and needy instead of their place of worship and all the trappings therein, the widow wouldn't have been so poor and needy. Luke 21:5-6 is very telling: "Some of the disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, "As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down." Jesus' point: These monuments are meaningless to Me! I care about my children!

So I am left with the little mystery girl who gave all she had to give to Carlene. What will I do? That is God's question for me. Will I go about my business telling others about this little girl's wonderful heart and do nothing for her? Will I sit in my heated home with a full refrigerator of food and my knowledge of another in my community who is in need and do nothing?

When God left glory on high to live among us, He literally came alongside us. It was never a "Me" and "Them" scenario to Jesus at all....It was an "Us". And if we seek to honor the Lord and love Him with all of our hearts, souls and minds, then we are to come alongside our neighbors just as Jesus did when He came to earth. God has an unusual way of waking us out of our spiritual slumber when we are simply willing to "see"....the irony of ironies is this: while I was rushing to make myself "presentable" on Friday afternoon, God was more interested in making my heart more presentable for Him. To the Creator of the Universe, my outside appearance is just as valuable as the beautiful stones used to make the temple of old....some day it will all be rubble. God is more interested in things that have eternal significance. Our hearts.

"He doth give His joy to all; He becomes an infant small. He becomes a man of woe; He doth feel the sorrow too." (Blake's Poem: "On Another's Sorrow")

As He did this for us, we are to go and do likewise!!! And that is what Christmas is all about.....

If you would like be a part of giving Carlene a home for Christmas, click on this link to make your tax deductible gift via paypal: http://reecesrainbow.org/Carlene-gypf

When God Gives A Gift

"I know this is late notice Ronnie, but we really want to paint Hope and Charlie's room before Christmas; we are having some built-ins brought in for their bedroom in a couple of weeks. Could you make room for us on your schedule?" I asked, secretly hoping he could use some extra Christmas cash.

"I can be there tomorrow if you will call me back with a paint color." was his reply. I could distinctly detect a hint of pep in his voice confirming my suspicions.

Smirking a bit as I hung up the phone I thought: "Yep, tis the season that everyone is looking for a little "moo-lah"; and better yet, another mark off of my "things to do before the end of the year" list."

1:30pm, always on time, Ronnie and one of his helpers show up at my front door ready to paint. I quickly ushered Hope and Charlie into the great room, put a baby gate up to block little fingers from wet paint, and opened a few windows to ventilate the house. Within minutes I could smell the job being done and sniffed in the satisfaction thinking how great the babies' room was going to look.

At 4:30pm, three hours from when he stepped into my front door, Ronnie called for me and told me the job had been completed. I quickly scooted to the baby gate to find him standing on the other side wearing a big ole grin.

Taking a quick peek to view the freshly painted walls, I asked: "How much do I owe you Ronnie?"

"uuuuuuhhhhmmmmm......I'm not going to charge you anything....and let me" he began, but I quickly interrupted: "Oh, no, Ronnie, I am going to pay you for this job...tell me what I owe you."

He answered softly: "Just let me explain."

Folding my arms, I tilted my head to search the eyes of this gentle man before me....crows feet firmly outline years spent in laughter and joy.....and Ronnie has a scruffy gray beard that moves with his mouth as he slowly speaks with a very distinctive country-sounding drawl that will endear you to him immediately. All ears and a bit taken off guard, I listened as he spoke:

"My daughter has M.S. you know, and there was a time when she was on life-support. That was a difficult time for my family, and friends brought over food and money to be a help to us. We didn't need it, so alot of times we would try to turn them away, but pretty soon we realized that people just wanted to bless us with something so we learned to accept it. Alot of those folks who gave us things didn't have as much as we did, Melanie, and that was humbling........And you know, I go to church every Sunday and alot of times the pews aren't filled. A few months ago I got to thinking....just wonderin' why. I believe the reason is because believers just don't show alot of love to one another. Now Melanie, ya'll are going through a tough time right now will all the uncertainty about Hope's little heart, and you know I love that little girl, so I want to show you all love. I don't have alot I can give you, and I know you can pay for this paint job without any problem at all, but I want to give you something I am able to give. This paint job is a gift of love to you and I want you to accept it."

With a baby gate separating us just above the knees, I reached out and grabbed that sweet man's neck and hugged him like he was Jesus Himself. I guess in that moment, He was as near a likeness to Jesus as any I have ever known. I hugged Ronnie tight for a long time while I cried. Still sobbing, I couldn't speak a word as he turned to leave saying: "Merry Christmas to you all."

God touches the world every day when we touch the world......I am thankful God touched my world today through a man named Ronnie Smith. ......"And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is LOVE." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Dr. B (Part 3)

Dr. B. spent only a few minutes describing his thoughts on Down Syndrome, but Chappy and I have spent days discussing those memorable moments.



The doctor's cowboy hat now in hiding, Dr. B. the grandfather to Seth, a little boy bearing an extra chromosome, softly spoke: "I have spent countless hours considering how Down Syndrome fits into Evolutionary thought" , hand now on chin and eyes looking away as if trying to recall specific hypotheses he had drafted in a mental list now tucked away, he explained: "according to Evolution, only the strong survive....and obviously, since Down Syndrome has been among us for many, many years, there must be a reason."



Chappy and I wanted to interrupt this larger-than-life man, to debate Evolution vs Creationism; however, we bit our tongues and listened intently as he continuted:



"I have actually written about this very subject; in fact, one of the most read articles I have ever written concerned Evolution and Down Syndrome. While I am still unsure on the subject, the best I can figure is that Nature itself somehow knows there is a significant need of love for all humanity. Our survival depends on it. In my opinion, individuals with Down Syndrome exhibit the purest form of love in the world, so Nature routinely selects human beings with Down Syndrome to survive because the human race needs them. There was a time when I was part of the group that believed children pre-diagnosed in the womb with Down Syndrome should be aborted, but I don't believe that way anymore. I now believe it is the duty of doctors to tell expectant moms not only the risks associated with raising a child with Down Syndrome, but also the benefits and rewards. I now see they have a purpose."



Enter beautiful young wife number ? pulling at Dr. B.'s sleeve. Her brief glance our way revealed what she was secretly thinking: Chappy and I did not measure up on her "who's who" list. Suddenly the soft man who had gently opened his heart to us for a few moments to share his innermost thoughts on a subject that had not only impacted his beloved grandson, Seth, but had obviously turned his own Evolutionary teachings upside down in such a way, without realizing it, he was desperately attempting to hammer a round peg into a square hole..... this man suddenly morphed into Dr. Cowboy again right before our eyes.



"It was nice talking to you"...."enjoy your evening." And our conversation ended. We were dismissed. Chappy and I felt like poor settlers, who upon entering an old western town after months of traveling in a covered wagon, had been given a few moments with Clint Eastwood, the sheriff of the town, before being sent on our way to find lesser "like folk" to associate with. Dr. Cowboy had more important matters to attend to, and our social status had been aptly measured and had come up a bit short.



As Chappy and I walked through the Frist Museum later that evening, viewing artwork crafted by the infamous masters over a hundred years ago, we thought of Dr. Cowboy. Both of us shed a few tears for him that evening while surrounded by slightly intoxicated partiers dressed in ballroom gowns and tuxedos, giggling out loud from the buzz the alcohol provided. Each masterpiece from the renowned collection of art was miraculous in itself to behold. How a mere mortal can create such intricate works of art from paint and brush never ceases to amaze me. Mortals. Men. Each long deceased. Each amounting to a pile of dust beneath a marked gravestone. Eternity decided.

The irony hit me. On a chilly evening in October, hundreds of the Middle TN elite gathered at the highly anticipated Frist Gala to view valuable artwork that was masterfully crafted over one hundred years ago by men who are now dead.....and to my knowledge, it did not dawn on one party-goer that evening that all the fame, fortune, education and prestige in the world does not matter when death comes. And we are all dying.

If I had the chance to say anything to Dr. B., it would be this:

Like the artists of old, our God is quite creative. In fact, to draw Chappy and me closer to Himself, He allowed us the privilege of becoming parents to a little imperfect girl on September 14, 2005. Through Hope's life, He has taught two sinful, selfish creatures volumes about His love, patience, compassion, and forebearance. In the last five years, it has been as if God has taken a key and unlocked our hearts. Before Hopey, the truth is, we didn't know love at all.

Perhaps, Dr. B, Almighty God is the "Who" you refer to as "Nature" and/or "Evolution". Maybe it is He who perfectly created little Seth and placed him into your life, because His love for you is so magnificently grand He wanted to draw you close to Himself. Each time Seth holds your hand tightly with his pudgy fingers, could it be God is reaching out to touch you through that hand? And each time you sacrifice your pride in order to stoop and help Seth do something that comes easy for most children, could it be that God is receiving floods of glory from your simple act of choosing humility? Could it be that His plans are far grander than "Nature"; and could it be that He is a master painter who is intricately brushing every detail upon this great big canvas we have called Time and the Universe?

The truth is that God will go to any length to make sure we have every opportunity to attain eternal life....even to the point of leaving glory behind to be born a man in order to wonderfully become the supreme sacrifice which became a requirement the day sin entered the earth. Oh, what an awesome God we serve! And best of all, His Way is so simple a child can understand it. God is God, and we are not. We need only trust Him the way a child trusts His parents to care for him. What a plan! What a Savior!

"Have you ever in your life commanded the morning or caused the dawn to know its place? Have you entered the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you understood the expanse of the Earth....where is the dwelling of light? Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or have you seen the storehouses of the hail? Where is the way that the light is divided or the east wind scattered on the earth? Has the rain a father or who has begotten the drops of dew? From whose womb has come the ice and the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?" Job 38

"Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself as a child, he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven." Matthew 18:3-4