Experiencing God

I forgot to post last night on the best part of choir practice.

Our fearless leader gave us a break halfway through the practice...to have snacks and potty. I didn't do either. I sat there and visited with people who were coming up to me to thank me for making cookies. I ended up sitting and visiting with about 4 women who sit in and around me in the alto section. And what was so neat is that something came up about Joshua...and they didn't know him or about him. And I got to share about his birth and all of that...and it was really cool!

One girl works at a pediatric therapy place, and she talked about how she wanted to get her son into preschool there...so that he would be around ALL kinds of kids with ALL kinds of abilities. And I got to tell her all about Joshua's friend, Lindsey Walker, and what a BLESSING she was to him...and to us...from Kindergarten until 12th grade! He probably wouldn't have made it through school without her!

And one lady said she worked at the "human development center." She was very interested in Joshua because she had worked with a lot of "them" over the years. She talked about how precious "they" were and all of that. She asked a ton of questions, like, did we know he had Down Syndrome before he was born (we didn't) and things like that. It was just so refreshing to talk to someone who was genuinely interested in Joshua!

The lady sitting next to her said, "I worked out there for a while, too. Some of "them" are really educable."

Seriously?

This is the 2nd time IN MY WHOLE LIFE that I have heard this term used. The first time was just a month or so ago, when Holly was telling me that one of her instructors at her nursing school used it in a lecture...to describe kids with special needs. UGH.

*PLEASE DO NOT TEACH OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT KIDS WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS IF YOU FIND IT NECESSARY TO USE THE WORD: EDUCABLE.

Because, "For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well." Psalm 139: 13-14

But I didn't say anything to the choir lady, because she was trying to be nice and relatable to me...and hey...I appreciate that.

And then she turned to the lady who was sitting next to me. We don't know her name. Holly and I call her the "brown lady," or "the lady who only wears brown..." because...well, she basically only wears brown. Last night, tho, she had on BROWN pants, but she had on a green and brown shirt or scarf or something and it looked SO GOOD! I went on and on about it. This lady has auburn colored hair, like my Mom did...and my Mom looked so pretty in those jewel colors.

ANYWAY, the "human development center" lady started talking about how "their" lifespan has increased since she first started working with "them" years and years ago. And I do not like talking about this...especially with complete strangers. But the "educable" lady turned to the "only wears brown" lady and said, "well, hey...your sister lived a long time, right?" She looked at me and said, "her sister had Down Syndrome."

And I was thinking, HELLO? HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN STANDING BESIDE YOU IN CHOIR AND HOW IS IT THAT I NEVER KNEW THIS? And the "brown lady" said, "yes, she lived until she was 40."

And then the 3 older women looked at me with this "see?" look, like her sister living to 40 was impressive.

Which, in my mind, I was already doing the math because Joshua is 28 1/2 years old and LIVING TO 40 IS NOT NEAR LONG ENOUGH IN MY OPINION.

And these ladies who were talking to me had said hello and good-bye to their 40's a LONNNNNG time ago, and I venture to say that they would agree that living to 40 is not near long enough.

But they meant well.

And I know this conversation up to this point doesn't sound all that encouraging...but I was GREATLY encouraged! A long time ago, I did the Experiencing God study by Henry Blackaby...and many of the things I learned have stayed with me all these years. Like the first of his seven realities of experiencing God: God is always at work around you.

For the nearly 2 years that we've been at this church, I haven't talked to ANYONE who really "gets" our life with Joshua. In fact, some people have been really insensitive...and then in one night, BECAUSE OF A COOKIE, I had 4 women talking to me and it blessed my heart SO MUCH! Thank you, Lord!

My mind was racing last night about how God might use this in our church. Maybe there IS hope for our church embracing people like Joshua. Maybe there WOULD be someone who would teach a class of people like him. Or who would at least be supportive of it. I know that nothing is impossible with God, and so I had to slow my mind down and determine to watch and wait and see it all unfold. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work (Blackaby). Not for us to dream up our OWN work and then stuff God in there somewhere so that He will ordain and bless it.

I guess the point is that if you feel impressed to do something, no matter how small, you should do it...because it might not be about what you're making it about (grammar police need not notify me...I know). Or, it might be something very innocent and ordinary...like a cookie...that God will use to do something extraordinary...for your best and for His glory.

God is always at work around you.

"for it is God who is at work in you..." Philippians 2:13