World Down Syndrome Day 2015

Today is World Down Syndrome Day...or, as our family calls it: "The Holiday of Joshua's People."

We are celebrating and giving thanks for all the extra FUN one little, extra chromosome has given to our family.

We ate dinner with our family at one of his favorite places. I made cookies...and Clark and Faith brought him a cupcake! It was a pretty fun day for him. Of course, we set the bar pretty low. One year, we lost Joshua on The Holiday of His People. I wrote about that here.

I don't know what I did to deserve the blessing of this child...or his 3 siblings...because there is definitely nothing good in me. Or Jim. Especially not in Jim.

JUST KIDDING.

And I know that some get offended when others say they feel "blessed," but I think that's just because we tend to think of "blessings" as only the good things...and not any hard things. But it IS some of the hard things, too.

I do feel very blessed.

We, Jim and I, feel like we have given nothing, and yet God has given ALL.

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap..." (Luke 6:38)

I read a quote from Laura Story's sister. You remember that Laura Story sings the "Blessings" song, and that her husband had a brain tumor and many health issues related to that. I read that her sister said, "You know, I think the detour is actually the road."

This quote has stayed with me for years, because how many times do we see the trials and circumstances in our lives as hurdles to be jumped...and then we can just move on? Or, as a "detour" that will eventually take us back to our original path.

What if you can't just jump the hurdle? What if you can't just "get over it" and move on to the next thing?

What if the "detour" never leads back to the road?

What if the "detour" is actually the road?

We, Jim and I, have basically fumbled and tripped our way down this path God has called us to walk, but with His help and guidance, and the love and support of our friends...we are finding JOY in the journey.

"Your ears will hear sweet words behind you: 'Go this way. There is your path; this is how you should go' whenever you must decide whether to turn to the right or the left." Isaiah 30:21