Do you know who Joni Erikson Tada is? My mom made us watch her bio video when we were kids, and quite honestly it freaked me out a bit. At age seventeen she dove in a shallow pool and became paralyzed. That whole scene is still in my head like 20 years later. But anyway, she is a crazy inspirational person. Despite being a quadriplegic, she is married, paints (with her teeth!!), gives speeches on how good God is (!!!!), writes books, goes on talk shows, and has an entire business (or two) running.
One time I heard a blurb she did on the radio. It was titled “Tailor-made trials” or something like that. In it she talked about how God hand-picks every single trouble for us. Every trouble is individually selected as something that each one of us needs, or would benefit from. I had never thought about God carefully picking my problems, out of love, out of kindness, out of really knowing who I am.
I have often thought since about how God also hand-picks our children for us. Of all the mommies in the world, Sam got me. God thought that I would make the best mom for him. It’s crazy! So I have Sam. Sam, who had colic. Sam, who is allergic to everything. Sam, who loves to learn, who is addicted to golf, who has a soft heart, who has asthma, who soaks up everything like a sponge, who takes forever to climb down the stairs, who likes to rock and be held when he wakes up, who loves books and who only naps for one hour and fifteen minutes before waking up with a poopy diaper, every, single, TIME.
And then I think about Ty. I’m dying to know if he’ll be blond like Sam or will love reading as much or will light up too the first time he notices the giraffe on the mobile. I think if I’m honest with myself I’m halfway expecting him to have most of Sam’s good qualities and none of his struggles. I should probably work through that unrealistic expectation over the next 11 days or we are in for a bit of a disappointment, now that I think about it.
But one thing I know. Whoever he is, whatever he is allergic to or afraid of, or however he is the most wonderful or challenging kid I can ever imagine having – he is mine. God chose him for me. There is a lot of comfort in that I think!
Now, not to second-guess God’s arrangements or anything but if Ty could just stop kicking me in the kidney (or whatever organ that is) for the next bit, we would ALL be happier. Really, we would.
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It doesn't matter what Ty likes, dislikes, what allergies he has or anything else. You will love him every bit as fiercely as you love Sam, but exactly how Ty needs to be loved. Each one of my children is so different from the other 2 it is sometimes hard to believe they all have the same parents. As for the kidney kicking-maybe he'll be a soccer player š
(Ecclesiastes 9:11) 11Ā I returned to see under the sun that the swift do not have the race, nor the mighty ones the battle, nor do the wise also have the food, nor do the understanding ones also have the riches, nor do even those having knowledge have the favor; because time and unforeseen occurrence befall them all.Ā .Ā .(Deuteronomy 32:4) Ā 4Ā The Rock, perfect is his activity, For all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; Righteous and upright is he.Ā .Ā .(Job 34:10) 10Ā Therefore, YOU men of heart, listen to me. Far be it from the [true] God to act wickedly, And the Almighty to act unjustly!(James 1:12-13) 12Ā Happy is the man that keeps on enduring trial, because on becoming approved he will receive the crown of life, which God promised to those who continue loving him. 13Ā When under trial, let no one say: āI am being tried by God.ā For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone.Ā .Ā .(Luke 13:1-5) 13 At that very season there were certain ones present that reported to him about the GalĀ·iĀ·leā²ans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2Ā So in reply he said to them: āDo YOU imagine that these GalĀ·iĀ·leā²ans were proved worse sinners than all other GalĀ·iĀ·leā²ans because they have suffered these things? 3Ā No, indeed, I tell YOU; but, unless YOU repent, YOU will all likewise be destroyed. 4Ā Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in SiĀ·loā²am fell, thereby killing them, do YOU imagine that they were proved greater debtors than all other men inhabiting Jerusalem? 5Ā No, indeed, I tell YOU; but, unless YOU repent, YOU will all be destroyed in the same way.ā(1 John 4:7-10) 7Ā Beloved ones, let us continue loving one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born from God and gains the knowledge of God. 8Ā He that does not love has not come to know God, because God is love. 9Ā By this the love of God was made manifest in our case, because God sent forth his only-begotten Son into the world that we might gain life through him. 10Ā The love is in this respect, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent forth his Son as a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins.It really hurts me to think that anyone would believe that God would pick troubles for us. He allows them but definitely does not initiate them. Just thought I would share some verses from the Bible that hopefully will help you to see this. Cherrie