Today I sat through what seems like the millionth therapy evaluation for Owen. These are never any fun. The whole process just serves as a reminder of how your child falls short of the "norm", how he's different, or behind or not measuring up. It brings to light all the areas of struggle. Who of us would enjoy that!
After a morning like this I always have to remind myself how my God sees my son. Perfectly and wonderfully made [Psalm 139:13-18] and desperately in need of a savior [Rom 3:23]. I know we're in the middle of this Team Owen money raising thing—something we've never done before—and I realize that some of the message may be misunderstood by some.
You see, even if the doctor who predicted before Owen's birth that he would "Never walk, never be normal" was right, God would still see my boy in the same way. He is God and He does not make mistakes. He desperately loves Owen (and you), so much that He sent His only and perfect Son to die in our place [John 3:16]! The only thing we CAN'T do in God's eyes is save ourselves from our sin. There's only love.
So here's what this shirt I designed for Team Owen means to me... It's not bragging that Owen can run (which technically, he doesn't.) It's not even celebrating that he can walk despite that doctor's predictions. Though that's pretty cool. It's not really about that stuff at all. To me, this little story about a bee and Doctor Owl is all about NOT allowing others define who you are or what you can become! I do not have to fit in a mold others have chosen for me, and neither do you! Our God has bigger plans for us than that—we can become instruments to bring him glory! [John 9] And here's a little secret... He especially likes to do so through our weaknesses [2 Cor 12:10].
I pray that Owen (and you, and I) remember how God sees us—as his dearly loved children, created and loved before the foundations of the world. He wants nothing more than for us to realize our frailty and the depths of our sin and to turn to Him for help, accepting His free gift of salvation to all who believe [John 1:12].
My hero Mr. Rogers used to say, "I like you just the way you are, just for being you." May these shirts bring awareness to just that. And may we have God's eyes of love when we look at others, and ourselves. If He can save a sinner like me, there is no limit to what God can accomplish in our hearts and in our world! He can teach us contentment in who we are and where we're at—in the middle of an earth-shattering diagnosis and even after yet another depressing eval. When we have Christ we can rise above our circumstances and find contentment in Who we are in Christ [Phil 3:10-19].
Thankful He's not finished with me yet!
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