Perspective

I am not a morning person. No, REALLY, I'm not (ask my husband!). So one morning a couple of weeks ago, when the cat came traipsing over me with her plaintive "meow" 45 minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off, I was irritated. Angel had not gotten the memo. See, Sara Ashley had been sick the day before and I knew she wasn't going to school that morning so I (gleefully) set my alarm clock for 45 minutes later than I usually get up. But, obviously, I forgot to tell the cat.
As I laid there trying to get in the extra sleep time, Angel continued her march, back and forth over me and my husband, meowing and crying for her breakfast along the way. And I was really, really starting to get mad when I remembered this cartoon:

Instead of getting mad, I began to smile, the corners of my mouth turning up instinctively. And as the mind often does, my thoughts began to wander from one thing to the next when I realized, with awe, that God had given my cat Angel an internal time clock that was better than my digital one. "Wake up!" She cried. "I'm hungry!" So I swung my legs over the side of the bed, grinned and started my day.

Life continually gives us these jarring "wake up" moments. And like my situation that morning, it is up to us to choose how we will react to them. We can choose anger. We can choose grief and fear. We can get lost in these choices and walk around bitter and mad. While it is not wrong to have these emotions, to be consumed with them is also not the way to live our lives. When we are suffering with the weight of life, taking these emotions to God can help us find His comfort and love. This comforting can come through our circumstances or it can come in spite of our circumstances. However we find it, we are blessed by Him.

Taking our pain to God for His love and comfort allows us to reach a level of perspective that we never would have found without Him. This changed perspective has become very clear to me through my continuing journey of life with kids who experience life challenges. God has blessed me by connecting me with some incredible people. One of them is a lady who has a beautiful gift with words. Her name is Karen and her daughter is eight years old and has autism. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Karen in person yet, but I feel like I know her heart from what she has shared with me on her blog, www.kcouchpoetry.blogspot.com. Please take a moment and visit it when you can.

Karen has given me permission to share one of her poems on this blog. It is called Perspective and it reminds us of God's love and promises for us in our circumstances through His Word. He is present in our trials and our triumphs. He is our comforter and our strength. I know that this poem will resonate with all of you.

Perhaps what you read will capture the way you have been feeling too. Please feel free to share your thoughts. I'd love to hear about how you express yourself when faced with trials. We all have them! Or maybe you have a blessing or thought you want to share, something God has placed on your heart.

I continue to thank God for placing me on this journey. Through these last few weeks I have found such peace and happiness in knowing that there are parents out there who, despite the REAL pain and grief of their circumstances, can truly see His blessings moving in their lives. That these parents want to share, support and encourage one another is a gift from Him.

Karen's poem:

Perspective

I wrote this as a response to this mornings meltdown before school...

autism makes me cry.

The Lord remembers my tears and comforts me.

autism brings a communication barrier to relationship.

The Father shed His own Son's blood so we might have no barrier to relationship with Him.

autism brings language misunderstandings.

The Lord's words bring wisdom, understanding, and clarity.

autism is a challenge within our family.

The Lord uses it to refine our love for one another.

autism wants relationship based on self.

The Lord wants relationship based on His words.

autism is present in our family for a reason.

Only the Lord knows the reasons for allowing a family to struggle. His ways are higher.

autism seems to overshadow so many areas in my life.

The Lord is sovereign over every detail in the universe.

autism is oblivious to social language opinions.

The Lord uses this for uninhibited belief and worship.

autism is not evidence of an imperfectly made person, rather,

the Lord convicts an imperfect person's heart of a sinful response to it. 

autism can make ordinary moments of perfect connection rare, but so joyous!

How much more does the Lord desire to perfectly connect with his own children through His word?

autism amazes me with it's effect on our lives.

The Love that comes from the Jesus Christ affects us indescribably more.

autism still makes me cry.

The Lord keeps on remembering my tears... and comforts me.