Grateful

Today I went to training for where I will be at this semester for one of my classes. I have been given the opportunity to work at the RHA Howell Center. It is a center for children who are physically and mentally disabled. Some have severe medical needs, but do not need hospitalization. Some, their parents cannot afford their medical supplies, and others have been abused in some way shape or form. Most all of these children have trachs and are dependent on others for their needs. Not many can walk and not many are fed by mouth, but through a GTube. It breaks my heart to see these children, but at the same time I am so grateful that they have places such as this where they can get the love and support and medical needs that they need to survive. Many people would come in there and see helpess children, children lying immobilized with tubes, or helmets, or some other equipment. However, they are far from any of those things. They aren't helpess, they can strive like any other child, just at a different rate and pace, they aren't immobilized, they love the rough and tumble play that any toddler or preschooler does. Yes, they have machines, and helmets, and wheelchairs and yes, they lie still most of the time, but they love the attention, the warmth of someone stroking their hair, reading them a story, singing them a song or helping them grasp a toy.
Through these children I see the work of Christ, not only working in me, but in them, and in the ones that care for them. Christ has a plan for all of our lives, our days are numbered and he knows everything about us. Some would ask, "why does God create children like this?" my simple answer to that, is because it helps others realized how grateful they should be for their lives. We need these children in our lives to show us how simple life can be if we let it. Sometimes you just have to let others care for you. I'm not one to let others do that easily, but watching these children teaches me that it's ok to need the support of others. We need to learn to lean on Christ when we need help and when we need our needs met. He will never let us go without the things that we need. He wants to spend time with us. He wants us to be still and know that He is God. He wants to stroke our hair, read us His book, sing us songs of praise, and be the warmth that so many of us need.
So today, take the time to let Christ in, to let him love you unconditionaly. Let him be your rock.