Hope

Today's gift is hope.

I have two blogs, but unfortunately the other blog has taken a back seat since I started this one.  It is really hard to write for one blog, let alone two.  Once this one is finished (16 more to go!!!), I will continue to write on my first blog, originally titled Her Climb, but changed it too Our Everyday, Finding Color Amidst the Grey, in October 2012.

Back in April of 2012, I wrote a post on my first blog titled, HOPE.  This post was written when our journey with Rett Syndrome hit a bump in the road with my daughter and how hope had entered our lives in a couple of ways.

Hope always has a way of finding its way into our lives when we need it the most.  It really does.

The church we started attending a little over a year ago is called Hope.  I would love to say we have been regulars, but we haven't.  We were really good at the beginning, then we started going down hill.  Some of the reasons were to do with my daughter and others were not.  It left an empty hole in our lives...one I honestly felt.

After being away for the last FIVE out of six weekends, we finally made it a much needed priority to go back to church.  It felt incredible to be back.  It was exactly what I needed and as soon as we entered I felt the "hole" go away.

Last Saturday I wrote a post titled, "A Message".  What you do not know (yet, in due time you will) is that this message came at a time when my husband and I really needed it as my daughter was having the Rett Monster enter her world in a way he never had before.  The "message" of hope that was given to us that Saturday morning I will never forget.

My daughter loves going to church.  She sits with us and does not attend the regular Sunday School class...yet.  I still say "yet" as I would love for her to participate, but the other side of me also enjoys having her be by our side listening to the sermon.  She loves the music and loves people watching.  If she didn't enjoy it, then I would help her in Sunday School.  Right now, this is a good fit for all of us.

We watched a short video in church this morning, which was extremely funny....and she laughed appropriately!  She was laughing at the joke just like the rest of us!  And she was able to witness two babies getting baptized.

Then at the end of church as we were walking out of our aisle, the gentleman behind us, tapped my husband on the arm and said something.  I couldn't hear as it was loud from the music, but by the tears welling up in my husband's eyes when I said, "what did he say" told me it must have been powerful.

Once we were out in the hall, we pulled over to the side and he told me the gentleman said, "thank you for loving her".  Ok...tears in two parents eyes!

Two wonderful messages of hope one week apart!  You know what they say....things happen in threes!  I am very curious what my third message of hope is going to be.

I went on to get our other two children and while my husband was waiting for me, the man came up again to him.  They started talking and he ACTUALLY knew what Rett Syndrome was...I mean REALLY knew!!!!  He asked my husband if there was anything he could do for her and he said, "just please pray for her".   I can not thank this gentleman enough for taking the time to say those five words which really meant a lot and truly caring about us and our daughter.

Why do I call both of these messages, messages of hope?  Because both are telling us how special our daughter is and how she was given to us to love, nurture and care for, for a reason and how through hope, we will see this journey through.  Both of these messages would not have been given to us if it were not for our daughter having special needs.

Getting this message today at HOPE, was the sign I needed to remind me we do need to go to church as much as we can...no excuses.  I feel like a different person when we leave church on Sunday and it helps me start my week of right.  I have tried it the other way...praying at home, on my own.  And it isn't the same.

Both of these messages were perfect for my husband to receive first hand too as he deals with his emotions and concerns with Rett Syndrome differently than I do...we all do.  It was a perfect reminder for him too, that sometimes we do need a place we all can find hope on our own personal level.  All of us....me, my husband, my daughter with Rett Syndrome, my middle daughter and my son.   We all need hope in our lives.

Here is a quote for today....

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.  Plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future- Jeremiah 29:11






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