Yesterday I (Daddy) went to Jackson, Mississippi for a celebration-of-life service for Noah's daughter Magdalena. There were a couple hundred people there, and hundreds more around the world (like Nims!) who sent comforting words. Probably a thousand people who have been blessed by the life of this little kid. On the drive home, I was thinking about all the things that most of us have that Magdalena didn't, and how little we do with it.
It doesn't hurt to breathe.
Our minds are clear.
Food is an enjoyable thing, not something we have to force in through a tube.
We can talk.
Certainly with all of these advantages, we can do more with our lives than Magdalena did.
And yet Magdalena did more to bless the people who knew her in 167 days than I have in 11, 745. She didn't just make it through 167 days, she conquered them. She fought against a bad heart and an extra chromosome and a bevy of medical experts that said she wouldn't even be born, and she beat them back long enough to bless a multitude of people. She stood strong, though she never got a chance to stand, and she was never strong. Every breath was a triumph, every day a victory. And when she finished what she was here to do, God brought her up to Him for a well-deserved rest. I'm blessed with good health, a wonderful family, and the resources to communicate with people around the world in an instant. I should probably start using them to bless others. Perhaps, when my days on earth are done, I will also have 167 victorious days.
In the immortal words of Indiana Jones, "It's not the years, honey. It's the mileage."
1 comment:
Patrick and Melinda - as you know from my 20 years at Camp Sunshine, I am constantly amazed at how many folks these incredible children touch. It took me years to get over being mad at God for doing this to these children, but it finally hit me. This answer of mine doesn't take away the pain of watching a child suffer or being in total amazement at how they handle it (not us - we are chickens and babies). But this, I do know.
These children are put on this earth to teach us mortals how to live and love and appreciate each day with all the blessings we have - no matter how few they are. They are here to change our lives and make us less selfish and more giving, patient and understanding and move loving towards others. They make us much better persons than when we first met them. God bless them all.
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