April 15, 2013

One Day



You never know when, in one day, in one ordinary moment, your life will be forever changed.  You’re going about your daily routine, distracted by busyness, when unexpectedly, love and magic happen. 

One day, almost 4 years ago, I answered the ringing phone, an automatic response that I have done thousands of time.   The social worker on the other end of the line asked me if I would be willing to care for a special-needs, severely medically-fragile baby boy. Sometimes I have had to decline because of circumstances or due to poor timing or simply from lack of peace.  But this one day, after praying for the Lord’s direction and discussing the situation with my husband, I said yes.  Yes, I would welcome this frail child into my life, and yes, I would do my best to provide for his needs and to love him as my own as long as he was in my care.

One day turned into another.  The days steadily added up to weeks, and in spite of the extreme difficulties of caring for this child, we slowly settled into a routine that felt “normal” for our family.  One day looked pretty much like the one preceding it: administering and adjusting medication, charting medical and developmental details, scheduling doctor’s appointments, working with therapists.  It was nothing miraculous, nothing extraordinary . . . just waking up each morning and choosing to be faithful to do what the Lord had called me to do.

He was just a baby boy, so tiny and weak.  Every breath was a struggle, every movement painful. One day looked pretty much like the one preceding it:  fitful naps; frequent choking and vomiting; countless unknown strangers in white coats, touching, poking, pricking, squeezing.  Through it all, there was one person who never left his side.  She was with him 24/7, always available to comfort him when he needed it.  She sang softly into his ears, melodies letting him know that Jesus loves him, and reminding him that God’s grace is amazing.  She knew just how to hold him so that it didn’t hurt quite so much.  She was his foster mother.