my perception of "perfect" has changed so much in the 15 months since wyatt's birth. we had a dear friend who was our sunday school teacher several years ago, and when he prayed for a woman who was pregnant, he would pray that their baby would be born "perfect in mind, body and spirit." that sounded like a great way to pray for a baby.... and i started praying the same way for many years. i'm sure i even prayed that for wyatt....
i mentioned this to a friend recently, as i struggled over how to word praying for an unborn baby. i didn't feel like i could pray that "perfect in mind, body and spirit" prayer since wyatt had been born with Down syndrome. she quickly pointed out that wyatt was born "perfect" just as God intended him to be. perfection is overrated....God's and man's perceptions of perfect are likely not the same thing...not that i can speak for God by any means.
i know that wyatt having been born with Down syndrome was exactly God's plan for his life and ours. i find myself now praying for other's babies that they will be born "perfectly as God intends them to be...." because His plan is so much greater than ours..."He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He." (deuteronomy 32:4 niv)
Exactly! Excellent post. :)
ReplyDeleteI've never considered this before. God creates us with His own hands in our mother's womb and He never makes a mistake. I'm loving your blog.
ReplyDeleteI believe there's quite a few of us women of faith who, since having a child with a "different-ability" struggle with the word perfection and it's meaning. Your friend was very insightful. God's meaning of perfect is not ours. I find myself praying for God's will for the child-and it's parents. I'm quite happy now that Caleb is not "perfect" by worldly standards!! :)
ReplyDeleteEvery time I hear someone say "I don't care if it's a boy or a girl as long as it's healthy," I inwardly cringe. I tell people "healthy" is so over rated! Todd will tells me, "well they just said that to the wrong person!"
ReplyDeleteLoved your perspective. Wyatt is just how God intended him. And what a blessing!
Bethene
I had a discussion a short time ago in with some friends who have kids with various disabilities (profound developmental delays, severe autism, diabetes, Ds, and global delays) about heaven. Some of them think their kids will be "cured" in heaven. And I so totally understand that thought and hope. But I told them, whatever happens, I know it will be perfect... whether its we who have our perspectives changed, or our kids who are changed. Personally, heaven wouldn't be right without Josiah having Ds, it's just part of who he is.