The Spirit Helps Us in Our Weakness
Read: Matthew11:25-30
For several years we went to Florida for the winter. We had one neighbor, Johnny, who lived four doors from us. He came with his parents from the Boston area.
When Johnny was born with Down Syndrome and a heart condition, his physician recommended he be put into an institution. His parents said, no, they would take care of him. His mother was a teacher, and put him in a special school where he learned to read and write, and later enjoyed art classes.
Johnny was friends with everyone, and every day would meet the mailperson and visit while they sorted the mail.
His mother would take him to the pool at dinner time, when the pool was nearly empty, and let him swim with two empty milk cartons, so he would not interfere with others.
The parents gave him a birthday party every year (no gifts, please) with a small band and pizza, salad, and cake. Of course, several gave him monetary gifts which he used to take his parents and friends to lunch at his favorite restaurant, McDonald’s.
One night last year he didn’t feel well, and asked his mother to sleep with him. The next morning he felt better, but that night she again slept with him. When she awoke that second morning, he was deceased. He was 61 years old.
Life gives us challenges, but God gives us the ability to handle them.
Sara Wooton
No comments:
Post a Comment