The Rocking Horse

Looming more than ten feet in the air, the perfect storybook rocking horse dominated the space.  People climbed the open stairs that leaned against the horse's body just so that they could sit in the large saddle.  

Cradled in her mother's arms, little, two year old Rosie was intrigued, but she did not want to venture up those stairs that loomed in front of her.  As I watched my granddaughter and the horse, I wanted to get out of my wheelchair and climb those stairs.  The desire to wave to her as I sat on the horse whelmed up in me.  "What would she think?",  I wondered.  Carefully, I considered the height of the stairs, the open treads, and the length from the top stair to the saddle.  If I did manage it, how would I get down?  Desperately, I wanted to freely enjoy the moment of childhood abandon.

Reality punched me in the heart as I knew that desire could not be realized.  The stairs were too steep; the saddle too high; the climb too precarious.  Brushing away the hope and tears, I turned and smiled at sweet Rosie.

Yesterday, I had the delight of spending the day at Navy Pier's Winter Wonder Fest with my family.

The Gift

Think back to a time when you opened a gift and thought, "What were they thinking? Why would they give this to me?"  How did you feel? How did you respond?  What did you do with the gift afterwards?

Now, think back to another time when someone opened your gift and it was not well received. For some reason, you knew that they did not like the present. How did you feel?  How did you respond?

The event of receiving entails two components; the act of giving and the act of receiving.   Both are receivers and both are givers. Everyone involved has an emotional connection in the moment.     When receiving a gift, the receiver has in their control to also give a gift to the giver.  When giving a gift, the giver receives something in return.  When a gift is poorly received, an opportunity is lost. 

Facing chronic illness helps me to focus on what matters the most. It may sound trite; but, love for the giver is far more important than love of the gift. 

In this season of the overburdened pursuit of finding the right gift, I implore you to turn your thoughts outward. You might be surprised when you discover that you find more joy in the pursuit of learning the right response. 

When you open your gift this Christmas, look up from the present and thank the giver for the gift of their love.  

"For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son"

Predestined

Predestination: my American spirit bristles at the confinement this word conveys to me.  The idea that my life's path was somehow predetermined by some greater power sets my nerves on fire.  Still, let us take the idea a little further.

What if the interpretation is a little broader.  Rather than being locked into course of events, it could mean that we were predestined to have certain physical characteristics, to possess a particular personality, and to meet certain people along the way.  Surely, you will agree that you did not choose your looks.  Maybe, you will agree that your basic personality was formed before you had any input.  Lastly, although, you can regulate who are your friends, you did not determine your relatives and cannot control all the people with whom you interact.

These three components (physical characteristics, personality, and relationships) are major building blocks of our lives.  So, we were predestined to live as we were formed in the womb.  We were created.

If you are willing to embrace the idea of predestination, you may find freedom instead of restriction.  To live your life with a purpose can give you peace in the midst of the most madding situations.  When I focus on what I can do or with whom I consociate, then everything becomes calmer.

Whether I like it or not, I was predestined in my mother's womb to have muscular dystrophy.  A simple fact.  Period.  Now, what?  Strive for excellence?  No.  Strive to live out my life as I was predestined.  Predestined to have muscular dystrophy, a strong personality, and a relationship with people and God.