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\u201cYes, he has cerebral palsy,\u201d I said, two-stepping at the counter because I was nervously watching the clock like a countdown to kickoff.<\/p>\n
He gently took the pictures from their plastic sleeves and laid them out on the framing table. \u201cMy nephew has cerebral palsy,\u201d he said then.<\/p>\n
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And that\u2019s how it happened. We got to talking about Charlie and his nephew, who is now 38, and how he has changed his uncle\u2019s life for the better. I told him I hoped that was true of the people who meet Charlie too. We had a moment. And I forgot to be nervous. This talk, apparently, was also what God had planned for me that morning and it was just as significant as the one that would follow.<\/p>\n
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I got to church still nervous. Nerves are not sensible things. Despite my conversation with the framer, they still rebelled, roiling like eels somewhere in my midsection.<\/p>\n
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I recognized many faces. I hugged a few and tried to remember the name of more. And then it was time and the introductions were over and the microphone was in my hand and I still<\/em>\u00a0didn\u2019t know what I was going to say. And then the ripple in my voice smoothed out as I began to talk about framer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The story of my motherhood and my Charlie is, at its crux, a story of connection. It is how God dragged me out of my bubble of competency and let me tumble in with the rest of the world, leaning on the people God brought alongside. The framer is just one reminder that I am not alone, and should not be, despite my deepest desires to retire by the fire and let everyone else continue on their merry way. Charlie brings this out in me and everyone he meets. He is a beacon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I could not have said this as well as I did without letting go of my agenda or the need to have things note-carded and rehearsed. There were pauses for tears as I felt, really felt\u00a0<\/em>God giving me the message one word at a time. It was an exercise in exactly what I was talking about \u2013 letting God lead the way and being vulnerable in the most public sense because we don\u2019t have to \u201chave it together\u201d for people to love us and understand us. In fact, I would argue, it\u2019s much easier to love the fumblers because they are honest. Life is a fumble and God wants us to know we will be caught and cared for.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling that tug to present yourself as more together than you are, I get it. If you\u2019re feeling the need to control your day, your relationships, your home, your leisure time, I get it. It\u2019s the reality we live in to be autonomous and imperious in our capabilities. But it is so nice to let it go every now and then. It\u2019s so nice to see what God can do when He makes the first move and we get to follow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Also, here’s the kids pictures because I’ve talked about them too long not to show you…<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mom-gene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/BlackWhiteFamilyPic.jpg?resize=670%2C502\")
<\/p>\nSunday Thoughts Link Up<\/strong><\/h1>\n
It’s time for another Sunday Thoughts Link-Up! I know there are many out there with wisdom that could encourage all of us. As long as it’s faith-based, I’d love for you to join up and then read and comment on what others have shared. Please also leave a comment here. Think of this as a Sunday morning community group that comes to you. And grab the button if you like…<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mom-gene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Sunday-Thoughts-Button.jpeg?w=1170\" "\\"The")
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