The Deaf

We have always done some light sign language starting around 6 months to aid in communication. I always try to use signs as close to ASL as possible just in case one day they decide to learn it as a second language or marry someone deaf, or begin ministering to the deaf. That way maybe they could have a head start...(hey, a white guy can survive in a latin country by knowing only "more food please" and "bathroom", it could happen!) When looking up the sign for "potty" the other day, I was struck with a desire to look up local support groups and baby-mommy sign language classes for the truly deaf. It was strange, almost as if I needed to know that there were resources just in case. A comfort came over me thinking about all the help that is out there for the hearing impaired, but I found myself comforted imagining attending with one of my children, perhaps unborn. My head was in a spin of all the areas of life that one little gift would change, how we would be forced to see the world differently and learn things we otherwise would never take the time to learn.
  I shook myself a little and went back to reading the Word, but I sent up a quick prayer telling the Lord "Your will be done." As I was telling Kevin about the incident later that night, I was amazed to see him react with the same kind of excitement that I had felt. But how can this be? I would NEVER pray or ask for my children to be born anything less than "complete". In fact, my constant prayer, as was my mothers, is that the baby would be healthy and love God. There are enough tests in this life to be handled with all the senses then to ask for God to take one away.
   Perhaps God is preparing us to open our hearts to love through adoption that we might know more deeply our own adoption into Christ while we were yet imperfect (Gal 4:5, Eph 1:5). Or to go a step further and adopt the "unwanted" children with disabilities. I was just reading in the Duggar's book about how after their daughter Josie was born 3 months early they received some encouraging letters from families who had been through the dark times in the NICU. One family had a son born with spina bifida and it turned their world upside down! They began to see how blessed they were to be in America with the overwhelming support of other families encouraging each other, but their hearts broke for children in other parts of the world who are left to die in the orphanages due to harsh conditions and no one to care for their special needs. They began adopting special needs children from around the world as God led and what a burden of love they have experienced! A local church in Charlotte puts on a huge Prom for men and women with disabilities that Kevin had the privilege to film at a couple years back. What an awesome thing to see scripture, Luke 14:12-14, in action!
  The next morning (yesterday), I pulled out an old issue of Prayer Line for Kids (a great tool to pray for missionaries in other parts of the world each day of the week). I hadn't read this particular issue yet and when I went to the day, I began to read the story of a deaf pastor in the Philippines who ministered to other deaf Filipinos. What is God trying to tell us? I cannot be sure. One thing I do know is that He is speaking, so we are getting really quiet around here trying to hear His voice. Ps 92:5-6:

  

⁵ O Lord, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.
⁶ A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool understand this.

We pray for wisdom to discern these deep thoughts that God's great works might be shown in our life! I may look back on this blog post in 10 years (Lord willing) and still not know what God was preparing our family for. But in the mean time, we will prepare our hearts for His out pourings so we don't miss a drop when it comes.