I’m sure you’ve all heard about it already. She’s called “Pillow Angel“, Ashely a nine year old mentally and physically disabled child.

“The bedridden 9-year-old girl had her uterus and breast tissue removed at a Seattle hospital and received large doses of hormones to halt her growth. She is now 4-foot-5; her parents say she would otherwise probably reach a normal 5-foot-6.”

                                                                                                                     [msnbc]

The parents have done this to make things easier on them as they take care of her in the future.

Now, you may be thinking I’m going off on a judgmental rant - well I am. I do feel like I have some license to speak into this subject. I had a little sister who was mentally and physically disabled from birth. Haley died when she was 13. Was she a big responsibility? Yes, it was difficult on our family.

But also one thing I do know is that she was also a tremendous blessing. Having her apart of my life has greatly shaped who I am today. And as I think of it, she may be the person who most influenced me. I loved her very much.

So I read stories like these and I feel empathy towards this family, but I must also wonder what are they doing? This opens up a huge moral window, one I think shouldn’t be opened. Just because her care is difficult doesn’t give them license to mutilate her. And that’s what they’re doing.

So if there are things in our kids that we find difficult, do we just send them to surgery? My son James is loud - do I have his vocal chords removed? My daughter Aida likes to stomp - should we sever her Achilles tendons? My other son Samuel isn’t potty trained - do we sew up his buttocks so he doesn’t soil diapers? Now, I know I’m exaggerating the point, but really folks this is a slippery slope we’re going down.

What gives us the right to play God? To me, I see this situation as one of simply convenience, not necessity. If she’s that much of a burden, they should just euthanize her (I’m not advocating this - just proving a point).

We all do this is in our walks with the Lord. Adversity happens and instead of walking through it with God, we cry out “take this away!” It’s a reminder to me that God takes us through processes, not simply point A to point B. Let us find joy in our struggles. Let us find Him in our hardships. If we avoid everything, we’re left with nothing. Through adversity we find sufficiency. Life is here to show us that we all need a Savior to walk with us, not deliver us from it all.

If any of you have about 45 min to burn… check out the message I gave at our church this Sunday.  

“Called to a Journey” Mp3

Check it out here

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

                                                                            Philippians 4:6

This is something I’ve been trying to wrap my head around for 29 years. It’s a passage of amazing comfort - but something I easily forget [and live likewise]. It simply reminds me that it’s not about me. Life isn’t in my hands [thank God!]. And when I realize that it’s not all on me… I’m am free to live in his abundance and grace.

Sounds great a churchy, doesn’t it. But for some reason I can’t seem to put it any other way. “Don’t worry stupid, it’s not about you” is my other alternative. I just doesn’t seem a warm and fuzzy.