Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Yesterday I was cleaning and organizing Jaden's Book shelf and came across a neatly folded paper tucked inside one of the books. As I opened it up, I remembered exactly when I was handed the paper and for unknown reasons, I never read it until yesterday. It was given to me during one of our long stays at the hospital from one of Jaden's great nurses. I'm sure with all the craziness that went on at the hospital, somehow never found the time to read it and it eventually ended up where I stuck it. To think that Jaden is almost four now and I'm just coming across this paper, not to mention that it came just at the right timing. I so needed to be re-reminded that God has blessed me beyond measure. With all that being said, here's what was handed to me:

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit.

This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how these mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God looking over Earth with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

“Beth: son, Carrie: twins, Marjorie: daughter”

Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a handicapped child."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly." says God. "Could I give a child with a handicap to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asks the angel

"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it."

" This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."

The angel gasps. "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive.

Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with the child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied.

She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see - ignorance, cruelty, prejudice - and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as she is here by My side."

~A column from Erma Bombeck~

so as I was sitting in Jaden's room reading this, oh the tears that flooded my face...I had to re-read it over and over again...Isn't it something to think that God allowed me to read this just at the very moment that I needed to read it...I believe that nothing is by chance...Jaden's Pre-School teachers are planning his 4 year evaluation, with this comes all the anxiety that I have of where Jaden should be and where he actually is... no parent wants to sit and listen to someone telling you that your child is developmentally delayed. So as I prepare myself for this, I will have this column stored in the back of my mind and remember that I was chosen by God to take care of Jaden and that He said He would never leave my side.