leaning

This little dolly joined our church family 2 years ago through a foster placement.  She has to be one of the cutest little things ever!  Her name is Eliza.  Even her name is sooooo cute! 

The court finally recognized her forever family and she is officially part of this wonderful, kind, loving and God-fearing family.

(ok, Pastor Jason is not part of their family!)

I learned last week that Eliza was born with a muscular problem.  Her muscles are very flexible and don't have a lot of tone.  She wears these adorable little ankle braces that you would mistake for cute little girly socks and she leans on all sorts of things, mostly her parents.  There is a fancy shmancy technical medical term for it but I can't remember what it is.  I honestly never noticed that she was any different than any other two-year old.  My kids still lean on me all the time so the leaning seems very normal to me.

It's interesting to watch sweet Eliza.  She totally and completely trusts her mommy and her daddy.  She knows they are close and she can lean on them for support.  She knows they love her and will catch her.  Many times, she is completely dependent on them for support.

Her parents shared in church last week that Eliza fell from some playground equipment.  She was more than 5 feet up when she fell.  She landed face down with her neck hyper-extended.  Because of her muscular "disability", her body was able to stretch and she didn't sustain any serious injuries.  The ER docs checked her out and cleared her for more play time.  Funny how God works isn't it?  He used what the world might see as a disability to save Eliza's life.

Are you seeing it yet?  Isn't that what our lives are supposed to be like?  We have a heavenly Father who loves us deeply.  We can trust Him with our lives.  He is always close to hold and support us.  We must lean on Him.  The world may see our dependence on Him as a weakness or a disability.  But His Word tells us "'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."  (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Lord, let me be dependent on you for my strength.  Remind me to lean on you and look to you for all fulfillment.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

     and lean not on your own understanding;

 in all your ways acknowledge him,

     and he will make your paths straight."  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I had to include this pic.  I've been hanging on to it for a couple of months.  Eliza is listening to the kids' story in church.  I love, love, love this pic!  Silly isn't it?  I just want to scoop her up and give her a big smoochie!