Mark of His Love

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, 

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.”  

―James 1:17, NIV

We sometimes have the erroneous notion that if everything appears well on the exterior everything is okay. At our daughter’s delivery, I equated her ten fingers and ten toes with perfection. Caught up with her external appearance, I gave little thought to the possibility that something was wrong on the inside.

My obstetrician immediately suspected Down syndrome because of some of our daughter’s distinct facial features: almond-shaped eyes, a small head with a flatter profile, a thicker neck, a somewhat flat nose, a smaller mouth and ears, and a thicker tongue. None of these features is abnormal in itself, but when a doctor sees a number of these features combined, Down syndrome is suspected. Because of these and other distinguishing physical features, people with Down syndrome will resemble one another as well as bear a resemblance to their family members. My doctor was convinced of his suspicions when he looked into the palms our daughter’s hands and saw the simian line.

In the average hand, three lines intersect the palm―the head, heart, and life lines. A simian line fuses the top two lines (the head and heart) into a single, deep line that crosses the palm horizontally. This line is present in approximately 3 percent of the general population and appears in about one-half of individuals with Down syndrome. (It can also show up in the palms of a person who is gifted mentally even to the point of genius.)

Further chromosomal testing supported the doctor’s conclusions. Intricately woven into every cell of our daughter’s body was an extra copy of the twenty-first chromosome―the distinctive marker of Down syndrome. Our daughter may appear flawed to some, and she may fall short of humanity’s expectations, but in the eyes of her Creator she is perfect and ideal for the role she was destined to play in our lives.

As believers, we too carry a distinctive mark―the seal of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s indwelling presence in our lives signifies that we belong to the family of God and are joint heirs with His Son, Jesus. When we grow together in Christ as His children and assume His nature, we begin to resemble one another in character and deeds. After a while, others come to know us as members of God’s family because we resemble our Father.

If we could look into the hands of Christ, we would see within His palms distinctive marks―marks of His love for us: His nail scars. Regardless of our genetic make-up, Christ considered us worth dying for. Now, as believers forever marked by His love, we each have that extra something that makes us perfect, inside and out. Pretty special, huh?

Now it's your turn to "get down." Do you bear the mark of God's love? Reach out and make Christ visible today by giving someone a hand up.

I welcome your comments.

Keep your sunny side up!
Starr

Day 3 of a five-day series which first appeared at www.zookeepersministries.com

Expecting the Unexpected

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
―Proverbs 3:5-6, KJV

I was four months pregnant when I was rushed into emergency surgery―the diagnosis: acute appendicitis. Afterward, I clung to my unspoken fear that the anesthesia would adversely affect our unborn child.

At our daughter’s birth, five months later, I was more anxious to know if our baby had ten fingers and ten toes than whether or not our child was a boy or a girl. Counting all her digits, I breathed a sigh of relief and a silent prayer dedicating her to the Lord and His will for her life. I didn’t realize the significance my prayer would have a few hours later.

The next morning, my husband, along with his mother and our pediatrician, entered my hospital room. Their downcast expressions pierced my joy-filled heart. Although words seemed unnecessary, the doctor proceeded to tell me our daughter had been born with Down syndrome.

Surely, he was mistaken. I’d just held her. Hadn’t I marveled at her strength as she lifted her tiny head from my shoulder? Hadn’t I unwrapped the pink flannel blanket to reveal all seven pounds of wrinkly flesh and counted every last finger and toe for myself? They were wrong. Our child was nothing less than perfect!

Reflecting on my surgery, I blamed her disability on the anesthesia. Our pediatrician assured us that nothing we did had caused this, and there was nothing we could have done to prevent it―Down syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality that results in intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Later that night, in the shadowy stillness of my hospital room, warring thoughts grappled for prominent position in my mind. I could do nothing to silence the incessant replay of our physician’s words inside my head, nor to dismiss the unwelcome companions of doubt and fear lodged deep within my heart. I thought of the delivery room and my initial relief. Now my joy suffered a crushing blow, unleashing an avalanche of contradictory emotions and prayers.

Oh, yes, the prayer―that prayer―the one surrendering our daughter to the Lord’s will. I so wanted to retract my words of grateful submission. Instead, I pleaded for miracles, miracles that would change the diagnosis, miracles that would somehow make everything different.

Life seldom unfolds as we expect. Mary’s didn’t. An unforeseen pregnancy interrupted her plans to marry Joseph. What questions and fears must have raced through her mind, yet her response was, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38, ESV). Mary yielded her plans to God and trusted in His wisdom―the outcome: salvation for all humanity.

It’s easy to offer prayers of grateful submission when things are going well, but to yield our ways to God’s when the unexpected comes crashing in is a true test of our character and faith. Surrender you challenges into the care of the One who holds your future. He is your salvation. Trust Him.

Now it's your turn to "get down." Have you ever wanted to retract a prayer or promise you've made to God? What was the end result?

I always welcome your comments.

Keep your sunny side up,
Starr

Day 2 of a five-day series which first appeared at www.zookeepersministries.com

You Choose!

“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.”
―Joshua 24:15, NIV

Years ago, I walked past the room of my special-needs daughter and overheard her talking to her make-believe friend.

"Leave my ear alone", she said. "Quit trying to get the Lord out. I want Him in there."

I’ll never know the scenario being painted in her head, but her words went straight to my heart. Her conversation speaks of our relentless struggle with good and evil as we live out our days on the earth. At times, it’s as if we have an angel on one shoulder pleading with us and a demon on the other taunting us while we wrestle with which voice to obey.

At a specific point in time, believers make a conscious decision to follow Christ. But choosing to follow Christ is not simply a one-time decree, it’s a daily resolve―a moment by moment determination to invite Him into every aspect of our lives. The choices we make are crucial.

Satan unremittingly says, “Get the Lord out,” but he doesn’t make us do it. That decision is uniquely ours. 

I pray you will choose as my daughter did, to “want Him in there.”

Keep your sunny-side up!
Starr

AND SHE SCORES!!!!
No need to frantically chase the ball.
Just wait till it comes to you and drop it in.

Photo: Ashley receives some pre-game advice for Special Olympics basketball.