Ella was feeling better today. Her cold is still hanging on, but you could just tell that she was feeling more like herself. I mean, she even kept adjusting her headband to an 80’s aerobic style. If she keeps up the foot grabbing too, she’s going to turn into an Olivia Newton John look-alike.
The PT session went great. Ella practiced sitting up, rolling over and having tummy time – – all things that will help build her core strength. Once again, we’re feeling so blessed that we have a great PT that understands Ella and has a sincere desire to help her reach her goals. That is a rare find.
Today, Grandma Eusey altered Ella’s halloween costume, so it can accommodate her g-tube. Nope, we can’t ruin the surprise. You’ll have to wait to see the Bun dressed up!
We know of another family that has arrived in Gainesville to have Dr. Kays help save the life of their baby with CDH. Please pray for their baby girl and her brother (twins) that are due to arrive in December (You can read their story here).
I ran into an inspirational devotional message this morning regarding burdens and I wanted to share an excerpt:
Our challenges vary greatly: a single Christian mom may have the awesome responsibility of raising children in an ungodly world that seeks to destroy them; an angry misunderstanding may leave the head of a household without a job; or a past sin can result in deep scars of guilt that weigh a person down. Regardless of the type of problem or its source, the question is, How are we to handle the burdens that come our way?
Jesus never vows to totally remove our difficulty, but He promises to deal with our trial in such a way that we no longer have to carry its weight. Some distressing situations—like terminal illness, caring for a disabled relative, or the death of a loved one—are permanent, as far as this life is concerned. Some people might find the idea of an ongoing trial discouraging, but the Christian must remember that we are not to handle these matters in our own strength. God wants to lift our load and carry it for us. He personally invites every one of us who is weary to find refreshment in Him.
Of course, all of us would prefer to bypass painful circumstances, but the Lord knows that our hardships and heartaches—the things we are unable to handle on our own—form the fertile soil for our spiritual growth and increasing dependence upon Him. How can we know Jesus Christ as the burden-bearer unless we get under a burden ourselves, try to deal with it our own way, and then experience the relief of letting Him carry its weight?
Oftentimes, the difficulties God has sent or allowed in my life have been so unpleasant that I prayed He would remove them. However, when I looked back later and realized all that my suffering had taught me about the Lord, I prayed, “Thank You that You knew better than I did. Thank You for not making it easy.”
Psalm 55:22 (NLT)
Give your burdens to the Lord,
and he will take care of you.
