Make A Wish

I must admit. I am having an off week. My sensitivity is in overdrive and I have an embarrassing long list of misfit problems - all small, making me no less than somewhat cranky.

The first two weeks in October sting my heart. For the past 6 years these weeks are spent designing Make-A-Wish Foundation's Report to the Community. This booklet celebrates the generous contibutions and sponsors of the year and it points out the children who have received their wishes from the previous year. I break down every time I read a child's wish and see their face. I imagine the child's family and admire the strength, faith and fortitude needed for battling the emotions that must come with a sick child.

Each year I spend more and more time praying over this project. Tears flow and such sorrow is felt for each family. As each child's face comes up and their wish statement, I feel a rip on my heart. I wonder if the families have the strength of Christ or are they doing this alone. I wonder how many times they questioned and doubted if there was a God that allowed them to experience such pain. I wonder if they have people lifting them up and standing beside them as they experience the greatest loss of all...a child.

Make-A-Wish® Philadelphia & Susquehanna Valley grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

Every year I read that mission statement, pause and think about how great that it really is. There are so many facets to the wishes these children receive. Yes, I believe the program's intent is to give these children happy memories and solid family time with their loved ones. But I think the words "hope, strength and joy" are extremely powerful and all point me to Christ. I see Make-A-Wish as a bridge for helping families cope with losing a child, celebrating what is important and memorializing the life we are given. The words are all qualities of our heart. Hope, is for that smile and laughter that tells us it will all be fine. Strength is pointing fully to Christ because we can't do it alone. Joy because the perspective is different and the priority has changed and the smile wins out.

I would personally like to add peace to the statement because it would add a closure to the loss. We need peace to move on. I need peace every October in knowing that God has it all taken care of. I have no doubt that each of the names I type to receive remembrance have been here for OUR benefit. They DID something. Changed someone's heart, attitude, or mind.

Nonetheless, the way I look at my day is different every October. I can not stand the thought of laundry, meal planning, and homework when people are really facing something big and painful. My compassion is stepped up a notch and I get ultra sensitive about world issues and get sarcastic about "the little picture".

It is all about perspective. So every October, I get all prayer centered around sick childen and the families that face the loss of a child. So where are my thoughts the other 11.5 months of the year? Am I apprecitive to the health of my family? You bet! And do I get all sentimental when I am faced straight on with tragic loss, yes! I don't know if that is condescending or just pain ridiculous on my character.

Now here I am at adoption. I went on Rainbow Kids last night took a hard look into the faces of children who already faced loss and needed a family to love them. It is interesting to see the big picture, see where God is working on me and seeing how my sensitivities are often wrapped around what is closest to my heart.