That Red Dirt Path

"You have made known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness and joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." -Psalm 16:11

This is one of my favorite verses from Sacred Scripture.  It is a verse that motivates me to blog, speak and otherwise, evangelize.  I have found the key to life.  I know what the secret to life is. It is love.  Love of God and love of neighbor.  Love of community and love for life.  Because I know the secret to a happy life, I feel compelled to share it with everyone. That is why I do what I do.

People have started asking me what it is like to have a child with Down Syndrome.  Let's unpack Psalm 16:11 for my answer.  One of my favorite activities is hiking.  My favorite place to hike is Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs, CO.  This park is full of beautiful, and rare, red rock formations and the trails are lined with red dirt.

When I look at the word "path" in Psalm 16:11, I think about the various hiking trails that one can stumble upon.  There are concrete, asphalt, gravel, white dirt, brown dirt and red dirt trails.  The red dirt trails are very cool, special, rare, unique and bring a fresh breath of life and joy.  Having a child with Down Syndrome is like stumbling upon a red dirt trail. People with Down Syndrome are known for their love, joy and honesty.  In Andrew's short 8 months of life, I already see these qualities in him.  He loves to smile at people and stares into another's eyes as if he is peering into your soul.  He has brought immeasurable joy and lasting happiness to our family and charms all who meet him.

One of my friends, also a mother to a child with Down Syndrome, astutely noted that she imagines people with Down Syndrome are probably what God intended for us to be like before the fall of Adam and Eve. I couldn't agree more.

Every child has value and purpose.  Every life is meaningful and is a journey on a different path of life that takes us down various trails.  When we allow God to walk with us on our trail, He will be beside us, carrying us through the most difficult parts.  Our God will never abandon us and we will always be able to find His joy when we remember to look for it.  

Our family has had some trying times these past 8 months with a lot of health challenges, but our faith has remained strong and God has carried us through.  I know that we will have more challenges ahead.  (After all, doesn't everyone have challenges?)  But, I know that we will meet every challenge head on and emerge stronger for it.  

As the school year winds down and the summer months heat up, don't forget to take God on your excursions with you as you journey down your own paths of life.  

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