Beloved Prayer Warriors,
Simon doesn’t expect Anna to speak, but he will certainly step
in and speak for her letting me know what her favorite song is or what toy suits
her best while in her stander. He is like his namesake Simon the Cyrene,
helping because of his providence. Everything from AFO’s (ankle braces) to diapers
Simon will fetch to help us care for Anna. One of his favorite things to do is
to power up Anna’s C-PAP machine at night. It’s funny because Simon always
wants to try Anna’s medical equipment on for size, but he can’t tolerate for
more than a second the C-PAP mask or the shaky vest that Anna uses every
morning. Simon is always He cries when we turn on the suction machine because Simon
knows Anna doesn’t like it. How he perceives her and model’s empathy for her trials
has been a neat discovery. Praise God for His little heart showing mercy and
consideration.
He
initiates activities so often with Anna. He will swing her
around on the living room “dance floor” and push her in her chair all
the way to the
store. Simon tirelessly tries to find where Anna is ticklish, its pretty
cute. He’s even offered his teddy bear for her use a couple of times. I
have been
treasuring up in my heart much about Simon as we get ready to welcome
our third
baby.
It’s also no surprise that there are many times when little
brother is inconsiderate to Anna, making her cry, but that is expected. He can
get Anna crying by his shouts or flippant cries. Another irritant to Anna (and
me) is that Simon loves cranking up the tunes. He’s indifferent to Anna’s
increasing sound-startles, the kid just wants to rock out.
I think the biggest challenge I think Simon will face (provided
our third child is neurotypical) is them engaging him. Anna cannot go up to Simon
and pull his hair or ask him to share his candies with her. Anna also lets Simon
get away with doing something his mom or dad forbid him to do. So much of Simon and Anna’s interaction and
engaging is up to Simon to initiate. I wonder how he will react when a sibling refuses
to rock out like he does and is willing to stop at nothing to get him to turn
it off? Or when the sibling will come up to him more than he would wish in a
day just to plead for his attention?
As we introduce and model prayer for Simon, we see what
weighs on his heart. He almost always wants to thank God for the beach, then
requests of God to help his friends, heal his sister, or help other people we
know. Night after night Simon wants us to pray for Anna. We are so encouraged
by this. This sibling request humbles me similarly as when I come across one of
Anna’s prayer warriors who simply encourages me by saying: “we pray for Anna
everyday.” It is such an example of abiding in prayer. In truth I could learn
from such list-based praying. I persevere my prayers to be intimate and heart-revealing
before the Lord, limited only by what is pressing or imaginable then and there.
“no eye has seen, no ear has not heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared
for those who love Him.” -That’s my prayer aim. Yet what is often needed is persistence
before the Lord. Simon’s repetition and those prayer warriors who persist daily
quickly show God that Anna needs His intervention because nothing else will do.
I am overjoyed at this prayer spectrum, “teach us to pray Lord, burden us from
Your Spirit to ours.”
Please Pray for:
-Simon to continue to consider his sister more and have a
heart that is others-centered, Christ-centered.
-the Spirit to prepare our hearts, and equip us with grace
and joy for baby #3.
-continued health from all viruses and acute illnesses.
-full healing for Anna gifting her with the ability to eat, talk,
see and walk.
-our family to pause at the year’s end to recall God’s
faithfulness and work in our lives, what a testimony should we remember to
recognize it.
-God to meet our durable equipment needs as Anna has outgrown
her stander.
-us to be able to bank our third child’s cord and placental
blood for Anna.
-God’s timing and provision for a new home that meets our
practical needs and can gift us a yard to play in. We remain so thankful for
where we are as well.
May we ever praise our everlasting, great incarnate God who
gave of Himself that we would not be despairing, lost, and unable to hope. Glory
to God lavishes His love and teaches us through toddlers.
Merry Christmas!
The Currats
