Breathtaking

Raising children is not for the faint of heart.

Some of us choose to do this,

And some of us, for reasons known only to God, raise other people's children.

Some days are full of excitement and laughter,

And some are full of tears and messes.

And in the chaos and frustration, it is easy to forget what is important.

Because, truth is, it can be exhausting to be responsible for these little minds, hearts and bodies.

Sometimes, I fall into bed thinking God has made a grave mistake in my calling.

And other days, I am thrilled with the progress and development of the children in my care.

In the wake of the recent pandemic, the confines of this seemingly endless quarantine,

I have made choices... daily.

I have chosen to pay attention to the small things, the fleeting moments,

And to the moments that are ugly.

To note every hug, every whisper, every giggle, and every tear.

Each moment of opportunity to teach a principle, a skill, or to encourage a little heart,

I have chosen to take.

And while I already know each child in my care,

I have found that I have fallen in love all over again with each one.

In these months, I have had my heart broken all over again.

I have cried tears and held little ones tight.

I have laughed until my stomach hurt.

And I have felt joy that seems to be a bit of heaven.

Each day, there is something beautiful.

Only, some days, it requires me to get on my knees and play cars.

Or dolls. Or dinosaurs. Or eat plastic food for the umpteenth time.

But the beauty is found on my knees.

It's amazing, and heartbreaking, and healing all at once.

It's breathtaking.

Whatever you give, will make a difference as we work in bringing care,

healing and hope to children in crisis.

Please email us at nathan.wheeley@gentlehands.org for more details.