MY WORD FOR JULY 27 IS MONKEY!

My word for July 27^th is MONKEY

Today is my purple monkeys, Anna’s, birthday.  All I can say is that her life has been a journey of flips through the forest.  Her birth was the one that I probably remember the most.  The girls were so excited about their little sister.  Little did they know that they were going to receive an “Anna-mal”. 

When Anna was little all she wanted to be was a purple monkey.  She even got mad at the photographer at pre-school because he called her a princess.  She was not a princess she was a purple monkey.  You should see her face in that yearbook.  She began flipping, literally at age 1.  She flipped everywhere she was always upside down.  She started life with her legs bowed and her feet turned in.  With much work they straightened out, but this enabled her to run just as fast as her forest friends.  She ripped the end of her middle finger off when she was 16 months old, had to have two surgeries and another surgery when she was 11.  Even that didn’t keep the monkey down.  She went at life with one hand free and one hand bandaged.  She flipped one armed.   Like many animals she doesn’t have fear when it comes to running, jumping, tumbling, or trying new tricks.   When she works with her cheer coaches she is thrown many feet in the air and flips on the way down.  Even surviving the hanging of a rope swing, I think being part monkey helped her with that one.  My little purple monkey is growing up. 

Everyone is different the Lord made us that way.  You may not be a purple monkey flipping all over, but that is ok.  The Lord gave us all strengths and weaknesses.  I found a great poem about how each of us is different and unique.  The author is unknown. 

To Each His Own

I cannot change the way I am, 
I never really try, 
God made me different and unique, 
I never ask him why. 
If I appear peculiar, 
There's nothing I can do, 
You must accept me as I am, 
As I've accepted you. 
God made a casting of each life, 
Then threw the mold away, 
Each child is different from the rest, 
Unlike as night from day. 
So often we will criticize, 
The things that others do, 
But, do you know, they do not think, 
The same as me and you. 
So God in all his wisdom, 
Who knows us all by name, 
He didn't want us to be bored, 
That's why we're not the same.

None of us are 100% alike that is what makes the world a unique place to live.  God made each of us to be special in our own way.  No one is better than the other everyone is extraordinary to God.  He made all of us for a purpose.   Find your strength and go with it.   

Romans 12:6-8(NIV)

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Dear Lord thank You for all the children in the world.  We are blessed with children that were made special in Your eyes.  Thank You for protecting all the children from harm.   We appreciate You and all Your glory.  We may not understand at times why our children go through hardships, but we trust in You to always take care of them no matter what the situation.  During 2012 guide us to those parents that need more patience and understanding with their children so that we can open their eyes to You and Your guidance.