Today’s word is: RUSH

Isn’t that perfect? It’s the season of Christmas, of the go-go-go attitude. Rush to this event and run to that party. Fight through the crowd for that perfect gift and cram in enough merry making and cookie to fill us until the signs of Spring. And when you’re like my family, you add to the pile of to-do, to-go, to-make and to-wrap…

My family has been learning American Sign Language (ASL). It’s been a reluctant road that now has a “rush order” label stamped in big letters smack in the middle. My daughter was born partially deaf and had been thriving for fifteen years. About 18 months ago her good ear, the one with the perfect hearing, decided to join it’s sister  in the land of hearing loss. Devastation followed, and still does with unanswered questions and an ever changing diagnosis. The land of the hearing may not be an option for much longer for her and so we adapt.

Fifteen years… we could have been learning to converse with our hard of hearing fellow man for fifteen years, but no, we thought that our girl was in the clear. No sickness nor injury has plagued her. The thought that her body would turn on her came about when she was just a toddler and was later dismissed in mid-childhood because she was doing perfect. So we wasted time living on pride and a little bit of optimism.

ASL is quite a difficult language despite those who say it’s easy and you can just watch YouTube and get it. I suppose when you want to learn for fun that would make sense. We aren’t learning for fun or to fulfill a graduation requirement. We are learning for life, and to live with our deaf child and to be active members of people who may be her tribe some day. We learn to not offend and to treat others with respect. Between tricky grammar and so many signs that look very similar, we walk away from class laughing at ourselves with some discouragement and a whole pocket full of hope.

…But it’s still hard.

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

What does learning ASL and navigating through a diagnosis have to do with the work for the Lord? What does it have to with a devotional, prayer or anything faith based when it’s just something that you have to suck up and learn… sink or swim… and all other sayings that mean you need to pull up your boot straps and move?

God blessed us with beautiful children who love and serve Him. He has given us an opportunity for growth in our diligence and faith-walk through these trials despite how we treat them. Our work starts in the home, our labor carries us through our front door and into the world that would like to kick believers to the curb. Now we fight adversity in the enemy not just like everyone else, but with special situations that would like to defeat us all the more quickly.

As we rush through to learn, we slow down to relish in the Lord’s grace and mercy through all seasons. His love is unlike any human feeling that we could ever conjure up. Without Him, these situations and the unknown would keep is pressed down in despondency. We chose to rise above because He gives us the ability to do so with His amazing grace and mercy.

My personal goal this month of December is to learn how to greet others with a Christmas wish in ASL and to make it through an entire song without offending and with laughter. I also strive to review all that we have gained in the last three months and watch those YouTube videos to refine the skills that have been gained.