Quote from Forum Archives on February 7, 2002, 3:23 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

In this week's Sowing Seeds of Faith devotional message, Larry
Davies reflects upon his recent vacation to the west coast.
During the trip, Larry had a chance to meet a cousin whom he
never really knew, his cousin, Carl.

The story is interesting because Carl is an extremely loving and
caring individual. Carl is also fortunate; he comes from a
family where love is lived every day, and where he FEELS secure
and loved - that's not always the case, is it?

Carl deals with something that many people shy away from: Carl
has Downs Syndrome. If you know anyone who has Downs Syndrome
but you don't know how to approach such a person, you are missing
out on something special. I have personally known a few people
who live with Downs Syndrome.

One such person is my former pastor's son, Weston. My young
friend, Weston, now lives in another state, and I haven't seen
him in almost two years now. But Weston, for me, carries many of
the same memories and feelings that Larry describes in his
message today about his cousin Carl.

Before you shy away from someone, just because they have
different colored hair, skin, facial features, or something else,
take a risk and at least attempt to learn something about the
person. Often, the experience will enrich your life. I have
friends from as far away as Tokyo, Japan and Macau, China. I
also have friends with conditions we may think of as
"disabilities". But as Larry points out, every person has value,
and people like Carl and Weston not only have value, they carry a
beauty within that lies right there, waiting to be experienced.
(A few of you know Weston, so you IMMEDIATELY know what I mean).

For those of you who don't have a Carl, a Weston, a friend in
Japan or China, or a lonely neighbor across the street, is there
anything in God's Word that might speak to you about the
importance of cultivating such relationships?

One such passage is this:

" 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the
world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your
soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they
accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and
glorify God on the day he visits us. 13 Submit yourselves for
the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether
to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who
are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those
who do right. 15 For it is God's will that by doing good you
should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free
men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as
servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the
brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king" (1 Peter
2:11-17, NIV).

Another good passage of scripture that deals with our
relationships with one another is this one:

" 11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should
love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the
evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him?
Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were
righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world
hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life,
because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in
death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you
know that no murderer has eternal life in him. 16 This is how we
know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we
ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has
material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity
on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let
us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how
we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts
condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows
everything" (1 John 3:11-20, NIV).

Since we can speak both from personal experience and back it up
with scripture from the Word of God, may I encourage each one of
you to step outside of your comfort zone and your "free time" and
make it a point to befriend those who have few friends, (for
whatever reason)? You may find those relationships teach you
something about yourself and about your relationship with a
loving, Holy God.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian
=====

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Sowing Seeds of Faith.

"Carl, Down Syndrome and Heart Haven" Larry Davies

Our family had two reasons to be excited about our vacation.
First, we were flying across the United States to Los Angeles:
home to Hollywood, The Beach Boys and Disneyland. Second we
would be visiting my Uncle and his family for the first time in
many years. Needless to say, we were eagerly anticipating many
memorable experiences. Our vacation was wonderful but the best
part of the whole trip was a surprise: it was the opportunity of
getting to know my cousin, Carl.

Carl greeted us within moments after we arrived. "Hi, cousin
Larry. Would you like to see my house?" He then gave us a
complete tour. In the living room, he showed us the game table
where he played with his dad. We saw the den where he watched
movies and stored his wrestling magazines. But the best part of
the house was his bedroom where most of his prized treasures were
stored.

There were pictures and memorabilia everywhere showing Carl with
various celebrities. We heard about a chance meeting with Elvis
Presley and saw a photograph of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball
team signed by each player. There were albums filled with
letters and pictures of family and friends. Then, Carl turned to
me and asked: "Larry, why haven't you sent any pictures or
letters?"

What could I say? "Carl, I didn't know how important they were to
you. We'll send some family pictures when we go home. I am
really sorry. Will you forgive me?"

Carl flashed the sweetest smile I've ever seen and said, "Of
course, I forgive you Larry, we're family."

Carl has Down Syndrome, a genetic condition caused by the body
having too many chromosomes. Symptoms include varying degrees of
developmental delays. We don't know yet what causes Down
Syndrome but we do know that nearly one in every thousand babies
have it. That's a lot of folks.

Some would say Carl is impaired. They are so wrong. Carl is
different, but different is not impaired. Kay Drais, the mother
of a child with Down Syndrome wrote: "Indulge me for a moment and
imagine yourself to be a violet growing smack dab in the middle
of a beautiful bed of daisies - and all of your (short) life, the
multitude of daisies surrounding you seem frustrated that you are
different. They try endlessly and to the best of their abilities
to turn you into a daisy, despite the fact you aren't a daisy and
never will be. Have you ever picked up a violet and wished that
it were a daisy instead? Shouldn't you be glad of its' violet
ness and that be sufficient? Is it any different with people?"

Carl is a beautiful violet surrounded by a field of daisies. Yet,
I could not help but feel that Carl is one of the fortunate
ones. A loving family that provides for his every need surrounds
him. He is nurtured and encouraged to learn and develop at his
own pace, all within a safe and wholesome environment.

One question bothered me: "Where would Carl go if anything
happened to his mom and dad?"

Recently, I was asked to write an article for Heart Havens, a
ministry of the United Methodist church in Virginia, which is
building homes for persons with disabilities who no longer have
anyone to care for them. These are residential homes designed to
hold four residents plus staff support. Virginia alone has more
than 5,000 people on various waiting lists who desperately need
this kind of support. In each home, residents will be nurtured
and encouraged to develop at their own pace, all within a safe
and wholesome environment. just like my "violet" cousin, Carl
receives from his parents.

Our church and many others throughout the area will be working
together with Heart Havens to build such a home for the "violets"
who live within our own community. This project will take a lot
of work and cost some money but every time I see Carl's sweet
smile, I know. "It's the right thing to do."

The night before we left Los Angeles, Carl and his dad were lying
on the floor in the living room watching TV. At one point, Carl
scooted closer and gently put his head on dad's shoulder and
whispered, "I love you." Together arm in arm, father and son
created a magic moment that turned out to be the highlight of my
vacation and a critical lesson on the real meaning of. "love."

For contacts and further information on Heart Havens and Down
Syndrome, click here: www.sowingseedsoffaith.com and then
click on the weekly devotion. You will find the web site
information on the bottom of the page.

If you like this devotion you will love the book: "Breaking the
Peanut Butter Habit: Following God's Recipe for a Better Life"
now on sale only through this website. Click here for more
information: www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

Join our prayer ministry by clicking here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me,
and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can
do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a
useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a
pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words
remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be
granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great
glory to my Father. (John 15:5-8)

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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