When I look I see.
When I see I feel.
When I feel what I see when I look is it because the eyes of my heart are soft and tender? Am I looking through the frame of His word? Am I looking through a lense created by His hands, molding and shaping and forming my will and my thoughts.
Whispering gently in my ear is the notion of perspective. It has been for sometime. The title of this blog is viewing life through a lense of grace. So the tapes in my head and the beat of my heart is to the song of perspective. And framing. And viewing.
And yesterday I saw it in a fresh way with a child. It is the children who teach and point and show and bend the heart to truth. It is so often they who press in to the hard places and make them tender, the rough places and make them smooth.
Everytime I hear and respond, I have a choice. And everytime I see and act, I have a choice.
I want to choose well. And so very often I don’t.
But the lessons keep coming and the chances for new mercy and change are ripe for the picking. And I want a basket of juicy and sweet fruit to hang from my arm swaying in sweet love.
One has a challenge with ADHD. So I have a challenge with ADHD. And I can choose the lense of patience, and understanding. If I choose to. And view his heart and life through a beautiful lense of tender mercy, with my momma love.
When I go off into a writer’s imagination and dream, I dream of writing a book on perspective and framing events, and circumstances and the story of our lives with a frame of grace and beauty. Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone. You are the first I have told of this dream. Can you keep it tucked away?
Because each part of the story that has a narrative of pain and challenge, has brought deeper understanding of His charachter and love.In my life. So the eyes that saw hurt or pain or confusion can now frame circumstances in richer understanding. I feel tugs and pulls to write of framing with grace and framing with love. Is it a season for my heart? Most likely. I want to stay there for eternity, so that I can see my world with more compassion, more tenderness, more mercy and more love.
Yesterday I glimpsed with a sharpened lense of grace a child. And a beautiful change. He is Grace. I want to reflect Him more. I want to show more and more and more grace in love to my world. And my child with ADHD is a good starting place. For me.
Because even when I reach down to draw from the springs of empathy and cry out for more empathy and understanding and patience, do I really know the individual struggle and challenges of an ADHD child?But God knows. The number of hairs on his head even, amazing. Amazingly. Beyond a mother’s heart of understanding is the love He has.
Each of us grow and learn down a path that is our very own. I want to go before my child with grace, and sprinkle bread crumbs of patience and understanding on his way.And mark it with compassion. And hem him in with gentleness and mercy. He has one more year at home. I want to end well my journey of his days at home.
I am a miserable failure, broken and banged up on my own.
Mercifully, God goes down these mother roads in tandem with me. And I can look at mothering through the lense of the cross.
And the road of friend, and wife and sister and child. And neighbor and writer and blogger and each and every role He allows me the privilege of playing.
Praying for His grace as we start this “new year” of school and life.
And as always, grateful and privileged to have you on this journey.
And it would be a joy to have you come to my facebook page, wynnegraceappears on FB (scroll to the bottom of this page and click over). Thank you in advance. We can chat over there some too.That would be lovely.
If you are on twitter, I am at @graceappears on twitter.See you there?
elizabeth w. marshall 
My son was recently diagnosed with ADHD. Up until that point, life was chaotic, frantic, frustrating and disappointing. Last year, third grade, was the worst ever!! Finally, after many struggles, we had Alex evaluated and eventually diagnosed. He has been on medicine for about 5 months now and the difference is mind-blowing. I praise God for leading us as He did, allowing the amazing Dr. Young to diagnose and prescribe exactly what Alex needed.
Thank you for sharing…
Oh, thank you so much! It’s difficult talking to moms who do not have a similar child. Their understanding can only go so far.
I appreciate your offer and just may take you up on it:))
xoxoxxo, Elizabeth
I experienced the struggle of having a loved one with ADHD as a sister. My brother was diagnosed when we were very young–before there were really a lot of options. My experience is limited because its filtered through the perspective of a child, but as a fellow mom–you sound like you are a wonderful mother to your son. Begging the Lord for just exactly what you need to love your son. He’s blessed to have you.
Mary Beth, touched deeply by your kind and encouraging words sent my way. What a gift. I am filled with hopeful expectancy about all that is in store for this school year. Happily relying on Him for everything. Thank you friend, for your kind heart.
Oh I know this, even though I’m on the other side looking in. We have a number of nephews who have been diagnosed…
I love your thoughts here…it’s so hard to comprehend how His love trumps even a mama’s heart…Oh how He loves us.
Beautiful write–I can see why God urged you to write this today. Thank you for sharing!
Oh Nicki, thanks for your tender words of friendship and encouragement. I am filled with hope and an expectant heart. So filled with joy at what the Lord has in store for this year. I know and claim it will be special in so very many ways. Thanks for your heart, friend. It is a privilege being a mom every single day to my three. And each one teaches me about life and living every moment of every day. They are the best of teachers.
And, you were specially picked to be his mother. The Lord knew the grace, the mercy, the tenacity in which you could love this perfect child. The challenges may have differed from others, and yet, you have successfully mothered for the past 17+ years. This young man could not be where he is today if not for you. May this last year of school be met with victories in small and great things. Well done you. Thanks for sharing. DAF
Oh friend, your words are gift. So interesting how you speak to my soul today and how you chose the words “picked to be his mother.” This is my child who was brought to our family by infant adoption at one day. Do you know this part of my story. Thanks for such encouragement and tenderness in your words. They are heavensent. Truly.
I didn’t know you were adoptive parents. How wonderful. Even more so, were you picked to raise this child, his life was formed for you. How incredible is this? Thank you for your kind words, I truly look forward to reading your posts. Thank you.
🙂 🙂
This is such a good writing. My husband has adult attention deficit and even though he is a design engineer and a brilliant business man sometimes at home it has its issues. I just stay patient and pray harder and sometimes remind him, he isn’t listening to me. I know after 38 years of being married if he is doing one thing and concentrating I cannot bring in one or two more issues until the first one is dealt with. It has taken me this long to finally figure it out. take care
Sharon, my husband has ADD as well. Your words ring the familiar to my soul. Thank you for sharing. My hope is that your weekend will be lovely in every way. Blessings…..Elizabeth
Oh, when kids teach us…the lesson are so profound. I will keep your dream quiet if you want me too, but I’d rather shout that bold dream of yours. What an idea for a book!
Amy, it is such a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for your encouragement and your excitement. Blessed by your words here. Thank you for wanting to shout my dream. Humbled. So glad you came over for a visit. Please come back. wishing His grace, Elizabeth
So glad to have met you. You are so kind to want to shout my bold dream. Love it. Thanks for the encouragement, friend. So glad you were here in this community. Hoping to have you back SOON. viewing the day from a lense of love, Elizabeth
Thank you for sharing your journey, and your dream with us…I can sense God is gracing you with His perspective, which I imagine was hard won…your son is blessed to have a mom who wants to love him and give grace…praying God strengthens you and gives you both a year full of His presence and joy…grateful to have “met” you, Elizabeth 🙂
Dolly, thanks for your gracious words. I am so glad we met as well. These children teach, bless, and love me daily. Its a privilege being a mom. Thanks friend, for your words of encouragement.