Over the years, lots of stories have been written about my journey into blindness. After a particular magazine interview, I dialed the phone. “Mom, I just finished an interview and I really think the writer is going to do a good job. I think you will like the article.” I continued, “And, Mom, she asked if she could interview you. She only has a few questions and I wondered if you could?”
My mom hesitated. Her response taught me so much about God’s grace.
In the children’s story Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin lives in his own imaginary “100 Acre Woods” with the rest of the infamous characters.
I, along with most women, have my very own “100 Issue Woods.” But sadly, mine is not imaginary. Neither is yours.
Our 100 Issue Woods tend to be populated with some very interesting characters. Wanna see who they might be? I thought it would be fun to do an arm-chair analysis–a little non-expert, tongue-in-cheek psychological exploration of each of these classic characters and find out how each represents our own 100 Issue Woods. I’ll start with the most beloved … Winnie the Pooh.
We all know and love Winnie the Pooh. I for one have my very own Winnie the Pooh in my 100 Issue Wood. Why, you ask?
If you walked up to the temple in first century Palestine and saw a circle of men forming around a partially clothed woman, what would you do?
Would you seek to cover her shame?
Would you watch the ugly event unfold?
Would you repeat to your fellow onlooker the latest gossip you heard about that woman?
Would you pull out your phone and snap pictures to post to Facebook?
Would you go find a rock yourself?
Would you run back home, grateful it wasn’t you in that circle?
Over the years, lots of stories about my journey into blindness have been written. After a particular magazine interview, I dialed the phone. “Mom, I just finished an interview and I really think the writer is going to do a good job. I think you will like the article.”
I continued. “And, Mom, she asked if she could interview you. She only has a few questions and I wondered if you could?”
My mom hesitated. Her response taught me so much about God’s grace.
Jennifer,
I had the privilege of seeing you in Springfield last November and have started receiving your monthly e-mails. My son was diagnosed in 2007 with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The Lord has most certainly used this circumstance to draw me much closer to Him. However, I continue to struggle with how to adequately cope with the sadness that overcomes me at times. What advice can you offer for getting past the sadness and moving more to a place of hope and rest?
Respectfully, Debra
Jennifer’s Answer:
