Hard Doesn't Always Equal Sad

 A few months back I was sitting in a hospital lazy boy chair having an iron infusion. I had brought along a good book Joni and Ken:An Untold Love Story, hoping to enjoy a few quiet minutes of reading. But as I wasn't the only one in the room, that didn't happen. An older woman who was tied to her chair for much longer than me wanted someone to chat to! Before long I had mentioned the fact that our youngest child has Down Syndrome. For the first time since Lydia's birth, I got a reaction that left me feeling confused and a little disturbed. Her reaction was, "Oh, how sad! Didn't you think about terminating the pregnancy? A lot of people do.  Do you know why she has it? You'd think the doctors would be able to do something about it by now! It's just so sad!" 

Later on, thinking about our sweet happy little girl who makes people everywhere smile, I thought, 'Surely if Lydia had been with me, she wouldn't have reacted like that.'

There is nothing sad about Lydia! Hard, yes. Sad, no. I did cry when I found out she has Down Syndrome, but she has brought us way more joy than tears.

Last night I heard someone ask this question "Can you think of anything that has brought you joy?" The very first thought that quickly came to my mind was "Lydia!" It kind of struck me, because if the question had been "What's the hardest thing that's ever happened to you?" my first thought would have also been "Lydia!"

Hardness doesn't always equal sad. 

The reason I've found Lydia so hard is because I'm very impatient, I like to be in control and I like to choose what I do! Hardness brings out the nasty and ugly in us.

Joni Eareckson Tada summarizes it beautifully:

Suffering is the textbook that will teach you who you really are. Suffering is the textbook that will show you the stuff of which you are really made. It will sandblast you; it will strip you bare; it will strip you of all your sinful ways, leaving your soul raw and exposed.

But also that you might be better bonded to the Savior. When our hearts are beating in rhythm with His, you can't help but feel His pleasure, His favor, and His approval. Heaven's joy comes cascading down, spilling up and splashing out of
your heart, streaming out to others in rivers of encouragement and rising back up to God in ecstatic fountains of praise."