What Caeli Is Teaching Me

When we were kids, my brother Alan received a Mr. T inflatable punching bag for Christmas. It was about as tall as he was and had the trademark menacing scowl painted on it. The challenge in this bag was to punch Mr. T hard enough for him to stay down, but it seemed like every time Alan gave him the one-two combo, BA Baracus – the tough guy Mr. T played in the A-Team – would pop right back up unfazed wanting more. I pity the fool who thought he’d stay down. What was the secret? Surrounded by the air in the bag was a weighted base to keep it upright. At four and two years old respectively, neither of us were prepared for a lesson in buoyancy; fortunately, our parents were wise enough to know that. Like any other toy, the punching bag was eventually destroyed when it could no longer hold air. 

That Mr. T punching bag resembles our relationship with Christ. Our power to survive the unexpected blows is not some ability we innately possess; rather, it comes from the God who dwells in each of us. We are neither exempt from the uppercuts and jabs life throws at us nor the storms that have us walking sideways if not threatening the manner in which we stand. In a recent update I texted to the prayer circle, I indicated that for every two or three steps forward, you sometimes take back one or two steps. Caeli’s strength in her days in the NICU are teaching us to stay strong during the bad days and serve as a reminder not everything is a cakewalk.

 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed. 2 Corinthians 4:8 

Although UAMS has a world-class staff of NICU nurses, doctors, and staff, Caeli is teaching us to keep fighting when Mr. T comes back toward us for another round. Embrace the pain of the season, as it prepares us not only for the physical victory but also a testimony of how we’ve overcome as a family unit. God’s grace and mercy are sufficient for all we embark upon – through our weaknesses He is made strong. His power trumps all of the pressure of troubles surrounding us.

Surround yourself with people who challenge you to look at the world differently.

— Taurean (@TheBlackVoice) March 17, 2015

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