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Special needs joy pops up in the small things. That’s what guest blogger Kimberly Drew discovered recently. She felt great joy as she observed her daughter with multiple disabilities make very real progress in a series of small things.

Small Things and Special Needs Joy

Sometimes the greatest joy can come from the smallest accomplishment. Not that long ago, Abbey came home from school and went right to the kitchen. She pulled out a yogurt from the fridge, went to the drawer and got a spoon, and then sat down and started hitting the table to get my attention.

Small Things as Parents

I thought I was going to pass out….she’d never done anything like that before. I was completely amazed that she not only recognized hunger, but knew where to get food, what food she wanted, that she needed a utensil, where to get it, that we eat at the table, and that she needed my help. Hey, that’s a lot going on in the brain if you ask me.

When your child doesn’t speak or communicate, you sometimes have no idea what’s going on inside of them. Abigail continues to surprise us in so many ways. The first time she laid down in the tub to play and knew to keep her mouth out of the water, the first time she asked for her hearing aids by pulling on my shirt and touching her ears, the first time she tried to jump off of a curb, and so many other moments that could easily be forgotten if they hadn’t meant so much to us.

It’s those small things that keep us going when we’re struggling through the list of milestones still not met. Those moments give us strength to keep trying and fighting. No small victory is unnoticed or uncelebrated.

Small Things as Children of God

It isn’t any different with the Lord. Recalling God’s goodness and faithfulness over the small things can sometimes give us the strength needed to wait on God through the more difficult trials we face. It’s so important to recognize his hand at work in our lives, and if we don’t pay attention, we can miss so many ways he reaches out to us, answers us, and loves us. Having eyes to see and ears to hear is a spiritual analogy. If your child lacks either of those senses as mine does, then you understand at an even deeper level how important they are and what this really means.

Opening our eyes, mind, and heart to seeing God’s faithfulness, goodness, and love toward us keeps our hearts in a place of gratitude. No matter how small things may seem, each time we experience God’s hand in our lives, they must be noticed and celebrated. Recounting it to him will help us to hang on in our difficulty and also bring glory to God as we praise him and acknowledge all he’s done for us. Psalm 77 shows a man crying out to see God’s hand at work and then it comes to the psalmist.

This moment of recounting God’s ways caused a shift in his whole demeanor. It can cause one in ours too!

What Small Things Are Bringing You Joy?

How are you finding special needs joy in the small things at your house lately? Use the comment box to give them a shout out if you like.

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