Isaiah 43:19
See! I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
There are multiple flowers that are able to somehow grow and bloom in extreme conditions. Whether it be extreme heat and dryness or high altitude. There is something in their DNA that separates them from the rest. Given any normal set of conditions they would not have the same blossom or grow to the magnitude that they are capable of. The unbearable oppressive heat the last few weeks has reeked havoc on our yard and plants. To the naked eye, they died. In fact, we have a small dogwood that was transplanted to our yard a year ago and has only had brown leaves all summer. My mother even mentioned to me a few weeks ago that I ought to just get rid of it and plant something else. Which I totally agreed with but just haven't had the time or energy to do it. I hesitated on my potted plants about whether to continue watering them or just throw in the towel. With sweat already beading my face at 7:30 am I have watered those plants just in case. Yesterday we had another sprinkler day and I made sure to give them all a good soaking around 5 pm. Everything is brown and crispy and seemingly shows no sign of growth. Then suddenly, out of nowhere they each sprouted new buds. Even the dogwood that has been dead for 3 months.
New growth where there seemed to be nothing...
And such is the story with Cruz. Months of therapy and suddenly this week there was a tiny new bud that burst forth to show us growth. For the first time in his short life he initiated a word without me asking him to repeat a sound after me. 'BaBa' he said sheepishly with eyebrows raised hoping I would know what he was wanting. I knew immediately he was wanting a sippy cup of milk mainly because I could set my clocks by his routine. I repeated it back to him, 'BaBa?' I signed milk at the same time. He grunted and then said it again with much force this time. "BABA" as he signed with his hands, like a proud peacock strutting his feathers. I squeeled with delight, literally it was a very high pitched 'eee' sound, and hugged him tight. His eyes lit up and he clapped his hands. I told him I was so proud of him and he beamed as if he had just won the spelling bee. Since then he has asked for it every time he has wanted it and hasn't signed milk to me again. We have also been working on a few new words this week and they are becoming much clearer. 'Up' is one that he is really starting to get good. I know that we still have so much work to do but this week I am choosing to be thankful for the progress in his speech. His sensory and sleeping issues have actually been worse this week but I am praising the Lord for seeing this new growth. If there is one thing we have learned over and over again it is that God is working on our behalf even when we can't see it. In the midst of a dry desert, I see a small bud that is beginning to bloom. He has special DNA just like those unique desert flowers that bloom under different conditions.