Ears to Hear the Voice of God

This week was an exciting one in the Honeycutt household.  Mikayla had her cochlear implant turned on for the first time Monday.  Heather captured a video of it, and I love to watch it and see Mikayla's eyes light up the first time she heard her mother's voice.  What a special moment that was.  I have been reflecting on hearing for the past couple months, and the deeper meaning to hearing than just pure hearing of sounds.  I was at mass a few weeks ago, and our priest made a prayer "Lord, give us the ears to hear the voice of God."  When you have a daughter who can't hear, that really makes you ponder.  How does she hear the voice of God, and how does it sound to her?  Even now that she can technically hear sound, I still wonder often how she will know God in her life?  Will she have any understanding of God as I do, or will she connect with his love in a different way entirely than I am able?  I, of course, don't have the answers to these questions yet or perhaps ever in my lifetime.  Mikayla may never truly intellectually grasp any sort of theology or religion in her life, but I have to believe that somehow God will speak to her in a way she can/will understand.  I have to believe that somehow he will find the words to speak to me, so I can be at peace with the way he crafted Mikayla and her brain.  I have to believe, because I can't accept a life and a world that is devoid of a greater meaning.  So I ask you, what do you hear in your life that means more to you than just sound?  I know for me, the ability for my daughter to hear my voice and the voice of her mother is enough hearing for me.

Ode To Mothers - Moving Forward

Today, I dedicate my blog post to all mothers on this 2014 Mother's Day on May 11, 2014.  Mothers  deserve our love, respect, and admiration; not only today but all the days of the year.  I have been very fortunate to have such wonderful mothers in my life including my grandmother, mother, mother-in-law, and aunts.  All these women are extremely special to me.  However, today I am dedicating this post to my wife Heather.  My wife Heather confounds me every day.  Heather has been through more since becoming a mother, than any mother should have to endure in a lifetime.  She has endured THE ultrasound when we found out Mikayla has Dandy Walker Syndrome, given a choice to abort, a C-section, multiple surgeries, sickness, and hospital stays.  She gave up her full-time career for a year to take Mikayla to her therapies, appointments, events, and anything else she required.  She did ALL OF THIS with a smile on her face, and the most positive attitude you will ever find.  That doesn't mean she hasn't had her share of heartbreaks., setbacks, and tears...but she keeps - moving forward.  She provides stability, warmth, cleanliness and godliness to our home.  She has more faith & patience, than I would ever believed existed inside of her.  She has changed not only my life and the lives of those around her, but she has changed our daughter's life.  Heather has changed the entire course of her existence to make the life better of this one special and beautiful child.  In the process, I have seen her have a positive impact on her friends and family by simply being the person she is.  She has truly embraced her life and all of its challenges and stress.  People who don't know us deeply, don't tend to see the amount if stress our family endures on a regular basis.  We tend to put up this strong front, and show people how strong we are.  As much as we have maintained our strength and our faith, if you peel back the curtain of our lives you would see how difficult it has been for us.  It has been difficult for Heather most of all.  She loves so unconditionally, and it hurts when your daughter experiences challenges and requires so much, not only physically, but emotionally, and spiritually as well.  As much as she is happy for the friends in her life who have typical children with milestones, it hurts to look on Facebook or see how far along other children are in Mikayla's classroom.  It hurts, but she continues to march forward.  She moves forward, because that is the only thing she knows how to do.  Mothers are often portrayed as the soothing and calming force in our lives, who comfort and take care of us when we are sick, tired, and hurting.  As much as I have seen this side of Heather, and I have been proud of this side, I have seen her more as a fighter this past year than anything.  I envision her with the black chalk under her eyes that athletes wear, drawing a line in the sand, and going into battle.  You see, Mikayla gets her fight from her mother.  Mikayla's ability to bounce back from surgeries, and keep clicking comes from her mother's sheer will and determination.  I see so much of Heather in my daughter.
     So enjoy this Mother's Day with the mothers in your life, and I ask have you taken the time to truly reflect and realize what an amazing gift mothers are to our lives, and the lives of our children?  I take this time to thank all of the mothers in my life today, and may I never take for granted their influence in my life.
     Heather Yopp Honeycutt, I dedicate this blog post to you and the incredible wife and mother that you have been, are, and will be.  I am so humbled to be your husband, and to share this life with you. May you continue to find the peace from God that you deserve, and may we continue to seek him and his grace in all we do.

Sincerely,
Graham Fletcher Honeycutt