Changes

Its so crazy how having a baby changes things. I really can't believe how just having Madilyn in my life has made me see life so differently. I was recently watching an episode of "17 Kids and Counting" (reality show following the Duggar family...they have 18 kids!). They were on a mission trip to El Salvador, visiting poor families, taking them food and Christmas gifts.
I have been to Honduras many times, but not since Madi was born. So just seeing the show brought back memories of my own mission experiences. But I think now being a mother, the way I see things is so much different. I started to cry when I saw the Duggars visit a family who had several children, and a new baby. The mother asked for prayer for the health of her baby, because a neighbor's baby had died recently due to malnutrition. I couldn't help but feel such sorrow...such sadness for the mother who feared she may not be able to provide the adequate nutrition her baby needed just to survive.
I don't know if I would have cried if I hadn't had my own child. I think I'm just more sensitive to those things now...having a baby of my own and thinking what it might feel like if I were in that poor lady's position.
God really has blessed America with a lot of things. I feel very fortunate to live here, but I hope I never forget that there are so many people out there that don't have the same kind of standard of living as we do. I don't know why I was chosen to be born here...all I hope is that I am continually conviced to help those less fortunate. To be grateful, and to give, to learn to serve and have compassion and share what has been given to me.