The Spirit of a Child

I have been following the story of an 8 year old girl with stage 4 cancer on Twitter.  Don't ask me why.  I just came across it and started following her about 6 months ago.  I never imagined that I would get so invested in this little girl's fight against cancer.

She lost the battle today.

It's been heart wrenching to watch her mother's updates on caring bridge.  It's made me reflect alot on my life and my role as a mother. 

I often think it's my job as her mother to help her through the big things and help her grow up.  But as I think about Ellie and her mother Amy, I'm thinking that she is not going to remember things like potty training and eating habits.  She's going to remember her spirit.  Her joy and her love.  Her love for Jesus.  She's going to remember that on her death bed, Ellie annoited her mother's head with oil to help her deal with the loss.  That's powerful.

So my challenge today is to really look into my child's spirit, to enjoy the love and joy that oozes out of her.  And to teach her what it is to have a spirit like Christ.  It's my job to lead her on the path of life that follows Him.  So that if something tragic were to happen to her or if she lives to a ripe age of 100, she will be able to enjoy the presence of the King forever. 

Just like Ellie.