I have always know that children watch their parents and grandparents and learn from actions. But I was shown how closely they watch recently. It always amazes me how tremendous of an influence actions and attitudes have on children.
First of all, my Little Angel broke her arm. This is a family first and it was a pretty bad break. She was in a lot of pain and had to have surgery to fix the arm. This made one side of her pretty immobile while she was admitted in the hospital.
While she was in the hospital she would need to get up to do something, open a bag of crackers, feed herself, take a drink, open a bottle of water, turn a page in a book, or some other routine task. Anyone in the room, nurses and doctors even, would usually jump to her bedside to offer her some assistance. Her standard answer was, "Thank you but I can do it with one hand, I have watched my Granddaddy." This always enlisted strange looks and responses from non-family members.
Now, her Granddaddy lost the use of his arm when he was young. For all practical purposes, has grown up with only one arm. However, in the almost two decades that I have known him, I have never once heard him complain or act "handicapped" because of his arm. He can do things one handed as good as any and even better than most (with two hands). This man does not know the meaning of limitations. The Philippians verse that claims that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me... is something that he defines.
Because of his attitude and life outlook, he has taught my children a lesson that, thankfully, my wife and I can not teach. He has taught through his life the way to have limitations but not let limitations have you. Because of that living testimony, my daughter is able to look at these few weeks as what I can do... and not dwell on what I can't.
