Welcome, come on in & join me in a reflection while enjoying a cuppa together. Today we’ll be reflecting upon the observations & valuable lessons I’ve gleaned from spending time with my granddaughter, Lily, who has abilities of the super kind that are often called disabilities.

But before we get into our reflection, grab yourself a cuppa, a treat & get comfy.

Summer School Holidays 

It’s nearly the end of our Summer school break here in Australia, during school breaks I try to spend quality, one on one, time with my grandchildren.

Some school holidays I succeed, others I don’t (due to health issues) but last week I did! Yay! Oh happy days!

I thought Lily may enjoy doing some paper craft, so I took all the things needed to create a double Scrapbooking layout; card stock pages, photos, embellishments, glue, brads, scissors, flowers, stamped words & a roll of two sided tape.

This double layout once completed becomes part of her scrapbook Album that I’ve been compiling since she was born & will be her 18th birthday gift. It’s the activities Lily, my husband (Poppy) & I have done together over the first eighteen years of her life with some major family events included.

I’ve been creating one for each of my grandchildren spanning twenty five years now, three have already received theirs, another grandson will get his later this year on his 18th. But Lily has a while yet before she receives her Album.

She was delighted that we were doing craft together & as we sat at their dining table we spread all I had taken in front of us.

But first as it was morning tea time, we grabbed  some savoury crackers, cheese & tiny tomatoes (that Poppy had picked that morning from our garden, which she loves) & made little hors d’oeuvres to accompany our cuppa’s, we sipped & munched while creating the most beautiful double layout together.

A moment of digression…

What I’ve observed, & have done since Lily was born, is that Lily needs to go at her own pace, she won’t be hurried or pressured by anyone & is methodical in her actions. And she is in constant wonder of the world around her.

It’s a valuable lesson, as too often we feel pressure to bend to other’s wishes, time schedules & demands..don’t we?

When we know it’s not what God has for us or even what we’re capable of in this present season of life.

We need to recognise our abilities & inabilities in each season, as they constantly change. And choosing to focus upon our abilities in the present helps us to live our best life before the Lord.

For when we bend to the pressures unfairly placed upon us, we become stressed & stress leads to a loss of wonder in the blessings God sends in our daily life.

Back to my time with Lily…

Lily is a loving & sensitive child now in her teens, although her developmental age hasn’t reached her biological age, thus she has a childish innocence & naivety that is uniquely her own. Although, not without many challenges for her parents.

When our Scrapbooking layout was finished, we proceeded to construct a gf Double Choc Brownie tower from Brownie triangle pieces with icing & tiny pink & white marshmallows to look like a snowy mountain. Lily had picked this gf Christmas Brownie Mix as a gift for me, to do something fun together during the holidays, so I had taken it along.

Baking Brownies for my family is a signature treat I make each time we meet, so she associates Double Choc Brownies with me.

We had fun & laughter together as this ol’ Nanny, not used to their pressure tap, added too much water to the gf icing powder provided in the pack, so it became a watery syrup rather then icing, thus the marshmallows wouldn’t stick & our snow wasn’t evident, lol!

But these imperfections didn’t worry Lily as they made a pretty pink & white base at the bottom of the tower as we poured them over the tower. And as we ate the Brownies from the top of the Mountain we realised many marshmallows had fallen into the middle creating a marshmallow lake, this delighted Lily no end. She used a spoon to access them & signed in her Sign Language, Auslan, that they were delicious with the Brownies.

We topped off our time together watching an animated movie about Pets getting up to mischief while their owners were at work.

An unexpected Miracle 

While watching these movies I was sitting under the air conditioner as it was quite a sultry day outside, & unconsciously rubbed my eyes that Lily must have noticed & she then said out loud,

“Tired Nanny?”

Wow!! I was absolutely ecstatic to hear her say these words because Lily is also non verbal with severe hearing loss (she hears as though she’s constantly under water).

I replied while signing,

“No darlin, just dry, itchy eyes.”

She smiled at my reply, as though everything that had just happened was completely natural & reached for another Brownie to munch on while I was buzzing with excitement at this most unexpected miracle.

And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.

Romans 8: 28 AMP

Lily’s Super Ability

Lily’s super ability is that she brings out the best in people with her quiet & loving ways. She often rallies our family into group hugs when we’re together. With her laugh, smile & wonderful sense of humour infectious to all.

She also has an amazing impact on all she meets, this has been evident with her many Teachers, Aides, Therapists (Speech, OT, Physios) & fellow students over the years, who have stated how much they truly loved their time with Lily.

An example of this is a fellow team member of her Circus class (aka Gymnastics), an activity outside of school to help Lily strengthen her low muscle tone, co ordination & socialisation, has not only learnt sign language, to be able to understand & communicate with Lily, but to also assist her with the exercise activities that they do in their class together!

I’ve also watched my daughter (Lily’s Mama) rise to become a strong advocate in many areas;  blazing trails as an advocate in healthcare & education to get the best health outcome not only for Lily but for others who follow.

Other members of our family have also shined in helping many times, especially when Lily was younger & experienced some behavioural challenges. They took turns in making the 2,000 kilometre round trip to take her for a weekend, to give Lily’s family  some much needed respite.

And my eldest daughter is making that same trip again soon to care for Lily to give Lily’s Mum & Dad a much needed holiday together (their first in many years).

I’ve also watched Lily’s older sister & brother mature, beyond their years, through helping to care for their little sister.  Big sister (now an adult) will stay, when Aunty goes home, to care for Lily while their parents complete their holiday.

Yes, Lily has a wonderful super ability that has a profound impact upon all who recognise that God has sent a little gift across their path, maybe an Angel unaware?

Until next time,

Jennifer

You’re most welcome to join me in The Reading Nook

or in Prayer

---

© 2025 Jennifer M. Ross, All Rights Reserved. 

Blog Party link ups