I will never forget the very first thing I ever drew with my mouth!
Hi, I'm Joni Eareckson Tada and I was one nervous, frightened teenager when they pushed me down the hospital hallway for my first visit to occupational therapy, it was. I was just getting used to the idea of being paralyzed, being a quadriplegic, and I had no idea what they were going to have me do in occupational therapy.
Well, when they wheeled me into the room, an occupational therapist walked up, introduced herself, and told me I was there to learn how to do new things with what little ability I had left. I couldn’t imagine what that might be – I mean, I couldn’t use my legs or my arms or my hands. What could I honestly do? That’s when she took a pencil and said, “Here, put this in your mouth; I want you to write the alphabet on this tablet of paper.” I was shocked. You want me to do what?! When she put that pencil in my mouth, I spit it out. I could not imagine myself being reduced to doing nothing more than writing or drawing with a pencil between my teeth.
Needless to say, it was not a pleasant experience that first day at occupational therapy. What's more, was I put to shame when I saw them bring in a young quadriplegic named Tom who was ventilator-dependent. When my therapist approached him with the same speech, Tom willingly took the pencil between his teeth and began writing on the tablet – with a smile, no less. When I saw his willing attitude, I was so ashamed of myself. Here I had grumbled and complained and thought that drawing with my mouth was beneath me… I was so ashamed because Tom’s attitude about it was incredible. It really humbled me.
The next day my occupational therapist approached me with a large oval-shaped piece of wet clay. She wanted to try again; she asked if I wanted to draw something on it. At first I shook my head and tried to explain that talent for art was in the way you held the pencil and I couldn’t hold a pencil with my hands, I told her. But she insisted I try anyway. Well, sitting there and remembering the example of Tom the day before, I decided to give it a try, so I clenched down on a wooden stick with a little pointy end and I began to etch a design into the wet clay with the end of that pencil. When I finished my drawing, not only was my occupational therapist amazed, so was I! It was incredible, but there it was. I did a drawing of a cowboy on a bucking horse (remember I was a kid and into horses back then).
The piece of clay was glazed, put in the kiln, and now – so many years later – this little piece of clay remains a treasure to me, a tangible expression of that wonderful verse that says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I now proudly hang the cowboy and his bucking horse plaque in my art studio, so that whenever people come to the International Disability Center for a tour, I can invite them into my art studio and show them this incredible little piece of clay, and tell them the story of how God will often use the examples of other people, like that ventilator-dependent quad named Tom, to teach us about humility and courage. So, friend, don't focus on what you can't do... instead would you please fix your eyes on what you can do and then pursue it with all the strength God gives.
By the way, remember how I said that Tom’s attitude humbled me? Well, I’ve written a little booklet called “Hungering for Humility” that I would like to send you. In it I share some thoughts about how humility is the key, the very key to courage and perseverance and strength. So please visit me today at joniandfriends.org and just ask for your free copy of “Hungering for Humility.” Remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens, who humbles you.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
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