Celebration of Independence...

Today I watched a documentary on the life if Kim Peek...

Meet Kim Peek..."The Real Rain Main."  Kim is perhaps the world's most famous savant.  He's referred to as a megasavant. Many may remember the movie Rain Man starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman who portrayed Kim.

When Kim was born, it was discovered he was developmentally delayed.  His brain lacked the main connector for his left and right brain to function properly.  His parents were told he would never be able to walk, talk or learn etc. They were also encouraged to institutionalize Kim and just forget about him.  I'm so glad they decided not to listen.

Kim, despite the odds, started reading around a year and a half and by the age of 3 he was not only devouring books he was talking.   At age 54, Kim still resided with his father Fran, then age 80, who still served as Kim's primary caregiver.

The story of their lives is so inspiring.  It reinforces the idea in me that God created all of us with purpose in mind no matter the package we came in.

While many looked at Kim and judged him as worthless because he didn't look or act the part of a normal human being starting out, I believed God smiled because He knew the gift and purpose that was housed inside of Kim Peek.

Amazingly, the same scientific community that could see nothing special about Kim feverishly attempted to "figure out"what made his brain function the way it does.  They remain baffled to date.  Some, armed only with their limited knowledge, when unable to reach a formidable hypotheses, attempt to dismiss Kim's abilities as a fluke.  Yet...God knows.  He still uses the foolish to confound the wise.

Why on 4th of July am I writing about Kim Peek?  

My Takeaway... I caught something so very subtle and simple in the story of his life/their lives.  You see, who God created Kim to be was not only GOOD but it was good enough.

In an unorthodox fashion, Kim touched many lives all over the world with his gift.  His story has raised greater awareness and sparked more research and the study of developmental disability.  Kim achieved what seemed near impossibilities for someone born with his condition.  It's fortunate that God was the author of his fate and not man.

Thank goodness Fran Peek decided from day one to love his son  unconditionally...the way God created him instead of wallowing in anger, entitlement and disappointment.  This father gave up the life he once knew so that his son could experience a life of independence beyond the walls of an institution.  He reminds me of another great Father I know. :-)

While I do honor this great nation for the the great freedom I am privileged to enjoy, I salute Fran Peek for affording his son a life with freedoms he might have never known.  I'm grateful for the grace upon his life not to abandon his son because he didn't "fit the mold" of what a "normal"child or person is SUPPOSED to be like.

Not that it doesn't exist, however, I have not seen this level of patience that Fran exhibits (in the majority of people) when caring for his son...especially when considering all of the care and assistance he provides Kim with daily.

Fran's love for his son is demonstrative of God's love for us.  He has reached across many miles of obstacles to love and serve his son in ways unimaginable to most.  Considering he'd been a single father since the 70's, Fran hasn't been afforded the respite that most parents experience once their child when they reach age 18 or 21.

Yet by allowing himself to be stretched in this way, Fran helped Kim, his son...a savant...to fulfill an assignment on his life.  Perhaps they both have helped each other to accomplish assignments in the earth.  I can only imagine how exhausting, lonely and frustrating this journey of raising Kim all of these years may have felt at times.  I'm so glad he persevered and overcame.

Their story has shed new light on some of my favorite scriptures like Galatians 5:22-23, 2 Corinthians 9:8-15, Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 61.

Tim and Fran travel the world wowing audiences with Tim's amazing recall ability for many years until his death in 2009 at age 58.  He was often referred to as a walking Google.

I recommend watching the documentary entitled The Real Rain Main  provided here.  It will truly inspire.

On this Independence Day I am both humbled and encouraged that (no matter what) WHO God has uniquely fashioned me to be is not only GOOD but GOOD ENOUGH.  God isn't done with me yet. His will and purpose are yet unfolding in my life.

I'm truly grateful to be on this journey back2basics: spirit.soul.body...