“When life gets really crazy, I dream about our vacation.” Those who know me well would surmise those were my words. I make such statements often. But in actuality they came from my husband Hiram, a calm man who rarely becomes stressed by either hard work or obstacles. When he uttered those words in March of 2021, life was really crazy. We were in month 13 of a home addition project which … [Read more...]
Sometimes, a Mom Needs to Be Mothered
"I've got a sinus infection," I texted the friend who was picking me up at an unfamiliar airport in an unfamiliar town. "Do you have any antibiotics?" "We've got your back," she replied. She wasn't kidding. When she delivered me to our destination, she and my other friends had arranged an array of medications on the bathroom counter—everything and more than I needed to beat the nasty bug … [Read more...]
4 Special Needs Parenting Truths
Our newest grandchild arrived at the end of January. She's 8 1/2 pounds and 20 1/2 inches of pure snuggle sprinkled with dark, curly hair. Because her parents and brother live in the apartment below us, we see and hold her almost every day. Her life thus far has been free of special needs or disabilities, other than tummy distress and a nasty diaper rash after her mommy ingests soy. Even … [Read more...]
Every Believer’s Loneliness Ministry
Loneliness. Every school day of my childhood I saw it written on Dad's face when Mom, my siblings, and I hurried out the door. Even now, I close my eyes and can see him sitting in his wheelchair at the kitchen table, sipping coffee through a straw and waving good-bye. His grin couldn't hide his dread of spending another day with only the television to keep him company. In fact, Dad's face came … [Read more...]
God’s Enabling Grace for Parents of Kids with Special Needs
God's enabling grace wasn't what my husband and I expected to see when we attended Dr. Paul Tripp's marriage video series, What Did You Expect?, at our church. After all, we reassured one another, we weren't attending to shore up our marriage. But as part of the research for my new book for special needs families that includes a marriage component. As you might expect, the Holy Spirit used the … [Read more...]
God Is With Us on the Way to Bethlehem
A few short days after Christmas, my daughter will serve as chauffeur to what we both hope will be my final doctor's appointment since breaking my foot almost 3 months ago. While we are both excited to hear that I can resume driving and other duties she's taken on during my convalescence, we're also apprehensive about the 30 mile drive to the hospital and clinic. Because my daughter is, as the … [Read more...]