“So much will change,” they say, pointing to your swollen belly, nearly giddy with the kind of knowledge that only experience supplies. “Your life will never be the same!” I know, you think smugly. I’ve heard it, I’ve read it, it’s the mantra you mothers all repeat. But they’re right, of course. While things will change, many of those changes are expected: those that arise from the training of … [Read more...]
God, Thy Will is hard some days
Why is it that some days everything just seems to flow? Positive energy is everywhere. It keeps you motivated and fills you with an unshakeable feeling that life is truly good. And, why is it that some days everything good can disappear in a heartbeat, despite your diligence and attention to doing what you think are all the right things? Take, for instance, last week. Jan and I … [Read more...]
Share Your Resolution So You Get Help and God Gets Glory
"What's your New Year's Resolution?" It's that time again. Everyone is asking. Some of us ignore them. Some of us have different ones every year. And some of us, who shall remain nameless, have the same one lose weight year after year. In the last couple of years we really struggled with some behavior issues with our son, Evan. We had no choice but to become quite open about them. People were … [Read more...]
It’s a Wonderful, Blessed Life!
As parents, how many of us set aside time every week to look back on how the week went, what we could do better, and then plan for the upcoming week? As parents of children with a disability, how many of us even have enough time to do the basics, let alone to reflect? But when we do get a sliver of time, do we spend that time being thankful for the blessings of our crazy lives? Do we even believe … [Read more...]
Who Are You Leaning On?
The other day I was confronted with the fact that I am not listening enough to God. At first I felt defensive inside. I started saying, “I just finished a great Bible Study and I do my devotionals weekly and pray many times each day!” They asked me again slower, “Are you taking the time to listen to God?” Wow, I felt so convicted. The answer was really no. I’m not taking the time out to listen … [Read more...]
Autism and Church: It’s a Good Thing, Part II
Back in December I wrote about the frustration and embarrassment of a particular church service with our 30-year-old son, Joel, who has autism. Joel could not sit still that day, blew out the Advent candles, muttered under his breath the entire service, walked into the bathroom and flushed the toilet several times (you have to understand that this is a very small church, and our one bathroom is … [Read more...]