Go with the strength you have ... It's happening again ... That horrible feeling that comes and goes as a special needs parent. Am I failing my kids? Should I be doing more? Could someone else parent my child better? I'm starting to feel like a failure. I just don't think I have enough strength for this parenting gig today. And then I remember I am reminded of a lesson God taught me through … [Read more...]
Questions for Jesus: Don’t You Care If We Drown
After Penny was diagnosed with Down syndrome, there were days when I felt as if I was drowning. I could almost feel my lungs filling up with water. I could almost see my murky surroundings, the distorted objects and the light filtering through. I thought I would never come to the surface. Back then, my head was filled with questions and my heart was filled with dread. I was scared of the life … [Read more...]
Feeling Groovy
Yes, I was born in the sixties. I was in first grade (1966) when Simon and Garfunkel's hit "Feeling Groovy" arrived in record stores on their Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme album. Little did I know how appropriate those words "feeling groovy" would be to my life nearly 50 years later. Not because I'm skipping around my back yard picking poppies and wearing organic cotton tunics (smile)… but … [Read more...]
‘This belongs to’ … realizing who our special needs kids really belong to in a hospital cafeteria
'This belongs to' ... realizing who our special needs kids really belong to in a hospital cafeteria I sit in the hospital cafeteria, a half-eaten chicken sandwich and a bottle of water is positioned in front of me on the plastic tray that reminds me of grade school. My foot taps. A loud metronome sounds in my head. Tick, tick, tick, tick. I scoop up another bite of chocolate pudding with whipped … [Read more...]
Hanging On To Your Dreams
Families love reasons to celebrate, and graduations in particular are special seasons of life. They swell a parent’s heart with pride at the accomplishments of their child. Graduation day for our son represented a “way out there” dream for me. In our son’s younger years I had allowed myself to envision him strolling across the stage in a cap and gown. But as he grew there were many years during … [Read more...]
YOU WERE CHOSEN
Colossians 2:12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Did you know you were chosen? Did you know God picked you out specifically to be your child’s parent? Did you know God chose you to receive Eternal Life, Everlasting Life? Did you know God sacrificed his own son for you to live … [Read more...]