Parenting may be one of the most rewarding jobs on earth, but it is also one of the most difficult. Parenting a child with a disability is especially demanding, requiring surpluses of energy, patience and perseverance beyond, at times, the humanly possible. My son Joel has autism. As Joel’s mom, I need God’s supernatural power to summon up that kind of energy on a daily basis. I’ve come up with … [Read more...]
There Is Hope!
I came across a heart wrenching statement Sunday afternoon (while reading through some old articles on disability) reminding me of a tragic tale of desperation and hopelessness: "We wish we had known she was feeling this desperate; we would have done what we could to help her.” Those were the words of the Morgan Autism Center executive director, Jennifer Sullivan, in San Jose, CA after … [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...]
Mother’s Day: Special (Needs) Edition
It's Mother's Day. The kids run in to my room in the morning, holding treasures made from scratch, meticulously painted, and “wrapped” in a charming child-like way. I scoop them all up in to bed like a pile of puppies, and we snuggle and laugh together until my husband shoos them away and sets down breakfast, complete with bud vase, fresh coffee and my favorite cinnamon roll. Oh wait. That’s not … [Read more...]
The Place Where Joy and Grief Meet
When our first grandson was born six months ago, I expected joy, and it was there. I expected to love him at first sight, and I did. I expected to cry tears of happiness, and they came. Every emotion was expected, save one. I never expected to grieve. Even so, grief found me. How Could I Have Known? How could I have known grief would punch me in the gut when our son wheeled the … [Read more...]
Transformation on the Trail
Sunlight streams golden through beech and maple canopy. We walk, three of us, mother, father, son, through a cathedral of light. Leaf mold tickles the nostrils, leaves crunch underfoot, and above us, sycamore leaves applaud the day. A wild flutter erupts in my chest as thousands of grackles take flight, flash purple and black against a patchwork of blue sky. Taste of smoke sits on the tongue, … [Read more...]